My Top Ten Favorite Performances of 2012

Here is a list of ten favorite and memorable performances that I attended during 2012.

1.) Carolee Carmello as Aimee Semple McPherson in Scandalous on Broadway. A powerhouse performance. Read more about her performance here. 

2.) The National Touring company of Memphis led by Bryan Fenkart and Felicia Boswell. Who would have thought that two actors with talents rivaling that of original Broadway performers, Chad Kimball and Montego Glover, even existed? The best touring production I've seen in a long time. Read more here. 

3.) Christina DeCicco (Eva alternate) in Evita on Broadway. I loved the entire production of Evita, but I especially loved Christina's portrayal of the mysterious and contradictory first lady of Argentina. I will be sad to see this show exit in 2013. 

4.) Rob McClure as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin on Broadway.  Mastering Chaplin's physical comedy, his performance was perfection and worthy of a Tony nomination. Read more about his performance here. 

5.) The cast of Once, 2012 Tony Award winner for best new musical. With honest, emotionally-raw performances by Cristin Milioti and Steve Kazee, Once is unique and refreshing. 

6.) The four talented cast members of Broadway's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf; Amy Morton, Tracy Letts, Carrie Coon, Madison Dirks. This production left me amazed and speechless. 

7.) Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow on Broadway. An impeccable and powerful performance. 

8.) The cast of Peter and the Starcatcher on Broadway. An exercise of creativity and imagination. 

9.) The dancing newsboys in Newsies on Broadway. Never have I experienced such impeccable and exhilarating choreography! Bravo, boys! 

10.) For favorite "funny" performances, I can't decide between Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost and Ari Graynor as Peeps in The Performers. Both stole the show with impeccable comedic timing.

Now tell me about YOUR favorite performances of 2012!  

The Performers

Broadway

Longacre Theatre

11/3/12

When I walked into the Longacre Theatre to catch last Saturday’s evening performance of The Performers, I was not sure what to expect of a play centered on the adult film industry (a politically correct way of saying porn). I was probably expecting something funny, light, raunchy, and not at all relatable, seeing that I’ve never been employed in the adult film industry myself. After walking around the desolate streets of NYC status post Hurricane Sandy, I wasn’t opposed to any of the above expectations as long as it provided me with a few laughs! What I found at the Longacre Theatre was more heartwarming, hilarious, and normal than I’d ever expected. Keep reading if you want to find out why....

Synopsis: In this romantic comedy, high school sweethearts Lee, a journalist, and Sara, a schoolteacher, have finally become engaged and decide to spend a night in Las Vegas for the Adult Film Awards so that Lee can interview his former high school classmate, Mandrew, an adult film star who has been nominated for several awards. Mandrew’s wife and fellow adult film star, Peeps, is dealing with her own insecurities after she learns she is pregnant. After seeing Mandrew and Peep’s seemingly racy and exciting lifestyle, Lee and Sarah begin to doubt their relationship and plans for the future, while Peeps questions her own relationship with Mandrew and wonders if conservative is the way to go. Enter Chuck Wood, a man with years of experience in the Adult Film business who accidentally becomes caught in the middle of these feuding couples, and ultimately helps them to resolve their issues. And they all live happily ever after (we hope). 

Comments: First and foremost, this show is hilariously funny. Unless you are extremely conservative, I can’t imagine someone not laughing steadily through the entire show. The surprise is the balance between humor and heart. The Adult Film Industry is merely a backdrop that is often forgotten as the story delves deeper into the relationships between the characters.The Performers isn’t really about porn- it’s about human relationships, love, and vulnerability. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a life-changing play, but something tells me that’s not what the audience is looking for at The Performers. The audience will get the laughs they want, and hopefully something a little more heartwarming than they were expecting! 

Besides having amazing abs, Cheyenne Jackson was charming and likable as Mandrew. He didn’t portray Mandrew as the stereotypical porn star, and brought out a more misunderstood side of the character. Ari Graynor stole the show as Peeps simply because of her impeccable comedic timing. Jenni Barber also provided many laughs as the more “stereotypical” porn star, Sundown LeMay. Alicia Silverstone and Daniel Breaker were good together as Sara and Lee and both played the “repressed” sides of the characters very well.  I particularly enjoyed Sara’s drunk scene with Henry Winkler, who impressed me with his ability to play a porn star at the age of 67.  Overall, the six characters had good chemistry and played off of one another very well.  

The Performers opens at the Longacre Theatre on November 14, 2012. Check it out if you want to see a hilariously heartwarming show.