Such a feat of physical agility and a maddeningly nuanced and complete man in the world of his play. Scary and attractive at the same time.
Mark Rylance in Twelfth Night
Can you tell I'm a fan? Mark as Olivia blew me away. A stillness and control that lends itself to bits of humor. Amazing to watch.
The Color Purple was my Broadway debut. I had admired LaChanze's work on Once on This Island as a student listening to the cast album. In this performance (with the scope that the role of Celie required) I got to actually watch her work. After all, I was hired to standby for Celie! I'll never forget it.
Sutton Foster in The Drowsy Chaperone
Ease and comfort. Sutton has a way of making her work look easy, and fun and real. And then she turns on the juice! She reminds me to relax and dig in.
The Cast of The Normal Heart
Rarely is a play so moving, timely, and well written that the cast must move as one unit. A true ensemble cast. I was literally speechless after this collective performance.
The Cast of Once
That glorious combination of actors fully living in the world of a play, working generously and with such honesty physically, musically and emotionally. I felt like I was being embraced by them all.
Anika Noni Rose in Caroline, or Change
I remember being surprised that Anika was singing in this piece. Her acting was such a treat: deeply rooted, contained, and raw, that when she sang it was the final release. Wonderful.
Lena Hall in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Lena's arc is so simply exquisite in this performance. Nothing is given away or wasted, and the commitment is full. Her singing "lift up your hands" at the end was like being set free.
Phylicia Rashad in Gem of the Ocean
Watching Phylicia transform in this play was a master class, plain and simple. In my wildest and most sincere dreams, I want to do this kind of transformative work.
Lin-Manuel Miranda in Hamilton
This performance is beyond for me because Lin-Manuel playing Alexander Hamilton is almost an afterthought considering he wrote the book, music, lyrics and co-arranged the score. Somehow him standing onstage embodies a force. Hamilton in its entirety is Lin's performance and it reaches spectacularly in all directions. This kind of total performance is a game changer.