2014 in Review: The Unforgettables: Theatre Movers and Shakers

There have been a ton of big names on the boards in 2014.  Many of them made a big impact on the theater scene.  Others had surprisingly little influence. Be that as it may, I've whittled it down to the 12 men and 12 women that I feel really made the past year in theatre-going special and memorable, as well as 5 newcomers that I think made the very most of their Broadway debuts.  You may be surprised at who is on there (and who isn't).  I am surprised, myself, that for the first time everyone on the list is an actor!

Don't forget to let me know what you think - who you liked, who you think I was crazy to include, who I was crazy to leave off!  Email: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com  Twitter: @jkstheatrescene

The 24 Most Unforgettable Theatre People of 2014

Ian Barford (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time)  He gets my Broadway Father of the Year award for his gripping performance as Christopher's biggest champion.  An amazing performance full of warmth, humor, anger and dignity. I can't wait to what this terrific actor does next.

Laura Benanti (The Most Happy Fella) Long time readers of this blog already know of my adoration for all thing LB.  But she really made magic as Rosabellla in this Encores! triumph.  What a gorgeous display of  vocals and dramatic nuance!  Imagine how great this already beautiful performance would be had it had a chance to evolve in a longer Broadway run...

Heidi Blickenstaff (The Most Happy Fella) Another one of my favorites ever, she turned in one of the best supporting performances of the past several years. Funny without going overboard, everything she did was perfection.  And her chemistry with Laura (above) and Jay (below) was superb - a great BFF and a great love interest.  Please do more great work in 2015!

Nick Cordero (Bullets Over Broadway) I still remember sitting shell shocked at the conclusion of this atrocity.  And I remember feeling good that I got to see one of the best performances of the season in spite of the crap storming raining down around it.  He was smooth, funny, and blissfully low-key.  Cordero is a true triple threat - just the kind of Broadway guy I like.

Erin Davie (Side Show) I've been a fan of this more-than-an-ingenue blond beauty for years.  Loved her in Grey Gardens, and enjoyed her in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  But I'll admit even I was skeptical when they announced that she'd be taking on the Alice Ripley role in Side Show.  What a pleasant surprise! I loved ever second of her thoughtful, detailed (she has a way with using her face wordlessly to convey conflict) turn as the unassuming twin.

Gabriel Ebert (Casa Valentina) I remain as flabbergasted today as I was the night I saw this beautiful play with this amazing, versatile actor.  How could the same guy who was so over the top (in all the right ways) in Matilda, be the shy violet in this complex world of mid-20th century secrecy and quiet suffering.  Those moments where he was blossoming and running away in sheer terror will stay with me forever.

Claybourne Elder (Allegro) By necessity of script and concept, Elder was forced to be economical in his portrayal - no big "leading man" huge-ness here.  And the result was a riveting, touching performance of an everyman that grounded the entire production.  Here's another show I wish had had a longer future.  And this guy is a giant part of why.

Linda Emond (Cabaret) She barely moves when she's on stage.  Her face conveys more emotion than many actors manage with their entire bodies.  And the whole experience was riveting. Her performance was part of what made Cabaret one of the best shows of 2014.

Michael Esper (The Last Ship) I love watching actors' careers blossom.  And it continues to be my pleasure to watch this guy grow - in plays and musicals.  He's come a long way from that couch potato in American Idiot.  With this show, he proves that he can carry a show.  He did it the hard way, too - the anti-hero is hard for audiences to embrace.  But...wow!

Sutton Foster (Violet) Everyone seems to love Sutton Foster.  And in the past, I've enjoyed her in a few shows.  But this time around, she was amazing.  Not a drop of special make-up or costuming to create the heartbreaking disfigurement of her character in sight, but I swear you could see it.  More importantly, you could feel the pain.  In my book, she's achieved the next step in musical theatre immortality.

Lena Hall (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) A mind-blowing transformation and a glamorous final appearance are just a little bit of why her Tony-winning turn will be one talked about for years.  Can this really be the same person who played the one-dimensional snooty bitch in Kinky Boots?  Her commitment to this complicated role was never more apparent than when you notice the small changes she makes to accommodate her leading man, no matter who he is.    

