The Great NON-MUSICAL theater performances of the 20th Century

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 4:31pm

What are they?

Obviously, Brando in "Streetcar"
Lee J. Cobb in "Death of a Salesman"
Laurette Taylor in "Glass Menagerie"

Who else?

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 5:19pm

Jessica Tandy - Streetcar Named Desire
Stephen Spinella - Angels in America
Irene Worth - Happy Days
Janet McTeer - A Doll's House
Zoe Caldwell - Master Class
Jane Adams - An Inspector Calls

[B.B. Wolf]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 5:22pm

Jefferson Mays - I Am My Own Wife
Recent? Yes. Perfection? Oh, yes.

[SonofCorine2]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 5:22pm

I second Jefferson Mays. His performance will go down in the history books.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 5:24pm

Anna Manahan & Marie Mullen - The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Frank Wood - Side Man
Hal Holbrook - Our Town

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:03pm

Uta Hagen - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Ian McKellan - Amadeus
Jason Robards - in everything he did.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:32pm

Laurette Taylor - THE GLASS MENAGERIE

Jessica Tandy - A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

and for fun...

Dorothy Louden - NOISES OFF

Posted: 10/8/04 at 8:42pm

I didn't see her live but I wish I could go back in time and see Rosalind Russell in Auntie Mame. At least we have the movie and I understand it follows the play quite closely.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 8:50pm

Anne Bancroft (The Miracle Worker)
Zoe Caldwell (Master Class)

and...one of my personal favorites who should've won a Tony:

Fiona Shaw in Medea

[kjklo]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 8:59pm

Colleen Dewhurst in "A Moon for the Misbegotten"

Posted: 10/8/04 at 11:03pm

I agree with nearly all on the list so far. One major exception in my book is Jefferson Mays.

Sorry folks, but an actor solo on stage doing funny accents is not great acting in my opinion. It's simply an actor wiht a knack for accents.

Personally I found I AM MY OWN WIFE tedious and boring and left at intermission.

I'll add the original cast of THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY. Updated On: 10/8/04 at 11:03 PM

[kjklo]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 11:13pm

Yes, "Nicholas Nickleby" was one of the greatest theatrical experiences I've ever had.

I'm curious, what about Bert Lahr in "Waiting for Godot?" Any old-timers out there who actually saw it?

From "Broadway, the Golden Age," it sounds as though Kim Stanley in "Bus Stop" was quite remarkable.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 11:55pm

It only ran one night on Broadway but from performances I've seen nothing tops John Lithgow in Requiem for a Heavyweight.

[Plum]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:12am

From what I've heard, James Earl Jones in Othello.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:52am

Julie Harris: Member of the Wedding
Julie Harris: The Belle of Amherst
Julie Harris: Reading the ****ing phone book!

Posted: 10/9/04 at 2:00am

Plum - I saw that Othello - and not only was Mr. Jones phenomenal, but his performance went hand-in-hand with Christopher Plummer's Iago. Them together was electrifying.

I would also add:
Ian McKellan, Richard III
Philip Anglim, The Elephant Man
Julie Harris, The Belle of Amherst

Posted: 10/9/04 at 2:01am

Sueleen, you beat me to it

Posted: 10/9/04 at 4:18am

Ethel Waters, MEMBER OF THE WEDDING
Brandon de Wilde, MEMBER OF THE WEDDING

too.

Watch the film of WEDDING, if you've never seen it, and you'll see why all 3--Harris, Waters and de Wilde--are remembered for truly memorable performances.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 2:55pm

Hi Suellen,

Did you ever see Julie Harris' foray into TELEVISION SITUATION COMEDY (that is NOT a misprint!)

"Thicker Than Water", 1973. She played someone who inherited a pickle factory. PLEASE, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!!!

For complete story, check out:

https://imdb.com/title/tt0069644/


I can't even begin to understand why she got involved in project in first place, but fact is definitely stranger than fiction!

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 3:00pm

I hope she made a butt load for that sit-com.

[Broadwayboobs]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 3:01pm

Kathy Bates...'Night Mother
Kevin Kline...Henry IV

[jtropia]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 3:17pm

Gonna try and limit myself to a few, though I realize now many of these are 21st century when I thoroughly began my theatregoing...

Have to second Fiona Shaw's Medea with the person who brought it up above. Absolutely mesmerizing.

I would watch Mercedes Ruehl read the phone book, but her Stevie in the original cast of 'The Goat' still haunts me, especially her final tableau. (Not to knock Turner, who I'm sure will do a terrific job, but I was really pulling for Mercedes to be Martha in the 'Woolf' revival. C'est la vie).

And I have to think about it some more...but I think I need to nominate Peter Dinklage's Richard III as one of the first (official) great 21st century perfs. Really mesmerizing work.

Will try to consider more that are more fitting in the topic timeframe.

-Joe T.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 3:51pm

Howdy Suellen,

Since it only lasted half a season and never went into syndication (that's where the BIG BUCKS are in TV), I doub't it.

But hey, talk about versatility!

I never heard of Meryl Streep doing a sitcom!!! :)

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 3:56pm

Sueleen, you beat me to it as well!! Julie Harris in
A N Y T H I N G.

An often-overlooked actress who finally won a Tony in her late 50's is Elizabeth Franz. Very quirky, but so heartfelt and brilliant in everything she does.

Updated On: 10/9/04 at 03:56 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 4:02pm

1. Brian Dennahy - Death Of A Salesman
2. Len Cariou - Papa
3. Christopher Plummer - Barrymore
4. Tovah Feldsuh - Golda
5. Elaine Stritch - A Delicate Balance
6. Diana Rigg - Medea
7. Zoe Caldwell - Masterclass