Sarah Jane Arnegger, Playbill EDU
George Hearn – Sunset Boulevard
One of my favorite moments from Sunset Boulevard. His voice is just so rich and beautiful and the performance is just so regal. My favorite line: "There was a maharaja…”
Mandy Patinkin Sings "You've Got to be Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen" Medley
One of my favorite song interpretations of two great Broadway songs that touch on the human experience.
Sam Harris sings "Over The Rainbow" (1984) Star Search
Who doesn’t love Sam Harris, the last 30 seconds of this performance and the bonus 80’s fashion?
2013 Tony Awards: Neil Patrick Harris Opening Number
Still one of my favorite Tony Awards moments ever! Just so much fun and brilliant!
Jared Clough, Editorial Assistant
J. Robert Spencer with Aaron Tveit and Alice Ripley performing "I Am The One" from Next to Normal at the Tony Awards
Such a powerful song. And J. Robert Spencer's performance is riveting and heartbreaking. This video never fails to send chills down my spine.
Jason Gotay & Zak Resnick - "Ready To Be Loved" (Pasek & Paul)
One of my all-time favorite songs by Pasek and Paul. Such a fun arrangement with some amazing added harmonies (and riffs!).
Brian Crum, Kyle Dean Massey - "Who Will Love Me As I Am?" from Side Show
"Incredible" is the only word to describe this performance. Miscast revival of Side Show with these two as Violet and Daisy? Anyone?
Andrew Gans, Senior Editor
Three of my favorite performances, which were all unfortunately overlooked by Tony nominators. Each of these men possesses rangy voices with rich, emotional tones.
Norm Lewis in Side Show:
Brian d'Arcy James in Titanic:
Steven Pasquale in The Bridges of Madison County:
Pasquale's delivery of "The Streets of Dublin" was the highlight of the moving Off-Broadway musical A Man of No Importance:
Just a few of my other favorite male Broadway voices:
Aaron Tveit
Mandy Patinkin
Michael Gioia, Staff Writer
I have to begin with Aaron Tveit singing Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk's "Run Away With Me" from The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown. In my opinion, his performance is pretty flawless (although both Matt Doyle and Michael Arden also knock it out of the park). "Run Away With Me" is, by far, my favorite contemporary male ballad. It's such a simple and beautiful song, and the hopeless romantic in me is hooked from the first few notes on piano (played here by Brian Lowdermilk himself). Aaron Tveit makes this song look effortless, and the lyrics here are gorgeous: "Let me be your ride out of town/Let me be the place that you hide/We can make our lives on the go… Get the car packed and throw me the key/Run away with me." My favorite is the lyric change in the last chorus, "Sam, you're ready, let's go/Anywhere/Say the word and I'm already there… Run away with me." #BucketsOfTears.
Let me continue on my hopeless-romantic bandwagon… This mash-up of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" and "I'll Cover You" from Rent will always be one of my favorite YouTube videos. I was so impressed with this arrangement by Kurt Crowley ("Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad/I've longed to discover something as true as this is… So with a thousand sweet kisses/And this is crazy, so call me…"), and you realize just how gorgeous the lyrics are in both songs and how they intertwine so well. Adam Chanler-Berat and Jason Gotay are just so charming in this song, and I'm a fan of them both. (Check out Adam's cover of "To Make You Feel My Love" and Jason's version of Alexander Sage Oyen's Funny," which are also both go-to heartbreak songs.)
Where do you begin with Matt Doyle? He has so many great performances on YouTube, but since he's such a self-proclaimed Renthead (as am I, evident from my previous pick), I'm going to go with this stripped-down performance of "One Song Glory." He's giving you all of the acting moments in this one and then finishes in falsetto at the end (just stop!). I also really enjoyed these newer performances of "The First of July," a song that I was introduced to at his recent 54 Below concert, and "As Long As Your Mine," performed with the one and only Bonnie "Belting Bonnie" Milligan. (He's coming back to 54 Below in a few weeks, so make sure you check him out!)