Michael C. Hall (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) The Broadway originator of this role was great, and a more obvious choice for lists like this.  But when MCH took the stage, it was a true revelation.  Not a trace of him was in sight for 100 minutes - only Hedwig.  Completely, totally. It is a performance that was a real privilege to witness.

Curtis Holbrook (If/Then) I have been a fa of this guy since the first time I ever saw him. Shortly after that first time, I saw him go on for Cheyenne Jackson, and I was impressed. This time around, I saw him take over the lead role, in a situation that was unenviable - taking over for a guy people wanted to see re-paired with no less than Idina Menzel.  He was terrific.  Better, actually, than the guy he took over for.  What a pro.

James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin) A force of nature.  Magical.  Inspiring.  Funny and heartfelt.  The role and the actor. What more can I say?

Jay Armstrong Johnson (The Most Happy Fella/On the Town) My admiration for this guy has only grown after seeing him grow in two star-making turns this year.  Both characters are similar - positive, high energy optimists.  And in the hands of a lesser actor, it might seem like he's a one trick pony.  Far from it.  What a singer! What a dancer! What a guy.

Andy Karl (Rocky: The Musical) Here's another actor whose career I've enjoyed watching grow and grow.  The show might not have lasted as long as hoped, but he shined nonetheless.  And that he made an iconic part all his own was great to see.  But I'm not surprised - he's the real thing.

Caissie Levy (Les Miserables) It's funny.  When they cast her as Fantine, I really had my doubts.  I feel ridiculous for feeling that way now.  She was the lone bright spot in this dismal revival.

Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill) Duh.  The greatest stage actress of her generation offered a complete transformation. Audra McDonald left the building the minute Billie Holiday made her entrance.

Kelli O'Hara (The Bridges of Madison County) How could any list of great performances not include the supreme and sublime O'Hara.  A breathtaking performance, and the best sung role in any show in years.  If you didn't see it, you really missed out on something special.  Get the Tony ready for Broadway's next Mrs. Anna.

Emily Padgett (Side Show) How could this list not include both of the twins?  As inseparable as their predecessors, these gals were impressive.  Padgett's charisma reached the back wall of the St. James.  Can't wait to see what she does next.

Steven Pasquale (The Bridges of Madison County) Another amazing performance by an amazing guy.  Anyone who can hold their own against the force of nature that is Kelli O'Hara deserves a place on this list.  But he also soared on his own.  Captivating and sexy, smart and touching.  Here's hoping that his upcoming sure-to-be triumph in Carousel lives beyond regional theatre.

Taylor Trensch (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) Okay, I'll admit that I was disappointed when I found out that I'd be missing the critically acclaimed performance of Alex Sharp.  After all, how this guy go from Matilda to this.  Shame on me.  Turns out he ave one of the best performances I've seen in 30+ years of seeing Broadway shows. Bravo, Taylor!

Alysha Umphress (On the Town) As I said in my review, I knew she'd be something when she turned a small moment in a chorus role into a star turn in American Idiot.  This star-on-the-rise filled the enormous Lyric Theatre with her magnetic performance as the taxi driver with the heart the size of Manhattan.  

Mare Winningham (Casa Valentina) It would be really easy to be barely noticed in a play that featured a dynamic group of men in very showy, amazing roles.  But this former Brat Packer ended up being the emotional center of the show. Unforgettable in the most amazing way.

The 5 Most Influential Newcomers of 2014

 

Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County) She had one song.  She sat on a stool and accompanied herself.  She shared the stage with two forces of nature.  And still, I can't forget her.  She is going places.  Mark my words.

Megan Fairchild (On the Town) Sweet and unassuming.  And certainly not bombastic like some of her over-acting co-stars.  But then she danced. Oh. My. God.  I smell a Tony Award.

Collin Kelly-Sordelet (The Last Ship) The second he took the stage, I knew I was seeing the birth of a star.  He has that undefinable "it" factor,

Margot Seibert (Rocky: The Musical) The second she took the stage, I knew I was seeing the birth of a star.  She has that undefinable "it" factor, I am smitten.  Please come back soon!

Michelle Williams (Cabaret) Oscar nominations don't always guarantee a successful time on Broadway.  But she's got the goods and then some.  One of the best Sallys I've ever seen, her take on the title song was one of those moments that makes seeing Broadway shows my biggest passion.

