2023 in Review: Our Favorite Productions

Before we sign off for 2023, Mike and I thought we'd weigh in on our favorite productions that we saw over the past twelve months. Overall, the shows we loved far outweighed those we didn't. That said, there were those we felt were the cream of the cream of the crop. Here they are:

2023 in Review:

Our Favorite Productions

(6 Categories)

Favorite New Musical

What we said: & Juliet is proudly, unabashedly a jukebox musical. Heck, there's an actual jukebox center stage and spotlighted at the start and the finish of the show! And just when I was ready to write off such fare, along comes this perfect gem of a show. The entire enterprise has elevated the genre and is now the gold standard of catalog musicals. Everyone involved should be proud. Grade: A+

Favorite New Play

Mike:

What we said: So rarely does a play receive such rave reviews as Leopoldstadt. Even more rarely does a production so fully deserve such accolades.This one is as advertised. It is a masterpiece. Grade: A+

Jeff:

What we said: When people ask me why I love theater as passionately as I do, I answer by talking about shows like Life of Pi. Nothing compares to seeing such artistry and sharing a deeply human experience happening right in front of you. Grade: A+

Favorite Revival

Jeff:

What we said: There simply aren't enough adjectives or words that even do justice to the magnitude of this production. All I can think of is "thank you." Grade: A+

Mike:

What we said: This is not a Sweeney for the faint of heart. And it just builds from there. Part psychological thriller, part horror show, part musical comedy, this production embraces all of it. It is traditional yet acutely modern. The result is one of the top theater experiences I've ever had. Grade: A+

Favorite Off-Broadway Production

What we said: The Encores! presentation of The Light in the Piazza is the perfect example of the joy and pain of the ethereal nature of the art form we love so much. It's that "capturing lightning in a bottle" thrill of witnessing a once in a lifetime moment, savoring the memory of it, and lamenting that it'll never happen again. Grade: A+

Favorite Regional Production

What we said: Pacific Overtures is a stunning classic, rarely performed, and perhaps underappreciated. True, it isn't for the faint of heart, and you need to bring your "A" game to fully understand it as an audience member. But, when there's as glorious a production as Signature Theatre's current revival, it is most definitely worth the extra effort. Grade: A+

Most Disappointing Production

What we said: They say in the show that well-behaved princesses rarely make history. Neither do rotten musicals. If pop hits and girl power re-write is what you need, head over to the Sondheim and grab tickets for & Juliet. Grade: F

2023 in Review: The Final Tally

Over the course of our yearly review, we honored 19 of the 21 productions we saw in 2023. 90 acknowledgements were made and here's how they broke down by show:

Shucked 12

& Juliet 10

Parade 10

Sweeney Todd 9

Here Lies Love 8

The Light in the Piazza 8

Bad Cinderella 5

Life of Pi 5

Bob Fosse's Dancin' 4

Pacific Overtures (Signature Theatre) 4

Back to the Future 3

Leopoldstadt 2

New York New York 2

Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center) 2

The Gardens of Anuncia 2

A Beautiful Noise 1

Camelot 1

Once Upon a One More Time 1

The Play That Goes Wrong (Kennedy Center) 1

Thank you all for joining us this year. We wish you all the very best for a happy, healthy and theatrical new year!

2023 in Review: Our Favorite Performances

2023 in Review:

Our Favorite Performances

(6 Categories)

We were fortunate enough to see 21 different productions in 2023: 14 Broadway, 3 off-Broadway, and 4 regional; these are the shows we considered in all categories for our favorites this year: & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, Back to the Future, Bad Cinderella, Bob Fosse's Dancin', Camelot, Here Lies Love, Leopoldstadt, Life of Pi, New York New York, Once Upon a One More Time, Pacific Overtures (Signature Theater), Parade, Shucked, Spamalot (Kennedy Center), Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center), Sweeney Todd, The Frogs, The Gardens of Anuncia, The Light in the Piazza and The Play That Goes Wrong (Kennedy Center). We also saw Kimberly Akimbo two additional times - what can I say? We are Fanagrams! We made our lists separately - so below you'll see where we agreed, plus performances we each just had to include! I'm surprised at how much we were in sync this year!

