OUR Worst of 2013 Lists

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 12:42pm

Sauja was nice enough to start a thread about Best Of lists. I didn't necessarily want to start a similar one but wasn't sure if there should be negativity in that one so I've separated them out.

We all see a lot of theatre and I'm sure plenty of it is bad but what's the WORST of the year for you? Here's my personal list for 2013 (#1 being the worst of the year).

10. A Night With Janis Joplin; 9. The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin; 8. Let It Be; 7. Feeling; 6. Homo: The Musical (NYMF); 5. The Landing; 4. Bad Jews; 3. Julian Po (NYMF); 2. The Big Knife; 1. The Preacher and the Shrink

Not surprisingly a lot of this list is comprised of Roundabout shows. Their seasons become weaker as the years go by. Hopefully 2014 will be better with the arrival of Cabaret and some pretty decent high profile actors.

One note about The Preacher and the Shrink, DON'T EVER SEE THAT PLAY. Even if it's free or even if you're paid to go see it. It's probably one of the worst I've seen in my life.

Updated On: 12/6/13 at 12:42 PM

[macnyc]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 2:47pm

My worst of 2013:

1. Belleville
2. Bethany
3. Testament of Mary
4. Murder Ballad
5. Cheaters' Club

[AC126748]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 2:52pm

A Night with Janis Joplin
Big Fish
The Explorers Club
I Forgive You, Ronald Reagan
Lady Day
Little Miss Sunshine
Orphans
Romeo and Juliet (Broadway and Off-Broadway--they were both awful)
The Snow Geese
The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin

[VotePeron]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 4:06pm

Only thing I saw that I really loathed was Hands On A Hardbody.

[dreaming]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 4:12pm

Only 3:

Big Fish
Big Knife
Hands on a Hardbody

Edit: In the cases of Big Fish and Big Knife, it's really about the production (in the case of Big Fish, the score was just not my cup of tea). Big Knife was directed at a very slow pace so it was difficult to watch. (The actors were very good in both cases-in all cases, in fact. But, there was no getting around the fact that I really didn't care for these three shows at all.) Updated On: 12/6/13 at 04:12 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 4:19pm

"Not surprisingly a lot of this list is comprised of Roundabout shows. Their seasons become weaker as the years go by."

The Roundabout has always had a knack for bad productions. They get stars who are all wrong for the parts they are playing and pair them with crappy directors.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 4:20pm

I can only speak of productions in Chicago, but it would easily be Big Fish.

[get-it-right]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 4:23pm

My worsts of 2013 were definitely Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, First Date, and Romeo and Juliet. Bar none.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 6:48pm

The Snow Geese, Belleville, both Romeo and Juliets, Big Fish, A Time to Kill Yourself, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Jekyll & Hyde. No particular order.

[macnyc]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 7:23pm

I like the title A Time to Kill Yourself. You REALLY didn't like that play apparently!

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 7:59pm

NBC's THE SOUND OF MUsic (with the exception of Godra).

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 12/6/13 at 10:14pm

1. Porgy and Bess (San Francisco)
2. Romeo and Juliet (Broadway)
3. The Snow Geese (Broadway)
4. Carrie (San Francisco)
5. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (West End)

and are we allowed to say "The Sound of Music LIVE!"?

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 12:57pm

I actually think Clive was the worst.

[quizking101]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 9:44pm

The three shows I was not a huge fan of this year:
1) Jekyll & Hyde (Other than Deborah Cox, awful all around).
2) Motown (Good musical performances, but the interwoven "story" and original songs were very insulting to the audience).
3) The Assembled Parties (Great performances, but I just really didn't get what it was all about).

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 11:41pm

"The Roundabout has always had a knack for bad productions. They get stars who are all wrong for the parts they are playing and pair them with crappy directors."

Yeah, "Cabaret" with Richardson and Cumming, "...Joe Egg" with Stockard Channing and Jim Dale, "A View From the Bridge," "Nine," "Side Man," "Intimate Apparel,"Anna Christie," Anything Goes, "She Loves Me," "The 39 Steps,"Twelve Angry Men," the Deaf West production of "Big River," "Drood"... Truly, a lousy track record.

Updated On: 12/8/13 at 11:41 PM

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 11:47pm

Bountiful was not a Roundabout production

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 11:58pm

^ My bad.

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 12:55am

Charlie and the chocolate factory would have to be the worst thing I saw this year, it ties with Ghost as one of the worst shows ever.

[billis2]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 12:57am

I think Roundabout has a pretty promising season this year, but your examples are really reaching back in time. The only examples you've given from the past 8 years are Anything Goes and Drood, both of which I loved, and The 39 Steps, which was a London import.

My worst of 2013 was Annie. My most overrated was Lucky Guy, which wasn't horrible but didn't deserve 6 Tony nominations.

[aaronb]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 4:58am

I actually think Clive was the worst.

Without a doubt.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 7:45am

Big Fish & Jekyll and Hyde. The Productions - not necessarily the shows.

[The Other One]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 8:16am

Most disappointing: THE BIG KNIFE. A great supporting cast could not pick up the ball dropped by the wrong director and two miscast stars.

[Tink2]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 9:15am

Scarlett Johansson in Cat on a Hot tin Roof

[jnb9872]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 10:12am

JEKYLL & HYDE and THE TWO-CHARACTER PLAY stood head and shoulders above the riff-raff for the worst dreck I saw this year...

[MartyO49]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 10:25am

Agree on "The Snow Geese"...recently adds: "Patron Saint of Sea Monsters" & "Cheri"