What were your favorite shows in 2016?
What were your favorite shows in 2016?
#1What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 12:58pm
I can't resist a Top 10 list, and why can't we have our own? For 2016, there were quite a few shows that I liked well enough but didn't love. But I did have my favorites. Here are mine. What are yours?
Top 10 Favorites This Year (in no particular order):
Sunday in the Park With George (City Center concert): My first exposure to this show, and I loved it!
The Robber Bridegroom: Just an over-the-top, hilarious and fast-moving romp. Steven Pasquale rules.
She Loves Me: A beautiful and well-sung production of what some people consider the perfect musical
Familiar (Playwrights Horizons): Yes, a kitchen sink drama complete with a shocking secret, but I loved every minute of this show, and the touching ending ranks up there as one of the best in my book.
The Three Gabriel Plays (Public): I love these kitchen-table plays for their fascinating digressions and super acting.
Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage): A touching show, well-sung and acted, that stayed with me despite my being several decades older than the target audience. Great score!
Indecent (Vineyard): I love shows that bring to light a little-known and little-remembered aspect of history. Hope to see it again on Broadway.
Hadestown: I fell in love with the score and the inventive staging. Wonderful performances all around. I hope for a complete cast album in 2017.
Pirates of Penzance (Barrington Stage Company): Such a fun production, with Will Swenson as a charismatic Pirate King.
Spamilton (Triad): My love for this show is equaled only by my love of Hamilton. Brilliant show by Gerard Alessandrini with an awesomely talented cast.
Sense and Sensibilty (Gym at Hudson): The adapter of this Jane Austen classic knew just what to keep intact and what to modernize. I loved the staging too.
DISLIKED:
Dot (Vineyard)
Head of Passes (Public)
Death for Five Voices (Sheen Center)
Love, Love, Love (Laura Pels)
ethan231h
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/5/11
#2What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 1:21pm
Not in order:
American Psycho
Dear Evan Hansen
Tick Tick Boom
falsettos
The Humans
Hadestown
Shuffle Along
Oh Hello
@z5
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
#3What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 1:36pm
Some that are really memorable this year and i enjoyed a lot are:
Blackbird
American Psycho
Shuffle Along
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Eclipsed
Falsettos
Oh, Hello
Cats
sondmon
Stand-by Joined: 5/17/15
#4What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 1:41pm
Sunday Concert
Blackbird
The Crucible
The Color Purple
She Loves Me
Fiddler on the Roof
King Charles III
#5What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 1:59pm
I know some of these were from 2015, but I'm including them since I saw them in 2016...
8. TUCK EVERLASTING
7. ON YOUR FEET
6. GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE
5. SPRING AWAKENING
4. THE COLOR PURPLE
3. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
2. DEAR EVAN HANSEN
1. FALSETTOS
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
ebontoyan
Broadway Star Joined: 9/22/14
#6What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 2:05pm
Hamilton (3x), American Psycho (2x), Allegiance, On your feet, Fiddler, Falsettos, She loves me (livestream), Dear Evan Hansen
Willie4316
Leading Actor Joined: 9/12/16
#7What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 2:15pm
Not in any particular order:
Tuck Everlasting
The King and I
She Loves Me (Live Stream)
Dear Evan Hansen
Paramour
The Great Comet
Cats
Fiddler on the Roof
School of Rock
Something Rotten
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#8What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 2:22pm
My list includes only Broadway shows, as well as only shows that opened either in the summer/fall of 2015 or the calendar year of 2016 (also, I saw far more than ten shows—this list is my top ten):
10. SPRING AWAKENING
9. THE FRONT PAGE
8. HEISENBERG
7. OH, HELLO
6. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
5. NOISES OFF
4. SHE LOVES ME
3. NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812
2. THE COLOR PURPLE
1. HAMILTON
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#9What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 2:26pm
Dear Evan Hansen, She Loves Me, Great Comet, American Psycho, Waitress, Long Day's Journey
The Wolves, The Harvest, Kings of War, and Skeleton Crew.
#10What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 2:50pm
My top 9:
Hadestown
Red Speedo
Oh, Hello
The Crucible
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet on 1812
The Robber Bridegroom
Bright Star
Master Harold and the Boys
Ride the Cyclone
A little swash, a bit of buckle - you'll love it more than bread.
BroadwayRox3588
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
#11What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 3:52pm
Hamilton, Bright Star, Dear Evan Hansen, and Falsettos. And I would like to share my love for each of these.
Hamilton: When I went to NYC in February, I knew I had tickets for it, but I wasn't prepared for what it would do for me. It, along with other aspects of that vacation, revived me from a funk I was in, and got me into theatre again. Since then, I have done four productions, and played the lead in one of them. Hamilton rejuvenated me, and I am so thankful for that.
Bright Star: This show. Oh Lord, this show. I didn't know I needed it, until it saved my life. Seeing a character who had something unimaginably traumatic happen to her, remain focused, and still hopeful...it helped me remain just that. And when everything ended the way it did, it helped me (and still does) keep a positive outlook, no matter my situation. "The sun is gonna shine again" is a phrase I try to tell myself whenever I'm having a bad day, and it usually helps me. Not only this, but I have gained some of the greatest friends I could ask for, because of Bright Star. I feel like I've known these people for years, and they truly are forever friends. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Carmen Cusack. I'm not going to go into detail, but she has become my biggest role model and inspiration. If anyone wants to know details, feel free to PM me!
