THEIR FAVORITE THINGS: Tony Winner and 7th Monarch Star Michael Rupert
By Andrew Gans
June 27, 2012
Playbill.com's new feature series, Their Favorite Things, asks members of the theatre community to share the Broadway performances that most affected them as part of the audience.
This week we spotlight the choices of Tony winner Michael Rupert, who is currently starring in Jim Henry's new dramatic mystery 7th Monarch at the Acorn Theatre. Visit Telecharge.
Len Cariou in Sweeney Todd.
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"Saw the show in previews. Had no idea what to expect. By the time Sweeney slammed that corrugated door at the end of the play, I knew I had spent nearly three hours with an actor at the top of his game." |
Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls.
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"An epic musical performance. The depth of her despair in 'And I Am Telling You…' was absolutely astounding." |
Ian McKellen in Richard III (1992).
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"The attention to detail in his performance was something to behold. And, the way he fully dressed himself using only one arm (gloves included) left me speechless." Click here to visit Ian McKellen's page at the Playbill Vault. |
Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera in Chicago (1975).
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"I was playing Pippin next door at The Imperial. Our curtain came down 30 minutes before theirs did, and there were lots of times when I’d run over and catch the last few scenes, watching these two ladies from the wings. It was a Master Class in musical theatre performance." Learn more about Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera at the Playbill Vault. |
James Earl Jones and Kevin Conway in Of Mice and Men (1975).
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"Their final scene was one of the most moving I've ever seen. Ever." Learn more about James Earl Jones and Kevin Conway at the Playbill Vault. |
The cast of Shakespeare's R&J.
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"Guided by Joe Calarco's (pictured here) excellent adaptation and pitch-perfect direction, this small company of young men transformed a dingy Lower East Side storefront into the vibrant and volatile world of Romeo and Juliet. Theatrical storytelling at its best!" |
The cast of Next Fall.
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"Under Sheryl Kaller's beautiful direction, this ensemble of actors (and Geoffrey Nauffts' play, of course) touched me in a way I'll never forget." |
Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly! (1994).
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"She'd been Dolly Levi off-and-on for 30 years, yet she still looked like she'd rather be on that stage, playing that role, than anywhere else on earth. What a joy to watch!" |
John Malkovich and Gary Sinise in True West.
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"These two (at the time) relatively unknown actors tore up the Cherry Lane Theater like nothing I'd ever seen. I went back the next night." Learn more about John Malkovich and Gary Sinise at the Playbill Vault. |
Laurie Metcalf in Balm in Gilead (1984).
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"The entire production was absolutely terrific, but her performance (including that amazing 20-minute monologue in Act Two) reminded me why I love to go to the theatre." Click here to visit Laurie Metcalf's page at the Playbill Vault. |
Jonathan C. Kaplan in Falsettos.
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"This is a little bit of a cheat, as I wasn't just watching but I was right up there with him. I played his dad. For nearly a year, eight times a week, I shared the stage with this 11½-year-old and was never less-than-impressed with how he held his own (in a very complex role for a kid) with the rest of us; Steve and Chip and Barbara and Carolee and Heather. Bravo!" |