So there you have it! The Top 10 posts from 2014! What were some of you favorites? Thank you for making Theater in the Now a hit. Let's do it again in 2015!
Trouble getting past the stage door? I've got your way into all the news and people you need to know!
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Top 10 Most Viewed Posts of 2014!
It's that time of year again. To reveal the Top 10 most viewed posts on Theater in the Now! We had 45 big hits this year, but here are the 10 most clickable.
So there you have it! The Top 10 posts from 2014! What were some of you favorites? Thank you for making Theater in the Now a hit. Let's do it again in 2015!
So there you have it! The Top 10 posts from 2014! What were some of you favorites? Thank you for making Theater in the Now a hit. Let's do it again in 2015!
Friday, December 19, 2014
Theater in the Now's Best of 2014!
Another year, another whirlwind of great entertainment! 2014 brought a lot of daring and new theater as well as some great revivals of classic and modern texts. While some would say the year on Broadway was a bit lacking, the Off Broadway and Indie world greatly made up for it! Here's my list of the top 5 productions of the year!
1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
The cult classic finally found it's way to the Great White Way and in fabulous fashion. The Tony winning revival brought showman Neil Patrick Harris to don the infamous wig and rock out to an updated rockin' score. With Andrew Rannells, Michael C. Hall, and John Cameron Mitchell following in the Tony winner's platforms, it was Lena Hall that gave one of the stand out performances of the year.
2. Fly By Night
Quite possibly the most underrated production of the entire year, Playwrights Horizons enchanted audiences with this stunning musical by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick, and Kim Rosenstock. The stunning intertwining love story brought some performances that pulled on your heartstrings. Allison Case and Henry Stram gave some beautiful performances but try not crying while watching Peter Friedman.
3. Propaganda! The Musical
Theater festivals rarely give you perfection, but in this year's New York Musical Theater Festival, there was perfection. And that perfection happened to be the future of theater. Written by Taylor Ferrera and Matt Webster, this musical comedy was a hilarious new piece that brought the laughs from start to finish. And it also showcased a star in the making, Dale Sampson. If the theater gods were watching, Propaganda! The Musical will have a new life soon.
4. Pentecost
Each summer, PTP/NYC comes to the city and spends a month in residence at Atlantic Theatre Company's Stage II. This year, they brought with them an incredible revival of David Edgar's Pentecost. Wonderfully directed by Cheryl Faraone and featuring a large ensemble of professional and student actors, Pentecost defined the brilliance of Edgar's story with a stunning commentary on art.
5. Powerhouse
Sinking Ship Productions brought the life of Raymond Scott to the stage in exquisite fashion. With a limited run at The New Ohio, Powerhouse was a color explosion about one man's love for creating art and the effect it has on his life. The bioplay featured some incredible moments of puppetry as we saw the creation of a cartoon and a mini cartoon live on stage.
1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Quite possibly the most underrated production of the entire year, Playwrights Horizons enchanted audiences with this stunning musical by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick, and Kim Rosenstock. The stunning intertwining love story brought some performances that pulled on your heartstrings. Allison Case and Henry Stram gave some beautiful performances but try not crying while watching Peter Friedman.
3. Propaganda! The Musical
Each summer, PTP/NYC comes to the city and spends a month in residence at Atlantic Theatre Company's Stage II. This year, they brought with them an incredible revival of David Edgar's Pentecost. Wonderfully directed by Cheryl Faraone and featuring a large ensemble of professional and student actors, Pentecost defined the brilliance of Edgar's story with a stunning commentary on art.
5. Powerhouse
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Theater in the Now's Top 5 Tony 2014 Snubs
The Glass Menagerie received critics praise for being an exceptional revival. The Tony nominators honored Cherry Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Brian J. Smith for their performances but forgot about Zachary Quinto. Though the race was tight, Quinto, who got the Brantley stamp of approval, could have squeaked into the fifth spot.
What may have been the most polarizing play of the season, nominators sacrificed daring for traditional. Will Eno's star-studded play couldn't even grab the fifth spot in the newly allowed five play race in the considerably weak season. The aftermath of its lack of inclusion has been quite the buzz, but press is press!
The Twelfth Night domination forced a lot of strong performances to be forgotten, one of which was Brandon J. Dirden's turn as Martin Luther King Jr. in All the Way. Perhaps had three out of five nominees not been from the same show Dirden's star turn could have been the sleeper in the category.
4. LaChanze for Best Featured Actress in a Musical If/Then was a confusing cacoffiny of a story, but there was a performance that was memorable. And that performance came from LaChanze. Though Idina Menzel's performance was honored, she was usually upstaged most of the time she shared it with LaChanze who brought life and spunk to the show. But for a musical that garnered little love, there was little chance for a LaChanze nomination.
This would have been a long shot, but Cass Morgan's performance in The Bridges of Madison County was one of the very few highlights. Cass Morgan brought the perfect amount of heart and comedy to the drama despite her big solo being cut off for the newly icon number of the show.
Theater in the Now's Top 5 Tony 2014 Surprises
This year was the first for the Tony's, allowing a fifth spot to open up for Best New Play and Best New Musical. Though considered a "weak" year (but don't we say that nearly every year now?), the nominators gave a fifth spot in the Best New Play category and not the Best New Musical, knocking out contenders like Rocky, The Bridges of Madison County, and If/Then.
Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart brought everyone's favorite bromance to Broadway in a double bill of Waiting for Godot and No Man's Land. Beyond their newfound Internet trending persona, the duo offered some acclaimed performances yet neither were nominated for Best Actor nor were their shows.
3. Twelfth Night Domination in Best Supporting ActorSpeaking of double bills, the gender-blind Twelfth Night fared much better than Richard III, garnering seven nominations including three in the Best Supporting Actor category for Paul Chahidi, Stephen Fry, and Mark Rylance. Now the question remains: will they wash each other out for votes leaving the door open for Reed Birney or Brian J. Smith?
I mean while we're on Twelfth Night, Samuel Barnett snagged a nomination in the hefty category for his turn as Viola knocking out heavy hitters like Denzel Washington and Daniel Radcliffe. Does Barnett have a chance against Walter White himself?
5. Big Names, No Love
With another season of Hollywood types on the Great White Way, some performances were neglected. While Washington, Radcliffe, James Franco, Dule Hill, Zachary Quinto, the entire cast of The Realistic Joneses and many others didn't get recognized, there was shock within the theater community with heavy hitters like Alex Timbers and Sam Gold being left off the Best Director lists.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
2014 Lucille Lortel Awards Announced!
Outstanding Play
Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon (Roundabout Theatre Company)
Domesticated by Bruce Norris (Lincoln Center Theater)
The Night Alive by Conor McPherson (Atlantic Theater Company)
The Open House by Will Eno (Signature Theatre)
Outstanding Musical
Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori, Music, Lisa Kron, Book and Lyrics (The Public Theater)
Here Lies Love by David Byrne, Concept and Lyrics, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Music (The Public Theater)
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy
What's It All About by Kyle Riabko and David Lane Seltzer, Conceived, Burt Bacharach, Music, Hal David and Others, Lyrics (New York Theatre Workshop)
Outstanding Revival
Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht, Translation by John Willett (The Public Theater and The Foundry Theatre)
Hand to God by Robert Askins (MCC Theater)
London Wall by John Van Druten (Mint Theater Company)
The Model Apartment by Donald Marulies (Primary Stages)
The Weir by Conor McPherson (The Irish Repertory Theatre)
Outstanding Solo Show
Buyer & Cellar by Jonathan Tolins, Performed by Michael Urie
How I Learned What I Learned by August Wilson, Co-Conceived with Todd Kreider, Collaborated and Performed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Signature Theatre)
Satchmo at the Waldorf by Terry Teachout, Performed by John Douglas Thompson
Outstanding Director
Rachel Chavkin, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Lear deBessonet, Good Person of Szechwan
Sam Gold, Fun Home
Alex Timbers, Here Lies Love
Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Hand to God
Outstanding Choreographer
Martha Clarke, Chéri
Marguerite Derricks, Heathers: The Musical
Danny Mefford, Fun Home
Annie-B Parson, Here Lies Love
Sonya Tayeh, Kung Fu
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Steven Boyer, Hand to God
Jon DeVries, Regular Singing
Peter Friedman, The Open House
Taylor Mac, Good Person of Szechwan
Armando Riesco, The Happiest Song Plays Last
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Tracee Chimo, Bad Jews
Diane Davis, The Model Apartment
Carolyn McCormick, The Open House
Laurie Metcalf, Domesticated
Andrus Nichols, Bedlam's Hamlet and Saint Joan
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Jeff Blumenkrantz, Murder For Two
Michael Cerveris, Fun Home
Jose Llana, Here Lies Love
Kyle Riabko, What's It All About
Conrad Ricamora, Here Lies Love
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Sydney Lucas, Fun Home
Ruthie Ann Miles, Here Lies Love
Alexandra Socha, Fun Home
Phillipa Soo, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Barrett Wilbert Weed, Heathers: The Musical
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Carson Elrod, The Explorers Club
Philip Ettinger, Bad Jews
Russell G. Jones, The Call
Jeremy Shamos, Dinner With Friends
Fred Weller, Reasons to Be Happy
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Hannah Bos, The Open House
Lynn Cohen, I Remember Mama
Lisa Kron, Good Person of Szechwan
Molly Ranson, Bad Jews
Sarah Stiles, Hand to God
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Heath Calvert, Nobody Loves You
Nick Choksi, Bunty Berman Presents...
Blake DeLong, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Noah Hinsdale, Fun Home
Lucas Steele, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Uzo Aduba, Venice
Brittain Ashford, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Melody Butiu, Here Lies Love
Judy Kuhn, Fun Home
Shaina Taub, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Outstanding Scenic Design
Miriam Buether, Love and Information
David Korins, Here Lies Love
Mimi Lien, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Clint Ramos, Appropriate
Matt Saunders, Good Person of Szechwan
Outstanding Costume Design
Gabriel Berry and Andrea Hood, Love and Information
Clint Ramos, Here Lies Love
Anita Yavich, The Explorers Club
Paloma Young, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Catherine Zuber, Far From Heaven
Outstanding Lighting Design
Daniel Ionazzi, The Jacksonian
Bradley King, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Ben Stanton, Fun Home
Justin Townsend, Here Lies Love
Japhy Weideman, What's It All About
Outstanding Sound Design
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, Here Lies Love
Clive Goodwin, What's It All About
Matt Hubbs, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Ryan Rumery, The Hatmaker's Wife
Christopher Shutt, Love and Information
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)