SOB’s Best Of 2007-08: Top Ten Of The YearOver the past week and a half, I've offered up my "Best Of" lists for each of the five major stage categories observed by the Tony Awards, including
Best Special Theatrical Events,
Best Musical Revivals,
Best Play Revivals,
Best New Musicals and
Best New Plays.
Now, before I launch into which Broadway shows would get my Tony vote if
I could
actually vote and my own prognostications on who will win, here’s how the
best of the best rank in my personal countdown of the “10 Best” theatrical productions I saw over the course of this exciting 2007-08 Theatrical Season:
10 - From Up HereVenue: Off-Broadway's New York City Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Liz Flahive's poignant, yet darkly funny
From Up Here provided a heaping healthy dose of what troubled teens need more than anything else: hope.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Tobias Segal and
Julie White.
Status: Closes June 8. Go see it. Now!
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
9 - The Seafarer
Venue: Broadway's Booth Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Conor McPherson's chilling, mesmerizing and often funny
The Seafarer was one helluva good morality play that came up all aces.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Jim Norton and
Conleth Hill.
Status: Closed, but look for regional theatre companies, including Chicago's
Steppenwolf, to mount productions over the next year.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
8 - South PacificVenue: Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: From the moment
Ted Sperling cues his 30-piece orchestra, commencing the initial swells from the overture for one of
Richard Rodgers and
Oscar Hammerstein II's most beloved musical scores, it's clear that this
Bartlett Sher-helmed
South Pacific is going to be a truly majestic revival.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Paulo Szot and
Kelli O'HaraStatus: Originally slated for limited run through June, but has since become an open-ended run. National tour is in the works.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
7 - Dreamgirls
Venue: Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Top 10 Worthiness: Two words ...
Jennifer Holliday reprising her quintessential Effie Melody White in Atlanta's glorious revival of
Dreamgirls, which offered up some truly magical and electrifying performances from start to finish.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Jennifer Holliday and
David Jennings.
Status: Closed.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
6 - Cymbeline
Venue: Broadway's Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Lincoln Center's starry revival of
William Shakespeare's celestial
Cymbeline sent an unexpected, yet definable chill of delight shooting down my spine, thanks to
Mark Lamos' brilliant, sparkling vision.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Martha Plimpton,
John Cullum and
Paul O'Brien.
Status: Closed.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
5 - A Catered AffairVenue: Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Like a rare vintage wine that deserves to be sipped and savored, the seriously sublime
A Catered Affair opens up across the tastebuds into a glorious bouquet making this beautifully-acted, earnest chamber musical, rich with integrity, very intoxicating.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Faith Prince,
Leslie Kritzer and
Tom WopatStatus: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
4 - The Beatles LoveVenue: Love Theatre, Mirage, Las Vegas, NV
Top 10 Worthiness: I blew my mind out with the excellent
The Beatles Love, which roundly serves as the ultimate showcase for the catalogue of
The Beatles via the best
Cirque du Soleil production I have yet to witness.
Exceptional Standout Performances: The entire troupe from Cirque du Soleil and those Four Lads from Liverpool.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
3 - Passing Strange
Venue: Broadway's Belasco Theatre, New York, NY
Top 10 Worthiness: Passing Strange was not only the year's most cosmic, most unusual and most unexpected new musical, it was also real, full of heart and simply the best new tuner to hit Broadway all year.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Stew and
Daniel Breaker.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
2 - Gypsy
Venue: Broadway's St. James Theatre, New York, NY
Suddenly, highfalutin words like "excellent," "superb" and "top-notch" just don't seem sufficient enough to adequately describe the unique, exhilarating experience of seeing
Arthur Laurents' incredible and thoroughly entertaining revival of
Gypsy, which is most definitely a performance for the ages. This is the best musical, period, of the year.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Patti LuPone,
Laura Benanti and
Boyd Gaines.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
1 - August: Osage CountyVenues: Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL;
Broadway's
Imperial Theatre, New York, NY;
Broadway's Music Box Theatre, New York, NY (present)
Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece
August: Osage County rates as the best-written, best-acted play I've ever seen at Chicago's
Steppenwolf and among the top five plays I've ever seen performed anywhere, anytime.
