Tony Walton

Production and costume designer Tony Walton, who has earned three Tony Awards, an Oscar and an Emmy over the last five decades, describes himself as a "theater critter. " "That is where my home is," the British-born Walton, 76, said over the phone from New York. "Compared to the great many theatrical productions, I have only done about 20 movies. I was lucky enough to be working with the same people on the movies as I was in the theater, like Bob Fosse ["Pippin," "Chicago," "All That Jazz"]

Production and costume designer Tony Walton, who has earned three Tony Awards, an Oscar and an Emmy over the last five decades, describes himself as a "theater critter. " "That is where my home is," the British-born Walton, 76, said over the phone from New York. "Compared to the great many theatrical productions, I have only done about 20 movies. I was lucky enough to be working with the same people on the movies as I was in the theater, like Bob Fosse ["Pippin," "Chicago," "All That Jazz"]

For more than four decades, designer Tony Walton has worked for some of the best directors in show business--Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Jerry Zaks, Tommy Tune, to name just a few. His sets and costumes have appeared on numerous Broadway stages, in European and American opera houses and in ballet as well as film productions. A 1991 inductee into the Theatre Hall of Fame, Walton, 64, has three Tonys, an Oscar and an Emmy and has been nominated many more times than that.

It wasn't chutzpah when the Big Apple Circus asked one of this country's most successful costume and scenic designers, Tony Walton, to direct its first proscenium stage show. As far as Walton's concerned, it was serendipity. It's not as if this multiple Tony Award and Academy Award winner and 1991 Theater Hall of Fame inductee needed a job.

Designer Tony Walton is up on a ladder hanging a framed sketch of Nicol Williamson dressed as Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. "Hand me George C. Scott," he calls to an assistant. "Hand me Lillian Gish." Scott, Williamson and Gish all wore costumes by Walton when they appeared on his set for Mike Nichols' 1973 Broadway production of "Uncle Vanya."

Why all the fuss about the Tony Awards? They don't even represent all of the New York theater, let alone the American theater. Still, they do sum up the Broadway season. They remind us that theater people know how to put on a better TV awards show than movie people. Also, this year South Coast Repertory is getting a special resident-theater Tony. It will be presented by Madonna, who became a theater person last month when she opened in David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow." The Tony show starts at 9 p.

It wasn't chutzpah when the Big Apple Circus asked one of this country's most successful costume and scenic designers, Tony Walton, to direct its first proscenium stage show. As far as Walton's concerned, it was serendipity. It's not as if this multiple Tony Award and Academy Award winner and 1991 Theater Hall of Fame inductee needed a job.

Bob Fosse's "All That Jazz" will be shown at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theater at 8 p.m. Sept. 21 as part of the Academy Standards series. Scheduled participants in a post-screening panel discussion include Albert Wolsky, who won an Oscar for the 1979 film's costume design; Tony Walton and Philip Rosenberg, who won Oscars for art direction; and Daniel Melnick, the film's executive producer. Information: (310) 247-3600.

Singer-actress-dancer Mitzi Gaynor will hit the road this fall, starring in a national tour of the Tony Award-winning Lincoln Center production of "Anything Goes." The tour will be launched here Sept. 12 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, then go on to such cities as Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, St. Louis, Cleveland, Toronto, Denver, Louisville, Miami, Nashville and Seattle. Zerry Zaks' original direction will be re-created for the Gaynor tour by Philip Cusack, who also directed an international company of the Cole Porter show.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin, Dan Sullivan (" 'Salesman'--Shrunk in the Big Eye's Glare," Sept. 22)? What you're saying is that you couldn't get into it. Hey, I never noticed the ceiling wasn't there. My imagination filled it in. Where's yours? I didn't see a 40-year-old Dustin Hoffman. I saw 60-year-old Willy Loman. "Death of a Salesman" is as safe as "Our Town"? What planet are you living on? As a product of the '60s trying to grow up and contribute to the '70s and '80s (and who didn't have the privilege of seeing Fredric March in the '50s)

For more than four decades, designer Tony Walton has worked for some of the best directors in show business--Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Jerry Zaks, Tommy Tune, to name just a few. His sets and costumes have appeared on numerous Broadway stages, in European and American opera houses and in ballet as well as film productions. A 1991 inductee into the Theatre Hall of Fame, Walton, 64, has three Tonys, an Oscar and an Emmy and has been nominated many more times than that.

Designer Tony Walton is up on a ladder hanging a framed sketch of Nicol Williamson dressed as Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. "Hand me George C. Scott," he calls to an assistant. "Hand me Lillian Gish." Scott, Williamson and Gish all wore costumes by Walton when they appeared on his set for Mike Nichols' 1973 Broadway production of "Uncle Vanya."

Why all the fuss about the Tony Awards? They don't even represent all of the New York theater, let alone the American theater. Still, they do sum up the Broadway season. They remind us that theater people know how to put on a better TV awards show than movie people. Also, this year South Coast Repertory is getting a special resident-theater Tony. It will be presented by Madonna, who became a theater person last month when she opened in David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow." The Tony show starts at 9 p.

Tony Walton's set for "I'm Not Rappaport" depicts Central Park in mid-autumn. When the lights dim--Pat Collins did the lights--you feel the beauty and the danger of the park. But when the lights are up, you can see that the leaves have been wired to the trees. It's the same with "I'm Not Rappaport." Now and then true, mostly fake. Pleasantly so. Who wants to see a play about two real 81-year-old men on a park bench? Who wants to write a play about them? Certainly not Herb Gardner.