The Band Visits Evanston

Okay, add another to the list.  I had no idea.  But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...

During the Tony Awards a few weeks ago, they presented a scene from The Band's Visit, a show which later that night won Best Musical.  (It's based on the Israeli movie, about an Egyptian police band which gets stranded for the night in a deserted town in Israel.)  I was a little disappointed with the song they chose because it didn't really include much with Tony Shaloub -- all the more so since he ended up winning Leading Actor in a Musical (something he's noted in interviews is the last thing he thought would ever happen to him in his career).  Shaloub doesn't have many songs in the show -- as far as I can tell, he only has one, though I believe he sings in some ensemble numbers.  So, it's likely that they thought that his few songs didn't present the show as well as the number they chose instead.  I understand that -- and they did at least have him in the scene throughout, who the performer is singing to, and he has a couple lines -- but it was still disappointing.  The only saving grace is that the woman who did sing the song they chose, Katrina Lenk, was...well, tremendous.  She gave a galvanizing performance, and it was not surprising (even though I hadn't heard of her) when she won Leading Actress in a Musical.  So, I can't quibble much.  She really was terrific.  In fact, she was so good that -- with me not knowing her, and with her name and accent -- I thought perhaps she was an Israeli actress, but when she accepted her award, she was very clearly American.  And turns out to have impressive theater credits.  So, there's a lapse on my part.

Which brings us to the point of this.  Last night, I got my monthly email newsletter from the beloved Northwestern University.  And it highlighted the school's alumna, Katrink Lenk, winning the Tony Award as Leading Actress in a Musical for The Band's Visit!  I had no idea.  So, as I said, add one more to the list.

Here she is with that number at the Tonys, ​"Omar Sharif," opposite Tony Shaloub. 

For the record, the music and lyrics for The Band's Visit are by David Yazbek, who won the Tony Award for Best Original Score.
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And as a bonus, here's backstage interview after winning the Tony as Leading Actress in a Musical.

And okay, here is a bemused Tony Shaloub's interview backstage, which begins with him asking his own three questions -- "What happened?  How did this happen??  And why have I not done a musical before?"