Anna D. Shapiro's direction has made this a razor-sharp, whip-smart American classic. Without a doubt, this is the best show of the year, and it will win the Tony for Best Play.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Deanna Dunagan,
Amy Morton,
Rondi Reed and
Francis Guinan.
Status: Open-ended run, now playing the Music Box Theatre on Broadway.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
What shows would be on your top ten list? Do you think I've completely missed the boat, or would your choices largely mirror mine? I invite you to join the discussion and post your comments here.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Plays (May 30, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals (May 29, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: A Catered Affair, August Osage County, Broadway, Cymbeline, Dreamgirls, From Up Here, Gypsy, Passing Strange, SOB's Best of 2007-08, South Pacific, The Beatles Love, The Seafarer
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New PlaysIf you're a fan of new plays over musicals, this was truly your year. The 2007-08 Theatrical Season marked a resurgence in exceptional plays.
Personally, I was fortunate to see 18 new plays, not only coast-to-coast across America, but also in London. And guess what? I actually
enjoyed most of them, making my picks for the "Top 5" the most difficult category to select.
However, reigning supreme at the number one spot is a show I instantly fell in love with the first time I saw it last summer at a regional theatre (and for regular readers, you'll allow that I was way ahead of the curve on this one). Now that it's on Broadway, I'm preparing to take it in for second time there and third time overall. As the best play I've seen this year, let alone the past decade, it has set a new standard by which I've begun judging all other productions.
Here is my personal "5 Best" list for the past twelve months:
5 - 100 Saints You Should Know (Mainstage Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, New York, NY)
At the intersection where faith and disbelief collide,
Kate Fodor’s arresting and provocative new play
100 Saints You Should Know provided a frequently humorous, yet ultimately circumspect morality play about a woman finding herself on a spiritual quest. What still resonates and lingers with me is the purity in which Fodor wrote this compelling piece, seemingly without any agenda or ax to grind about faith or religion. To that end, she succeeded brilliantly without being heavy-handed or preachy. It didn't hurt that her script was aided tremendously by the world premiere's uniformly exceptional Off-Broadway cast, including the graceful dignity offered by
Lois Smith, the sassy adolescent insolence of
Zoe Kazan, or the tender awkwardness that comes with burgeoning teen sexuality as portrayed by
Will Rogers.
Regardless of your religious beliefs or lack thereof,
100 Saints You Should Know was well worth seeing and knowing.
4 - Mauritius (Biltmore Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY)
Some plays just don't get the respect they deserve.
Theresa Rebeck’s surprisingly thrilling and highly entertaining
Mauritius was among them. Thanks to
Doug Hughes’ taut direction, Mauritius provided one of those exceptionally riveting, edge-of-your-seat theatrical experiences -- a veritable roller coaster ride of delicious deception that literally pulled no punches. In fact, the play about two half-sisters arguing over the rightful ownership of a potentially invaluable stamp collection left behind by their now deceased mother packed quite a wallop that is typically as rare in theatre as the collection’s two 19th Century stamps from Mauritius.
With a superb ensemble collection, Rebeck spun a diabolically delicious yarn.
Alison Pill scored with a truly extraordinary, breathtaking performance by inhabiting the darkest recesses of someone willing to sell her very soul for a shot at money. To say she delivered a nuanced portrayal would be an understatement. While the Tonys inexplicably passed over her performance, Pill further cemented her reputation as Broadway's top young actress.
Mauritius met with my stamp of approval on virtually every level.
3 - From Up Here (New York City Center, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY)
Liz Flahive's poignant, yet darkly funny
From Up Here provided an auspicious debut for this budding playwright, particularly as she instilled her fully realized characters with compassion, along with a heaping healthy dose of what troubled teens need more than anything else: hope. Flahive ably underscored how hope requires elevating the teenage human spirit to a loftier place where they can see that life doesn't begin and end in the place perhaps mistakenly called "high" school.
In one of the year's most profoundly moving male performances,
Tobias Segal deftly exhibited all the knotty tableau of emotions ranging from utter dejection to glimmers of hope his tortured soul endures. Mark my words, this is one hot young actor whose name you'll want to remember.
