The Greatest Child Stage Performance You Have Ever Seen- Page 3

[LTinOregon]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 8:46am

Please.....
I saw both David Alvarez and Kiril Kulish. Kiril is good, but you must see David Alvarez; he lives teh character. Kulish's Billy is empty of emotions. Alvarez's Billy will make you laugh, cry, and jump off your seat. Don't believe me? Ask the rest of cast, even better, ask Stephen Daldry!!!
Just with his emotions, he totally broke all the stereotypes.
I also saw the dress rehearsal of both of them. The reaction of the invitees to Alvarez's was much stronger than that to Kulish's. Alvarez got standing ovation in the middle of his dress rehearsal. Don't believe, just go and ask!!

[BETMNY]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 9:12am

I agree with LTinOregon. David Alvarez is a young actor to look at. Off stage, he is quiet, but when he is on stage, OMG, you can't take your eyes off him.....

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 9:29am

Madeline Martin, August: Osage County

Kelsey Fowler, Sunday in the Park with George

[jess20882]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:18pm

so far, kiril kulish in 'billy elliot' is my favorite child performance in recent memory. but i can't wait to catch david alvarez in the role - i hear he's fantastic!

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:23pm

You are right to get Stephanie Mills in here. She was what, 15? Did the entire run? Sounded amazing? Yeah, Stephanie Mills.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:32pm

Years ago, a brilliant play called ONE FLEA SPARE was at the Public starring Dianne Wiest. But she wasn't the lead. The lead was an incredibly heady, complex role played extremely well by a young actress named...Mischa Barton????

[nickatnight]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 1:44pm

several have mentioned performances from the long-ago past (i.e. patty duke, patty mccormick). i'd add to that (if they fell into the teen catagory) julie harris and certainly brandon de wilde in 'member of the wedding'...i think they both did the stage version first with ethel waters)...am i correct?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 3:32pm

Mischa Barton was also wonderful in 13 DREAMS at Lincoln Center when she was a young girl.

This is probably a question better asked at TalkinBroadway which has an older demograph - but I bet several people there would mention Cythina Nixon who was apparently wonderful in pieces like LYDIE BREEZE and THE PHILADELPHIA STORY when she was a teen.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:33pm

Actually, nick, Julie Harris was over 21 at the time, though she didn't look it and was of course amazing. Brandon de Wilde was from all accounts mesmerizing..........and like twelve.

[Mattt]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 4:44pm

Alexandra Socha as Wendla in Spring Awakening. I don't know what the cut-off age is but she was 17 when I saw her. Her performance was haunting.

[SingingCats]

Posted: 10/6/08 at 5:56pm

Allie Trimm from 13 has a great voice, but I pick David Alvarez as my all-time favorite.

[blanchedubious]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 12:21pm

DAVID ALVAREZ!!!!!! I highly recommend HIM. He was "awesome", as my acting coach said.... He was able to portray a specific personality type, in a naturalistic manner with only 14 years old...

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 5:24pm

Definetly Stephanie Mills in "The Wiz". Saw her 3 times in the show. And yes, she blew the roof off of both theatre's I saw the show in. Be A Lion live was just incredible, every time. And her deliverence of "Home" will never be touched. Ross should never have attempted to sing it!

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 5:53pm

I'm assuming you mean Diana Ross, not Ted Ross!

[broadwaygirl99]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 5:58pm

Henry Hodges is my favorite for many reasons. Talent and looks! =)

[theaterfan194]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 6:10pm

Harrison Chad and the other two boys in Caroline or Change. The children were wonderful in the show.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 6:23pm

Anna Kendricks (I think that's her name), from High Society. She went on a few years later to play Fritzie in Camp.

[Holbee]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 6:36pm

George MacGuire's Billy in "Billy Elliott" in the West End.

[Brandy_Breath]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 7:06pm

Angelina Kelly in Ace.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 10/7/08 at 8:43pm

I know people loved Mischa Barton in One Flea Spare and Twelve Dreams, but I remember thinking she wasn't nearly as good as people said.

Cynthia Nixon was just OK in Lydee Breeze. I love that play, but she wasn't quite right for it, though she was very proficient for her age (which was 15, so I don't know that I'd say she was a child actress at that time). I know I saw her before that in The Philadelphia Story, but I don't have much memory of her in that.

Danielle Ferland was 16 when Into the Woods opened.

I didn't see Daisy Eagan in The Secret Garden, I saw Lydia Ooghe, who was excellent. Some people preferred her to Eagan.

Bonnie Langford was terrifying (in a good way) as Baby June in the 1974 Gypsy and ditto for Christen Tassin in the 1989 production.

I know I've seen a few other really wonderful child performances, but I can't think of any right now, except for the kid who played Gavroche when I saw Les Mis pretty late in its run. I have no idea what his name was, but he was terrific.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:52am

Craig! You've seen Tisha Cambell in Really Rosie? How old was she?

And to those who saw Madeline Martin in JOE EGG, please elaborate on her performance, if you can recall.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 10:01am

LOL Yes, I mean Diana! But Ted would have probably done a better job of singing it in the movie then Diana!!!

[darkfacegood]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:14pm

BRIAN D'ADDARIO singing "She's In Love" was AMAZING! He was also great in Les Miz!

And HAHAHAHA I can't believe someone actually mentioned "all the little Asian kids that played Tam in Miss Saigon!" We had no lines! I never thought that people noticed it took a lot of talent to wipe away a sweaty kiss and still look cute while peeing on stage. Well, I guess we did good!

Updated On: 10/9/08 at 03:14 PM

[bwayfan4ever2]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:31pm

LOL Parents and friends are all over this thread.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/10/08 at 10:55am

"And HAHAHAHA I can't believe someone actually mentioned "all the little Asian kids that played Tam in Miss Saigon!" We had no lines! I never thought that people noticed it took a lot of talent to wipe away a sweaty kiss and still look cute while peeing on stage. Well, I guess we did good!"

Peeing? I don't remember seeing that in Miss Saigon when I saw the show (the sweaty kiss, yes. That was one of my favorite bits) and we sure as hell didn't do it when I did the show.