Jeff

2014 in Review: The Best of the Best

Yesterday, I named my best musical and play moments of the year (HERE).  Today, I'll name my favorite/best individual elements of the shows on and off Broadway in 2014.

Non-Performance Bests

Best Broadway Show Logo (Musical): Hedwig and the Angry Inch Any version.  It manages to be subversive and mainstream, rock and roll and showtune, sensual and sexy.  Just like the show it advertises.

Best Broadway Show Logo (Play): This Is Our Youth It reeks of disenfranchised youth.  It is trendy and grungy. The RENT generation has grown up and this is the play for them.

Best Show Logo Do-Over: If/Then I liked the original to begin with, especially the two color schemes. But I really love the realistic/photographic version even more.

Best Box Office Do-Over: The Marquis Theatre Box Office.  Have you seen the latest version on 46th Street?  Hip!

Best Upper-Level Theatre Seating: The American Airlines Theatre.  You can sit comfortably even as other people go past you to find their seats!  And it doesn't feel like you are a mile from the stage, either.

Best Theatre District Dinner: Virgil's BBQ.  HUGE portions, fast, attentive service.  And you won't go broke, either.

Biggest Loss to the Theatre District: The closing of my beloved Cafe Edison.  Please re-open...

Virgil's

Cafe Edison

Best Loss to the Theatre District: The removal of the scaffolding around the former Milford Plaza Hotel.  How nice to be able to walk on that block of 8th Avenue and not rub against a few dozen strangers.

Best Idea, Worst Execution: The Tony Awards Pop Up Shop.  I'm all for temporary, topical shopping.  But stock it with more stuff next time, okay?

Performance Bests

Best Use of Projections: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Wow.  What else is there to say?

Best Set Morphing (Play): The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Wow. Did you really think all of that would happen in a geometric box?  I was shocked.  Over and over.

Best Set Morphing (Musical): Hedwig and the Angry Inch Wow. Did you really think all of that would happen on an up-cycled fake musical set?  I was shocked.  Over and over.

Best Strobes (Play): The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time It only lasted a few seconds at a time.  But my appreciation for what some people must live with every second of their lives will last a lifetime.

Best Strobes (Musical): Hedwig and the Angry Inch The amazing-ness of "Midnight Radio" was all the more so because of those amazing blinkers.

Best Costume Quick Change (Small-scale): Side Show What a transition into "Stuck With You."

Best Costume Quick Change (Large-scale): Aladdin Not once, but twice.  25 people look like a cast of hundreds in both "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali."

Best Show Economy: TIE Allegro and Violet Both shows were trimmed to 90 intermission-less minutes or so.  And both were all the better for it.

Best On-stage Chemistry - Siblings: Erin Davie and Emily Padgett as Violet and Daisy Hilton in Side Show.

Best On-stage Chemistry - Bros: Tony Yazbeck, Clyde Alves and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Gabey, Ozzie and Chip in On the Town.

Best On-stage Chemistry - BFFs: Laura Benanti and Heidi Blickenstaff as Rosabella and Cleo in The Most Happy Fella.

Best On-stage Chemistry - Forbidden Love: Sutton Foster and Joshua Henry as Violet and Flick in Violet.

Best On-stage Chemistry - Period: Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale as Francesca and Robert in The Bridges of Madison County.

Special Bests

Best Replacement: Michael C. Hall in Hedwig and the Angry Inch I thought he was better than NPH.

Best Alternate: Taylor Trensch in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Can Alex Sharp be any better?

Best Pinch-hitter: Curtis Holbrook in If/Then A vast improvement on Anthony Rapp.  Sorry, Rentheads.

Who or what did I leave out?  What would you have picked?  Let me know!  Email: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Twitter: @jkstheatrescene

Jeff

2014 in Review: The Best Musical Moments (And a Few Play Moments, Too!)

I say it every year, but it always shocks me just how fast a year just flies by!  Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be blogging about the very best (and occasionally the worst) of the theatre I've had the privilege to see in the last 12 months - from the first, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, to the last, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and all 29 in between.  

Like every year, 2014 has had some really great moments and its share of not-so-great moments.  Here's what I thought!

