Most versatile stage actors working today?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 10:59am

Who would you consider some of the most versatile, in terms of the range of their talents/performances? Just curious, since I've been thinking about how so many people on here believe Finneran is giving a performance very similar to that of her Marge. And the comments throughout the years about Denis O'Hare/Matthew Broderick/Sutton Foster, etc etc. who many BWWers think give very similar performances in all of their respective shows.

Not sure if "versatile" is the right word, but I guess the actors with the biggest ranges/breadth of performances

[little_sally]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:15am

Danny Burstein

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:17am

I've only seen him Boeing-Boeing and Jerusalem, but I think those two shows alone show the incredible breadth of Mark Rylance's abilities.

[little_sally]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:23am

Michael Stuhlbarg is also incredibly versatile, even though he mostly works in TV and film now.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:43am

His Arnold Rothstein is definitely one of my favorite things about Boardwalk Empire.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:54am

Ron Bohmer.

[flahooley2]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:56am

NATHAN LANE

[broadwaybabe1234]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 11:56am

Carolee Carmello.

[alliez92092]

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

Brian d'Arcy James. I've seen him in 4 different shows, and each performance was unique and defined.

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 12:16pm

Norbert Leo Butz--anyone who could do DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN and then turn around and do HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE as well as he did deserves a tip of the hat.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 12:56pm

Agreed, when I saw this thread my first thought was immediately Butz.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 4:13pm

Awesome question.

In no particular order:
Norbert Leo Butz, Michael Cerveris, Raul Esparza, Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, Mark Rylance, Danny Burstein, Sherie Rene Scott... My list goes on and on.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 4:26pm

Anthony LaPaglia. Everything he does is different - and all excellent.

[greenguy211]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 4:48pm

Laura Osnes and most definitely, Carolee Carmello.

[3bluenight]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 5:01pm

I would add, Audra McDonald, Elizabeth Marvel and Boyd Gaines

[wonkit]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 7:01pm

Raul Esparza, Boyd Gaines. Lots of talented women but don't know how to gauge "versatile" for some of my favorites like Laura Benanti.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 9:27pm

I second the vote for Boyd Gaines. He sings, he dances, he acts up a storm!

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/23/12 at 10:20pm

Brian d'Arcy James and Norbert Leo Butz. Both have conquered straight plays and musicals and a wide variety of material.

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 12:22pm

Nathan Lane?!? Really, he always seems to play Nathan Lane, in my opinion. Not that he's not good at it.

I'd say: Norbert Leo Butz, Donna Murphy and Brian d'Arcy for starters

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 12:46pm

Norbert Leo Butz, Michael Cerveris and Brian D'Arcy James for the men.

Donna Murphy, Elizabeth Marvel and Jessica Hecht for the ladies.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 10/24/12 at 12:49pm

There's Amy Ryan...and then there's everyone else.

It's shocking how different she is in everything she does. From Vanya till now, I can't get over her versatility.