Julie White gave a tightly wound, measured performance laced with an appropriate blend of humor and anxiety for a mother who's at the end of her rope. She was truly brilliant. In a very honest, straightforward manner,
Will Rogers once again nailed the coming to wits angst inherently found both among those growing up and those who must deal with fragile youth.
What really struck a chord with me is that for all the awkwardess that most youth must go through,
From Up Here gave immense direction by pointing the way out via a revelatory, resonating route that made live theatre suddenly relevant again.
2 - The Seafarer (Booth Theatre, New York, NY)
Conor McPherson's chilling new play
The Seafarer was so damned good, it's practically enough to put the fear of God in you. In his mesmerizing new and often funny morality play set on Christmas Eve, McPherson proved he's all aces. Both writing and directing this cautionary tale, he magnificently constructed a harrowing, on the edge of your seat nailbiter that was as much about giving the devil his due as it is about the potential for redemption for two card-playing good-for-nearly-nothing drunks for brothers.
As one of those brothers, the astounding
Jim Norton appeared to have literally drunk himself blind. His performance was matched by an utterly unrecognizable
Conleth Hill as one of the brothers' card-playing mates.
All in all, this was one helluva great play.
1 - August: Osage County (
Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, IL/
Imperial Theatre, New York, NY)
Was there any doubt?
Since first being blown away by this now Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece by
Tracy Letts way back last August in the Windy City, I've devoted considerable space to the best-written, best-acted play I've
ever seen at Chicago's
Steppenwolf, and that's no small feat. In
August: Osage County, Letts has constructed an absolutely brilliant, riotous script that provides for one stellar performance after another by its excellent ensemble.
Now six months into its acclaimed Broadway run, the play runs even deeper, packing a more lethal, visceral punch than what I saw in Chicago, hitting even harder with greater precision that I would not have even thought possible. Credit
Anna D. Shapiro for sharpening this play into a razor-sharp, whip-smart American classic. And it's even funnier, too.
Deanna Dunagan (Violet) single-handedly delivers a bravura performance for the ages as the matriarch of the Weston clan. But she's matched by an equally stunning ensemble, with
Amy Morton giving as good as she gets, and even better, as Violet's daughter Barbara;
Rondi Reed's Mattie Fae is likely to remind you of your favorite, if she wasn't so crazy, aunt; and
Francis Guinan as Mattie Fae's long-suffering husband Charlie offers a sweet dignity to the proceedings, especially when considered against one of the play's many revelations exposing the startling truth about his own son.
Since first seeing the show last summer in Chicago, I've known that I've witnessed something very, very special in the world of live theatre. Upon considerable reflection, I can attest that this is
the best new stage play I've seen over the last five years.
What were the best new plays
you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New Musicals (May 29, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: 100 Saints You Should Know, August Osage County, Best New Plays, From Up Here, Mauritius, Play, SOB's Best of 2007-08, The Seafarer, Tracy Letts
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best New MusicalsDuring the 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I've enjoyed the opportunity to see 13 new musicals. Perhaps "enjoyed" isn't quite the right word since that number proved a bit unlucky with three of these tuners turning up on my "
Worst 5" list.
The past year was not a particularly great one for new musicals with the vast majority of them falling a bit flat with me. But fortunately, there were some notable exceptions, enough to register, resonate and score on my personal "5 Best" list for the past twelve months:
5 - Queens Boulevard (Signature Theatre Company at the Peter Norton Space, New York, NY)
While a
certain neighborhood in the upper reaches of Manhattan has helped launch this season's mainstream ethnic musical sensation, those who ventured to
Queens Boulevard were treated to something quite otherworldly.
Charles Mee's rendition of the melting pot known as Queens was a varitable feast for the senses with the most beguiling first twenty minutes I've ever seen in a stage show.
Queens Boulevard centers on a bride (
Michi Barall) and groom (
Amir Arison) whose respective Japanese and Indian cultures come rhythmically together -- think Bollywood film with a Japanese accent. As a musical,
Queens Boulevard operated more like a quirkier New Age "
Moulin Rouge" with an eclectic fusion of tunes spanning the globe and some of the most mesmerizing choreography of the year.