How did we compare to your favorites? Leave a comment below, or catch up with us on Twitter or Instagram! (@jkstheatrescene for both)

Favorite Leading Performance

Ruthie Ann Miles as Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza

HONORABLE MENTION

Stephanie J. Block as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center)

Micaela Diamond as Lucille Frank in Parade

Ben Platt as Leo Frank in Parade

Favorite Supporting Performance

TIE: Alex Newell as Lulu in Shucked

        Gaten Matarazzo as Tobias in Sweeney Todd

HONORABLE MENTION

Jordan Donica as Lancelot in Camelot

Anna Zavelson as Clara Johnson in The Light in the Piazza

Favorite Duo Performance

TIE: Josh Groban & Annaleigh Ashford as Sweeney Todd and Nellie Lovett in Sweeney Todd

        Ben Platt & Micaela Diamond as Leo and Lucille Frank in Parade

HONORABLE MENTION

Anna Zavelson & James D. Gish as Clara and Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza

Caroline Innerbichler & Andrew Durand as Maizy and Beau in Shucked

Favorite Dancer

Kolton Krouse - Bob Fosse's Dancin'

HONORABLE MENTION

Bobby "Pocket" Horner - & Juliet

Tony d'Alelio - Bob Fosse's Dancin'

Favorite Ensemble

& Juliet

HONORABLE MENTION

Here Lies Love

Pacific Overtures (Signature Theatre)

Favorite Full Company

TIE: The Light in the Piazza and Parade

HONORABLE MENTION

Bob Fosse's Dancin'

Shucked

Sweeney Todd

2023 in Review: The Movers and Moments of the Year

Every year, there are huge hits, big flops, news makers and fan favorites, scandals and groundbreaking ideas in the theater scene. And when we pause to review the year just ending, we always think of things that deserve recognition, but don't really fit any single category. 2023 was no exception. Here are some of those people and moments:

2023 in Review:

The Movers and Moments of the Year

The Movers

New Faces of 2023 - Performers

Here are six individuals who made a huge impression on us this year, and we think each these remarkable performers are set to have huge careers in the coming years.

Erin Rose Doyle (Mary Phagan - Parade)

Jake Pedersen (Frankie Epps - Parade)

J. Savage (Gawain/"Hunk" - Bad Cinderella)

Ben Jackson Walker (Romeo Montague - & Juliet)

Kalyn West (Young Anuncia - The Gardens of Anuncia)

Anna Zavelson (Clara - The Light in the Piazza)

New Faces of 2023 - Creatives

Here are four people who made their mark in the world of theater this year in the creative areas of theater production. Each has already excelled in their respective fields, but 2023 really brought them to our attention. And now we can't wait to see what they do next!

Sammi Cannold - Director - Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center), How To Dance in Ohio

Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally - Composers (Music & Lyrics) - Shucked

Jamie Lloyd - Director - A Doll's House, Sunset Boulevard (West End)

Performer of the Year - Jordan Dobson

We've kept an eye on this fantastic performer ever since we saw him go on as Tony in the 2020 revival of West Side Story. 2023 was a great year for this uber talented young actor: he was in the original companies of two new Broadway musicals! As featured soloist and ensemblist in A Beautiful Noise, he delivered one of the few highlights of the evening, singing "Shilo." He left that show to be the lead - Prince Sebastian - in the highly underrated Bad Cinderella. His "Only You, Lonely You" in that show was a highlight of the entire season.

The Moments

Best Intermission - Ben Platt in Parade

Though most people used his presence at the interval as a photo op/Insta post, it was actually in interesting study in maintaining a challenging role and reminding everyone in the theater that even as life goes on for the rest of us, the incarcerated are trapped in their prison cell, guilty or not. Kudos to both Platt and director Michael Arden.

Best Curtain Call - Bad Cinderella

Fun, campy and energized! Just like the rest of the show. A great reminder to not take everything so seriously.

The Jaw-Droppers

Here are those moments that catch you off guard, make you gasp, and remind you of why live theater is the thrill of being there. Some are big effects, others are surprising small details, and all of them are exciting.

The flying DeLorean in Back to the Future

The orchestra reveal and title number of New York New York

The final exit of Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd

The Best Moment of 2023:

"The Turnaround Heard 'Round the World" - When the divine Ruthie Ann Miles started to walk of the stage, paused and turned back to look at us one last time... nirvana.

Broadway Games: Theater Vocabulary-ish Quiz

I thought we'd have a nice, easy quiz to send us off on the holiday weekend. So, here's a vocabulary-ish quiz on theater related words. You probably know them all...

Broadway Games:

Theater Vocabulary-ish Quiz

1. The place in front of and below the stage is called this:

   a. the pit   b. the pendulum   c. the box   d. the conductor's booth

2. All of these people are "front of house staff" EXCEPT:

   a. the ushers   b. the house manager   c. the sound guy   d. the box office guy

3. A "sitzprobe" is:

   a. the small lights on end seats that illuminate the aisles

   b. the rehearsal where the full orchestra plays and the company sings with them

   c.  the final rehearsal before the invited dress reshearsal

   d. the small light that illuminates the stage manager's desk

4. The proper term for a legal copy of the music as sung by the actors is:

   a. the Broadway soundtrack

   b. a bootleg

   c. cast recording

   d. "Now That's What I Call Broadway!"

