Favourite musicals and performances of 2014

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/14/14 at 1:45pm

Now that I've seen my last show of the year for 2014, I thought I'd put together my "highlights" list of the top ten musicals and the top ten actor/actress performances in musicals that I've been privileged to have seen during the year. Obviously, it's just a personal list of what's impressed me the most rather than claiming that these are the absolute best shows or performances anyone could see - and I'm sure that other people will have many different preferences (and will have seen a different mix of shows than the ones I've seen).

It only refers to musicals (I have bot seen enough plays during the year to make a list lol) - and they're listed in alphabetical order rather than in any numerical ranking order - though if I were to choose one musical as my absolute number one show of the year it would be DOGFIGHT (as it totally blew me away on all possible levels both times I saw it).

Musicals:
DESSA ROSE (Trafalgar Studios)
DOGFIGHT (Southwark Playhouse)
IF/THEN (Broadway)
IN THE HEIGHTS (Southwark Playhouse)
MEMPHIS (West End)
MISS SAIGON (West End)
PACIFIC OVERTURES (Union Theatre)
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME (Union Theatre)
THE LITTLE DANCER (Kennedy Center, Washington)
THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS (West End)

Leading performances by an actress in a musical:
CYNTHIA ERRIVO (Dessa Rose)
CASSIDY JANSON (Dessa Rose)
REBECCA LUKER (The Little Dancer)
LAURA JANE MATTHEWSON (Dogfight)
IDINA MENZEL (If/Then)
NIAMH PERRY (The Beautiful Game)
LAURA PITT-PULFORD (Marry Me A Little)
LAURA PITT-PULFORD (The Return Of The Soldier)
LAURA PITT-PULFORD (The Sound Of Music)
EMILY TIERNEY (Wicked)

Leading performances by an actor in a musical:
JON JON BRIONES (Miss Saigon)
ADAM CHANLER-BERAT (The Fortress Of Solitude)
BRANDON VICTOR DIXON (The Scottsboro Boys)
KILLIAN DONNELLY (Memphis)
BOYD GAINES (The Little Dancer)
ROB HOUCHEN (Les Miserables)
MICHAEL MATUS (The Return Of the Soldier)
SHAUN McCOURT (Joseph)
JAMIE MUSCATO (Dogfight)
OLI REYNOLDS (Pacific Overtures)

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 12/15/14 at 5:29am

Imelda Staunton - Gypsy.

That's all.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 12/16/14 at 10:18am

It's been a relatively quiet year for me and theatre going as I've been really busy with my new job, but I did get a New York trip which was excellent!

I'm still to see Here Lies Love and City of Angels next week but here are my top choces:

Top 5
Assassins (Wow!)
Kinky Boots
Bridges of Madison County
Miss Saigon
Memphis

Honorable mentions to Dogfight and In the Heights on the fringe, brilliant productions!

Other shows I saw: If/Then, Pippin, Scottsboro Boys, Made in Dagenham, I Can't Sing, Newsies, Cinderella, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Pajama Game, Great Britain, Urinetown, Aladdin.

Returned to Mormon, Bodyguard and From here to Eternity

The Worst:
Speed the Plow
Stephen Ward

[rjm516]

Posted: 12/16/14 at 10:48am

I totally agree about Dogfight. That and Assassins were the best shows I've seen in London so far.

[ggersten]

Posted: 12/16/14 at 12:32pm

During our 7 month sojourn, our favorite musicals which were sort of new in 2014 were Light Princess (started in 2013); Candide (did it start in 2013?); Miss Saigon and Sunny Afternoon. Also really liked Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Once, Matilda and Mormon.

Favorite Performances? - Angela Lansbury (Blithe Spirit); Jon Jon Briones (Miss Saigon); Lesley Manville (Ghosts); Rebecca Benson and Martin Quinn (Let the Right One In); Robert Lindsay (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels); Sophia Louise Dann (Forbidden Broadway); Rosalie Craig and the acrobats (Light Princess).

[JBakley]

Posted: 12/17/14 at 12:35am

Gavin Creel BOM

[JBakley]

Posted: 12/17/14 at 12:35am

Gavin Creel BOM

[DeNada]

Posted: 12/17/14 at 6:47pm

Bridges of Madison County for me. The show wasn't perfect by any means, but ohhhhhhhhh that score... and Kelli O'Hara and Steve Pasquale singing it.... oh it was ravishing.

Not a musical, but in my very limited theatre going this year my favourite performance was Helen McRory in Medea - just a stonking job.