Up first, a few from plays:

Best Monologue: Billy's "Scene" as played by Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inishmaan.  Harry Potter grew into a legit actor.  Bravo!

Best Transformation and Breakdown (Actor): The awakening and reality check that Jonathan/Miranda goes through, as played by Gabriel Ebert in Casa Valentina. I still can't believe he was Mr. Wormwood, too!

Best Transformation and Breakdown (Actress): The boozy descent of Lady Day as brilliantly portrayed by Audra McDonald.  History was made.  Enough said.

Best Endings: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: The build up to, and final minutes of, act one.  Has watching a kid build a train set ever been more gripping? And, the post-curtain call scene after act two.  Has watching a kid solve a geometry proof ever been so breath-taking?

And now the best of the musicals.  Interestingly enough, even the worst musicals had some great moments:

Best Opening Number: "Come Look at the Freaks" from Side Show From the chilling first notes and jaw-dropping opening visual to the in-your-face final tableau, the revival version of this already amazing number got real. 

Best Dance Number: The "Miss Turnstiles" and "Times Square" Ballets in On the Town.  Superb choreography, stunningly danced.  Old school that still thrills.

Best Production Number: "Friend Like Me" from Disney's Aladdin.  Mid-show standing ovations are rare.  And with half a dozen costume changes, magical effects and a razzle dazzle that few shows rarely have these days, the standing o's are richly deserved.

Best Comic Number: "Ooh! My Feet!" from The Most Happy Fella. Heidi Blickenstaff + a lament for the ages = laughs you can relate to.  She's funny and a great singer. Good stuff!

Best Dramatic Number: "Show Some Respect" from The Last Ship. Catchy and powerful.

Best Duet: "Before and After You/One Second and a Million Miles" from The Bridges of Madison County. Brilliant performance by Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale.  Brilliant tune and even more brilliant orchestrations by Jason Robert Brown. The reason why there needs to be a best original song Tony Award.

Best Power Solo: "Always Starting Over" from If/Then.  An emotional power ballad, moving all on its own - no scenery, a single spotlight (mostly), and Idina Menzel barely moves.  It brings down the house every time.

Best Finale: "Midnight Radio" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The perfect combination of technical elements, powerful performances (both Neil Patrick Harris and Michael C. Hall tear. it. up.), and a kick ass song.  You leave the Belasco on a high.

Best "A.V." Number: "The Origin of Love" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch

When Good Numbers Happen to Bad Shows: TIE "Tain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do" from Bullets Over Broadway,  "Seventeen" from Heathers: The Musical, "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables Thank God for Nick Cordero, Ryan McCartan, and Caissie Levy.

When Bad Numbers Help Make Bad Shows: TIE "The Hot Dog Song" from Bullets Over Broadway, "Blue" from Heathers: The Musical, and "Master of the House" from Les Miserables. Bad camp. Bad taste. Bad acting. All three had all three.

Less-Is-More Award (Solo): "So What" as performed by the gloriously economic Linda Emond in Cabaret.

Less-Is-More Award (Group): "Standing On the Corner" from The Most Happy Fella. Lead by the exuberant, excellent Jay Armstrong Johnson, those harmonies were tight.  So were the moves.

More-Is-More Award: "The Fight" from Rocky:The Musical.  Ring side seats were worth the extra money.  It is an experience I will never forget.

Best Period Piece: "Another Life" from The Bridges of Madison County.  Whitney Bashor sat on a stool and strummed a guitar. And we were instantly back in the 60's.

Earworm of the Year: "Here Lies Love" from Here Lies Love.  I can't say anymore than that or I'll start singing it again.

Best Visits From Old Friends (The ones I was glad to see again): "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" as performed by Erin Davie and Emily Padgett in Side Show; "Cabaret" as performed by Michelle Williams; and "Let It Sing" as performed by Joshua Henry and company in Violet.

Best Visits From New Friends (The ones I can't wait to hear over and over): "Raining" from as performed by Margot Siebert in Rocky: The Musical; "The Night the Pugilist Learned How to Dance" as performed by Michael Esper in The Last Ship, and "Stuck on You" from Side Show.

What did I miss?  What did I get right? Wrong?  Email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com or Tweet me at @jkstheatrescene!

Jeff