SOB’s Best Of 2008-09: Top Ten Of The YearOver the past week, I've offered up my "Best Of" lists for four of the five major stage categories observed by the Tony Awards, including
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 the 2008-09 Theatrical Season:
10 - 9 To 5 Venue: Marquis Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: 9 To 5 wins by being so thoroughly and consistently entertaining. Not only exceedingly fun and funny, but
Dolly Parton has delivered one of this season's most melodic scores, with plenty of tunes to keep you humming long after departing the theatre. You'd be hard pressed not to revel in
9 To 5's frivolity.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Allison Janney,
Stephanie J. Block and
Megan Hilty, as well as
Marc Kudisch and
Kathy Fitzgerald.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
9 - The Cripple Of InishmaanVenue: Linda Gross Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Martin McDonagh's
The Cripple Of Inishmaan crackled with wit and pathos. With frequent McDonagh collaborator
Garry Hynes at the helm, the playwright intrigues with his surprising compassion for humanity.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Excellent ensemble, but special nods to
Aaron Monaghan and
David Pearce.
Status: Closed after enjoying extended limited run.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ***)
8 - next to normal Venue: Booth Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: With a fierce, electrifying direction from
Michael Greif,
Brian Yorkey and
Tom Kitt’s
next to normal is nothing if not atypical for Great White Way musical fare. But in tackling mental illness and its continued social stigma head-on,
next to normal marks a welcome if downright shocking departure for Broadway.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Alice Ripley,
J. Robert Spencer,
Aaron Tveit and
Jennifer Damiano.
Status: Open-ended run.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
7 - The VisitVenue: Max Theatre, Signature, Arlington, Virginia
Top 10 Worthiness: John Kander and the late
Fred Ebb's spellbinding "new" musical
The Visit read like a who's who of the stage, including
Terrence McNally with his shrewdly clever book,
Ann Reinking for her captivating choreography and fine direction from
Frank Galati. Kander & Ebb's score proved a formidible co-star.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Chita Rivera,
George Hearn,
Jeremy Webb,
Mark Jacoby and
James Harms.
Status: Closed last summer after limited run. Initially rumored to be New York-bound, but economy seems to have placed those plans on hold.
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
6 - Speed-The-PlowVenue: Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: When
David Mamet's good, he's just about as stimulating and entertaining as any playwright can be. He's the real deal. In
Neil Pepe's astounding and absorbing revival of Mamet's gutbusting
Speed-The-Plow, this is almost as good as it gets.
Exceptional Standout Performance: Raúl Esparza.
Status: Closed after a tumultuous limited run in which star who shall not be named left show to become "a thermometer."
SOB Review Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)
5 - IvanovVenue: Wyndham's Theatre, London, United Kingdom
Top 10 Worthiness: Michael Grandage's West End revival of
Anton Chekhov's
Ivanov was so vibrant and alive with pleasure, brimming with dark humor throughout, that I found myself completely rapt with attention. With excellent new adaptation from
Tom Stoppard,
Ivanov was both entertaining and enlightening, soaring with one of the year's best ensembles on either side of the Atlantic.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Excellent ensemble led by
Kenneth Branagh and
Gina McKee.
Status: Closed after limited London run. I'm hoping beyond hope that a transfer may be in the works to Broadway, but it may merely be a pipe dream.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
4 - Superior DonutsVenue: Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois
Top 10 Worthiness: Tracy Letts' profoundly moving new play
Superior Donuts intelligently combats some urban myths about race and feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl. There's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this thoughtful and entertaining play.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Excellent ensemble led by
Michael McKean and
Jon Michael Hill.
Status: Initial world premiere run at
Steppenwolf closed last summer, but the show has been
confirmed for a Broadway bow this fall.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
3 - A Little Night MusicVenue: Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom
Top 10 Worthiness: There's pure heaven found in
Trevor Nunn's gorgeous London revival of
A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Transcending all expectations, only a heart of stone could not be moved by
Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and
Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Exceptional Standout Performances: Hannah Waddingham,
Maureen Lipman and
Gabriel Vick.
Status: Currently enjoying a transferred run in London's West End. Rumored to be heading to Broadway later this year.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
2 - Our TownVenue: Barrow Street Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Thornton Wilder’s classic stage drama
Our Town has never looked better. Stripped down to its bare essentials by director
David Cromer, it's hard to imagine live theatre could get anymore intimate than this. Making the case against living in the past, this mind-blowing production simply can’t be missed.
