Neil Patrick Harris is a low-key Tony Awards host – until that fantastic closing number!

I watched the Tony Awards live at the 13th Annual Los Angeles Tony Awards Party benefiting the Actors Fund. I’ll have much more on the evening shortly including my interview with honoree Chita Rivera!

But I wanted to first post about Neil Patrick Harris who did a smooth job as first-time Tony host and did not make the show all about him instead allowing the performances and acceptance speeches to shine brightest. The modest tone was set at the start when Neil did not take to the stage until after what had to be the most ambitious opening number a Tony telecast has ever attempted. It was just filled with performers including many musical nominees including Stockard Channing and such well-known faces as Liza Minnelli, Dolly Parton and Elt0n John.

Then out bounded Neil who talked of watching the Tonys as a kid, threatened to make Constantine xxx jokes then introduced presenter Jane Fonda who returned to Broadway this year in 33 Variations – her first Broadway show in 46 years. He joked: “We can look forward to her (next) return in 2055 in Blithe Spirit.”

Neil did an amusing scratch and sniff bit that was amusing and tossed off to the commercial breaks just fine but the show was so jam-packed with musical numbers and categories to present, after Liza Minnelli presented the final award – best musical – I thought how I wished there had been more of NPH.

Then magic happened.

He launched into this completely wonderful musical number about the Tony show that had just finished! The lyrics were filled with references to the winners. parody of Tonight.

Some sample lyrics:

Elton’s Billy was all the rage
What class, what drive,
now Angela won five
and she hooked up with Poison backstage.

and

This show could not be gayer
if Liza was named mayor
and Elton John took flight.

Here it is: Enjoy!