Last night was the annual Big Easy entertainment awards. As they have a few times in the past, the theatre and music awards were combined but this year was at a new venue- the SugarMill on Convention Center Blvd.
This was my first show as i joined the committee right after the awards last year and i was very excited.
I realize Mondays are traditionally "dark" theatre days and so that's why we have them on that night but its really hard to get all gussied up at 5:30 on a Monday. I did my best but was less than impressed with how my outfit turned out. Luckily no one there was looking at me- they were looking at the performers and presenters and nominees... most of whom looked really great.

Rebecca went with me and when we walked in, it sort of looked like one of the fancy proms you see on tv-- i don't mean this in a bad way... it wasn't tacky or anything; that's just what it reminded me of.
There were stars hanging from the ceiling and round white tables all around (no dance floor of course.) And to the sides there were a few different bar stations with a buffet on stage right.
The bars incidentally were really cool. Each had a speciality drink- i particurily enjoyed the vodka strawberry lemonade and the whisky mint tea.

There were a lot of people there. It didn't feel crowded but i was definitely overwhelmed by it all. I think i might have a mild social anxiety disorder. I'm actually fine in a room full of strangers but the thing about this was there were a fair amount of people i knew pretty well, lots of people i didn't know at all and then a whole lot of people as well that i only "kinda sorta" know.
That's the worst! I am very bad at making aquaintences into friends.... much like how i mentioned in my last post that i can't make friends into aquaintences.
People are who they are for me and an upgrade or downgrade (in our level of friendship) is tough for me.
I was happy to see people that i don't get to see often and tell them hello and ask how they're doing but then... then. That's the problem! What do you do after that?
What happens AFTER, "Hi! How are you? Great to see you!"
And i don't say that last phrase to be insincere. I am not a smoozer- couldn't be if i wanted to. But maybe that's the problem.... searching for genuine connections in a time of small talk.
Tragic, right? Geez i'm self-analytical!!!

Anyway-- actual awards ceremony was nice. They did a round of theatre alternated with a round of music. It wasn't as chaotic as i was warned it might be. And it stayed very well on schedule-- the performances and everything seemed to go very smoothly.
I'm very proud to be on the theatre committee. I think its a really cool honor- i don't like to publisize it all the time because i feel like i'm pretentious and bragging but i really do enjoy it.
I do wish that the committee as a whole had more broad tastes in theatre.
There was one particular show- which was very well done, i don't mean anything ill toward it- but it SWEEPED the awards. Seriously it won everything it was nominated for...and it was nominated for practically everything.
It was a good play and there were very talented people involved in it. BUT it was not the only play produced last year. It was not the only good show produced last year. I know.... i saw others!
I wish we could have spread the love around and awarded a few other productions/individuals that would have been equally deserving. This made us look biased and like we only saw one play in 2009. But maybe that's a naieve mind-set. No one else seemed bothered by this so i guess that's just how it is.

Hi-lights of the evening:
Imagination Movers performing "get it ready, get it ready, get it ready ready"
HYSTERICAL! Then Becca tried to teach it to my friend Nina from writing group who happened to be there. Nina isn't from nola so didn't know the song and Becca was showing her all the hand motions. They would have looked silly except there was a gaggle of diverse people doing the same thing!
And I got to meet Bryan Batt! Its funny because i didn't even know who he was a few months ago.... i think i'd heard of him but i didn't really know much about him. Then i started netflixing Mad Men and suddenly he's everywhere! He was at the Wicked caberet show i went to and a few other places but i'd never met him.
Last night i made it my mission. I annoyed the crap out of Rebecca and six other people too i'm sure but i was bound and determined to be introduced to him.
And then completely out of the blue... my friend Carlos taps me on the shoulder and i turn around in my chair... he says, "i have someone i'd like you to meet..." Carlos gestures to Bryan who's standing right next to him! Bryan outstretches his hand and says "Hi, I'm Bryan, nice to meet you" :)
I then do my best impersonation of someone who doesn't sound like an idiot and tell him that i really like Mad Men... he says "thanks, i do too"
And i tell him i'm on the Big Easy committee-- the one time i've used that phrase hoping to impress someone... not that anything I could say would impress this major Broadway/Hollywood actor but ...
Anyway, he was really cool. We didn't talk long but i am eternally grateful to Carlos Gonzales!

John Goodman was there too but i didn't meet him- or have the overwhelming desire too.

All in all it was a good evening. I was really glad i was able to go and i'm looking forward to next year :)