Status: Limited run scheduled through September 27, 2009.
SOB Review Rating: **** (out of ****)
1 - The Norman ConquestsVenue: The Circle in the Square Theatre, New York, New York
Top 10 Worthiness: Alan Ayckbourn's uproariously hilarious
The Norman Conquests cuts with remarkable, exacting precision, but it also slices and dices its six fully-rounded characters in this jujitsu of love.
Matthew Warchus' brilliant direction of each installment makes each story accessible and comprehensible in its own right. Yet it's only after seeing all three that all the complex pieces truly come together as an unequivocal masterpiece. This is the best show I've seen all year
anywhere.
Exceptional Standout Performances: The entire ensemble:
Amelia Bullmore,
Jessica Hynes,
Stephen Mangan,
Ben Miles,
Paul Ritter and
Amanda Root.
Status: Limited run through July 25, 2009, but don't be surprised if this is extended by popular demand.
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).
Labels: 9 To 5, A Little Night Music, Ivanov, Next To Normal, Our Town, SOB's Best of 2008-09, Speed-The-Plow, Superior Donuts, The Cripple Of Inishmaan, The Norman Conquests, The Visit
SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best Plays RevivalsDuring the past year, I've had over 70 opportunities to take in a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events."
If last year was the "Year of the Play," then this one would have to be the "Year of the Play Revival." Over the last twelve months, I saw 17 revivals of plays of varying degree, but on the whole, an unusually large number of them completely captivated and enthralled me, making this "5 Best" list the toughest to select. And, incredibly enough, I haven't yet seen the well-reviewed revivals of
Mary Stuart,
Waiting For Godot or presidential favorite
Joe Turner's Come And Gone -- all are vying with my favorite show of the year for the Tony in the category of Best Revival of a Play.
No wonder I acted so viscerally when
I read that that important honor would be relegated to the pre-Tony telecast this Sunday. With the best shows of the year being revivals, aren't they particularly deserving of prime time love?
UPDATED (6.5.09, 1:50 p.m. EDT): WOW!!! Actor Kevin Spacey tells us via@
KevinSpacey: "Great news theatre lovers. Got official word that the Tony Awards have reconsidered and Best Play Revival will now be on the telecast on CBS." That's the best news I've heard today.
So, without any further ado, drumroll, please:
5 - The Cripple Of Inishmaan (Linda Gross Theater, Atlantic Theater Company, New York, New York)
Who would have thought that a play so politically incorrectly named would be so powerfully funny, yet demonstrate heart?
As revived as a joint project by New York's
Atlantic Theater Company and Ireland's
Druid Theatre Company of Galway,
Martin McDonagh's
The Cripple Of Inishmaan crackled with wit and pathos. With frequent McDonagh collaborator
Garry Hynes at the helm, the two have spun an exceptional yarn.
David Pearce was superb as Inishmaan gossip JohnnyPateenMike, who never met a rumor he didn't like to exploit.
McDonagh intrigues with his compassion for humanity. Along with his rich humor, outstanding cast and Hynes' loving direction, this able play easily ranked among the year's better revivals.
4 - Speed-The-Plow (Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York, New York)
When
David Mamet's good, he's just about as stimulating and entertaining as any playwright can be. He's the real deal.
In
Neil Pepe's astounding and absorbing revival of Mamet's gutbusting
Speed-The-Plow, this is almost as good as it gets.
By the time I saw the show,
William H. Macy was the second actor in as many months to take over the juicy role as Bobby Gould. Macy was good, but he couldn't outfox the monumentally stunning
Raúl Esparza as Charlie Fox as they sparred over Hollywood scripts and Tinseltown's ability -- or lack thereof -- in making cinematic art. Once again, Esparza is an amazing revelation, a genius consistently delivering an excellent performance and then some.
3 - Ivanov (Wyndham's Theatre, London, United Kingdom)
The
Michael Grandage-helmed West End revival of
Anton Chekhov's
Ivanov was so vibrant and alive with pleasure, brimming with dark humor throughout, that I found myself completely rapt with attention.
