2024 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. 2024 was no exception. Here are some of those people and moments:

2024 in Review:

The Movers and Moments of the Year

The New Faces of 2024:

Outstanding Performers

As Sondheim wrote in Merrily We Roll Along, "these are the movers, these are the shapers," and here we present twenty of those performers who burst onto the theater scene with outstanding Broadway debuts. This year, the list includes leading roles, supporting roles and ensemblists (and even a few who are already stars in other disciplines) who we think will continue to move us with their talents and shape the future of theater. 

Ali Louis Bourzgui - The Who's Tommy     Graham Campbell - Appropriate

Brent Comer - The Outsiders     Hannah Cruz - Suffs     Zoey Deutch - Our Town

Gaby Diaz - Illinoise     Dez Duron - Maybe Happy Ending

Adrian Blake Enscoe - Swept Away     Tom Francis - Sunset Blvd.  

Eli Gelb - Stereophonic

Brody Grant - The Outsiders   Danny Kornfeld - Harmony

Bianca Leigh - Oh, Mary!   Joe Locke - Sweeney Todd

Sarah Pidgeon - Stereophonic

Diego Andres Rodriguez - Sunset Blvd.   Nicole Scherzinger - Sunset Blvd.

Helen J. Shen - Maybe Happy Ending   David Thaxton - Sunset Blvd.

Alejandro Vargas - Illinoise

The New Faces of 2024:

Outstanding Creatives

This past season gave us a cornucopia to thrilling theatrical events, stunning revivals and shows that have already established themselves as new classics. Theater, of course, does not exist in a vacuum, and so these "new faces" are not new to their creative endeavors. Some are not making their Broadway debuts, but all of them made significant, career-changing contributions in 2024. We look forward to seeing them all in new, exciting productions in the years to come!

  

Composing Collectives:

The Avett Brothers - Swept Away   Jamestown Revival - The Outsiders

PigPen Theatre Co. - Water For Elephants

Will Aronson and Hue Park - Book, Music & Lyrics - Maybe Happy Ending

  

Cole Escola - Playwright - Oh, Mary!

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins - Playwright - Appropriate

Ingrid Michaelson - Composer - The Notebook

 

Shaina Taub - Book, Music, Lyrics - Suffs

Danya Taymor - The Outsiders

Performer of the Year

I can't remember a year in recent memory that had so many stunning performing achievements, and I assure you both Mike and I wrestled with what actor to choose. We could each think of several deserving candidates, and simply could not pick just one. So we each picked one.

Jeff's Selection

Maryann Plunkett

The Notebook

I've been a fan of Ms. Plunkett for decades, starting way back in 1986 with her Tony-winning turn in Me and My Girl. Over the years, I've marveled at her versatility, not only on stage, but on television and film as well. But this year, it was truly an honor to witness her bravura performance as a declining dementia patient in The Notebook. Of course, her line readings were impeccable, her songs gorgeously sung. It was, however, everything else she did - staring off into space, or briefly sparking to life with a snippet of a memory, or even just when she ambled around the stage. She was quietly breathtaking. 

Mike's Selection

Kelli O'Hara

Days of Wine and Roses

  

Neither of us had ever seen Ms. O'Hara better. Watching her progress from demure teetotaler to raging alcoholic was both shocking and profound. Her stunning voice soothed, overjoyed, dismayed and angered as she used her instrument to convey her character's decline. And her acting and physicality were just as amazing. More of this kind of depth and darkness from her would be just fine by us.

The Moments of 2024

Over the past 12 months, we have had the privilege of seeing some truly great moments. Years of theater going have continued to raise the bar of expectation, and yet every year, the creative teams, writers and performers continue to raise that bar even more. As with everything else, we had to whittle down these moments, and on any given day, this list could be completely different. Here they are, arranged alphabetically by show title:

Appropriate - The Epilogue

Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins   

Directed by Lila Neugebauer

Designed by dots.

A stunning series of vignettes broken up by flashes of light and darkness, sound effects and dazzling special effects, the epilogue dramatizes the decay of the family mansion over many years. Wonderful and thought-provoking, it capped an entire play that was just that.

Maybe Happy Ending - The Fireflies of Jeju Island

Written by Will Aroson and Hue Park

Directed by Michael Arden

Designed by Dane Laffery (sets), Ben Stanton (lights), George Reeve (video)

In a show that is full of technical wonder, it is probably the most simple piece of stage craft that really took our breath away. After a long, fraught, often dark journey, the HelperBots finally arrived at their destination - pastoral Jeju Island, home to some of the last surviving fireflies. The stage walls open to a swell in the music to reveal an expanse of nature, while Oliver and Claire take it all in centerstage, the strings players of the orchestra swirl around them on a turntable, until darkness falls and the air fills with a swarm of blinking lights. The fireflies have arrived and are beautiful in their simplicity. In a sweet moment that makes the heart leap, a few of them fly out over the orchestra seats and float up to the heavens. Pure bliss.

Oh, Mary! - Mary Todd Lincoln's Cabaret Act

Written and performed by Cole Escola

Directed by Sam Pinkleton

It only makes sense, after watching Mary rant, rave and indulge in self-delusion, that we get to see her true passion and calling as a cabaret star. Her act is so funny it is hard to catch your breath from all the laughing. It is so boldly bad, it is good!

The Outsiders - The Rumble

Written by Adam Rapp, Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine

Directed by Danya Taymor

Choreographed by Rick and Jeff Kuperman

Designed by AMP (scenography), Sarafina Bush (costumes), Brian MacDevitt (lighting), Cody Spencer (sound), and Jeremy Chernick and Lillis Meeh

It was just so elemental - dirt flying, wind howling, rain pouring through thunder and lightning. It was so brutal and savage - punches flew, blood flowed. You not only saw it, you felt it.

Water For Elephants - "Easy"

Written by PigPen Theatre Co. and Rick Elise

Performed by Isabelle McCalla and Antoine Boissereau

Directed by Jessica Stone

Circus design by Shana Carroll

Puppet design by Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman and Camille Labarre

It is a beautiful song, stunningly performed, both vocally and visually. You would swear that the horse, Silver Star, was real, all while watching just his head emote while his spirit soared to rafters in a gorgeous arial silks ballet. It was the complete theatrical package.