Twittering at the Tonys

I attended the 63rd annual Tony Awards on June 7th as an investor and supporter of “33 Variations,” which was written and directed by my dear friend Moises Kaufman.  “33 Variations” was up for Best Play, Best Actress (Jane Fonda), Best Supporting Actor, Best Lighting, and Best Scenic Design.  It ended up winning for Best Scenic Design. Sitting there in the audience, you end up realizing that the entire theater audience is essentially there to serve as a scenic backdrop for what’s happening on stage.  Before the cameras roll, they show you a little film clip called “Tony Rules,” in which you learn that you’re not supposed to take photos, ambush the celebrities as they walk to the stage to accept their awards, and that if you win a Tony, you have exactly 1 minute and 40 seconds to get up on stage, thank everyone you’ve ever met in your life, and then get off stage again before they cut your microphone.  They even tell you that the clock starts ticking from the moment your name is called as the winner – so if you spend too much time hugging your seatmates, that gets docked from your 1’40” total as well.   For me, there were a few highlights of the evening.   The commercial breaks are deadly boring.  The moment the “live” show goes to commercial, the entire theater essentially goes dark, and you sit there for the next several minutes with several thousand of your closest friends in near darkness.  As you have to get there an hour before the show begins, by midway through the ceremony you’re really hungry, really sore from sitting so long, or both.  Those commercial breaks underscored how ubiquitous our mobile devices have become.  Each time, the moment the lights dimmed, they would be replaced by the glow of hundreds of iphone, blackberry, and cell phone screens lighting up as people sent messages to friends and family outside the theater.  There were huge signs posted all over Radio City Music Hall admonishing people to not use video or still cameras – but attendees were only too happy to take those signs quite literally, as cell phone cameras were clicking all over the theater during the entire show. Even the celebrities were getting in on the social networking buzz.  Jane Fonda, nominated for Best Actress for “33 Variations,” was the first presenter of the evening.  As she was standing in the wings of the stage waiting to go on, she watched Elton John finish the opening musical number.  Suddenly, she pulled out her cell phone, took a photo of Elton, then posted it and twittered about watching Elton play.  Then she tucked her phone away, did one last check of her hair and make-up, and strode out on stage to present the Best Supporting Actor award.