Best Performances of 2014?

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/18/14 at 11:23pm

Which would you choose?

Here are my choices, including several ensembles (which I don't think is cheating.)
Favorite New York Stage Performances of 2014

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/18/14 at 11:27pm

Sutton Foster in 'Violet'
Neil Patrick Harris in 'Hedwig & the Angry Inch'
James Monroe Iglehart in 'Aladdin'
Ramin Karimloo in 'Les Miserables'
Audra McDonald in 'Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill'
Jessie Mueller in 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical'
Kelli O'Hara in 'The Bridges of Madison County' Updated On: 12/18/14 at 11:27 PM

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/18/14 at 11:32pm

We picked two of the same ones -- James Monroe Iglehart and Audra McDonald.

I don't take issue with any of your other choices though. That's what's great about New York theater -- the immense talent pool.

Updated On: 12/18/14 at 11:32 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 12/18/14 at 11:41pm

Aww, no love for Bridges?

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/18/14 at 11:51pm

I've been impressed with Kelli O'Hara in everything I've seen her in -- and that includes Far From Heaven and even Nice Work If You Can Get It. I cannot wait to see her in The King and I.

I could easily include another 10 favorite list with completely different performers/performances.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 8:13am

Definitely O 'Hara & Pasquale for Bridges and Audra as Lady Day.

Speaking of ensembles--my favorite this year was the cast of Guys and Dolls at the Carnegie Hall performance on April 3rd.
Nathan Lane
Patrick Wilson
Sierra Boggess
Megan Mullally
John Bolton
Robert Clohessy
Colman Domingo
John Treacy Egan
Christopher Fitzgerald
Steve Schirripa
Lee Wilkof
Judy Kaye
Len Cariou

Another treasured memory!

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 10:42am

I'm with you on Judy Kaye, tremendous performer.
She has this great "how I broke into show business" reminiscence in a book just reissued called It Happened on Broadway. She got the bug when she saw Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand. "I sat in the mezzanine and saw myself up there onstage. A couple of years later, I sang I'm the Greatest Star at the Jewish Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and I got a standing ovation."

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 11:43am

Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale - The Bridges of Madison County
Michelle Williams - Cabaret
Idina Menzel - If/Then
Jessie Mueller - Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Neil Patrick Harris - Hedwig and the Angry Inch

[theatregeek6]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 5:09pm

Audra in Lady Day, Ramin Karmiloo in Les Mis, the ensemble of On The Town, Rob McClure in Honeymoon and of course Jessie Mueller

[Fantod]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 5:19pm

Best I saw was Michelle Williams in Cabaret, though Bryce Pinkham was wonderful too.

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 5:26pm

Judy Kaye inspires me in so many ways. Her shining example has saved my life more than once.

On topic...some of them, anyway...

Christian Borle in "Little Me"
Jefferson Mays in "Gentleman's Guide"
Jessie Mueller in "Beautiful"
James Monroe Iglehart in "Aladdin"
And from what I hear, Tony Sheldon completely stole the show in City Center's "The Band Wagon."

[LarryD2]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 5:28pm

Audra McDonald - Lady Day
Mia Farrow - Love Letters
Tony Shaloub - Act One
Celia Keenan-Bolger - The Oldest Boy
Chris O'Dowd - Of Mice and Men
Linda Emond - Cabaret
Michael C. Hall - The Realistic Joneses (didn't like the play one bit, but he was superb)
Jeremy Shamos, Marin Hinkle, Heather Burns, and Darren Pettie - Dinner With Friends
Denzel Washington, Sophie Okenedo, Anika Noni Rose, and LaTanya Jackson - A Raisin in the Sun
Sutton Foster - Violet
Laura Benanti - The Most Happy Fella
Hari Dhillon and Karen Pittman - Disgraced

[BroadwayFan1231]