If you're looking for some top-notch belting, look no further than a YouTube video with Eric Michael Krop. Who knew a voice could go so high? This video of Eric and Tim Ehrlich singing "Black Or White" and "Man in the Mirror" opened the Broadway Sings Michael Jackson concert, and who doesn't love MJ? These boys belt their faces off (fast forward to 3:30!). Also, make sure you check out Eric's performance of Celine Dion's "To Love You More" from Broadway Sings the 90s, in which he uses every part of his voice.
Robin De Jesus is one of the funniest guys out there, so this video immediately kicks ass for capturing all of his opening banter, in which he describes how he would bully Mandy Gonzalez during his time with In the Heights ("Dassit!"). He then gives the sweetest performance of "Breathe," Nina's song from Heights, in his Crushed to Crushed cabaret (which was beautifully strung together by his director, Yvette Kojic). Robin sounds gorgeous in this song, and how could you not love, "The neighborhood waved and said, 'Robin, be brave' and 'You're gonna be fine.'"?
Okay, I can't leave without including the master of riffing, Zak Resnick, who is now rocking it over at Off-Broadway's Piece of My Heart. My favorite riff ever is here at 2:21 in Jonathan Reid Gealt's "September of '92." How is it possible for a singer to hit so many notes at once? Can we get a Natalie Weiss-Zak Resnick riff-off in the near future? I love this acoustic version of "September of '92." I also love Resnick's performance of Alexander Sage Oyen's "Vietnam" from his Moment By Moment song cycle.
Carey Purcell, Staff Writer/Features Editor
"The Pants Off" with Norbert Leo Butz and Aaron Tveit
They're both having so much fun, it's impossible to resist! The fake battle of the egos, combined with the amazing on-stage antics, is fun to hear and watch.
Brian Stokes Mitchell - Some Enchanted Evening
NPH and Hugh Jackman at 2013 Tonys
Robbie Rozelle, Graphic Designer
Losing My Mind - Jeremy Jordan
Jeremy Jordan sings “Losing My Mind” from Follies (A Bed and a Chair). Remember that time Jeremy Jordan pulled out a Michael Bublé croon for A Bed and a Chair? This gorgeous arrangement and voice combine for a sublime arrangement of Sondheim's torch song, seen through a jazz prism.
Michael Jeter - Grand Hotel - complete Tonys performance and acceptance speech
Has there ever been a more buoyant Tony performance? Michael Jeter, seemingly made of rubber and flying through the air, is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. His moving Tony acceptance speech always brings a lump to my throat. (Also, the added bonus of Kathleen Turner’s dress…)
David Carroll - "Love Can't Happen" [Donahue 1990]
Speaking of Grand Hotel, David Carroll never got to record his Baron, collapsing and dying the day he was to record the cast album. Thankfully, we have this performance from "Donahue," with composer Maury Yeston at the piano while Mr. Carroll sings this gorgeous song and delivers those high notes in his glorious tenor.
Anthony Warlow singing "This Is The Moment" live
When people ask me who my favorite male singer is, I don’t hesitate to reply “Anthony Warlow.” I don’t go anywhere without at least one of Warlow’s six solo albums nearby. Philip Quast is no slouch either (he has a dandy live album), so this is a double treat! I humbly present for your consideration Quast and Warlow singing the show-stopping duet from The Secret Garden, which they did together in Australia in 1
Charles Nelson Reilly 1974 Tony Awards
Charles Nelson Reilly is my spirit animal (I often say that I’m slowly morphing into him). Here, at the 1974 Tony Awards, he performs a hilarious medley from his career, including songs from Bye Bye Birdie, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello, Dolly! and Skyscraper. One viewing of this, and you will understand everything about me.
Jonathan Groff Channels His Inner Sutton Foster to Perform "Anything Goes"
What is more infectious than seeing Jonathan Groff perform “Anything Goes,” complete with Kathleen Marshall’s choreography? Nothing, I tells ya, nothing!
Xanadu Tony Award Performance
Seriously. That voice. Those short shorts. But mostly that effortless, marvelous voice. It’s criminal that Cheyenne Jackson wasn’t Tony nominated for this hilarious turn (not to mention saving the show after original lead James Carpinello broke his foot in early previews). What is more fun than this number? Especially the gospel rave up at the end? Bye Felicia.
