On Sunday evening the world of theater had its biggest night - The Tony Award ceremony.  The good news is it was a night of high standards. 

If this show didn't tempt you to see a Broadway play it probably isn't going to happen. Just about every musical segment was great.  This despite, what I think, is a very weak year for musical theater.  Indeed, it's hard to imagine "Kinky Boots" winning over any previous winner.  In fact, the smart money was on "Matilda" this year.

So much for the smart money.   I never dreamt Broadway favorite Nathan Lane would not get best actor and lose to Tracy Letts.  I'm not saying Lane should have won, just saying I'm surprised the voters remembered Letts' marvelous work in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"  Letts has won before but as a playwright for "August Osage County."

The real winner of the night Neal Patrick Harris who once again displayed great talent and charm. His opening number was brilliant the close clever and the bit with three Broadway talents who went on to failed TV series was funny.

In between there were the speeches - the majority to the point, many articulate and some from the heart.  Of course there were a few that thought we cared about the relationships with their managers, publicists and dressers.  

All in all, a good show.

My wife was an avid gardener and I always recall the delight she showed when in late-winter the seed catalogs arrived.   This was matched only by the days in spring when she went to her garden supply stores to add to her overwhelming cache of flowers and plants.

Sometimes anticipation is equal to the joy of achievement.

This is the time of year I most identify with that point of view.  I look at the theater listings and cannot see a loser in the batch.   There are so many great classical music offerings I get heady in deciding which to see.  And as for the free music offered in almost every community what a great opportunity to see a favorite band outside the clubs and bars at which they usually perform.

I go so far as to anticipate a rainy day by having lists of the magnificent art which will be exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the summer.

Of course, what I fail to realize is there is not enough time to do everything.  You can't be at that great symphony concert and go to a theater performance and see dance or opera the same day.  Yes, a couple of matinee days offer that opportunity but then there is a the thing about energy - and even the consideration of living a normal life of BBQ's, family celebrations, golf and time on the lake.

Nonetheless, it is a wonderful time of the year when there are no flop plays on the horizon, no clinker notes coming off the stage, or not even crowded parking lots for the popular performances.

I used to joke with my wife at how in September there were often potted plants lining the driveway that never got planted in ground.  I know that come labor Day, I will have those unseen plays, unheard concert and not experienced art shows.

Nonetheless, the best thing about early June is that everything is possible,