TWO CITIES, TWO AERIAL DYNAMICS

Did you watch the TV coverage of the fireworks shows in New York and Washington DC?

I did. With curiosity.

CNN carried both spectacles, officially from the nation’s capital, but linked to the NBC/Macy’s- sponsored coverage of the aerials in New York City.

Though I’ve traveled to New York when July 4 fireworks drew visitors and locals to witness the dynamics from the Hudson River, I’ve never seen it live. Commonly, I’m be at a Broadway show instead – yes, a few theaters weren’t shuttered, to provide choices for folks unwilling to assemble in the mid-afternoon to view the evening fireworks.

And during summers when I wasn’t in New York, I’d watch the D.C. proceedings via TV at home, since they tended to project an Americana flavor. You know, a celebration of birth of the nation, with a military band (this year it was the Army) adding patriotic juice to the menu.

Interestingly, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, took a few minutes to see the D.C. aerials from a White House balcony, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and hubby Douglas Emhoff, the first Second Gentleman, also taking in the fireworks.

So: which one was the winner, in terms of appeal?

For sheer volume and depth, New York shared more breathtaking displays, with huge chrysanthemum-like florals dancing with spurts of animated color. Boats and barges in the river also provided smaller, secondary explosive displays. Don’t know the costs, but these displays – lean on usual drone formations – were far more plentiful and logically more expensive. So The Big Apple wins, with better content.

The DC displays, however, won on patriotic appeal, with the live Army orchestra rendering Americana tunes, eventually programming classics like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”…

‘Merrily’ joins the $2 million club

A new champion sits atop the Broadway grosses this week –“Merrily We Roll Along” beat the traditional winner, “The Lion King.”

Clearly, “Merrily” rolled along to the top, thanks to its four Tony Awards last month. Alas, for Tony winners Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliff, the successful journey winds up on Sunday (July 7), when it closes its run.

The Top 10:

1—“Merrily We Roll Along,” $2.321 million.

2—“The Lion King,” $2.263 million.

3—“Wicked,” $2.143 million.

4—“Hamilton,” $1.955 million.

5—“Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” $1.810 million.

6—“Hell’s Kitchen,” $1.549 million.

7—“Aladdin,” $1.398 million.

8—“The Outsiders,” $1.338 million

9—“MJ the Musical,” $1.336 million.

10—“The Wiz,” $1.313 million.

The complete list, courtesy the Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz…