This Season's Performances You Consider Underrated- Page 3

[PaulWom]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 11:18am

Also throwing my hat in here for Brittain Ashford. Not only is her Sonya heartbreaking in the show, but she makes some truly hilarious cameos in the duel scene as a "rocker chick" who makes out with Balaga and even appears as a Gypsy Lover throughout the entirety of Balaga/Abduction! Side note: I just realized that means that she has to do a quick change into her dance outfit immediately following Sonya alone. She's probably still sobbing... my goodness.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 3:45pm

Jon Jon Briones & Eva Noblezada - Miss Saigon

[MyLife]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 4:15pm

I'm surprised to see so much love for WIll Roland. I thought he was the single worst part of the show. I don't love the part at all, granted, but I also thought he was pretty terrible with what he was given. I agree that humor is needed given how heavy the show is. However, the humor in DEH is at odds with the rest of the book and score and just doesn't fit. You compare DEH with CFA, where the humor is much more natural and appropriate and it makes so much of a difference.

Speaking of CFA - I'll add Rodney Hicks and Astrid Van Wieren in too as underrated.

 

Once again I wish there was an ensemble Tony. It'd be hard to choose between Comet and CFA!

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 5:49pm

Jackie Hoffman in the un-magical, visually depressing, sugarless " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". You can't keep your eyes off of her as she's the one that stands out providing much needed laughter!

[mikem]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 7:49pm

I actually am expecting Will Roland to get a nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Musical.   I think Dear Evan Hansen is going to get a lot of nominations (although I think Great Comet will have more because it will pick up more technical noms).

I agree with the previous poster who said that the tone of DEH veers around wildly during the show, but I think Roland plays the role extremely well, given how it's been outlined to him by the director.  Both he and Ben Platt are very likable actors, which helps the audience overlook how bad some of their characters' actions are.

[froote]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 8:17pm

Have to agree with MyLife on Roland. Terribly unlikable character and unfortunately Roland wasn't able to redeem him for me the way that a more capable actor perhaps could have done.

[HSky]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 10:26pm

Believe it or not, I actually think Jared as written is more likeable now in DEH than he was at Arena Stage or even Off-Broadway.

Updated On: 4/30/17 at 10:26 PM

[bear88]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 10:35pm

Is Jared supposed to be likeable? He's not even an actual friend of Evan's, a point he makes repeatedly. I thought Roland was fine in the role, but I wouldn't single it out as underrated in a strong cast.

[@z5]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 10:58pm

JEFFERSON MAYS in in THE FRONT PAGE was so funny and a scene stealer whenever he was on stage.

Holland Taylor was also a joy to watch in that show. 

Also really hoping Cate Blanchett gets a nomination, or even the award. Her range of emotions throughout the show was incredible. Especially in the second scene--WOW.

 

[Robbie2]

Posted: 4/30/17 at 11:37pm

mikem said: "I actually am expecting Will Roland to get a nomination as Best Featured Actor in a Musical.   I think Dear Evan Hansen is going to get a lot of nominations (although I think Great Comet will have more because it will pick up more technical noms).

I agree with the previous poster who said that the tone of DEH veers around wildly during the show, but I think Roland plays the role extremely well, given how it's been outlined to him by the director.  Both he and Ben Platt are very likable actors, which helps the audience overlook how bad some of their characters' actions are.

 

"

Seriously, not happening!

 

[theaterdude2]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 12:39am

I started reading the thread and was SHOCKED at how many people were writing positive things about Will Roland's performance. I kept reading and was relieved that there are others who agree with me that he is probably the worst thing in the show. I cannot for the life of me understand why he was asked to reprise the role on Broadway. He overacts with every line and is completely unsympathetic, as others have mentioned. Whenever he gets a laugh in the theatre I simply do not understand it- it's like I'm missing a joke that everyone else is getting. That said, some of the material he's got is pretty awful, but there's just no excuse for poor acting on a Broadway stage. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 4:54am

Mike Faist. Sas Goldberg. Bette Midler.

[Megsamegatron]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 7:01am

Still shocked on all the Will Roland love because for me it was all about Mike Faist. I wanted to see him more and loved that they did incorporate him throughout the musical. Too each their own. 

[ethan231h]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 8:07am

Megsamegatron said: "Still shocked on all the Will Roland love because for me it was all about Mike Faist. I wanted to see him more and loved that they did incorporate him throughout the musical. Too each their own. 

 

"

Agree, I never completely understood why Will was getting so many laughs, his material is somewhat funny...not entirely, but it's not like his character is super nice or has a big song. It's a minor supporting character. I really loved Mike Faist though, wanted to see more of him, especially in act 2! Never the less I'm assuming DEH will have a good day tomorrow

[haterobics]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 8:42am

People can't sort out why the comic relief in a suicide musical would get bigger laughs than they think the material deserves?! Err... because of the heaviness of what is going on around the comic relief?! Like, umm, the suicide for one?

[godlessondheimite]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 10:49am

I loved Will Roland as Jared. I thought Jared was fantastic. He's obnoxious in a "God, I know people like that..." kind of way, but I never found him so too obnoxious, and he provides much needed comic relief. I'm surprised there are people saying he's the worst/weakest part of the cast when there's Alana...

Also, I think Barrett Doss deserves more recognition. She was utterly delightful.

Seconding Beanie Feldstein & Grace McLean.

Updated On: 5/1/17 at 10:49 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 10:49am

I would agree with Mike Faist- great voice and lots of stage presence. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 10:57am

Mike Faist!!!!

[froote]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 11:00am

Alana is just as irritating as Jared but please let's stop talking about them because remembering how awful those characters are is making me tempted to sell my ticket.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 11:04am

To me, the under-rated performer in DEH was Jennifer Laura Thompson.  She's some who always gives such a great performance.  I think she's being overshadowed this year by the excellent work Rachel Bay Jones is doing in the show, but Thompson truly holds her own.

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 11:06am

Thompson is so good in DEH. I think that maybe people don't realize the weight of her contributions because she doesn't have a solo number (or really even a number in which she's the focus of attention). But as far as a true supporting performance goes, she's invaluable.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 11:10am

^ AGREE! I love JTL, her performance is chilling but she is being overshadowed by Rachel. Rachel has a bigger role and much more to work with and she does it oh so well. Agreed that both Jared and Alana are beyond annoying characters...nothing against Will or Kristolyn the play their roles very well clearly. This I actually think helps the show because it points out everyone's own story etc (Alana in act 2 especially) but boy am I glad I didn't go to high school with those characters!

Updated On: 5/1/17 at 11:10 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 11:42am

Carlo Alban, in a captivatingly natural performance, and James Colby, heartbreaking, in SWEAT
Richard Roxburgh, commandingly virtuosic in the very uneven THE PRESENT

I loved Brittain Ashford in GREAT COMET but my impression is that her performance has been justly praised.

Updated On: 5/1/17 at 11:42 AM

[bear88]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 12:03pm

Both of my daughters went to high school with girls very much like Alana. Her character was exaggerated, but not as much as you might think, or hope.

Mike Faist has a very tricky part, which I thought he handled very well. He's the actor in Dear Evan Hansen who I think hasn't gotten the praise he deserves.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 5/1/17 at 12:32pm

Robbie2 said: "Jackie Hoffman in the un-magical, visually depressing, sugarless " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". You can't keep your eyes off of her as she's the one that stands out providing much needed laughter!



 

"

I was waiting for someone to say this. She's an absolute RIOT (as always, but especially here, where it is more difficult to stand out when there are basically 12 leads).

In regards to the DEH cast, I think they all work together so well that they raise each other up. To me, its a true example of a team.