Nobody likes to watch awards shows on tape-delay. With the internet it is way too easy to find out who won and that takes all the joy out of watching a show like The Tony Awards. Thankfully you Broadway fans have a chance to watch them live in Los Angeles. For the 23rd year, The Actors Fund is holding their Annual Tony Awards Viewing Gala on Tony Sunday (June 9th) at the Skirball Cultural Center.
The festivities begin at 3:30 PM. You enter by going through a room filled with experiences, Broadway tickets, signed theatre memorabilia and more to bid on via the silent auction that will conclude before the end of the Tony Awards.
There’s an open bar (probably to encourage spending lavishly on the auction items.) As 5:00 PM nears (the start of the Tony Awards in New York), you are seated at a table where dinner is served as you watch, on multiple screens, the Tony Awards in real-time as they happen.
Leslie Jordan, best known for his Emmy Award-winning performance as Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, serves as the emcee for the night. During commercial breaks, instead of being bombarded by Madison Avenue’s latest, Jordan will introduce many of the film, television and stage veterans who are joining for the event.
Amongst the guests who have been announced are Michael Gross from Family Ties, Daniel David Stewart from the new Hulu series Catch-22, Jenny O’Hara from Transparent, Carly Hughes from American Housewife, Ruby Lewis from the Broadway show Paramour, Ashley Argota from The Fosters plus Baron Vaughn and Sam Waterston from Grace & Frankie.
The last two actors are there to support Frankie herself, Lily Tomlin, who is the recipient of the Julie Harris Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tomlin has received two Tony Awards. When she appeared on Broadway in Appearing Nitely in 1977, she received a Special Tony Award. She won the Tony for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in 1986 for the groundbreaking play The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe (which was written and directed by Jane Wagner.)
If you aren’t a nominee or invited to be at Radio City Musical Hall on Sunday this is easily the best Tony Awards party to be found. We’ll be there!
This is a fundraiser for The Actors Fund. Tickets start at $300. To purchase tickets go here.