With excellent new adaptation from
Tom Stoppard,
Ivanov was both entertaining and enlightening, soaring with one of the year's best ensembles on either side of the Atlantic.
Kenneth Branagh was absolutely brilliant in the title role, but it was the breathtaking
Gina McKee who turned in one of the year's most heartfelt performances, radiating enough warmth to melt the icy bitterness from any Russian town, past or present.
With uniformly scintillating performances from a sterling cast that didn't take itself too seriously, there's no doubt why
Donmar Warehouse's superb
Ivanov was
the West End's must-see sensation this fall.
2 - Our Town (Barrow Street Theatre, New York, New York)
Hands-down, the best show I had seen all year -- that is, right up until I caught the show at number one.
Thornton Wilder’s classic stage drama
Our Town has never looked better.
Stripped down to its bare essentials by director
David Cromer, this exquisite revival moves all about the audience with an unforced urgency. It's hard to imagine live theatre could get anymore intimate than this. Wilder’s heartfelt words never seemed truer or more genuine, which is refreshing considering how
Michele Spadaro's deceptively spare stage design gives way to one last breath of real life, which itself ultimately proves a veritable feast for and in all senses.
Making the case against living in the past, this mind-blowing production simply can’t be missed.
1 - The Norman Conquests (The Circle in the Square Theatre, New York, New York)
Alan Ayckbourn's uproariously hilarious
The Norman Conquests cuts with remarkable, exacting precision, but it also slices and dices its six fully-rounded characters in this jujitsu of love.
Just when you think you have the first portion of this trilogy figured out, one intriguing layer after another is carefully stripped away to reveal more of Ayckbourn's intricately woven story. Each character's motives are eventually cut to the core. And they aren't necessarily what they seem.
Matthew Warchus' brilliant direction of each installment --
Table Manners,
Living Together and
Round And Round The Garden -- makes each story accessible and comprehensible in its own right. Yet it's only after seeing all three that all the complex pieces truly come together as an unequivocal masterpiece.
Rising to the challenge of Ayckbourn's pure genius, Warchus helms an excellent cast offering a breathtaking master class in nuanced ensemble acting. Each actor so fully inhabits his or her character that their exceptional use of body language is amplified just as effortlessly as their voices.
Not only did I find myself on the edge of my seat, but miraculously, I found myself not wanting it ever to end. It's every bit as funny as it is sublime.
The Norman Conquests is the best show on Broadway or anywhere else I've been over the last year.
So what were the best revivals of 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).
Labels: Best Revival of Plays, Broadway, Ivanov, London, Off-Broadway, Our Town, Play, SOB's Best of 2008-09, Speed-The-Plow, The Cripple Of Inishmaan, The Norman Conquests
SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best New PlaysOver the past year, these eyes have seen over 70 performances of a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events."
Ten of those productions were new plays, although one of them was a regional staging of a relatively recent London and subsequent Off-Broadway work. (Please note that the full list under consideration does
not include
God Of Carnage, which
I enjoyed early
last year in London. Nor did my full list include the Tony-nominated
Dividing The Estate, which I never had the chance to see in New York, but certainly could in Hartford.)
The year's best play I'm counting down to is significant because it's the second year in a row that its gifted playwright has nabbed the top position on my "5 Best" list. Fortunately for you, dear readers, his
latest work will transfer to Broadway this fall. But be prepared -- it is a striking departure from his
last play, which took the theatre world by storm just a year ago.
Drumroll, please:
5 - reasons to be pretty (Lyceum Theatre, New York, New York)
There are plenty of reasons to like
Neil LaBute’s surprisingly endearing
reasons to be pretty, but the biggest is
Thomas Sadoski as the comedy’s protagonist Greg, a lunkhead stuck in a dead-end job and a relationship going nowhere in a hurry.
Right before our eyes, Greg transforms from a juvenile jerk into a principled man. But getting there is anything but pretty, where the honesty that alternately seems too much or completely lacking in Greg's relationship with with his girlfriend Steph (a marvelous
Marin Ireland) is what propels this tight comedy forward.
Expertly directed by
Terry Kinney, LaBute's
reasons to be pretty epitomizes a coming of age story for a new generation. Its courage of conviction and taut cast makes
reasons to be pretty highly compelling.