Ironically enough, Mee has created a distinctly American fairy tale, and with multitude of cultures he's stuffed into his work, it really couldn't happen anywhere else but here.
4 - Xanadu (Helen Hayes Theatre, New York, NY)
You've just gotta love a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. And in the case of
Xanadu, how could it? Rather than take a straight approach, literally and figuratively, this
Xanadu revels and luxuriates in the extremely dubious nature of its source material about an Australian-accented mythical goddess who's brought to life by the clueless chalk-bearing mortal who drew her, while she flirts with her own mortality by falling in love with him. Indeed, this is the campiest, most outrageous fun I've had all year long.
Douglas Carter Beane's super silly, yet surprisingly engaging book, which is simply too preposterous to describe, offers copious amounts of winking and nodding. As the muse Clio/Kyra,
Kerry Butler proves a formidible force with a gorgeous voice coupled with plenty of comic timing.
Cheyenne Jackson more than ably glides on his rollerskates with charm to spare. Together as Clio's conspiring sisters,
Jackie Hoffman and
Mary Testa conjure up laughing spells that soar so beyond the top I found myself doubled over in fits of glee.
Is
Xanadu a great musical? Of course not, and fortunately, it doesn't aspire to be. But if you go into the show with an open mind, don't be surprised if you find this show working its way into your heart.
3 - The Glorious Ones (Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY)
Who said nice things come in small packages? Well, in the case of
Lynn Ahrens and
Stephen Flaherty's
The Glorious Ones, you might instead say naughty things come in small packages. Though it may not exactly have risen to the exalted heights of all things glorious, the accomplished tunesmiths' latest work was certainly good -- if not-so-clean -- fun. With
Graciela Daniele's deft touch and Ahrens and Flaherty's comedic and at times compelling score,
The Glorious Ones was a debauched little diamond in the rough shining bright with a devilishly funny cast led by
Marc Kudisch as the charismatic 16th Century leader of a fledgling band of actors in the
commedia dell’arte (comic tradition).
Steeped in vulgarity and slapstick, this little frippery may not have been glorious. But it certainly was delightful fun.
2 - A Catered Affair (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)
Like a rare vintage wine that deserves to be sipped and savored, the seriously sublime
A Catered Affair opens up across the tastebuds into a glorious bouquet. When all is said and done, this beautifully-acted, earnest chamber musical is intoxicating. Rich with integrity,
Harvey Fierstein has vividly crafted a genuinely touching book that dares to wear its dry dignity on its sleeve, right alongside its huge beating heart. Fierstein's libretto has been wondrously blended with
John Bucchino's stirring score.
John Doyle's understated direction strikes the right balance between the many trials and inner demons the musical's principal characters face and the often hidden gentility each possesses, including
Faith Prince in the performance of her career.
With a workmanlike realism, this slice of fifties Bronx offers a humungous and unpretentious heart. For anyone who has a palate worthy of the best reserve,
A Catered Affair is a must-see.
1 - Passing Strange (Belasco Theatre, New York, NY)
The year's absolute best, most cosmic musical was also the most unusual and unexpected, and yet somehow
real.
Passing Strange succeeds in taking the Great White Way in an entirely new, infinitely intelligent direction. Its trajectory brilliantly takes a bohemian base and infuses gospel, rock, punk and soul music into a delicious, simmering hot, heterogeneous bouillabaisse, compliments of a musician named
Stew. This exacting artist takes us on a wild trip in quasi-strolling minstrel style, expertly telling the story of his own formative adult years with such humor, passion and grace that I found myself tearing up many times over as chills shot down my spine.
Stew's storytelling alter ego, Youth, is played with awkward charm by
Daniel Breaker, a sensationally expressive new stage star in an astonishing breakthrough role. Breaker has been duly honored (as I had predicted) with a well-deserved Tony nomination.
Often veering toward the existential when it's not reminding you of "The Wizard Of Oz," Stew's ethereal odyssey isn't as much about saying "there's no place like home" as it's reassuring you that you actually can go home again. I couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with this smoke-hazed tale. Far from strange, I look forward to passing this way again.
