Links to all of my 2010 in Review blogs are at the bottom of this page.
It has been a much more interesting and exciting year of theatre going in 2010 than last year, I think. I have has some experiences this year that I NEVER thought I'd have - good and bad. And I've seen a few shows that have set new benchmarks for quality and creativity - good and bad.
Over the course of the last 12 months, I've had the good fortune to have seen some 27 Broadway, off-Broadway, Touring and Regional productions. Yes, "good fortune," as again this year, I didn't see a single show that was so bad I wanted to leave, and I saw several that I wanted to see immediately after the curtain call. Even the most disappointing shows had some good things to offer.
Anyway, here's a look back at...
2010: The Best and the Not Best
Best Off-Broadway/National Touring Company/Regional Theatre Shows:
Yank!
2. The National Tour of
Rock of Ages: OK, so it'll never be my favorite show, but it travels well and is an excellent representation of the New York production.
1.
Yank!: Don't know if this one is still Broadway bound, but off-Broadway, it was a sweet, thought provoking little show with a giant heart and giant performances.
Most Disappointing Off-Broadway/National Touring Company/Regional Theatre Shows:
Chess
1.
Chess at Signature Theatre in Virginia: Maybe the show will never work. But one thing is for sure, this cobbled together, futuristic version certainly doesn't work.
Best Surprises of 2010:
5. Matthew Settle in
Chicago - I had never heard of this
Gossip Girl guy, but when his name was above the title and the legendary Ruthie Henshall wasn't, he had a lot to prove to me. And he did. Suave, sophisticated and low key. A Billy Flynn that makes you pursue him. Hard.
4. Decent kids in shows: Both Adam Riegler (
The Addams Family) and Matthew Gumley (
Elf: The Musical) play it straight and professional. Not cute and cloying. What a nice change of pace.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
3. The Act One flying sequences in
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark - They are breathtaking and it is hard to believe you are seeing what you are seeing. In fact, the whole of Act One was a surprise at the 6th preview. It was actually pretty together and ready.
2. Last year, it was Stephanie J. Block. This year it is Mark Jacoby, whose performance in
Elf: The Musical surprised the hell out of me. He is off my "why does this actor keep getting jobs" list!
1.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson - I went because I intend to see every new musical this season. The song "Populism, Yea! Yea!" was everywhere and it grated my nerves. I went in thinking I probably won't like it, and left with a sore-from-laughing stomach and an adrenaline rush! Sexy Pants ROCKS!
Most Disappointing of 2010:
5. Andy Karl as Fiyero in
Wicked: I am a big Andy fan, but man, was he calling it in the day I saw it.
Andy Karl
4. Jeremy Kushnier and Euan Morton in
Chess: I am also a big fan of both of these actors. But Jeremy defined "one-note performance", and Euan, so good in
Sondheim on Sondheim, was in way over his head here.
3. Act Two of
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark - As truly amazing as Act One is, Act Two is truly messy. As of the 6th preview, anyway. Boring, confusing and, well, stupid. Act Two must be what everyone in the chat rooms was talking about...
2. Tom Kitt getting a Tony snub for his amazing work on
American Idiot. It figures, though. More than one review mentioned a lack of orchestration. Tell that to those strings players, perched on tiny balconies two stories up, or under forever moving stair cases. That they played and didn't get killed is a miracle; that no one noticed they were there is reprehensible.
1. Short runs of amazing shows:
The Scottsboro Boys, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Sondheim on Sondheim... and
Rock of Ages keeps on going, and going...
Best Understudy Performance:
1. Annie Edgerton as Rosie in
Mamma Mia! You'd think she had played the role hundreds of times... I think she has...
Most Disappointing Understudy Performance:
1. America Olivo as Arachne in
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark - Maybe it is unfair to kick a girl when she is down, but I was willing to forgive missed cues, missed lyrics, rushed late entrances. After all, she had minimal rehearsal time. But she is a professional, right? Sing it like you know what you are doing, sweetie. We don't know any of the songs, yet, so you have a ton of leeway. Use it.
Best Ensemble Cast - Play
3.
Lend Me a Tenor - in a farce, timing is everything, and this company was perfection.
2.
Next Fall - the very definition of ensemble drama.
1.
Brief Encounter - this group had to do it all... comedy, drama, sing, dance, be in a movie...
