Well, it's Sunday night and I'm all a-twitter. And that's because in mere moments, the Tony Awards -- OUR awards show -- is about to begin; three hours of (what I hope will be) theatrical euphoria.

And I'm ready for 'em! Uh, I think. OK, my checklist ... where IS my checklist? Ah, found it! Let's see:




- Comfy jammies on. Check.
- Popcorn popping. Check.
- Bowl of ice cream prepared? Check.
- Cookies baking? Check.



I've been so anticipating this moment that I even rehearsed it earlier today when my friend, Albert, called and I hung up on him saying, "What? Are you crazy? I'm watching the Tonys!"

So now I give you now my neurotic (and, I admit, slightly abnormal) Tony Awards play-by-play ... after the jump!

8:00 PM
We begin with 'A Chorus Line' – Hey, there's Ken Alan! – and see all the nominated shows to the tune of 'I Hope I Get It.' Nicely done. And presenters' headshots? Love it!

8:04 PM
'A Chorus Line' performs. Nice way to start the show. And look! There's Zach Braff in the audience. (Um, what's he doing there?)

8:06 PM
Hello there, Angela Lansbury. We adore you. And you look great.

8:07 PM
First presenters: Christina Applegate (she looks amazing) and Neil Patrick Harris present Best Featured Actor in a Play to Billy Crudup for 'The Coast of Utopia.' Sweet speech ... and now we all know how to pronounce his name: It's "crew-dup," people.

8:11 PM
Robert Sean Leonard and Vanessa Williams present Best Featured Actor in a Musical to John Gallagher, Jr. for 'Spring Awakening.' Wow, I'm surprised at this one – but what a thoughtful speech. (And hey, Happy Birthday, Seth!)


8:16 PM
Commercial break a.k.a. ice-cream time. (I can't find the chocolate syrup. Arrgh.)

8:19 PM
There's a little bit of Broadway in Heidi Klum? Uh, really ..?!

8:20 PM
(Newly blonde) Carla Gugino and Jeff Daniels present Best Book of a Musical to Steven Sater for 'Spring Awakening.' He thanked his son; you mean he's not- aw, forget it.

8:22 PM
Melina Kanakaredes (did I spell that correctly?) introduces John Kander to a well-deserved standing ovation to introduce a number from 'Curtains' (see photo, below).



8:26 PM
My friend, Graham, IM's me! Hello! 'Curtains' is performing! Shame on you, Graham!


8:28 PM
'Curtains' looks way fun! And look: There's Bernadette in the audience. We love you, Bernie!

8:29 PM
Oh goody: Usher's coming up! Yippee! (Read: sarcasm.)

8:29 PM
My friend, Graham, calls me. He thought Angela read the TelePrompter "rather blandly." (Graham's a Brit, justsoyouknow.)


8:34 PM
(Hottie McHot) Taye Diggs and and Idina Menzel present Best Original Score to Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater for 'Spring Awakening.' I don't know about you, but Duncan is my new straight crush. (And musical theatre DOES rock, Duncan!)


8:37 PM
Donny Osmond and Anika Noni Rose present Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Musical to Mary Louise Wilson for 'Grey Gardens.' Best speech of the night thus far. But, um, WHAT did you say the name of your stylist was?

8:40 PM
Phylicia Rashad introduces '110 in the Shade' with Audra McDonald singing 'Raunchy.' (If you don't know who Audra is, click here, because it doesn't get better than her, folks.)


8:45 PM
The kid from 'Ugly Betty' (see photo, right) helps tease 'Mary Poppins.' Ummm ...


8:46 PM
Another commercial break. My brother, Andrew, calls and tells me that Steven Sater reminds him of Paul Lynde ... and that Mary Louise-Wilson has turned into Ann B. Davis!

8:51 PM
Bebe Neuwirth and David Hyde Pierce present Best Choreography to Bill T. Jones for 'Spring Awakening.' His choreography is innovative and amazing. Check out this great New York Times article about Bill. And chalk up the first same-sex thank you here! Woo-hoo!



8:53 PM
My friend, Alex, calls! Is he nuts? I hang up on him.

8:54 PM
Claire Danes (I don't like her dress) and Rainn Wilson (who?) present Best Featured Actress in a Play to Jennifer Ehle for 'The Coast of Utopia' (see photo, left). (Graham doesn't care for Jennifer's dress, but we both like her speech.)


8:57 PM
The 'Ugly Betty' kid introduces 'Mary Poppins.' Can someone PLEASE explain to me why they didn't perform 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' ..?!


8:58 PM
Done with my ice cream, I'm on to eating my cookies. (It's a wonder I'm not fat.)


9:03 PM
I call Alex back to apologize for hanging up on him. He hangs up on me. And Graham thinks the guy in the LensCrafter commercial is hot. Sadly, I don't notice because I keep trying to call Alex, but his line is busy.

9:08 PM
Harry Smith tells us that Broadway's had a record-breaking year. Thank you to all of the tourists for spending your money and crowding the sidewalks. (Just please don't walk three-wide.) And it's the Play Retrospective. Love it.

9:10 PM
Liev Schreiber (love him!) and Cynthia Nixon (love her!) present Best Director of a Play to Jack O'Brien for 'The Coast of Utopia.' 10 Tony nominations over his 42-year career: Now THAT is amazing! And he's a helluva nice man.


9:14 PM
Eddie Izzard presents Best Theatrical Event to 'Jay Johnson: The Two and Only' (see photo, left). Good for him!

9:17 PM
My friend, Liza (not Minnelli), calls as she thinks Paul (a man Jay Johnson thanked in his speech) also played the piano on the show, 'It's a Living.' She's checking because this kind of thing makes her very excited.


