Favorite Moments/Highlights of the 2015-2016 Season

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 11:29am

I believe somebody began a thread around this time last year on this topic and it resulted in a pretty fruitful discussion, so I figured it'd be an innocuous way to bide our time leading up to the Tonys...!

Putting Hamilton completely aside, my three favorite moments of this season are likely the following:

• The set opening up into Maraczek's parfumerie at the top of She Loves Me. Gorgeous, genius scenic design.

• It was controversial, but I thought the framing device in Fiddler on the Roof was brilliant and it made me cry.

• Cynthia Erivo's entire performance in The Color Purple (and Heather Headley's, too, for that matter).

Special shoutout to Rachel Tucker in Wicked for some amazing work at the Gershwin, too.

Updated On: 5/28/16 at 11:29 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 11:43am

Great idea for a thread! I second pretty much everything you posted!

- Cynthia Erivo's "I'm Here"

- Marin Mazzie making her entrance on the boat in her fist performance as Anna. The long audience entrance applause and the look of sheer joy on her face was unforgettable 

- Every second of American Psycho

- The final moments in Blackbird

- The end of act one of Therese Raquin with the row boat in the water

There's probably many more that I'm missing, but those come to mind right away

[wish i were here2]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 11:43am

Some of my favorite moments were:
1. The Light in the Piazza: 10th Anniversary Concert - It was one of the best experiences I've every experienced in the theatre (Thank you, LincTix). 

2. The entire She Loves Me set left me speechless. The way it moved and surprised the audience was amazing.

3. Kelli O'Hara's last show in The King and I. I sat front row orchestra (Thank you, LincTix...again) and it was one of the most glorious things I've ever experienced. 

Updated On: 5/28/16 at 11:43 AM

[TFMH18]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 12:04pm

1. Discovering Carmen Cusack through her brilliant performance in Bright Star (specifically, the moment when we first see her transition from mature to young Alice before our eyes)

2. Jessie Mueller tearing apart "She Used to be Mine," with her voice so resonant and the rest of the theater dead silent 

3. Megan Hilty and Andy Karl in Annie Get Your Gun, duetting on "An Old Fashioned Wedding," my god that was a blast and a joy to witness 

4. Sydney Lucas' final "Ring of Keys." I don't even think this moment needs commentary

Of course there are so many more but those were great!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 1:22pm

Just to name a few, in no particular order: 

 

1. The entirety of King Charles III, but in particular the final moments of the play had me reeling 

2. "Requiem" - Dear Evan Hansen

3. "Bela Musana" - Invisible Thread

4. "Itetsuita" - the moment when the atomic explosions were projected on people's bodies in Allegiance

5. "People" as sung by Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl

6. The Dream Ballet in Tuck Everlasting

7. All the staging and visuals in American Psycho, as well as all the hilarious satirical parts, in particular when they are ordering at the restaurant

8. The final scene of Streetcar at St. Ann's was breathtaking. And overall, the feeling of being immersed in Blanche's whirling instability through the use of the rotating stage. 

9. The choreography in Shuffle Along

10. The set of She Loves Me

11. Mark Rylance's performance in Nice Fish

12. Smokefall at MCC was one of my favorite new plays this season

13. An incredible scene in change in As You Like It at the National Theatre

14. A beautiful and genius play called "You For Me For You" that I saw in London 

15. Henry IV at St. Ann's Warehouse

16. The beautiful Spring Awakening revival as a whole

 

Updated On: 5/28/16 at 01:22 PM

[lucillefrank]

Posted: 5/28/16 at 1:54pm

- The ballet in Tuck Everlasting

- Cynthia Erivo singing "I'm Here"

- Carmen Cusack singing "At Long Last"

- The staging of Yorktown in Hamilton

- "Swing Along" from Shuffle Along

- The sniffles/sobbing heard throughout the Brooks Atkinson before and after Jessie Mueller started "She Used to Be Mine"

- She Loves Me. Just all of She Loves Me.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 11:48am

Thinking on it, I can't let this thread linger and not include "Satisfied" from Hamilton. Seeing and hearing that song on stage for the very first time was truly mind-blowing.

[willep]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 11:53am

"His Kiss, the Riot" in Hadestown. What a performance from Patrick Page.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 11:58am

Gavin Creel singing "Ilona" to Jane Krakowski in She Loves Me was my favorite moment of the season. The way the number was staged to build up to her split was thrilling, and Creel sounded divine throughout. That one is definitely going to be on repeat once this cast recording is released.

[@z5]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 12:04pm

The last scene of A View From the bridge..damn.

 

The final 5 or so mins of Blackbird had me shaking. 

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 12:46pm

In no particular order:

-My Shot, Satisfied, Yorktown, and The Room Where it Happens from Hamilton (and truthfully I could list the whole show)

-Megan Hilty's "offstage" exit in Noises Off

-Ilona (that split!) and Vanilla Ice Cream in She Loves Me

-Pennsylvania Graveyard Shuffle, I'm Simply Full of Jazz, and I'm Just Wild About Harry in Shuffle Along

- Everything Jayne Houdyshell did in The Humans (especially her moment at the top of the stairs when she eavesdrops on her daughters)

- When Eddie kissed Catherine in A View from the Bridge

-Allison Fraser's hysterical Betty Ford in First Daughter Suite

-Kristine Nielsen's last scene in Hir

-Gideon Glick and Lindsay Mendez's Act Two scene in Significant Other

-Everything about the Public's production of The Odyssey- pure joy from start to finish

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 1:00pm

Ooh, also the axe throw and the fall down the stairs in Noises Off. What an amazing production.

[asmith0307]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 1:55pm

I have to second the Gideon Glick rant in Act II of Significant Other. I worked that show, and it was fantastic every single time. 

 

Others - 

- The final closing of Gentleman's Guide

- Gabriella Pizzolo's first performance as Small Alison. She had a 15 min warning, and knocked it out of the park

- Seeing Steve Martin play the banjo at Bright Star (I was there the first night it happened, so we had absolutely no clue)

- Carmen Cusack in Bright Star. I've mentioned in other threads that I have seen her perform multiple times, but this role is perfect for her

- Finally seeing Peter and the Starcatcher in Chicago. The world seemed to conspire against me every time I tried. 

- Dear Evan Hansen, and Waving Through a Window (mostly for personal reasons)

- Seeing On Your Feet! for the first time (also for personal reasons)

Updated On: 5/29/16 at 01:55 PM

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 4:38pm

Watching Cynthia in the Color Purple. More specifically the transformation her character goes through. The performance I saw Cynthia as the more broken Celie used more head voice in act one. My favorite part besides I'm Here was seeing her Celie come into her own during "Miss Celie's Pants" when she started to really let her voice out in all its glory. 

[VotePeron]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 4:54pm

The opening sequence of American Psycho, and "Selling Out." My favorite 10 minutes in a theater, possibly ever.

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 5:53pm

1. Seeing Daveed Diggs really transform from his time at the Public to now - I do hope they build something around him.

2. Carmen Cusack in Bright Star - particularly the moment when she collapses on stage.

3. The lighting/projections/bodies on stage in American Psycho.

4. Sydney's last Fun Home.

5. The final 10 minutes of The Human. And the 80 before that.

6. Danielle Brooks performance after she's been beaten - the movement of her body astounds me.

7. Telly Leung absolutely lighting up the stage in Allegiance.

8. Hedwig Pride performance.

9. That damn tree from Tuck.

[@z5]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 5:55pm

The set of Misery and Laurie metcalf.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 5/29/16 at 6:03pm

Krysta Rodriguez's Ilse walking onstage to find Moritz at the beginning of "Left Behind" in the Spring Awakening revival. Stunning.

[vfd88]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 2:08am

Littleshopofcarrie said: "Krysta Rodriguez's Ilse walking onstage to find Moritz at the beginning of "Left Behind" in the Spring Awakening revival. Stunning."

Exactly what I was going to say. So many stunning stage pictures in that marvelous production, especially the final moment (it's giving me chills now just thinking about it).

[jbird5]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 8:21am

"Touch Me" from SA

Seeing Lazarus the week after Bowie's Death

Carmen Cusack.

The womb scene in Smokefall.

Michael Esper doing "Valentine's Day" in Lazarus.

 

 

[willep]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 9:10am

Ooh, yes Esper doing Valentine's Day was great.  The projections during that show were fantastic. Sophia Anne Caruso's Life on Mars was also wonderful.

