Favorite Moments of the 2017/2018 Season

[nolanativeny]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 1:51pm

I remember really enjoying reading a similar thread last season, and I thought it would be fun to remember some of your favorite "moments" during a production this year. These are some of mine:

Harry Potter (maybe some spoilers) - There is SO MUCH to enjoy about this show from a theatrical/stage craft point of view IMO, but I especially loved the moment when Albus and Scorpius come upon Hogwarts from the Forbidden Forest, I just thought the way the music transitions from the previous scene into a certain famous Imogen Heap song and the way the lights shift was so beautiful. I was so moved that I forgot to pay attention to the dialogue in this part lol. Honorable mentions for me are the musical staircase sequence, and of course the timeturner effect. 

 

Angels in America - Again so much to love here. I think for me the reveal of Heaven and the purpose of that big metal hanging scenery was so cool, and I disagree with a lot of members of this board about that big metal scenery. I loved how you don't really know what it is or what it's for until near the very end, and my second time watching it knowing that it formed the set of Heaven made its omnipresence during the rest of the play more meaningful. I know Marianne Elliott would not have left it visible if she had not meant to, and I found it interesting to contemplate what she perhaps meant symbolically by allowing it to be seen the whole time. Honorable mention is Prior returning to the hospital from Heaven. What an ingenious and simple way of staging that moment. 

I'm sure there are other things I loved, but those were the two that stood out to me the most. What did other people like?

Updated On: 6/20/18 at 01:51 PM

[Eliza2]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:02pm

Andrew Garfield's delivery of Prior's final speech. I'll never forget it as long as I live. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:08pm

 

My top 3 moments of the season:

3) A tie: both in My Fair Lady. The first: Lauren Ambrose's soaring soprano and the autonomy and agency she gave Eliza as she reached the climactic end of "Danced All Night." The second: the goosebump-inducing finale. In any other season, she and Hadden-Paton would have swept the awards. Acting choices through the roof (also, if we're talking about insanely good acting this season, I have to add Three Tall Women, but that isn't really a "moment" for purposes of this thread).

2) Katrina Lenk's entire performance in The Band's Visit.

1) The final scene in Cursed Child, Part I. I will never forget it.

[bwayrose7]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:09pm

"Answer Me" from The Band's Visit. Halfway through the song, I realized I was crying, and the choral swell at the end completely did me in. I'll never forget it.

[veraclaythorne2]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:12pm

Walking into Bikini Bottom for the first time back during the first week of previews, and getting to witness Ethan Slater giving one of those performances that puts him on my "I must see everything he does now and forever" list.

Glenda Jackson and Laurie Metcalf tearing it up in Three Tall Women.

Harry Potter: The feeling of being a dorky fan again,. When certain characters (not going to spoil) showed up, I had visceral, even physical reactions. One passed my aisle seat and I climbed onto my neighbor's lap.

Tony Yazbeck in Prince of Broadway. I really needed someone to hold my hand when he sang "Something's Coming."

Katrina Lenk. Katrina Lenk. Katrina Lenk. She and Ethan Slater are on the same list. 

Taking my students to see Once On This Island was an incredible experience. It was the first show for so many of them, so I was thrilled they got to experience it. They couldn't believe there was sand, water, and a goat, let alone a cute boy like Isaac Cole Powell!

Finally understanding that a director truly can make or break a production, which I learned all too well as I sat through Carousel. But I will say I loved "Soliloquy."

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:19pm

bwayrose7 said: ""Answer Me" from The Band's Visit. Halfway through the song, I realized I was crying, and the choral swell at the end completely did me in. I'll never forget it."

Same here. Saw it twice and cried both times.

[carnzee]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:20pm

The final image at the end of Three Tall Women

Bernadette at the top of the stairs in Dolly!

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:25pm

For the musicals:

The entirety of The Band's Visit, especially Katrina's stunning performance. Most of all though, "Answer Me," especially the choral climax at the end as the stage turns and the sun rises. It made me audibly gasp.

Also, the entirety of the staging of Once on this Island, but especially Alex Newell absolutely slaying Mama Will Provide and the audience leaping to its feet at the end and the absolutely incredible dance at the ball.

The reveal of the Higgins study/house in My Fair Lady. That was a truly spectacular moment. Also, the costumes in the Ascot scene and Eliza's stunning red coat.

I also adored Gavin Lee's wonderfully human portrayal of Squidward and his incredible, flashy tap number.

Last and certainly not least, Bernadette Peters in Hello, Dolly! That title number was killer and I'll never forget the moment of applause after she sang "it's so nice to be back home where I belong." I also loved her fun little ad-libs throughout that number.