9:22 PM
Some Theatre Wing biggies get crushed by a chandelier. Hilarious! That's awesome, Jane Krakowski and John Mahoney!

9:25 PM
Marvin Hamlisch and Marg Helgenberger (what shows has SHE been in?) present the Musical Retrospective. I kind of liked 'High Fidelity,' didn't you?

9:29 PM
Harry Connick, Jr. presents Best Direction of a Musical to Michael Mayer for 'Spring Awakening.' And look at him, gay kids: He's out, proud and an amazing role model! And score two for same-sex thank you's!

9:32 PM
Patti LuPone (double-love her!) introduces Raul Esparza singing 'Being Alive' from 'Company.' One word: Wow!

9:36 PM
My tush is starting to hurt. I do a lap around the apartment for circulation.


9:36 PM
Liza calls again. It IS the same Paul Kreppel from 'It's a Living'! She loves that a guy from 'Soap' and another from 'It's a Living' both won Tonys. And she also thinks Harry is hot, but that Patti shouldn't go strapless.

9:40 PM
Marcia Gay Harden and Judd Hirsch present the Best Play nominees. Uh, Judd: Is it sunny inside Radio City Music Hall? Just asking.


9:44 PM
Felicity Huffman and Sam Waterston present Best Revival of a Play to 'Journey's End' (see photo, above). It's a sincere shame that the play closed only hours earlier. Everyone should have seen it.

9:48 PM
Tommy Tune presents the 'In Memorium' montage.

9:52 PM
I try calling Alex again. The line is busy. I resort to text messaging.

9:53 PM
Liza calls and thinks the whole Tony Awards is really just one big commercial for Hugh Jackman's new show on CBS.


9:55 PM
Jane Krakowski is back with Kevin Spacey to present Best Revival of a Musical to 'Company.' You know, I HATE it when winners mention the theatre in which they're playing. Can you be more obvious? And this was the first speech cut-off of the night. Ouch!



9:58 PM
Brian Dennehy and Audra McDonald present Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Play to Julie White for 'The Little Dog Laughed' (see photo, right). How lovely is it to see a winner truly surprised! May you win many, many more tsotchkes in the future, Julie!

10:02 PM
Matt Cavenaugh (a.k.a. the hottest man on Broadway) teases 'Grey Gardens.'

10:03 PM
Just one more hour left. I have to take my Tylenol PM. (Product placement, anyone?)




10:08 PM
Um, there's a little bit of Broadway in Judge Judy ..?! Come on!



10:09 PM
The 'Jersey Boys' perform 'Oh What a Night' and give us the winners of the (previously recorded) Creative Arts Tonys. Ready?

Best Orchestrations of a Musical went to Duncan Sheik for 'Spring Awakening.' Best Lighting Design of a Play went to Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner and Natasha Katz for 'The Coast of Utopia.' Best Lighting Design of a Musical went to Kevin Adams for 'Spring Awakening.' Best Costume Design of a Play went to Catherine Zuber for 'The Coast of Utopia." Best Costume Design of a Musical went to William Ivey Long for 'Grey Gardens.' Best Scenic Design of a Play went to Bob Crowley and Scott Pask for 'The Coast of Utopia.' (Congratulations, Scott!) And Best Scenic Design of a Musical went to Bob Crowley for 'Mary Poppins.' To be honest, I do believe these awards and their recipients deserve equal time on the telecast. I'm just sayin' ...


10:11 PM
Anne Heche and John Turturro present Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Play to Frank Langella for 'Frost/Nixon' (see photo, left). Expected and deserved.

10:15 PM
Patrick Wilson (yowza) introduces Christine Ebersole and her amazing performance for 'Grey Gardens.' Just so, so good.

10:23 PM
I finally get through to Alex and we both apologize for being snappish to each other. He informs me that the Tonys are all the talk on MH.

10:25 PM
Christopher Plummer presents the Best Play to Tom Stoppard for 'The Coast of Utopia.' Is anyone surprised? Anyone at all?

10:30 PM
Zach Braff introduces 'Spring Awakening.' Even with a few lyric changes, some censored mutes and some ridiculous (and ill-advised) and shaky camera moves, the performance is flawless!

10:36 PM
Liza calls to tell me we HAVE to see 'Spring Awakening.' I've seen it three times but, sure, I'll see it again!




10:40 PM
Jane Alexander introduces the Regional Theatre Award to the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. And she also introduces Fantasia from 'American Idol' Broadway's 'The Color Purple.' How can we not love her?

10:45 PM
There's Cynthia Nixon and her girlfriend! Yay!




10:45 PM
Harvey Fierstein and Bernadette Peters present Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical to David Hyde Pierce in 'Curtains' (see photo, above). I hafta say, I love me my DHP and I think he's amazing ... but I really do think Raul shoud've won. And make that three for same-sex thank you's! (Happy 24 years together, guys!)


10:49 PM
Ben Vereen and Usher present Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical to Christine Ebersole for 'Grey Gardens' (see photo, right). You are over-the-hill in a role of a lifetime and we love you for it!

10:55 PM
Liza and I discuss David's win, Raul's loss ... and the mouse she just saw in her apartment.




10:56 PM
Angela presents the Best Musical Award to 'Spring Awakening' (see photo, left) and its 4,283 producers. Congratulations! Oops – another cut-off.


10:59 PM
Good night everybody and remember: Come to Broadway!

11:01 PM
OK, I'm going to bed. I think the Tylenol PM is kickin' in ... Nitey nite!

But before I turn in QueerSighters: What did YOU think of the show? Who do YOU think got snubbed? Who were YOU happy to see win the trophy? Who do YOU think looked great -- and didn't look so hot? Leave a comment and let me know!