Best NY Stage Performances in 2016?

[NewYorkTheater]

Favorite New York Stage Performances in 2016



I picked 20. Ten of them, in alphabetical order:

Laura Benanti in She Loves Me

Nathan Lane in The Front Page

Jessica Lange in Long Day's Journey Into Night

Taylor Mac in A 24-Decade History of Popular Music

Audra McDonald in Shuffle Along

Joe Morton in Turn Me Loose

Deirdre O'Connell in The Way West

Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen

Maryann Plunkett in the Gabriels trilogy

Anna Deavere Smith in Notes From The Field

 

Your top pick(s)?

[Andy51]

Many great performances.  But the one that sticks with me the most is Hans Kesting as Richard III in Ivo Van Hove's Kings of War (at BAM).  

[JBroadway]

I haven't been in NY this fall/winter, but I was there for the rest of 2016, so here are my favorites from January-August (in no particular order)

Cynthia Erivo - The Color Purple

Heather Headley - The Color Purple

Audra McDonald - Shuffle Along

Laura Benanti - She Loves Me

Ben Platt - Dear Evan Hansen

Benjamin Walker - American Psycho

Jennifer Simmard - Disaster

Rachel Bay Jones - Dear Evan Hansen 

Amber Grey - Hadestown

Frank Langella - The Father

Rupert Everett - The Judas Kiss

Mark Rylance - Nice Fish

Lupita Nyong'o - Eclipsed

Michael Shannon - Long Day's Journey

John Glover - Troilus and Cressida

Saycon Sengbloh - Eclipsed

Megan Hilty - Noises Off

Saoirse Ronan - The Crucible

Sophie Okonedo - The Crucible

Taylor Richardson - Smokefall

 

[bwayphreak234]

Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen

Sutton Foster in Sweet Charity

Benjamin Walker in American Psycho

[ChiTheaterFan]

I assume based on some of the omissions this means performances beginning in 2016?  (Although I'm still surprised by some omissions.)

 

Carmen Cusack in Bright Star

Frank Langella in the Father

Lupita Nyong'o in Eclipsed

If previews count, Cate Blanchette in The Present  

Laura Benanti in She Loves Me 

Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen  (I saw it off Broadway only)

 

[BroadwayRox3588]

Ben Platt, Dear Evan Hansen

Carmen Cusack, Bright Star

Jessie Mueller, Waitress

Frank Langella, The Father

Sutton Foster, Sweet Charity

To name a few

[ebontoyan]

Benjamin Walker, American Psycho

Cast of Falsettos, especially Andrew Rannells, Stephanie Block

[Californian]

In addition to those already listed, I thought Josh Groban was terrific in The Great Comet.  And Javier Munoz and Brandon Victor Dixon from the second cast of Hamilton; Dixon gets bonus points for prompting a national conversation.

[quizking101]

In no particular order:

1) Cynthia Erivo- The Color Purple

2) Javier Munoz & Christopher Jackson - Hamilton

3) Jeff Daniels & Michelle Williams - Blackbird

4) Michael Shannon - Long Days Journey Into Night

5) Carmen Cusack - Bright Star

 

[BroadwayRox3588]

If this also includes shows that opened in 2015, then definitely Cynthia Erivo, too.

[LYLS3637]

I know some of these opened in 2015, but since I saw them in 2016 I'm including them--

Danny Burstein in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Ben Platt in DEAR EVAN HANSEN

Christian Borle in FALSETTOS

Cynthia Erivo in THE COLOR PURPLE

Kelli O'Hara in THE KING AND I

Stephanie J. Block in FALSETTOS... who am I kidding? The entire cast of FALSETTOS 

 

[Robbie2]

Cynthia Erivo-Color Purple

Audra McDonald-Shuffle Along

Jessica Lange-Long Day's Journey

AND 

Ben Platt-DEH

[JBroadway]

I'd be curious to hear more of people's non-Broadway favorites...not that anyone is obligated...

[Steve C.]

IMO, these are a few of the most incredible performances, that (surprisingly) have not been mentioned:

Annaleigh Ashford in SITPWG (a breathtaking tear inducing portrayal) 

Lucas Steele in Great Comet (unbelievably danced and tremendously sung)

Joel Perez Sweet Charity (he's in superb voice; it's actually 4 or 5 performances (roles), Joel and...

Emily Padgett Sweet Charity ...really shatter the "supporting actor mold. Emily dances and sings with such passion, totally confident in the role).

Phylicia Rashad in SITPWG

Jane Krakowski in She Loves Me (Jane can do no wrong; she's ready for a show with her name above the title, flips, splits, and in every dance move, you never hear all the movement come through in her tremendous voice) 

 

[Melissa25]

My top 3 are Carmen Cusack, Cynthia Erivo and Gillian Anderson.

[songanddanceman2]

Ben Walker in American Psycho. It's one of the worst snubs in Tony history.

[neonlightsxo]

Ben Platt- Dear Evan Hansen, Benjamin Walker- American Psycho, Michael Shannon- Long Day's Journey

Rachel Bay Jones- Dear Evan Hansen, Adrienne Warren- Shuffle Along, Jessie Mueller- Waitress

The ensemble cast of The Harvest at LCT3

[jbird5]

Hoon Lee - The King & I 

Jefferson Mays - Oslo 

[neonlightsxo]

Andy51, good one, I'd almost forgotten about Kings of War! Shout out to Eelco Smits as Henry VI.

[Kad]

Taylor Mac. Hands down.

[LarryD2]

Ben Platt and Rachel Bay Jones, Dear Evan Hansen

Laura Benanti, She Loves Me

Jennifer Ehle, Oslo

Sophie Okenedo, The Crucible

Michael Shannon, Long Day's Journey Into Night

Max Baker, Small Mouth Sounds

Amy Ryan, Love Love Love

Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, Oh Hello on Broadway

David Hyde Pierce, A Life

Heather Headley, The Color Purple

[newintown]

Morgan Hernandez (Maria in The Somewhere Project's West Side Story)

Frank Wood in Hughie (gets a mention because of the utter hideousness of his co-star)

Charles Busch, Jennifer Cody, Jennifer Van Dyck, Tony Sheldon in Cleopatra

Jayne Houdyshell, Reed Birney, Cassie Beck in The Humans

[neonlightsxo]

Can't believe I forgot about Heather Headley!

[KathyNYC2]

Do understudies count? Stephanie Torns at Waitress

Agree with many obvious names listed above but I would add Zachary Levi (She Love Me) to the mix.

[Ellen2]

I am so happy 'Kings of War' is mentioned twice....I saw it a year ago overhere in Amsterdam and I am still impressed.

I was in New York in april this year, saw a few shows but due to my jet lag I wasn't really there, so to speak. I was all ok on my last night though, so Christian Borle as Shakespeare was THE performance for me on that trip