Top Performances — Page 2

I'm suprised no one has said this already- Donna Murphy in "Passion." Regardless of how you feel about the show, or Ms. Murphy, no one can say that her performance was anything short of amazing.

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I wqas completely and utterly blown away by...

KATE LEVERING's performance as "Peggy Sawyer" in 42nd Street. No, not my favorite musical of all time, but she reminded me, as well as many others, why 42nd street is the quintissential broadway musical. She was absolutely mind blowing, and just has sucha presence...which is why i love watching her on "Kevin Hill"

JOHN TARTAGLIA in Avenue Q. His broadway debut was so cute as rod/ princeton. Not the most challenging (vocally or acting) role on bway, but a fun one, and I thought he really made it his own, and something everyone could relate to. I thought it was awesome.

PATRICK WILSON in Oklahoma. Don't need to say anything but that he was a FANTASTIC curly.

WILSON JERMAINE HEREDIA'S Angel was yet another incredible performance. You would think that he had been in drag all of his life, but in reality, it was his first character in drag. He deserved that tony so much, and really hope that he is confirmed in the Rent film.

HEATHER HEADLEY's Aida has already been spoken for, but it was beautiful. Nothing else needs to be said about that performance.

I feel like I'm forgetting many...

Some more I forgot:

Tammy Blanchard in Gypsy
Gary Beach and Roger Bart in The Producers

I didn't see Sutton in Millie, but I have the cast recording and she's amazing.

THAT'S who I forgot! HOW?

SUTTON FOSTER in TMM was incredible.I don't even know what to say about it other than it was DEFINITELY tony-deserving, and I'm glad she got it! Her charisma was out of this world and i am so excited to see her in Little Women.

Yes, Donna Murphy in PASSION absolutely blew me away. Her performance was just so intense, it gives me chills everytime I watch the DVD. Her body language, her facial expressions, her incredible, powerful voice- it all combined to one brilliat, spell-binding, breathtaking performance. Perfection. I was in awe of her talent the first time I saw it, and still am.

I was also very impressed with Mary Stuart Masterson in NINE- so glad I'm not the only one who thinks she was the best one in the cast.

Another performance that I loved was Fiona Shaw in MEDEA. I thought she was amazing, and captured her essence beautifully. I left the theater in total awe of her.

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i'm actually going to add the whole cast of the revival of charlie brown... i find that i absolutely love this cast and that they perfectly PERFECTLY embody the characters... i'm in fact obsessed with this show so maybe that's it, but still... they are so good in their parts... when i played schroeder my director asked me to do some of the riffs like the "schroeder on the cd" (aka stanley wayne mathis!)... i had to tell him that the schroeder was black and i wasn't, but he still wanted it because it's so perfect for the character... i know you all probably hate ilana levine, but no matter what she is perfect as lucy... if you want to have a b!tchy character and then have someone with a great voice come out that just will never work... it's fake... she embodied lucy to a t... don't even get me started on cheno, rapp, roger bart, bd... i'll never end... oh my god...
i'm sorry, i digress...

Donna Murphy was incredible in Passion. Whenever I watch the DVD, I think that she is Fosca. She's so subtle and her voice is incredible.

Joanna Gleason in Into the Woods has a fantastic performance. I can't get enough of it.

F. Murray Abraham in ANGELS IN AMERICA. Actually, the whole cast when I saw it--Cynthia Nixon, Dan Futterman, Jay Goede--was outstanding.

Idina Menzel in WICKED. When she came onstage at the top of Act 1, I literally burst into tears (and I'm not a crier). Her intensity and joy of performing that character poured off the stage.

Patrick Stewart and Mercedes Ruehl in VIRGINIA WOOLF.

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I was completely blown over by Darcie Roberts on the Millie tour, and Randal Keith as Jean Valjean on the Les Mis tour. Also, when I saw Tick Tick Boom on tour, Christian Campbell was out and an understudy was on...his name was Trey Elliet or something like that (the program is at another house) but he was simply astounding!:)

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Definitely Donna Murphy in PASSION. I have never seen a performer more connected to their character. I have seen the dvd, and the benefit concert, and I have never been more emotionally moved by a performance. How someone could be that incredible night after night in such a difficult character is amazing.

I agree apdarcey I love the revival of Charlie Brown. All the characters really played to their best. While Ilana might not have the greatest voice in the world she does have what it takes to be Lucy. I could rant about that as well, but I won't.

I would also have to say Rent. I can't explain why, but it has on so many levels done things for me. I'll have to consider that one a little more.

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Bernadette Peters in Gypsy: I've never been so moved by anything I've ever seen on stage or screen. I actually got tears in my eyes when she stomped down the right aisle shouting "Sing out, Louise!" at the opening of the show. Her performance, for me, was truly magical.

Raul Esparza in Cabaret: I had only gone to see this production because of Molly Ringwald. Well, she was out, which I've heard wasn't abnormal for her, and had it not been for Raul's top notch performance as Emcee, I probably would have not enjoyed the show at all. Not that Cabaret needs Molly, by any means, but I was initally drawn to the show to see her so you can imagine my disappointment.

and I may lose some credibility after this one, but what the hell...

Idina Menzel in Wicked: Next to Bernadette in Gypsy, this was the best thing I've seen on a Broadway stage. I nearly peed my pants during "The Wizard and I" and "Defying Gravity." Laugh if you must, but I'm truly grateful that I was able to catch her in this role before the OBC began filtering out this spring/summer.

Anything BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL touches turns to GOLD.
His performances in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, RAGTIME (robbed of a Tony), KISS ME KATE and MAN OF LA MANCHA are some of the best.

DAPHNE RUBIN VEGA as "Mimi" in RENT. She completely nailed that part. It fit her like a glove and it was such a "true" performance. It wasn't even a "performance" it was just BEING. I knew girls like Mimi...she was right on the money.

VANESSA WILLIAMS in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN....Electric!!! She literally brought the audience to their feet with every number she performed. She was flawless. Chita Rivera's shoes are some mighty big ones to fill and Vanessa proved she was more than capable of doing it and she succeeded!

JENNIFER HOLLIDAY in DREAMGIRLS - - - my first exposure to Broadway. I consider myself fortunate that this was my first Broadway show...the performance and the show are LEGENDARY. 'Nuff said!