Dear Evan Hansen: This show taught me about myself. I don't think I've ever related to a character in musical theaters much as I relate to Evan. I feel like I'm watching myself onstage. And it has taught me that I matter, I'm not alone, and I bring something to the world. I forget that sometimes.
Falsettos: This show was a major healing factor, after a presidential election that really shook me. The song "Unlikely Lovers" felt like a song that needed to be sung to me (and to, I'm sure, countless others) at the specific time. Such a relevant, important show, in terms of what all is going on in the country right now.
#12What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 4:06pm
My 10 favorite shows of the year:
Dear Evan Hansen
Shuffle Along
Sweet Charity
The Harvest
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
"Master Harold"...and the Boys
Falsettos
Oh, Hello
She Loves Me
Hadestown
And two honorable mentions to Sunday in the Park with George and The Last Five Years concerts (didn't want to include them in my official list since they weren't fully staged).
nolanativeny
Stand-by Joined: 3/29/16
#13What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 4:26pm
In no order:
American Psycho
Hadestown
The Great Comet
Dear Evan Hansen
The Grand Paradise
Figaro! (90210)
The Color Purple (with Heather Headley)
theatreguy12
Broadway Star Joined: 4/20/15
#14What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 4:34pm
Also in no particular order:
American Psycho
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along
Bright Star
Fiddler on the Roof
The Color Purple
Hamilton
The King and I
#15What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 4:38pm
New Productions:
Noises Off
School Of Rock
Shuffle Along
Finian's Rainbow
Sweet Charity
She Loves Me
Shows that had been open, but I didn't see until this year:
Fun Home
The King and I
"I don't want the pretty lights to come and get me."-Homecoming 2005
"You can't pray away the gay."-Callie Torres on Grey's Anatomy.
Ignored Users: suestorm, N2N Nate., Owen22, master bates
#16What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 4:41pm
I love making lists like this, but man is it tough! I left off some really wonderful shows, but I managed to narrow it down to 15. They are, in alphabetical order:
--Dear Evan Hansen - Second Stage
--Donmar Shakespeare Trilogy (Julius Caesar, Henry IV, & The Tempest) - Donmar Warehouse
--Father Comes Home From the Wars: Parts 1, 2 and 3 - Royal Court
--Hadestown - NYTW
--Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - West End
--Imogen - Shakespeare's Globe
--Incognito - MTC
--The Play That Goes Wrong - West End
--Runaways - Encores!
--Smokefall - MCC
--A Streetcar Named Desire - St. Ann's Warehouse
--Troilus and Cressida - Public, Shakespeare in the Park
--The Woodsman - Off-Broadway
--Yerma - Young Vic
--You For Me For You - Royal Court
#17What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 7:12pm
American Psycho
Blackbird
Dear Evan Hansen
Falsettos
Hamilton
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
She Loves Me
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#18What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 7:52pm
In alphabetical order and including a few 2015 holdovers I saw this year:
The Color Purple
Hamilton
The Humans
Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
Oh, Hello (the biggest surprise of the year, for me)
Party People
She Loves Me
Shuffle Along
Twelfth Night (the second year in a row Public Works has delivered the most spectacularly joyful theatre of the year)
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
Updated On: 12/22/16 at 07:52 PM
Jiaroony
Understudy Joined: 11/18/16
#19What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 8:02pm
Hamilton Fun Home were the best they were well written and well crafted shows. The Color Purple had terrible writing but was great production
#20What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 9:48pm
My definitive ranking:
1. Fun Home
2. Hamilton
3. Dear Evan Hansen
4. Cats
5. The Falsettos
#21What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 10:07pm
American Psycho was the standout when it comes to the musicals. Truly brilliant and fresh
Namo i love u but we get it already....you don't like Madonna
dewuzu
Swing Joined: 12/22/16
#22What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 10:27pm
It is tough to choose favorites. I liked Waitress, Cats, and School of Rock. Off-Broadway, I liked Daddy Long Legs.
I find it interesting how many users liked American Psycho. I thought that it was good. But, it was a lot more divisive than other shows on Broadway.
Emmaloucbway
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/16/11
#23What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/22/16 at 11:50pm
In no order:
1. Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812
2. Oh, Hello
3. She Loves Me
4. Bright Star
5. Pirates of Penzance at Barrington Stage
6. Noises Off
7. Dear Evan Hansen
8. Hadestown
9. Shuffle Along
10. Cats
ChiTheaterFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/15
#24What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/23/16 at 12:25am
Not in order:
Bright Star
American Psycho
Eclipsed
Dear Evan Hansen (Second Stage)
Great Comet
To throw out some Chicago love: Mary Page Marlowe at Steppenwolf and The Tempest at Chicago Shakes (I think those were 2016 but I could be wrong...)
#25What were your favorite shows in 2016?
Posted: 12/23/16 at 12:55am
Glad to see TUCK EVERLASTING on a few lists. I really liked the show. It was charming. Was it perfect, was it the best ever, no. I adore Carolee and always enjoy seeing her perform. AKB and Terrence are favorites too, Andrew was perfectly cast. So happy it got a cast recording. It will have a long life in regional and summer theater. It's family-friendly (though they need to edit out when Andrew's character shoots his father) and a star-maker for that little girl who shines in the school choir and/or is ready to move on from playing Annie.
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