What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
#1What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
Posted: 12/30/14 at 12:34am
Critics always have their "best of" lists and lists of what they thought were the most important stories, this year, we had so many: 2 major releases of movie musicals, Audra making history, revivals and reintroductions of shows, a season of great plays going seamlessly to the next, the first "rap musical", and so many more. What news worthy stories stuck out to you?
3 stick out for me:
1. The talented actors/artists who impacted theater greatly in so many ways passed away in such big numbers this year.
2. Audra doing what she does so well. When Lady Day was announced, I was so skeptical. I honestly thought this might be the first time in a long time that we see Audra not be...well...perfect. Boy, was I mistaken. This could become her defining role and that performance was like a master class.
3. On the Town, Bullets, An American in Paris, and Little Dancer are bringing the grand, big dancing musical back, which has so much sentimental value for me that it's changed how I feel about theater. There still is a place for real dance in musicals, not just movement.
Fantod
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/3/14
#2What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
Posted: 12/30/14 at 12:39amElaine Stritch...
#2What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
Posted: 12/30/14 at 12:41amStritch died on my birthday. I got a text from a friend that said, "Happy 30th! And Elaine Stritch died. Sorry."
#3What do you think was the biggest theater story of the year?
Posted: 12/30/14 at 12:50am
Maybe this was not THE biggest, but one biggie was Norm Lewis's breaking the color barrier as the Broadway Phantom. I don't recall another lead role replacement actor in a Broadway show receiving a comparable amount of attention. I'm glad to see a baritone in the role after a string of tenors.
Another big story was "The Lion King's" surpassing POTO in receipts, even though LK opened many years later. This is probably an unfortunate story for theatergoers, because it was largely the high price of Lion King tickets that allowed LK to seize the record.
A third major story is the growing use of non-Equity tours. 
Audrey
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