Posted: 12/19/14 at 5:45pm

Mia Farrow - Love Letters
Audra McDonald - Lady Day
Jessie Mueller - Beautiful
Ramin Karmiloo - Les Mis
Erin Davie & Emily Padgett - Side Show
Sutton Foster - Violet
Michael C. Hall - Hedwig

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/21/14 at 7:56pm

I agree with you about the entire cast of Dinner With Friends. There was some great ensemble acting this year, including Casa Valentina on Broadway, and To the Bone and My Mañana Comes Off-Broadway.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 12/21/14 at 8:07pm

Jessie Mueller- Beautiful
Rob McClure-Honeymoon...
Annaleigh Ashford- YCTIWY
James Earl Jones-YCTIWY
Ciara Renee-Pippin
Lucie Arnaz- Pippin
Emily Padget- Sideshow
Erin Davie-Sideshow
Nancy Opel-Honeymoon...
Brynn O'Malley-Honeymoon...
Alan Cumming- Cabaret
Michelle Williams-Cabaret
Idina Menzel-If/Then
Andrea Martin-Act One
Alison Luff- Matilda

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Posted: 12/21/14 at 8:08pm

Audra McDonald- Lady Day
Neil Patrick Harris- Hedwig
Jefferson Mays- Gentlemen's Guide
Jessie Mueller- Beautiful
Brian Cranston- All The Way

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/21/14 at 8:18pm

I also absolutely adored Helene Yorke as Olive in Bullets Over Broadway. She was hilarious.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/21/14 at 8:39pm

So many fabulous performances noted so far. I would add:
Alan Alda and Candace Bergen in Love Letters
Christoper Sieber in Matilda
and even though she is a kid, Ripley Sobo as Matilda.

[romain2]

Posted: 12/26/14 at 8:45pm

I only make it to NYC a couple of times a year, but from what I saw:

In no particular order:

Bryce Pinkham and Jefferson Mays--Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
The cast of You Can't Take It With You (especially James Earl Jones, Kristin Nielsen, Annaleigh Ashford, Will Brill).
The cast of Here Lies Love
Alysha Umphress--On the Town
Kieran Culkin--This Is Our Youth (well, I saw this at Steppenwolf in the pre-Broadway run)
Patricia Clarkson--The Elephant Man
Lindsay Duncan--A Delicate Balance
Neil Patrick Harris and Lena Hall--Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Taylor Trensch--Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Andrea Martin, Tony Shalhoub and Santiano Fontana--Act One

Updated On: 12/26/14 at 08:45 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/26/14 at 10:04pm

Audra, Audra, Audra. Also, Jessie Mueller and Anika Larsen. Oh, and the entire cast of A RAISIN IN THE SUN was just sublime.

Updated On: 12/26/14 at 10:04 PM

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 1:22am

Jefferson Mays and Bryce Pinkham in Gentleman's Guide.
Alan Cumming in Cabaret
James Monroe Iglehart in Aladdin
Jessie Mueller in Beautiful
Nick Cordero in Bullets over Broadway
Erin Davie and Emily Padgett in Side Show
Rob McClure in Honeymoon in Vegas

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 11:20am

I haven't seen "Honeymoon in Vegas" yet. I'm glad to hear that you think Rob McClure's performance was good. He certainly was the best thing about "Chaplin."

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 11:25am

AUDRA!

[Matt1]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 1:36pm

James Monroe Iglehart Aladdan
Bryce Pinkham; A Gentleman's Guide
Riply Sobo/Fina Strazza: Matida
Idina Menzel: If/Then
Ramin Karimloo: Les Mis

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 12/28/14 at 9:12pm

I just put together a list of the best performances of people making Broadway debuts in 2014. (You can click on the link and scroll to "26" to see their pictures and links to the reviews, but I'll just list them here, alphabetically)
Bryan Cranston
Kieran Culkin
Sarah Greene
Cush Jumbo
Ramin Karimloo
Chris O’Dowd
Margo Seibert
Alex Sharp
Micha Stock
Saul Williams
Celebrating the Best of 2014