What were the best new musicals
you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 28, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: A Catered Affair, Broadway, Musical, Off-Broadway, Passing Strange, Queens Boulevard, SOB's Best of 2007-08, The Glorious Ones, Xanadu
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of MusicalsDuring the 2007-08 Theatrical Season, I was in the audience for revivals of nine different musicals from Atlanta to Winnipeg.
If the tuner at the top of my list seems at all familiar, it's because as my all-time favorite musical, it made
my list last year as well. And while its leading lady remains the same, this year's production simply blew me away, beyond all expectations.
Here's my personal "5 Best" list of the musical revivals that thrilled me over the past twelve months:
5 - Sunday In The Park With George (Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, NY)
Art isn't easy. But in the hands of director
Sam Buntrock, an exquisite theatrical masterpiece literally comes to life, bit by dazzling bit. In the stunning revival of
Stephen Sondheim and
James Lapine's
Sunday In The Park With George, Buntrock's ingenious staging begins with a blank canvas, but
Tim Bird and
The Knifedge Creative Network more than effectively fill in the blanks with an enthralling, radiant projection design that is unequivocally the true star of this musical. This fictionalized account of the painstaking, lonely artistic process undertaken by neo-impressionist
Georges-Pierre Seurat in creating his pointillistic painting "
Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte" benefits from
Daniel Evans' manic, disciplined artist. An astounding
Jenna Russell renders an impish, yet heartbreaking performance as George's simple-minded and attention-starved muse. As wonderful as this duo is, the performance that touched me the most was the luminescent
Mary Beth Peil as George's long-neglected mother sitting stoically in a haunting display of dignified sorrow as her son steals away her chance to know her only grandchild.
Sondheim's memorable score wins the day and eventually helps elevate it to a glorious conclusion. As
noted at the beginning of the year,
Sunday In The Park With George rated as one of the five stage productions I most eagerly anticipated for 2008. This is unmistakably a great work of art.
4 - Nine (CanWest Global Performing Arts Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
Winnipeg's Dry Cold Productions offered a gorgeous revival of
Arthur Kopit and
Maury Yeston's wonderful
Nine last summer featuring amazing Manitoba talent. Who knew? This stark, yet beautiful revival served as an astonishing, albeit frugal, showcase for its fine, amassed troupe. What I've always enjoyed about
Nine is its ability to illuminate a man, Guido Contini, who's precariously on the precipice of middle age, afraid to relinquish his youth. This Guido was forcefully played with vigor by Kevin Aichele, whose ability to perfectly capture Guido's playboy rapscallion -- as well as his aching epiphany that's he's no longer the boy he once was -- was nothing short of captivating.
Dry Cold Productions' little musical may have been short-lived and seen by relatively few, but its
Nine has loomed large with me ever since taking it in last Memorial Day Weekend.
3 - South Pacific (Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY)
From the moment
Ted Sperling cues his 30-piece orchestra, commencing the initial swells from the overture for one of the 20th Century's most beloved musical scores, it's clear that this
South Pacific is going to be a special island of enchanting entertainment.
Bartlett Sher's surprisingly innovative yet entirely natural direction makes this a truly majestic revival. Sher successfully shakes and stirs a credible concoction with handsome Brazilian baritone
Paulo Szot opposite Broadway's serious musical "It Girl"
Kelli O'Hara; together, they make an attractive, completely credible pairing. In his stirring portrayal of an evolved expat, Szot succeeded in eliciting genuine tears and chills (from me) as he realizes Nellie's rejection in singing "This Nearly Was Mine."
There are still plenty of great lessons to be learned from
South Pacific, which remains a groundbreaking and entertaining landmark musical.