5.  True or False: "House Right" and "Stage Right" are on the same side of the theater.

6. All of these terms apply to the picture above EXCEPT:

   a. marquee

   b. logo

   c. show art

   d. key art

7. When the stage manager announces "places," she means:

   a. ushers report to the doors

   b. actors report to the pit for sound check

   c. actors report to their opening positions on or off stage

   d. the audience is being allowed to their seats

8. Actors engage in a "fight call" when:

   a. Equity is announcing the results of an arbitration between 2 company members

   b. when there's a disruption in the audience

   c.  when there's a last minute cast change and the company decides which understudy will go on

   d. when actors rehearse fight scenes that will occur at that day's performance

9. The backstage area where actors wait to make an immediate entrance is called:

   a. the wings

   b. the green room

   c. the fly gallery

   d. the Waverly Gallery

10. Which of these are called a "marquee"?

a.     b. 

c.      d. 

STOP SCROLLING NOW UNLESS YOU ARE READY FOR THE ANSWERS!!

1. The place in front of and below the stage is called this:

   a. the pit   

2. All of these people are "front of house staff" EXCEPT:

   c. the sound guy

3. A "sitzprobe" is:

   b. the rehearsal where the full orchestra plays and the company sings with them

4. The proper term for a legal copy of the music as sung by the actors is:

   c. cast recording

5.  False: "House Right" and "Stage Right" are on the same side of the theater.

6. All of these terms apply to the picture above EXCEPT:

   a. marquee

7. When the stage manager announces "places," she means:

   c. actors report to their opening positions on or off stage

8. Actors engage in a "fight call" when:

   d. when actors rehearse fight scenes that will occur at that day's performance

9. The backstage area where actors wait to make an immediate entrance is called:

   a. the wings

10. Which of these are called a "marquee"?

c.      

2023 in Review: Our Favorite Design Elements

2023 in Review:

Our Favorite Design Elements

(8 Categories + 2 Special Citations)

We were fortunate enough to see 21 different productions in 2023: 14 Broadway, 3 off-Broadway, and 4 regional; these are the shows we considered in all categories for our favorites this year: & Juliet, A Beautiful Noise, Back to the Future, Bad Cinderella, Bob Fosse's Dancin', Camelot, Here Lies Love, Leopoldstadt, Life of Pi, New York New York, Once Upon a One More Time, Pacific Overtures (Signature Theater), Parade, Shucked, Spamalot (Kennedy Center), Sunset Boulevard (Kennedy Center), Sweeney Todd, The Frogs, The Gardens of Anuncia, The Light in the Piazza and The Play That Goes Wrong (Kennedy Center). We also saw Kimberly Akimbo two additional times - what can I say? We are Fanagrams! We made our lists separately - so below you'll see where we agreed, plus performances we each just had to include! 

How did we compare to your favorites? Leave a comment below, or catch up with us on Twitter or Instagram! (@jkstheatrescene for both)

FAVORITE SHOW LOGO

 

Musical: Shucked

Play: Leopoldstadt

Regional: Pacific Overtures (Signature Theater)

FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA

TIE: Shucked & Sweeney Todd

FAVORITE SHOW WEBSITE

Here Lies Love

FAVORITE OVERALL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Shucked

FAVORITE SCENIC DESIGN

Musical: Here Lies Love

Design by David Korins

Play: Life of Pi

Design by Tim Hatley

HONORABLE MENTION

New York New York

Design by Beowulf Boritt

The Play That Goes Wrong (Kennedy Center)

Design by Nigel Hook

FAVORITE COSTUME DESIGN

Musical: & Juliet

Design by Paloma Young

Play: Life of Pi

Design by Tim Hatley

HONORABLE MENTION

Bad Cinderella

Design by Gabriela Tylesova

Pacific Overtures (Signature Theater)

Design by Helen Q. Hwang

FAVORITE LIGHTING DESIGN

Here Lies Love

Design by Justin Townsend

HONORABLE MENTION

& Juliet

Design by Howard Hudson

Sweeney Todd 

Design by Natasha Katz

FAVORITE PROJECTION DESIGN

Musical: Parade

Design by Sven Ortel

Play: Life of Pi

Design by Andrzej Goulding

HONORABLE MENTION

Back to the Future 

Design by Finn Ross

SPECIAL CITATIONS

Here Lies Love 

For creating a completely immersive and all-audience inclusion experience. Kudos to the entire design team and director Alex Timbers for their eye to the future of live theater, and for not forgetting theatrical tradition.

Life of Pi Puppetry 

For creating the next generation of theatrical puppetry. Kudos to Nick Barnes and Finn Caldwell for such stunning creations, and Mr. Caldwell's brilliant movement direction, which brought many different animals to life, while still managing to convey the human element. And of course to the entire team of puppeteers, artists of the highest order, all.