For Plays:

The entirety of Angels in America. I saw and loved the original production and I adored this one just as much. Every single actor was phenomenal. I totally agree that Garfield's delivery of the final scene was shockingly beautiful. Nathan Lane also gave the best performance of his career and absolutely blew me away with his performance. I felt honored to see his Roy Cohn.

Also, the effects in Harry Potter were brilliant.

Also, Laurie Metcalf's act two monologue in Three Tall Women and Glenda Jackson's entire performance. Also the final moment of that production.

Updated On: 6/20/18 at 02:25 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 2:29pm

1. The three tall women of Three Tall Women absolutely tearing up the stage. Unforgettable.

2. The Sara Bareilles/Jason Mraz combo in Waitress. My 4th and maybe happiest trip to the diner.

3. My Fair Lady. Overall an excellent revival. Not perfect but I still loved it. What I loved most was Bart Sher actively eliciting feedback from audiences during intermission and after the show. He didn't want gushy answers either. I gained a lot of respect for him from how much he wanted honest feedback.

4. Taking my mom to see Carousel. It had been her dream to see Carousel on B'way. She loved every minute of it.

5. FINALLY seeing Hamilton after three years! Yay! It was worth the wait.

6. Angels in America. I had issues with so much of the acting and wasn't a fan of the revival. However it is a monumental play and you only really appreciate that from seeing all 8 hours of it with in a theater.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 3:11pm

favorite moments

Seeing my fair lady on mothers day with all the moms and daughters/sons there

bands visit everything including hanging backstage with etai benson whose a principal and just marveling at katrina lenks performance (and seeing it twice)

the boss on bway talking about his mom with alzheimers and how all she has left of her old personality is a desire to dance, dance dance (tears) and the entire amazing perofrmance (twice!)

seeing grey hensons "too gay to function" performance in mean girls-hilarious!

seeing Norberts alfred doolittle and get me to the church on time showstopper

Watching josh henry do his thing from the second row center of carousel while sitting next to an 88 year old retired md who saw the original carousel when he was 14, and he remembered the names of the principal actors

seeing hamilton in nyc and watching michael lowouye crush it big time (love his hamilton)

eating pie and having carolee carmello in my face as mrs lovett at the immersive sweeney todd

and

the moment after spongebob ended

avoiding marguaritaville completely

 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 5:29pm

Yerma - Never seen a performance better than Piper's apart from maybe Langela in The Father.

Angels - McCardle on that park bench.

Spongebob - The staging and the gospel and tap numbers.

The Bands Visit - The whole beautiful thing.

Harry Potter - That visual effect.

Amy and the Orphans - That final monologue.

 

 

Carousel - The moment it finished and I could finally leave the theatre and not have to endure the agonising pain any longer.

 

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 6/20/18 at 5:39pm

Finally making it to Broadway, seeing “The Band’s Visit” as my very first-ever show on Broadway (after meeting Katrina Lenk earlier that afternoon), and topping off that day with Bernadette Peters in “Hello, Dolly!”. A perfect day, two near-perfect experiences, so many perfect moments that I’ll always cherish.

And then there’s August:

59 Days and Counting for Round 2.

[BroadwayRox3588]

Posted: 6/21/18 at 7:31pm

Favorite moments from 2017-2018 shows:

-A few from The Band's Visit: The chorus swell towards the end of "Answer Me" gives me chills every time. Also "Omar Sharif" is so captivating. Actually, pretty much the entirety of Katrina Lenk's performance.

-Ethan Slater belting out super high notes while hanging upside down in SpongeBob. Also, I had to restrain myself from standing up after "I'm Not a Loser."

-Andrew Garfield and Denise Gough's masterclass performances in Angels in America, specifically Garfield's final monologue.

-"World Burn" in Mean Girls. I have loved Taylor Louderman since she sent me well wishes before a performance I did in high school, but even I was slightly afraid of her during this number. And I mean that in a good way.

-Literally the entirety of Once on This Island. My favorite show of the season brought me 90 minutes of masterful theatre, and I treasured any time spent in Circle in the Square this past season.


General favorite moments across Broadway:

-Seeing Betsy Wolfe as Jenna in Waitress. Seeing one of my favorite performers take on one of my favorite characters was so special!

-Seeing David Cook in Kinky Boots. I know he's not one of the more popular Charlies on this board, but I've been a fan of his since his Idol days, and it was so amazing to not only get to see him in a show I love, but also to meet him afterwards.

-Getting to go backstage at my favorite show (Anastasia) multiple times, including on my birthday. I cherish any time I spend at that show, but getting to see everything (sets, costumes, etc.) up close was truly such a special experience! It made me feel like I was a small part of everything.