4 - 33 Variations (Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York, New York)
Just when I thought
Moisés Kaufman’s
33 Variations was amounting to nothing more than another endless variation on a
Lifetime movie, complete with one woman’s courageous battle with
Lou Gehrig’s Disease, along came one of Broadway’s most inspired and marvelous moments of the entire season.
Most of the media focus had quite rightly been shining on
Jane Fonda’s comeback to the Great White Way after two generations away. Fonda delivered a tremendous performance as a frail ALS patient. But the chills overcame me from head to toe in witnessing
Zach Grenier as Beethoven as he quite literally made the composition of the maestro's music come alive.
For a play that was fundamentally about staring down death, life never sounded so wonderfully vibrant.
3 - Blackbird (Studio Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri)
It took a January trip to St. Louis to finally see a production of
David Harrower’s harrowing
Blackbird, which has been winding its way across the United States in regional productions after first winning the Olivier Award in London a couple seasons ago.
A perfectly chilling
Christopher Oden played Ray, who had succumbed years earlier to the seemingly wily temptations of a twelve year old named Una. Years later, having relocated and establishing a new identity and family, the hunter becomes the hunted as Ray receives an unexpected visit by the adult Una (an astounding and equally complex
Carmen Goodine), seeking to confront him.
The questions in
Blackbird ultimately hinge on the provocative. Harrower's answers appear to be that there's a reason why minors are considered such.
2 - Impressionism (Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, New York, New York)
Let it be noted that I was absolutely charmed by
Michael Jacobs’s
Impressionism. Maybe some critics just couldn’t see for forest for the trees.
Coincidentally, in this story about the potential for love, its leading characters -- art gallery owner Katharine Keenan (
Joan Allen) and onetime photographer turned Keenan assistant Thomas Buckle (
Jeremy Irons) -- have difficulty seeing the infinite possibilities of a relationship that's right in front of them.
A truly lovely story with a wonderful cast,
Impressionism is one of those plays that stealthily sneaks up on you and packs an enormous emotional punch. I guess it’s true that art truly is in the eye of the beholder.
1 - Superior Donuts (Downstairs Theatre, Steppenwolf, Chicago, Illinois)
How is a hero distinguished from a coward? In
Tracy Letts' profoundly moving new play
Superior Donuts, it all comes down to choosing one's battles. Wisely.
Marking yet another stunning departure from his previous efforts, Letts intelligently combats some urban myths about race.
Superior Donuts proprietor and Vietnam draft dodger Arthur Prysbyszewski (an astonishing and nearly unrecognizable
Michael McKean) is in dire need of a lifeline. It's as if Arthur has permanently thrown in the towel, resigned to defeat. That is, until promising literary genius Franco Wicks (a wonderfully cocksure
Jon Michael Hill) walks into his donut shop to apply for an open position.
Thanks in large measure to
Tina Landau's loving direction,
Superior Donuts feels genuine, gritty and real, right down to its climactic brawl. Losing himself in a most unglamorous role, McKean anchored the premiere production with amazing humility.
There's so much more to chew on in
Superior Donuts than what's on its surface. Instead of finding a sugary goo, or worse, nothing at all, there's plenty of humanity and heart to be found deep inside of this intelligent and entertaining play. I absolutely loved this courageous show that truly lives up to its name, and I can't wait to see how Letts' latest work has evolved when it opens on Broadway this fall.
So 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).
Labels: 33 Variations, Best New Plays, Blackbird, Impressionism, Play, Reasons To Be Pretty, SOB's Best of 2008-09, Superior Donuts
SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best Musical RevivalsOver the past year, I've managed to see over 70 performances of a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events." Ten of those were revivals of musicals, including three of my favorite tuners of all time (
each of which, sad to say, disappointed me to varying degrees).
While four of the revivals I saw were produced on Broadway, three of the best were found elsewhere. Thankfully, it's been reported that the one musical revival at the top of my "5 Best" list is
likely to be Broadway bound.
Drumroll, please:
5 - Pal Joey (Studio 54, Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, New York)
Richard Rodgers and
Lorenz Hart's enduring classic "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" from
Pal Joey lived again thanks to
Joe Mantello's sparkling revival.
