best acting ever in a musical

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:49pm

I vote Heather Headley in AIDA

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:52pm

Raul Esparza, Taboo. he rocked the house. Same w/ the entire Producers cast. Anything Roger Bart touches... hehe

[JakeB]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:54pm

Some of the performances in London's Ragtime really impressed me, the acting there was of an incredible quality, in particular Maria Friedman.. I'm glad she won the Olivier for it.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:04pm

Rex Harrison & Julie Andrews, My Fair Lady
Yul Brynner, The King and I
Robert Preston, The Music Man
Colm Wilkenson, Les Miserables
Donna Murphy, Passion
Angela Lansbury & Len Carriou, Sweeney Todd

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:22pm

Good lord. Did you actually just say, that in all of the history of musicals that Heather Headley was the best? Wow.

[Michael Strathmore]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:24pm

Marla Schaffel in Jane Eyre was damned good. Anthony Crivello as Rochester was incredible also...

--M--

[luvWICKED416]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:26pm

Lisa Brescia as Amneris in Aida!!!!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:29pm

Paulette Ivory in AIDA

[BwayLover]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:29pm

My gosh, DGrant, I agree with every single one of your choices.

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:30pm

DGrant...in theory I agree with you. I say 'in theory' cause I never saw one of those performances live.

So...I'll have to go with Natasha Richardson in CABARET.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:31pm

Angela Lansbury~SWEENEY TODD
George Hearn~LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
Joanne Gleason~INTO THE WOODS

[magruder]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:34pm

Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury are high on my list as well for Sweeney Todd.

Ken Mandelbaum always mentions Inga Swenson in 110 in the Shade as the best performance by an actress in a musical that he's ever seen.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:35pm

George Hern SWEENEY TODD

[magruder]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:40pm

Going to go off on a limb here and add in an unlikely choice:

Donna English gave one of the greatest sustained comic performances I've ever in seen in Ruthless!

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:41pm

My votes go to:
Hugh Jackman- TBFO
Idina and Kristin- WICKED
Sutton Foster- TMM
Yul Brenner- THE KING & I
Robert Preston- THE MUSIC MAN
Harvey Fierstein- HAIRSPRAY
Ethel Merman- GYPSY
Carol Channing- HELLO, DOLLY!
Mary Martin- PETER PAN
Donna McKenichie (sp)-A CHORUS LINE
Christine Ebersole- 42ND STREET
Matthew, Nathan, Cady, Roger, and Gary- THE PRODUCERS
and there are many, many more! Updated On: 8/31/04 at 05:41 PM

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:43pm

Yes, I did say I thought she was the best. And I said so for a number of reasons that I could write out, but I'm guessing you're not particularly open to hearing them. lol =)

[robbiej]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:47pm

I'm a little confused.

Did everyone here saying who they think is best actually see the performances...live?

[shesings]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:49pm

I think I agree with DGrant. I haven't seen any of those performances (obviously) but I think the absolute best would much more likely be one of his choices and not something current. Not to say there haven't been some amazing performances in recent years!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:56pm

Angela Lansbury in Mame
Angela Lansbury in Gypsy
Angela Lansbury in Sweeney Todd
Richard Kiley in MOLM
Gwen Verdon in Sweet Charity
Gwen Verdon in Chicago
Chita Rivera in Chicago
Brent Carver in Kiss of the Spiderwoman
Dorothy Loudon in Annie
Harrison & Andrews in My Fair Lady
Gertrude Lawrence in Lady in The Dark
Gertrude Lawrence in King & I
Yul Brynner in King & I
Zero Mostel in Fiddler
Zero Mostel on Forum
Nathan Lane in Forum
Sid Caesar in Little Me
Tonya Pinkins in Caroline, or Change
Bernadette Peters in Song & Dance
Donna Murphy in Passion
Alexis Smith in Follies
Dorothy Collins in Follies
Glynnis Johns in A Little Night Music
Joel Grey in Cabaret
Alan Cumming in Cabaret
Natasha Richardson in Cabaret
Raul Julia in Nine
Raul Julia in Threepenny Opera
Lotte Lenya in Threepenny Opera
Toni Collette in Wild Party
Heather Headley in Aida
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard
Patti Lupone in Evita
John Cullum in On The Twentieth Century
Barbara Harris in On A Clear Day
Elaine Stritch in Company
Sammy Williams in ACL
Donna McKechnie in ACL
Kelly Bishop in ACL
Priscilla Lopez in ACL
Judy Holliday in Bells Are Ringing
Rosalind Russell in Wonderful Town
Kevin Kline in Pirates of Penzance
Gregory Hines in Jelly's Last Jam

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:57pm

Margo always has the best responses to these types of posts. Brava!!!!

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:00pm

NOw, Margo...if you had to pick one, you would choose?

And no cheap answers like, "I'd not pick one."

YOU MUST PICK ONE!

[J-Pill]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:00pm

Bernadette in GYPSY is my best.

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:06pm

Dee Hoty in Mama Mia!
John Dossett in Gypsy
Joanna Gleason in Into the Woods
Donna Murphy in Passion
Veanne Cox and Tonya Pinkins in Caroline

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:07pm

Of the ones I actually saw live, I could narrow it down to Pinkins, Lupone, Murphy, Grey (the '87 revival), Lansbury (Sweeney) and McKechnie -- beyond that ........

Updated On: 8/31/04 at 06:07 PM

[Jon]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:23pm

I love Margo's list, except you left off one important one.

William Daniels in 1776.

Columnist/theatre critic Peter Filichia called it the greatest performance he'd ever seen.

Based on the movie version, he might be right.