Best Ensemble Cast - Musical
5.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Even at preview 2, with most of the show yet to be tinkered with and never a having a rehearsal without having to stop, this cast was as one, from top to bottom. Brava!
4.
A Little Night Music - The original revival cast was like a well-oiled machine, minus the stiffness. Not a diva in the place.
3.
American Idiot - So much could have gone wrong here, and there are plenty of dangerous moments. But this cast is a unified as you can get. The very definition of musical ensemble.
2.
The Scottsboro Boys - Nothing like a heavy subject matter and controversial story-telling to bond a group. These men were an unstoppable force.
1.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson - With such a fast-paced, crammed full of everything show, a cast that isn't together would have ruined the piece. Instead, this group of skilled comedians was flawless.
(There were so many awesome performances this year, I couldn't narrow it down to 10 of each...)
The 20 Best Performances by an Actor in 2010 (in alphabetical order):
Sebastian Arcelus in
Elf: The Musical
Justin Bartha in
Lend Me a Tenor
Reeve Carney in
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Jeremy Cox in
Come Fly Away
Jason Danieley in
next to normal
Reeve Carney (right) with Patrick Page
John Gallagher, Jr. in
American Idiot
Kelsey Grammer in
La Cage aux Folles
Cody Green in
Come Fly Away
John Arthur Greene in
West Side Story
Justin Guarini in
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kelsey Grammer
Jeremy Gumbs in
The Scottsboro Boys
Alexander Hansen in
A Little Night Music
Sean Hayes in
Promises, Promises
Joshua Henry in
The Scottsboro Boys
Patrick Heusinger in
Next Fall
Levi Kreis (with Hunter Foster)
Levi Kreis in
Million Dollar Quartet
Bryce Pinkham in
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Stark Sands in
American Idiot
Bobby Steggert in
Yank!
Benjamin Walker in
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Bobby Steggert
The 20 Best Performances by an Actress in 2010 (in alphabetical order):
Laura Benanti and Justin Guarini
Nancy Anderson in
Yank!
Laura Benanti in
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Kristin Chenoweth in
Promises, Promises
Katie Rose Clarke/Mandy Gonzalez in
Wicked (can't imagine one without the other)
Veanne Cox in
La Cage aux Folles
Katie Rose Clarke and Mandy Gonzalez
Jennifer Damiano in
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Katie Finneran in
Promises, Promises
Ruthie Henshall in
Chicago
Rebecca Naomi Jones in
American Idiot
Angela Lansbury in
A Little Night Music
Sean Hayes and Katie Finneran
Leigh Ann Larkin in
A Little Night Music
Beth Leavel in
Elf: The Musical
Patti LuPone in
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Marin Mazzie in
next to normal
Jill Paice in
Chess
Jill Paice
Krysta Rodriguez in
The Addams Family
Christina Sajous in
American Idiot
Elizabeth Stanley in
Million Dollar Quartet
Vanessa Williams in
Sondheim on Sondheim
Catherine Zeta-Jones in
A Little Night Music
Christina Sajous and Stark Sands
The Most Disappointing Shows of 2010:
Everyday Rapture
5.
A Little Night Music with Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch
4.
Million Dollar Quartet
3. Act One of
La Cage aux Folles
2. Act Two of
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
1.
Everyday Rapture
The Best Shows of 2010:
10.
Next Fall
9.
Elf: The Musical
8.
West Side Story (replacement cast)
7.
Lend Me a Tenor
6.
A Little Night Music (original revival cast)
A Little Night Music with
Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones
5.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
4.
Promises, Promises
3.
Brief Encounter
2.
The Scottsboro Boys
1.
next to normal (replacement cast)
Brief Encounter
Here's to longer runs and smash hits in 2011!
2010 in Review Blog Links: Click on each to get to that blog. Happy New Year!
2010 JK's TheatreScene Awards - The Non-Performance Awards
2010 JK's TheatreScene Awards - The Performance Awards
News Makers #10 - The Passing of Michael Kuchwara
News Makers #9 - next to normal Wins the Pulitzer Prize
News Makers #8 - The "It Gets Better" Campaign
News Makers #7 - Lion King's Shannon Tavarez, National Heroine
News Makers #6 and #5 - New Broadway Writers Welcomed and Legends Protested
News Makers #4 - Shows That Made It and Dind't, Too
News Makers #3 - Too Gay to Play?
News Makers #2 - 80 Becomes Him
News Makers #1 - Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Comments? Leave one here, email me at
jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me!
Jeff
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