Best of 2008

So I'm from out-of-state and just got back from my 3rd NY trip this year. I thought I'd post my 'Best of 2008' lists. The new shows I saw for the first time in 2008 were:

Sunday in the Park with George
Xanadu
Altar Boyz (Off-Bway)
In the Heights
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Mary Poppins
The Little Mermaid
Gypsy
13
Equus
All My Sons

So, here are my favorites from that list:

*BEST MUSICAL: In the Heights
HONORABLE MENTION: Sunday in the Park with George

*BEST PLAY: All My Sons

*BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Daniel Evans, Sunday in the Park
HONORABLE MENTION: Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights & Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins

*BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Patti LuPone, Gypsy
HONORABLE MENTION: Jenna Russell, Sunday in the Park

*BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY: Daniel Radcliffe, Equus
HONORABLE MENTION: Richard Griffiths, Equus & John Lithgow, All My Sons (who would have probably won this category if I had seen his whole performance, but he left at intermission because he was sick ...but what I saw was fabulous!)

*BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Dianne Wiest, All My Sons

*BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Robin DeJesus, In the Heights
HONORABLE MENTION: Boyd Gaines & Tony Yazbek, Gypsy

*BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Laura Benanti, Gypsy
HONORABLE MENTION: Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu & Olga Merediz, In the Heights

*BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: James Earl Jones, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
HONORABLE MENTION: Patrick Wilson, All My Sons

*BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Phylicia Rashad, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

*BEST DIRECTOR: Sam Buntrock, Sunday in the Park
HONORABLE MENTION: Simon McBurney, All My Sons & Thea Sharrock, Equus (gotta love those Brits!)

*BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Andy Blankenbuehler, In the Heights
HONORABLE MENTION: Mary Poppins

*BEST MUSIC: Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights
HONORABLE MENTION: Jason Robert Brown, 13

*BEST SCENIC DESIGN: Mary Poppins
HONORABLE MENTION: Sunday in the Park

*BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: In the Heights
HONORABLE MENTION: The Little Mermaid

*BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Mary Poppins

*BARFTASTIC AWARD FOR REALLY BAD THEATRE: The Little Mermaid
HONORABLE MENTION: The audience of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Updated On: 1/2/09 at 04:19 PM

*Best New Musical: In The Heights
HM
Next To Normal (AS)
Ace (Sig)
Passing Strange
Cry Baby
*Best Revival of a Musical: Gypsy
Honarable Mentions: South Pacific


Best Score: Tie between Ace and In The Heights

*Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Patti LuPone-Gypsy
Honarable Mentions:
Sutton Foster in YF
Jill Pace in Ace
Jane K in Damn Yankees

*Best Lead Actor in a Musical: Lin Manuel Miranda- In The Heights
Honarable Mentions:
J. Robert Spencer-Next To Normal
Stew in Passing Strange
James Snyder in Bye Bye Birdie (Kennedy Center) 3 gen.



*Best Featured Actress in a Musical: Karen Olivo- In The Heights
Honarable Mentions:
Karen Olivo- In The Heights
Karen Olivo- In The Heights

*Best Featured Actor in a Musical: Daniel Breaker- Passing Strange
Honarable Mentions:
Aaron Tveit-Next To Normal
Chris F. in YF
Chris Jackson- In The Heights


*Best Special Theatrical Event:
Broadway 3 Generations (Kennedy Center)

Shows I saw in the 2008 season
Young Frankenstein
The Phantom of the Opera
South Pacific
Passing Strange
Cry Baby
In The Heights (Twice)
Ace
Next to Normal
Broadway 3 Generations
Gypsy
Damn Yankees
39 Steps

Updated On: 1/1/09 at 04:21 PM

hahaha...no you're right...The Little Mermaid was horrid...which is why I had to make up the Barftastic award just so it could win that...but even though I hated it as much as I did, I had to admit the lighting was pretty cool. Natasha Katz is talented.

As for Sunday, what was it you thought 'flat out sucked?' I thought it was some of the most exquisite musical theatre acting of the year...and Sondheim's music is so beautiful and thought-provoking. And I always love it when a director is bold and presents work in a new frame for us to look at it. To me, Sunday was the antithesis of The Little Mermaid, so i'm surprised to hear you didn't like it...

I'll just do things that I saw in 2008, because I only saw one new show.
Here's what I've seen:
RENT (Tour
Phantom of the Opera
A Catered Affair
Hairspray
Legally Blonde (Tour)

*BEST MUSICAL: Hairspray
HONORABLE MENTION: A Catered Affair

*BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Tom Wopat, A Catered Affair
HONORABLE MENTION: John Cudia, Phantom of the Opera

*BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Becky Gulsvig, Legally Blonde
HONORABLE MENTION: Faith Prince, A Catered Affair

*BEST FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Harvey Fierstein, A Catered Affair

*BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Niki Scalera, Hairspray
HONORABLE MENTION: Leslie McDonel (u/s), Hairspray & Natalie Joy Johnson, Legally Blonde

*BEST DIRECTOR: Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde
HONORABLE MENTION: John Doyle, A Catered Affair

*BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Jerry Mitchell, Hairspray
HONORABLE MENTION: Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde

*BEST MUSIC: Hairspray
HONORABLE MENTION: Jonathan Larson, RENT

*BEST SCENIC DESIGN: Hairspray
HONORABLE MENTION: Legally Blonde

*BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Hairspray/Legally Blonde/Phantom

*BARFTASTIC AWARD FOR REALLY BAD AUDIENCE: Legally Blonde (except myself and NJJ's friends)