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July 2001 Issue

Happy to Warm the Seat: My Night as a Tony Awards Seat Filler

By Rob Seidner

The life of a seat filler at an awards show is as glamorous as one would expect. The noble profession once honored in a Seinfeld episode and spoofed in the Simpsons, is significantly more exciting than being nominated. This was especially true at this year's Tony Awards where The Producers garnered a record 15 nominations in 12 categories, and swept the competition.

How did I get to be one of the lucky few people to attend an awards show for free, with the simple of task of keeping a seat warm? Years of hard work, extraordinary charisma, and oodles of talent and luck. Okay, that's not exactly true. As with getting any job, it took good old-fashioned nepotism: One of my good friends, Brandeis Theater legend Rachel Reiner, works for Broadwayıs governing body, The League of American Theatres And Producers, and she pulled some strings for me.

My stretch limo (well, Greyhound bus) took me to Radio City Music Hall for the big event. Dressed in my dashing black tux, I lined up with 200 other lucky Broadway lovers of all ages. Joined by my veteran seat filler friend Jocelyn, I was given the rundown on how to get the most of my experience.

In essence, all manners must be thrown out--the polite seat fillers spend the night standing. The idea is to get seated early because otherwise you can be standing for hours, especially since the first hour is commercial free. Then, if you get knocked out of your seat by some ungrateful ticket-holder, go back to the front of the line. Actors always cut each other's throats for parts, so this emulation of their behavior is expected.

The countdown was then on as the seat fillers stood in a row waiting to see what seats were open. I was awe struck watching the celebrities climb into their seats. I was in close proximity to several stars: Robert Sean Leonard, whom it seems all girls still have crushes on from Dead Poets Society; Jane Krakowski, a Broadway vet before becoming Elaine on Ally McBeal--she walked by looking completely at home; Eric McCormak, parleying Will and Grace into a stint as the Music Man--he looked more out of place in his new Broadway surroundings; and Reba McEntire, the darling of the 2000 season for electrifying Annie Get Your Gun--she was simply on top of the world from the obvious adulation of the crowd.

Movie legends Mel Brooks and wife Anne Bancroft were enjoying being the center of attention, while Oscar favorites Glenn Close, Joan Allen, Gary Sinise and Gwyneth Paltrow, (there to cheer for her mom Blyther Danner), stood out even among the other thespians as the most recognizable in the room. TV star Linda Lavin seemed pleased, but looked odd out of Aliceıs waitress uniform; Gina Gershon, conversely, looked odd in clothes. Broadway legend Bernadette Peters looked simply radiant, but then the diva always has a glow about her.

Then the call came--the usher needed eight of us to rapidly fill in seats before the cameras started rolling. I rushed down the aisle, making eye contact with Henry Winkler ("heeeyyyy"--the Fonz looked me in the eye!). Jocelyn and I got placed on the aisle a little bit towards the back of the front section. None of the actors were near us and many of the seats were filled with my brethren.

The broadcast began with hosts Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. Their chemistry was so perfect that I wondered whether Sarah Jessica would be at all worried about losing her man. The awards were announced fast and furiously, and the speeches were sincere and efficient. The Oscars could learn a lot from the Tonys.

Soon after the first awards were announced, the real guests started showing up, tossing the seat fillers. Behind me, a winner of a lifetime achievement award sat down, Tony in hand. Someone else walked by playing with a shiny Tony. Quite rapidly, all the fillers near me were forced to get up and run back to stand on the waiting line. The look of disappointment on their faces was obvious, but then again so was my condescending sneer because I was still sitting! As time passed, it became clear that the people whose seats we were filling were not going to show. By 9:15, I settled in, giddy with the knowledge that I had better seats than some Tony winners.

The Tony Awards show was truly an amazing and historic event this year. The Producers' 12 wins were the most awards in Tony history, Mel Brooks finally received some honors and gratitude for his lifetime of making us laugh, and unless the Rockettes someday go coed, I doubt Radio City will ever see as much male flesh as it did between Rocky Horror and The Full Monty (whose men really did take it all off).

I made my way out of the show at peace with the world. One couldn't calculate the amount of karma I must have used up to have the experience. While floating on Sixth Avenue, I finally had my celebrity encounter--with Dick Cavitt, the famed humorist and narrator of Rocky Horror. He walked with us down the street talking about the night. He seemed as pleased with our conversation as I did with the show, and I guess that is the point of being a seat filler--to make celebrities happy.

For a review of The Producers, please see the May 2001 section of the GenJ Archive.


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