When Bernadette Peters won her third Tony for FOLLIES.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
It would be either Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens, Patti Lupone in Gypsy, or Alice Ripley in next to normal.
If you held a gun to my head, I'd pick Ebersole because of how complete and total her transformation was. There was not an ounce of her own personality in that role. It was remarkable how committed she was.
TotallyEffed said: "qolbinau said: "When Bernadette Peters won her third Tony for FOLLIES."
That was actually for her charity work, but both were dogs.
"
Lol. I was kidding.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
mc1227 said: "Up to last night, I would have said Jennifer Holliday but now it is Glenn Close for Sunset Blvd."
Assuming you're referring to the current revival, I don't think it actually qualifies because Ms. Close won the Tony for the original production back in the 90s. The revival - inexplicably, to me - received no mention at all in this year's Tonys.
==> this board is a nest of vipers <==
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene" - Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
willep said: "The first two that come to mind for me are Mark Rylance in Jerusalem and James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors."
Good choices, though oddly I would have given Rylance the Tony for the same season's La Bete. I liked the play so much more. Corden? Perfection. Sheer perfection.
I wish I could have been around to see all those decades of incredible performances before the beginning of this decade, but alas, that's around when I started seeing theatre regularly. So my picks are:
James Corden - One Man, Two Guvnors
Audra McDonald - Porgy and Bess
Michael Cerveris - Fun Home
Cynthia Erivo - The Color Purple
Helen Mirren - The Audience
I've also seen Rylance's performances in Jerusalem and Twelfth Night on film, and I thought both were outstanding.