On the red carpet at the 2019 Tony Awards, June 9, and celebrating 50 years of PRIDE.

(Styled by Sam Ratelle. Wearing Randi Rahm couture, jewels by Oscar Heyman, clutch by Emm Kuo. Hair by Justin Bowen.)

Dear Family and Friends,

     Happy Summer! I have officially made it through my fourth Tony Awards with Playbill (my fifth overall) and have returned from my "post-Tonys collapse" in Greece. (Yes, it was as incredible as I had hoped based on my love of  Greek salad and Disney's Hercules.)

     I hope you all were able to tune in as I hosted Playbill's Facebook Live From the Tony Awards Red Carpet special before the CBS broadcast kicked off. Moments that knocked me out include: Judith Light, Jake Gyllenhaal remembering me from our recent interview, and Billy Porter slaying as we gushed about how much we love our genius stylist, Sam Ratelle. More on the Tonys and our Red Carpet below!

     During my time in Greece, I did a lot of journaling and the phrase "be where you are" kept coming up. I realize that this is one of the reasons I love the theatre. Theatre asks you to be where you are. I know it can seem like there are a lot of rules about turning off cell phones and not talking to your neighbor, but it's all towards the greater purpose of creating a sacred, present space untouched by the outside world or distractions. A place where we all collectively focus. That's the magic. It's not about elitism or exclusivity; it's about inclusivity among the people with whom you've fatefully put yourself in a room. I hope you go to the theatre this summer, or find a book or a movie that forces you to be exactly where you are. To me, that's the measure of great art.

     The day after my return, I witnessed great art. It was the 50th SubCulture residency concert of Jason Robert Brown (if you don't know who that is, go to Spotify or your music provider of choice NOW and listen to literally anything) and he was joined by Stephen Sondheim. In the flesh. A stellar lineup of vocalists sang songs from the catalogs of these two masters—I swear I blacked out during "Move On" from Sunday in the Park With George by Katrina Lenk and Joshua Henry. But I digress. I need to take a moment to shout out the man who made this concert, this residency, this music and art happen: Marc Kaplan. One of two original visionaries behind SubCulture, Marc has exceeded all expectations. He is another educator and chosen family member who taught me how to strive for that in my own life. I thought SubCulture would just be a great hangout I could reliably get into on a Saturday night; it is a gamechanger. And, maybe, I commune with the venue's vibe because it has called on us to be where we are from Day One.

     Perhaps, you'll pass this along and spread that quest to be a bit more present. If you need recommendations, scroll down for articles, my favorite things this month, and more.

     Oh and one more thing! I will be "Sleeping Out" with Covenant House again August 19 in an effort to raise funds and awareness for homeless youth. Each year, 4.2 million youth experience homelessness and this event is an act of solidarity. Covenant House is so much more than a shelter; they provide career-mapping, college counseling, and more. Read about my 2018 Sleep Out experience, and help me help these youth. Please consider donating to my 2019 Sleep Out here. Until next time, thank you for all the love. 

Recommendations: 

1. Moulin Rouge! I have been waiting for this musical to come to Broadway since I saw its out-of-town tryout in Boston last summer. It is spectacular. Tony winner Karen Olivo and Aaron Tveit return to Broadway—both for the first time in nearly a decade. REJOICE. The choreography from Sonya Tayeh (So You Think You Can Dance) is out of this world. The costumes and the sets will blow your mind. Buy your tickets NOW.

2. Sea Wall/A Life. Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge give new meaning to the word monologue. If you want a night of simple, yet emotional and powerful theatre, this one is for you. A master class in acting, this play will move you.

3. Octet album. Dave Malloy (the scribe behind Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812) should—at the very least—be a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this new musical if not win the darn thing next year. This groundbreaking new musical is no longer playing Off-Broadway, but an album is on the horizon. Get your hands on it when it drops.

4. New Girl. I know I am very late to the party on this one, but maybe I'm not the only one? If you're looking for something quirky and loveable, a TV show to make you giggle, this is it. Lovers of The Good Place and Scrubs take note.

5. Pod Save America: "Girlfriend you're so on." If you've never listened to Jon Favreau, Tommy Vietor, Daniel Pfeiffer, and Jon Lovett before, I generally recommend this podcast from the former White House insiders and general brainiacs/funnymen. This specific episode broke down the first two debates between the Democratic Presidential candidates, and I urge everyone to listen. They're not angling for you to endorse one candidate. They cogently explain issues like healthcare, immigration, gun reform, and multiple candidate's positions to help you assess how you feel about each potential Prez.

6. China Rich Girlfriend. The sequel to Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians. I did not think he could pull it off two books in a row, but it is excellent so far. If you only saw the movie: yes it's a book, and yes you are missing out on the LUDICROUS wealth since the movie did not begin to touch the opulence and social politics.

My Philosophy

I believe in art's power to create change. Art—particularly theatre—can help us reflect, determine, and, sometimes, change our beliefs. I hope that you all continue to engage with the storytelling and art around you—wherever you are and whatever level—and that you entertain different points of view. Advocate for your principles while always leaving room to hear others and evolve. Let's stay engaged, thoughtful, and active. 

As always, if you need show recommendations or if you have theatre questions, please get in touch! I LOVE to answer. Keep tabs on Playbill.com and RuthieFierberg.com, and thank you for your enduring support.