2 - Dreamgirls (Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA)
Tempting fate by returning once more to the role that made her a star over a generation ago,
Jennifer Holliday succeeded in proving yet again that she is the quintessential Effie Melody White. In last summer's Atlanta revival of
Dreamgirls, the incomparable Holliday seemed to relish further substantiating that she and Effie are not going to take a backseat to anyone. In a glorious and absolutely thrilling performance, not only did Jennifer Holliday triumphantly reclaim the mantle of Effie Melody White, but she reigned supreme. While Holliday alone would have made this
Dreamgirls dazzle, she was not alone in providing some truly magical and electrifying performances. In fact, the moment I realized this revival would be otherworldly was at the onset of “Steppin’ To The Bad Side” when the foursome of Curtis Taylor Jr. (a superb
David Jennings), C.C. White (
Destan Owens), James Thunder Early (a mostly pitch-perfect
Eugene Fleming) and Wayne (
James Harkness) sent the first, palpable jolt of energized lightning ricocheting through the receptive audience, thanks in part due to
Kevyn Morrow’s supercharged choreography.
With an audience already overcome with pure unadulterated excitement, Holliday’s delivery of “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” became particularly potent on stage. Somehow, Holliday pulled this incredible outpouring of heartbroken anguish from the deepest, innermost recesses of her very being and spewed it forth in as chilling a show-stopping performance as I have ever seen. For me, seeing this
Dreamgirls was a chance to once again witness one of the greatest live theatrical performances of all time and truly savor it.
1 - Gypsy (St. James Theatre, New York, NY)
Gangway world, get off of my superlatives! Suddenly, highfalutin words like "excellent," "superb" and "top-notch" just don't seem sufficient enough to adequately describe the unique experience of seeing the incredible
Arthur Laurents-helmed revival of
Gypsy now playing Broadway once again. Never have I enjoyed myself more or been so thoroughly entertained by a Rialto musical experience
ever. This is most definitely a performance for the ages. To see it is to witness theatrical history being made.
The beauty of this fully-realized Broadway revival is that every breathtaking performance from start to finish matches that offered by the astonishing
Patti LuPone, who makes her Rose at once sympathetic, conniving, sexy, funny, tragic and repulsive all at the same time. Add to that poignant portrayals -- the stunning metamorphosis of Louise offered by
Laura Benanti in her best performance yet, and the completely credible, quiet dignity in
Boyd Gaines' sympathetic take on Herbie -- and you get a classic musical the way it was truly intended to be seen.
What were the best revivals of musicals
you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 27, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: Dreamgirls, Gypsy, Jennifer Holliday, Musical, Nine, Patti LuPone, Revival, SOB's Best of 2007-08, South Pacific, Sunday In The Park With George
SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Revivals Of PlaysOver the past year, I've had an opportunity to see 22 revivals of plays throughout the United States. Many tested the limits of my imagination, while others simply tested my nerves, but overall, there were many fine productions to be seen.
Here's my personal "5 Best" list of the revivals I'm thankful I had a chance to see:
5 - Boeing-Boeing (Longacre Theatre, New York, NY)
Looking for the funniest, laugh-out-loud comedy now on the Great White Runway? Look no further than the current Broadway revival of
Boeing-Boeing. It's a mostly fantastic, high-flying farce. As absurd as the storyline is,
Matthew Warchus portentously propels this first class flight to a new altitude with a turbocharged cruising speed that left me breathless from laughing. Much of the marvelous mirth comes from watching
Mark Rylance, who proves even a great Shakespearean actor can be a worthy master of slapstick comedy. Nearly as wonderful is
Christine Baranski's wickedly funny propensity for broad comic relief, whether it's with an exaggerated roll of her eyes or via her deadpan, droll response.
Boeing-Boeing is about the wildest ride on Broadway. Fasten your seatbelts!
4 - A Bronx Tale (Walter Kerr Theatre, New York, NY)
Chazz Palminteri's enthralling solo show
A Bronx Tale arrived to well-deserved audience cheers from The Bronx and beyond when it was revived this season on Broadway. Palminteri vibrantly brought to life 18 different characters in an astonishing first-person account of his coming of age on some of New York City's toughest streets. A master storyteller, Palminteri succeeded in weaving a captivating ninety minute tale that built to a climax that can only be characterized as indisputably gripping theatre. I was in the palm of his hand.
Told from his heart, Palminteri's message was so powerful and breathtaking that it deserves to be heard far beyond The Bronx when the production begins its
national tour this fall.
