best acting ever in a musical — Page 3

That's how I feel about Tonya Pinkins' performance in "Caroline, Or Change" this year...just goes to show that these awards should be taken with a grain of salt!

Recently? In the last 10 years or so, I'd have to say: Alan Cumming in Cabaret.

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CHRISTY ROMANO IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST! I <333333 Christy! She's so tallented and she's the most bestest actress in the world!

Joanna Riding in CAROUSEL at the RNT in London.

Donna Murphy in Passion...well best I've seen (though I've only seen about 12 professionally done musicals to be fair). She completely transformed herself. I'm the type of person who gets upset when they choose beautiful people to play unattractive characters (there are enough talented actresses out there we aren't knockouts, and especially in musical theater, those actresses aren't commonly given a chance to shine) but upon seeing her performance (granted on dvd, as I was only 10 when it was on Broadway) I had no doubt she fully deserved that role %100 percent.

I'd have loved to see Pinkins in COC, Donna in Wonderful Town, ect because from what I have heard they completely transformed themselves into the role. And aside from my small critism, I have heard Audra was a force to be reckoned with in Marie Christine. I would kill to have a time machine to go back and see it.

Sorry, I have a Bosnian drama teacher...he goes over and over how important physicality is to a role, and something I didn't even really think about until a few years ago. It's some thing I'm just beginning to really work on myself. It's performances like Murphy's I find myself studying over and over again, each time seeing more and more nuances. I think that is tremendous.

Of course, all this is subjective.

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Performances I have seen:

Gwen Verdon Sweet Charity
Angela Lansbury Mame
Angela Lansbury Sweeney Todd
Georgia Brown Oliver
Barbra Streisand Funny Girl
Inga Swenson 110 in the Shade
Bea Lillie High Spirits
Mandy Patinkin Sunday in the Park...
Bernadette Peters Song and Dance
Donna McKechnie Chorus Line
Dorothy Collins Follies
Melba Moore Purlie
Sammy Williams Chorus Line
Hugh Jackman BFO
Robert Lindsey Me and My Girl
Chita Rivera The Rink
Irene Ryan Pippin
Richard Kiley Man of La Mancha
Tyne Daily Gypsy
Angela Lansbury Gypsy
Nell Carter Ain't Misbehavin
Anthony Newley Stop the World...

*falls to the floor*

GYMMAN! How was Gwen in Charity? My God - you are so lucky you saw that. It's very rare to find here someone who has seen Gwen in Charity. There are quite a few who saw her in CHICAGO, but not many who have seen her Charity.

The best ACTING in a musical that I have seen live:

Tonya Pinkins CAROLINE, OR CHANGE
Veanne Cox CAROLINE, OR CHANGE
Brian Stokes Mitchell MAN OF LA MANCHA
Rachel York VICTOR/VICTORIA
Betty Buckley SUNSET BLVD
Norbert Leo Butz DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
Rob Maitner BASKETCASE... (yes, seriously)
Kristin Chenoweth WICKED (I can't believe I just typed that! lol)
Millicent Martin WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?

I have to say that some of the best acting I've ever seen in a musical has been by performers who are not famous and whose names I unfortunately can not recall.

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Updated On: 7/28/05 at 07:34 PM

Sorry, if this a cheat, but my vote is

Elaine Paige in Evita (London)

I couldn't breathe for 2 1/2 hours. Amazing performance.

Ultimately, Tonya Pinkins in Caroline, or Change. Best performance ever, simply put.

World--How can you say best "ever"? Have you seen many of the other classics????

I love Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity, she is heartbreaking and quite comedic.

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