Who is the greatest performer to have ever graced the broadway stage?

gypsy101 said: "there’s lots of ways to interpret it but i’d say Barbra Streisand"I do agree that it is an ambiguously phrased question. That said, I interpreted it as asking who was the greatest Broadway performer, which is a really stupid question, given that no one on this board has seen some of the greatest performers, at least according to legend, e.g., Jolson, Cohan, Fanny Brice, Laurette Taylor, John Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Paul Robeson, etc.; or that very few have seen Mary Martin in her heyday, or Ethel Merman in her heyday or Gertrude Lawrence or Margaret Leighton or Judith Anderson or etc.

Re Streisand...two whole shows, one a supporting role???? As someone who saw her when she was already bored playing Fanny Brice, I can assure you that she was much more suited to the movies than the Broadway stage. She didn't have the discipline to not let the audience know she was bored (of course, she was very young at the time). I was about 15 and I still remember her changing lyrics on the fly, and barely moving during her dance numbers, likes couldn't be bothered.

Personally, in my lifetime of viewing, I would have to choose between Angela Lansbury, Barbara Harris (based on three whole performances), James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Patti Lupone, Colleen Dewhurst, Irene Worth, Jason Robards. If I had to choose one, I'd say Angela Lansbury.

Before my time, but probably Al Jolson.

Maybe it's a chemistry thing but for me nobody has ever had the special quality Liza had.

As a live male performer, same goes for Sammy Davis Junior.

Honourable mentions to Chita and Gwen Verdon.

this is hard to gauge not having seen first hand the great performers of the 1930s-1970s

from that era, my folks said both Mary Martin and Ethel Merman were incredible

from the 1980s forward among those Ive seen:

1) Audra

2) Sutton

3) Heather Headley

4) Idina

Mary Martin and Ethel Merman will have to fight this one out.

While Angela Lansbury referees.

I would say Richard Burton in a play and Ethel Merman for musical.

CurtainPullDowner said: "Mary Martin and EthelMerman will have to fight this one out.

While Angela Lansbury referees."



THIS, for sure.

For the men -- hard to argue with Jolson and Paul Robeson, both before my time. In my half century, it's hard to ignore Nathan Lane for lasting power and breadth of performance. (James Earl Jones should be in this discussion, definitely, but for the last few decades he's mostly been playing James Earl Jones. Still.....)