And the award for best performance in a totally disappointing show goes to...

Audra McDonald.

I recently took in a performance of 110 in the Shade, which I'd been wanting to see mostly for its cast. I didn't know much about this revival, but I did know that leading lady Audra McDonald has never disappointed. To give credit where credit is due, she is an amazing actress and singer and did absolutely all that could be done with the material. Unfortunately, there are just some limitations that can't be overcome. Set in Texas in the 1930s, there are two main plot points in 110: McDonald's character, Lizzie, can't land a man, and the town folks are desperate for the drought to end. Lizzie is on the brink of officially becoming an old maid and, like the land around them, is drying up. Yes, that's the musical's big metaphor. Both Lizzie and the land need to get a little wet.

Lizzie is quite intelligent and unwilling to flirt and giggle like an idiot. Even worse: She's plain. A not-pretty smart girl? No wonder she's an old maid! Even if you can get past this premise (which is especially hard given how lovely Audra McDonald really is. Just look at that poster!), the show still disappoints. I'll forgive a lot if I'm entertained, but 110 in the Shade was just boring. It ran about 2 1/2 hours and only a few of the songs had emotional resonance; the rest, frankly, were vapid. I'm glad I got to see Audra McDonald's performance, and ever since Urinetown I've had a soft spot in my heart for John Cullum. I'll happily see either of these two in future performances—just not future performances of 110 in the Shade.

Random celebrity sighting: two rows ahead of us were Tony winner David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, and Edward Hibbert from Curtains. I choose to believe that they weren't impressed either.