Best Vocal Performance or Voice

[Kris2]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:20am

I did a search and came up with nothing, I swear. I was reading the Dreamgirls movie thread and found the Jennifer Holliday stories really interesting. As someone who has never seen her perform live, the tales of her vocal talent are amazing.

So I pose the question - what are the best vocal performances you've ever seen in theater, male or female? Which performer, which song and what show was it? It just knocked you back in your seat and you went, HOLY CRAP. So good that virtually no one else can perform up to that standard. That it's beyond impressive and seared into your brain. Mindblowing. You can get a high from such a thrilling performance.

OR - Who have the best voices on Broadway? The voices that never fail to impress with their strength and range and such. Sometimes the best voices don't always get the best material, so I basically wanted to know what your highest standard is vocally. The people you compare all others to.

I apologize ahead of time for some of the answers I know I'm gonna get (try not to get annoyed with them). However, I haven't been around theater for more than a handful of years and have missed a heck of a lot. I'm curious about more recent answers too. Just don't forget about the male performers as well!

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:24am

Bernadette Peters
Idina Menzel
Gavin Creel
Sutton Foster


Kinda a broad question.....

[steveshack]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:25am

BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL.

[luvWICKED416]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:28am

from the last year... cause my list is too long....

Idina Menzel- Wicked, "Defying Gravity" and "Wizard and I"
Lisa Brescia- Aida, "Every Story is a Love Story" and "Strongest Suit"
Sutton Foster- Thoughroughly Modern Millie, "Forget About the Boy"
Eden Espinosa- BKLYN, "Once Upon A Time"
Deb Cox- Aida, "The Gods Love Nubia" and "Dance of the Robe"
JLT- Wicked, "No One Mourns the Wicked" (those high notes are insane!)
Steph Block- Boy From Oz (overall, i was impressed)

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:30am

Kristen did blow mw away as Glinda....so I add her to my list
and Micheal Ball and Colm Wilkinson

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:37am

Patti LaBelle in "Your Arms to short to Box With God". When she sang "I love you so much Jesus" I was in awe and broke down crying for about 15 minutes. People I didn't know were handing me tissues!

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:38am

Kristin Chenoweth- Wicked (the high notes in Thank Goodness are insane)
Eden Espinosa- Once Upon a Time and Streetsinger, BKLYN
Ramona Keller - Raven, BKLYN
Lea Salonga- pretty much all of Miss Saigon. Such perfect technique.
Anything that Audra McDonald or Brian Stokes Mitchell sings.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:42am

Sutton Foster. Definitely.

[luvWICKED416]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:44am

Yeah, i'll add Kristin too

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:51am

She doesn't have the best voice, but Liza Minnelli live in concert (does that count??) can make my heart stop. And has.

[laactress]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:53am

Idina Menzel
Sutton Foster
Kristen Chenoweth

[evwicked77]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:56am

Idina Menzel
Carly Jibson
Kristin Chenoweth
Julia Murney

[Craig]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:57am

Liz Callaway
Anthony Warlow
Stephanie J. Block
Audra McDonald

to name a few

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 11:59am

Karen Mason. I wish she could have sung the SUNSET BOULEVARD OBCR.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:01pm

Idina Menzel singing "The Wizard and I," "Defying Gravity" and "No Good Deed" gave me goosebumps.

Anthony Warlow singing the entire last phrase and that long final note of "This is the Moment" without taking a breath---WOW!

Recently saw Jennifer Holliday in concert and the way she incorporated her entire body in her singing was amazing. I know it's a cliche, but her renditions of "And I Am Telling You" and "I Am Changing" still blow me away.

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:03pm

Patti Cohenour- such a glorious voice! Moonfall from Drood- amazing.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:04pm

Besides Sutton Foster, some great voices I've heard (on CDs, though)

Bernadette Peters
Hunter Foster
Cady Huffman

[broadwayboy81]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:04pm

ALICE RIPLEY!!!!!

Other favs:
Carolee Carmello
Audra McDonald
Bernadette Peters
Mary Testa
Marin Mazzie
Idina Menzel
Lauren Kennedy

[robbiej]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:04pm

Audra McDonald in her Carnegie Hall concert.

Michel Bell in SHOWBOAT. His Ole' Man River (which he sang over and over again) was just stunning.

Non-theatrically, it has to be Alanis Morrisette.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:23pm

Heather Headley has a style of singing all her own. no one has as many tones as she sings with. It's amazing. And every tone is beautiful.

I also gotta say Sutton and Stephanie Block have amazing belting technique.

Also, I'd say Jennifer Holliday sings with so much soul, I'm not sure who else could even start to be so involved vocally with the song.

As for men, Brian D'Arcy James phrases so beautifully I can hardly stand it.

No one has better technique than Anthony Warlow and Ms. Chenoweth.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:31pm

Well,

Kristin Chenoweth in EVERY thing she sang in Wicked.

Despite the popular belief, Bernadette Peters in Gypsy.

And Kerry Butler in HAIRSPAY, BAT-BOY, and vocally in Little Shop.

Audra McDonald in Ragtime.....

Billy Porter in ANYTHING that he sings.....

Brian Stokes Mitchell singing "The Impossible Dream"

[greenifyed]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:32pm

Kristin Chenoweth, hands down. Absolutely flawless.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:35pm

What about Tonya Pinkins during "Lot's Wife"?

[BroadwayBallyBoo]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:43pm

Michael Crawford in Phantom he sang with Patti I can't remember her last name but blended beautifully together. Sarah B. had already left the show.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 10/15/04 at 12:58pm

Hugh Panaro - the whole score from Phantom, particularly the last two lines.
Gregg Edelman - "Molasses to Rum," 1776
Brian Stokes Mitchell and his understudy Bradley Dean - "The Impossible Dream," - Man of La Mancha
Carolee Carmello - "It's a Privilege to Pee," Urinetown
Eden Espinosa - the three big songs in Wicked
Betty Buckley - "Memory," Cats