Okay, whats the greatest performance you've ever seen on stage? — Page 3

For me it would have to be Patti LuPone in Gypsy for musicals. Her "Rose's Turn" alone was one of the strongest moments of theater I have ever experienced. The two times I saw her I was shocked not only by how much she gave, but also by the way it seemed to come from a completely guttural place. Almost like theatrical vomit, just completely falling apart and throwing everything out there on the stage. It was not pretty, it was not nice, and it was not what you would expect from either this character who tried so hard to be close to that spotlight, to seem invincible, or from the 'Diva' Miss LuPone.

Anyway, for plays it's hands down Estelle Parsons. In terms of comedy, I was pleased enough to be front row at the first preview for Blithe Spirit and can say Angela's pitch-perfect performance takes the cake. However, I have never seen acting like what I saw in August: Osage County. Sure the play itself is fantastic. I think it's pretty difficult to screw up the role of Violet, since it's just SUCH a plum(p?) role. That being said, it is nowhere near an easy one. And Parsons' take on it was fragile, horrifying, acidic, decaying, conniving, bitter, playful, and all around wonderful. Above I referenced LuPone falling apart during "Rose's Turn", the last song in 'Gypsy'. Estelle Parsons shows us what it would be like if an entire play were her Rose's Turn (perhaps, VIOLET'S TURN). Although there is the inevitable breakdown, it is the slow descent into pill-popping, racial-slurring, family-destroying madness that truly makes her performance the best I have seen.

Oh, and I turn 23 in September.

Updated On: 6/17/09 at 03:57 AM

^ Hence the reason for putting an age in the post. But even then, please to remember that not everyone on the Board grew up or even now lives in the NYC area and has had unlimited access to the theatre. Prior to three years ago, I did NOT live here and had limited access to see shows. Those I did see when I was in high school do NOT rank among the best performances I EVER saw. Ergo my choices are more recent.

---

Impossible to pick only one, so here goes:

Musical (Female): Angela Lansbury in "Sweeney Todd"
Tonya Pinkins in "Caroline, or Change"
Donna Murphy in "Follies" (at Encores!)
Jennifer Holliday in "Dreamgirls"

Male(Musical): Len Cariou in "Sweeney Todd"
Raul Julia in "Nine"
Raul Esparza in "Cabaret"
Brian Stokes Mitchell in "Ragtime"



Drama (Female): Phylicia Rashad in "Gem of the Ocean"
Vanessa Redgrave in "Long Day's Journey Into Night"
Phyllis Frielich in "Children of a Lesser God"
Stockard Channing in "Six Degrees of Separation"

Drama (Male): Derek Jacoby in "Cyrano de Bergerac"
John Rubinstein in "Children of a Lesser God"
Jefferson Mays in "I Am My Own Wife"
Jeffrey Wright in "Topdog/Underdog"

Updated On: 6/17/09 at 09:52 AM

I'm 30...call it old or young.

Musicals:
Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens
Donna Murphy in Follies at Encores!
Toni Collette in The Wild Party
Karen Ziemba in Contact

Plays:
Katie Finnernan in Noises Off
Sally Field in The Goat or Who is Silvia?

Apparently all the greatest performances were by females...interesting.

Lea Salonga in Miss Saigon

I'm 36.

---

I'm older, so ...

Musical: Angela Lansbury in GYPSY
Fantasia Barrino in THE COLOR PURPLE
Robert Preston in MACK AND MABEL

Play: Glenda Jackson in HEDDA GABLER
Hal Holbrook in KING LEAR

Musical: Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
Play: Mark Rylance, Boeing-Boeing

Play - Geoffrey Rush in "Exit the King" or Lily Tomlin in "The Search For Signs of Intelligent Life In the Universe"

Musical - Patti LuPone in "Gypsy"

This is very hard to say though because the material makes a difference in how wonderful the performance will be remembered as being. Frank Langella and Angela Lansbury are my favorite actor and actress respectively, and I have seen them each in 2 productions, and yet I find listing neither here. It's the parts as well as the actors.

That said, nothing has overwhelmed me quite like Rush in "Exit the King." It's the only performance I've ever felt at a loss for words to describe. Granted, I was 13 when I saw the grandeur that is Lily Tomlin "The Search..."

Edit: Since, we're all putting in age, 22. (just turned it last Friday

---

Updated On: 6/18/09 at 08:45 PM

Probably impossible to choose just one, but

MUSICAL: Ian Richardson in the revival of MY FAIR LADY (1976)

PLAY: Ian McKellan in AMADEUS (1980)

Age: I'm old enough to be your mother.

PLAY: Anthony Heald in Equivocation at Oregon Shakespeare Festival... AMAZING.

MUSICAL: Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens.

I'm 17

Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd. My first Broadway show when I was 15. I thought ALL Broadway was going to be as good! LOL.
Frank Langella in Frost Nixon

I'm 45

Play: Cynthia Nixon in "Rabbit Hole". She effortlessly went from depressed, to exasperated, to sobbing, to angry and vicious. It was intense and beautiful.

Musical: Alice Ripley in "Next to Normal". I lost my mind and sobbed. The most visceral reaction I've ever had.

---

I think the only play I've seen is Metamorphosis, so I don't have much to go on there. But as for musicals:

Gavin Creel in Hair... the first time I've ever heard of him (I was away from the B-way scene for a while) and wow, was I blown away.
Heather Headley in Aida.... that girl's voice is beyond amazing. I wish she would come back and do another show.

And any time I get to see Adam Pascal do "One Song Glory" live. Chills.

Edited to add: And I'm 28.

---

Updated On: 6/17/09 at 10:53 PM