3 - The Trip To Bountiful (The Albert, Goodman Theatre, Chicago, IL)
A theatrical experience that plainly stated exactly what it was, right up front, in its title,
Horton Foote's
The Trip To Bountiful was just that and so much more in the wonderful revival playing Chicago's Goodman Theatre earlier this year. The playwright's brilliance was more than proficiently realized by director
Harris Yulin through the incandescence of its performances. As the aptly named Carrie Watts,
Lois Smith provided an astonishing luminescence, burning brighter as her yearning to return home to a place called Bountiful, one last time, became a transformative power. Never mind that she was trying to get there against the will of her control freak daughter-in-law Jessie Mae, magnificently and haughtily portrayed by the playwright's daughter
Hallie Foote. Both actresses were nothing short of excellent.
With acting beyond bountiful, this was one show that was definitely worth making the trip to see.
2 - Pygmalion (American Airlines Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, NY)
Sure, some audiences may have been expecting
My Fair Lady only to be disappointed by the lack of a score. But
David Grindley's splendid five act revival of
George Bernard Shaw's classic
Pygmalion was practically pitch perfect nonetheless, thanks in part to a flawlessly superb performance by
Jefferson Mays as Professor Henry Higgins and an equally compelling
Boyd Gaines as the genteel Colonel Pickering. With aplomb and grace,
Claire Daines proved a revelation as Eliza Doolittle. I adored this show and its genuine blissful humanity that echoed in the music of its lyrical spoken word.
Pygmalion is one period piece that remains timeless, and thanks to the
Roundabout Theatre Company, audiences had another opportunity to revel again in the story that launched the famous musical.
1 - Cymbeline (Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York, NY)
Forget
Macbeth. Broadway's far superior
William Shakespeare revival of the year was
Lincoln Center's underappreciated
Cymbeline. Sending an unexpected, yet definable chill of delight shooting down my spine, I found myself utterly thrilled. Director
Mark Lamos restored the work's long lost luster via his brilliant, sparkling vision, empowering his cast to maneuver through the Byzantine layers of plot unscathed, as well as to navigate through the cadences of Shakespeare's often difficult language with such natural precision, grace and gusto, that they never felt unnatural or forced. In fact, Shakespeare never sounded so crisp. She may have received a Tony nod for her amazing work in
Top Girls for playing two very different roles, but in
Cymbeline, the luminous
Martha Plimpton moved every bit as skillfully from dazzled lover to forlorn royalty in hiding with unimpeachable ease that was equally moving.
Unquestionably, this was singularly the best production of one of the Bard's works I have ever seen.
So what were the best revivals of plays
you saw over the past year? I invite you to join the conversation by sharing your own theatre experiences with me.
This is Steve On Broadway (SOB).
Related Stories:SOB's Best Of 2007-08: Best Special Theatrical Events (May 24, 2008)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2007-08 (May 23, 2008)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2007-08 Theatre Season (May 22, 2008)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Top Ten Of The Year (June 4, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Musicals (May 22, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best New Plays (May 21, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Musicals (May 18, 2007)
SOB's Best Of 2006-07: Best Revivals Of Plays (May 16, 2007)
The SOB Five "Worst" Of 2006-07 (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best & Worst Of 2006-07 Theatre Season (May 14, 2007)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #1 - Theater Of The New Ear (May 30, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #2 – Guys And Dolls (May 26, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #3 – Hedda Gabler (May 25, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #4 – A Blameless Life (May 24, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #5 – Reeling (May 23, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #6 – “MASTER HAROLD”…And The Boys (May 21, 2006)
SOB’s Best of 2005-06: #7 – Love Song (May 19, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #8 - Billy Elliot The Musical (May 18, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #9 - The Well-Appointed Room (May 17, 2006)
SOB's Best of 2005-06: #10 - Sweeney Todd (May 15, 2006)
SOB's Best and Worst of 2005-06 Theatre Season (May 12, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2004-05 (May 26, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2003-04 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2002-03 (May 25, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2001-02 (May 24, 2006)
Flashback: Best of 2000-01 (May 23, 2006)
Labels: A Bronx Tale, Boeing-Boeing, Chazz Palminteri, Cymbeline, Lois Smith, Martha Plimpton, Play, Pygmalion, Revival, SOB's Best of 2007-08, The Trip To Bountiful
2 - Gypsy