[jbird5]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 12:06pm

Unintentional highlights:

The gigantic Gabriel Ebert in that tiny bed being doted on by Judith Light in Therese Raquin.

The scene in the swaying attic between Therese and Laurent (if the room is arockin' don't come knockin'.

[E. riley]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 12:35pm

I did not see as many as some but-

1) American Psycho (especially Selling out and the thrilling opening) Benjamin Walker's performance.

2)So many moments of DW Spring Awakening but I am picking the moment where deaf actor Daniel Durant speaks in his full voice and is reprimanded. My whole being crumbled in my seat in devastation and understanding. Also Purple Summer as Ally was lifted from her wheelchair and they all went through the door. Austin Mckenzie,Sandra Mea Frank, Trashelle Edmund. 

3) The last 5 minutes of Blackbird. 

4) She Loves Me- everything. The set was the prettiest and most clever I have ever seen.

Sorry but I have to include Hamilton

5) This maybe should be my #1 "It's Quiet Uptown/Forgiveness" "Battle of Yorktown" "Satisfied".

6) The Humans

7)Nina Arianda and Sam Rockwell"Fool for Love"

...sorry sometimes you just have to say the whole play. It's impossible to isolate a moment ...especially in something as fluid as The Humans.

Updated On: 5/30/16 at 12:35 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 12:53pm

-- Opening 2 minutes in The Crucible.  Combination of lighting, music, the chant itself were mesmerizing

-- The coronation scene from King Charles III.  I think the play is a masterpiece, and this scene was its zenith, with Charles out Learing Lear

-- The final scene of Hamilton...so powerful...actually make that the remainder of the show from the time Hamilton is shot.  He soliloquy is even better than on the recording

-- Daveed Diggs giving probably the best supporting performance by a male that I have ever seen, hysterically funny as Lafayette (and how does he say all those words) and haughty perfection as Jefferson

--  Cynthis Erivo commanding the stage, and tearing down the house with I'm Here

-- The last 10 minutes or so of A View From the Bridge.  Incredibly directed and acted.

-- Jessica Lange's final scene from Long Days Journey.  I doubt that anything will ever top Vanessa Redgrave's in my lifelime, but Lange gave a great performance...how far she has come as a stage actress

-- Audra MacDonald, joyously tap dancing and singing up a storm, followed by the quiet recognition that Florence Mills is going to surpass her.  So quiet, so moving

-- Jackary Levi signing She Loves Me...his total joy is palpable

-- Jessie Mueller's warmth and singing in Waitress.  I loved her scenes with Drew Gehling the most...I thougt they had great chemistry, naysayers be damned.

-- the number in the second Act of Shuffle Along that made such effective use of the spotlights.

-- Seeing James Earl Jones and Cicely Tyson on the same stage in the Gin Game.  The play may not be as good as some had thought, but those two made it an event

-- the set moving in and opening up in She Loves Me.  I may have loved that set more than anything since the original production of Follies.

-- Stick It To The Man from School of Rock

-- Ben Whishaw's performance, from beginning to end

-- Last season, but I only saw it this season.  Curious Incident...magnificent in every way.  I saw the actor who replaced Alex Sharp.  He would have been a serious Tony contender if he had orignated the role

 

 

Updated On: 5/30/16 at 12:53 PM

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/30/16 at 12:59pm

In purely visceral terms my favorite moments include:

The Garret Room floating above the river in THERESE RAQUIN, maybe the most gorgeous visual of the season.

A close second was the sequence in AMERICAN PSYCHO when the happy clouds of the semicircular Hamptons set are transformed door slam by door slam into the blood-splashed tomb of Patrick's rampage.

THE COLOR PURPLE was so full of visceral moments of glorious song, maybe the most glorious that was not in a song was Danielle Brooks' Sophia coming back to life at the Thanksgiving dinner. Electric.

The Act I Finale of SHUFFLE ALONG. Adrenaline, movement, performance, design and music to produce ecstasy. Pure and simple.

And a sentimental favorite: returning to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS just to watch those magical transformations of Paris from wartime to peacetime told in choreography, scenery, costumes, lighting and projections in one seamless whole.