This was certainly not your grandfather's
Pal Joey, as
John O'Hara's book was substantially updated by
Richard Greenberg. Nevertheless, the underlying story of the ne'er-do-well ladies' song-and-dance man Joey Evans, who blithely bounces between women, remained true to the original.
Stockard Channing imbued her Vera with a natural grace, style and seductiveness. But the real revelation was the bewitching
Martha Plimpton in her absolutely stunning portrayal of Gladys Bumps. Is there nothing this amazing Tony-nominated actress can't do?
In this entertaining
Pal Joey, bewitched won out over both bothered and bewildered.
4 - The Pajama Game (Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts, Bloomington Civic Theatre, Bloomington, Minnesota)
"Seven and a half cents," as the song from
Richard Adler and
Jerry Ross' 1954 musical
The Pajama Game duly notes, "doesn't buy a hell of a lot."
But just try telling that to the nearly flawless cast of 27 and 17-piece orchestra members from Minnesota's Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts' production of
The Pajama Game. Their indomitable spirit joined forces with
John Command's nearly pitch-perfect direction to make this roundly enjoyable revival practically as good as a Broadway show, yet at a fraction of a Rialto budget. It never ceases to astound me when I take in a small regional production that bundles boundless energy and determination to make for an entertaining evening at the theatre, worthy of what "the professionals" of the Great White Way do.
It's true that good things can come in small packages. And for the relatively small package price of just $25 per top ticket, this
Pajama Game was most definitely a good thing worth trying on for size.
3 - Caroline, Or Change (Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Finally! Change we can believe in.
An intensely profound, mystical musical,
Tony Kushner and
Jeanine Tesori's
Caroline, Or Change -- as directed and choreographed by Marcela Lorca at Minnesota's Guthrie -- transfixes, even as it transports. Kushner ingeniously uses the coins Caroline Thibodeaux continually finds while washing the pants of young Noah Gellman as a transcendent metaphor for all the sweeping change surrounding her, including the emerging civil rights movement, the swelling Vietnam War and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Greta Oglesby's brave turn as Caroline alone is worth the price of admission. As Oglesby transforms, she breaks your heart.
2 - Hair (Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York, New York)
Want a good buzz? Then go see
Diane Paulus' inspired third coming of
Hair -- unequivocally Broadway's best musical revival this season. Paulus finds the sun and lets it shine in with her exceptional cast radiating the alternately playful and poignant score from
Gerome Ragni,
James Rado and
Galt MacDermot.
If the second act isn't exactly the first's equal, Paulus more than makes up for it with a heartwrenching conclusion that sneaks up on you with a powerful wallop. It left me teary-eyed.
Credit Tony nominee
Gavin Creel with his charisma and exquisite voice for winning the day. With the boundless energy of the cast, you just might find yourself treading the boards of the Hirschfeld yourself.
1 - A Little Night Music (Menier Chocolate Factory, London, United Kingdom)
Isn't
this rich?! Who would have thought that a show staged in a style so deceptively simple could be so sublime, not to mention utterly romantic. Rich, indeed.
Now, if you're not a romantic at heart, you need not bother. But for the rest of us, there's the pure heaven found in
Trevor Nunn's gorgeous revival of
A Little Night Music. It enveloped every one of my senses like a welcome salve for these troubled times. Only a heart of stone could not be moved by
Stephen Sondheim's ravishing score and
Hugh Wheeler's über-clever book.
Thanks to Nunn's deft and gentle touch, this
tale of requited love in turn-of-the-20th-Century Sweden feels timeless, transcending all expectations. It is sure to make you feel a twinge in your heart and leave a tear in your eye. The bewitching allure of this excellent revival has already transferred to the West End, but how about to Broadway? Well, maybe later this year.
So what were the best musical revivals 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).
Labels: A Little Night Music, Best Revivals of Musicals, Broadway, Caroline Or Change, Hair, London, Minnesota, Musicals, Pal Joey, SOB's Best of 2008-09, The Pajama Game
SOB's Best Of 2008-09: Best New MusicalsOver the past year, I've had the good fortune of taking in over 70 performances of a wide range of musicals, plays and "special theatrical events." Twelve of those performances were productions of new musicals not only on Broadway, but also significant ones elsewhere as well.
Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, I have to admit it's not been a particularly good time for new musicals to enjoy critical success. (Please note that the full list for consideration does
not include
Billy Elliot - The Musical, since it was on my
Best of 2005-06 list.) Yet there were those that challenged, entertained and/or scored with me personally -- certainly enough to land on my personal "5 Best" list for the past twelve months.
Drumroll, please:
5 - Shrek The Musical (Broadway Theatre, New York, New York)
Surprise:
Shrek The Musical is actually pretty funny and quite often borderline brilliant. The show deserves a larger audience. I was surprised by how often I found myself laughing early and often at this fairy tale satire.
Not only does it completely engage with its sly skewering of
Disney and Broadway fare alike, but it becomes a ginormous gutbuster when
Christopher Sieber's hilarious Lord Farquaad lampoons both
Dreamgirls and Wicked in less than six deliriously delicious seconds.
If you're looking for an escape from all of today's headlines that only an ogre could relish -- and let's face it, who isn't?! -- as well as a musical where you can see all your money up on the stage,
Shrek The Musical is just the ticket.
4 - 13 (Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, New York)
High School Musical it ain't. But thank goodness for that. Think of
Jason Robert Brown's exuberant new musical
13 as a positive, latter-day answer to "
All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten."
13 heralded Brown's long-awaited return to Broadway, and his tuneful, rich score did not disappoint. Neither did the breathtaking display of teen talent, as all 13 cast members, along with orchestra, are age appropriate. Sure the book by
Dan Elish and
Robert Horn at times went from earnest to hokey in record time during this 90-minute show.
Yet thanks to
Jeremy Sams' pacing,
Christopher Gattelli's unrestrained choreography, and Brown's beautiful score, I found myself transfixed, charmed and downright moved.
3 - 9 To 5 (Marquis Theatre, New York, New York)
Not since taking in another underappreciated tuner,
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, have I laughed so heavily from my gut.
9 To 5 is not rocket science or deeply penetrating. But it wins by being thoroughly highly and consistently entertaining.
This musical is exceedingly fun and funny, as well as very loyal to the 1980 film. More significantly,
Dolly Parton has delivered one of this season's most melodic scores, with plenty of tunes to keep you humming long after departing the theatre.
9 To 5 also rates as a fabulous star vehicle for its tremendous trio of leading ladies:
Allison Janney,
Stephanie J. Block and
Megan Hilty. Each has her moment to shine, and each does so splendidly.
You'd be hard pressed not to revel in
9 To 5's frivolity.
2 - next to normal (Booth Theatre, New York, New York)
With a fierce, electrifying direction from
Michael Greif,
Brian Yorkey and
Tom Kitt’s
next to normal is nothing if not atypical for Great White Way musical fare. But in tackling mental illness and its continued social stigma head-on, the tuner ranks as the best new musical I've seen on Broadway this year.
In a bravura performance deserving of a Tony,
Alice Ripley portrays Diana, who on first blush seems like the quintessential housewife and mother of two. But not everything is as it seems. It’s not long before Yorkey’s book descends into the personal hell Diana must endure and the scorching reverberations her deepening depression has on the rest of the family.
With an exceptional cast,
next to normal marks a welcome if downright shocking departure for Broadway. If you’re like me, it just may melt down into your heart.
1 - The Visit (Max Theatre, Signature, Arlington, Virginia)
Unlike guests who overstay their welcome,
Chita Rivera and
George Hearn are two exceptional actors who aren't around nearly enough. Together for
John Kander and the late
Fred Ebb's spellbinding "new" musical
The Visit last year, their stellar performances underscored what musical theatre is all about.
The lofty creative team for this Kander & Ebb tuner read like a who's who of the stage, including
Terrence McNally with his shrewdly clever book and
Ann Reinking for her captivating choreography. Due props must also be paid to
Frank Galati for helming such an exquisite production.
In addition to Rivera and Hearn's excellent performances, Kander & Ebb's score was every bit as much a star of
The Visit. They worked their magic once again. Despite its quirky and ultimately somber tone, this was one
Visit worth making.
Since it was by far the best new musical I saw over the past year, I can only hope a
Visit is one day in the cards for New York.
So 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).
Labels: 13, 9 To 5, Broadway, Next To Normal, Shrek The Musical, SOB's Best of 2008-09, The Visit, Washington DC
