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!  

ONCE

Broadway

Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

March 31, 2012

July 28, 2012 

Background:  Once the musical is based on the low-budget Irish film of the same name, which earned unexpected box office success in 2007. The film’s success led to two Grammy nominations and an Academy Award win for Best Original Song (Falling Slowly). The musical Once played at the New York Theatre Workshop in December, 2011 and transferred to Broadway in February. Once was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won eight, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical (John Tiffany), and Best Actor in a Musical (Steve Kazee). 

Synopsis: Guy is a struggling Irish musician who lives with his father and fixes Hoover vacuums for a living. Girl is a Czech immigrant who is immediately inspired by Guy’s music. When the two meet in Dublin, they form an unlikely friendship that results in love, healing, and beautiful music. “His music needed one thing. Her”. 

Comments: When I saw the show for the first time in March, I left the theatre thinking, okay, when can I come back and see this again? 

Once is wildly different from anything I have ever seen on stage.  Once is the kind of honest, inspiring production that you don’t see every day on Broadway, and this is what makes it so special and appealing to audiences. 

The music is simple and beautiful, ranging from raw and emotionally-charged to passionate and haunting. The music is most effective in the way that it is presented by the actors. This multitalented cast functions not only as actors, singers, and dancers, but also as the orchestra. The actors simultaneously sing, dance, play an instrument, and propel the story forward.  Because of this, the story is told in a very unique way, with the instrument becoming part of the character and choreography. It’s impressive and inspiring. 

Enda Walsh’s book is smart with humor injected in just the right places. I loved the dialogue between Guy and Girl, which is both emotional and restrained. Immediately, the audience becomes emotionally invested in these two characters and is undoubtedly rooting for this love story. 

Tony Award Winner Steve Kazee is perfectly cast as Guy. His Tony Award is well-deserved for this incredible performance. He has a wonderful voice and he sings with such emotion and passion. Andrea Goss (understudy), who played Girl at both performances, was absolutely endearing. She did a great job of being funny in a serious way... and her accent was awesome! These two actors had great chemistry together, despite one being an understudy.  As a side-note-- if you go see Once and a little piece of paper falls out of your playbill with Andrea Goss’ name on it, do not be disappointed. She was amazing.  

As I’ve already said, the supporting cast is incredibly talented.  Elizabeth A. Davis, who plays Reza, received a Tony nomination for this role and I definitely feel that this Tony nomination represents the entire supporting cast of Once.  They are all first-rate talent and it’s nice that this was recognized at the Tony’s (in a way). 

If you want to see a musical that will make you laugh, cry, and be inspired, check out Once at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.