Sunday, December 31, 2023

Stageworthy - Best of Stage 2023

If you don't count the shows I saw at amusement parks (and the ones at Canada's Wonderland, Cirque Ambient in the summer, and Tinker's Toy Factory and Four Drummer's Drumming at Winterfest, we're actually VERY good!), then I saw 41 stage shows plus 9 concerts. Seeing things 52 times total (once you count repeats). Granted a few shows we're just repeats from previous years (A Streetcar Named Desire starring Patsy Ferran and Paul Mescal, Groundhog Day starring Andy Karl, etc) so I still have not see as many new shows as I did in pre-pandemic years. 

Still, while I saw less shows than normal, I think I got more discerning choosing which shows to attend, so felt like overall everything I saw this year was very good, with very few shows that disappointed. 


Any shows (same production version) I had seen in previous years are ineligible for this year's list.
For previous years Best of Stage Lists:



Here's the Best of Stage 2023:

1. The Master Plan - Crow's Theatre in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON
Written by Michael Healey, Directed by Chris Abraham

               


2. Prodigal - The Howland Company in association with Crow's Theatre in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON
Written and Directed by Paolo Santalucia 



3. The Land Acknowledgment, or As You Like It (Play) - Crow's Theatre at CAA Theatre - Toronto, ON
Created and Written by Cliff Cardinal, Co-conspirator Chris Abraham



4. the hooves belonged to the deer - Tarragon Theatre Mainstage - Toronto, ON
Written by Makram Ayache, Directed by Peter Hinton-Davis



5. King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild - Soulpepper Theatre Company in the Baillie Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON
By Ahmed Moneka, Jesse Lavercombe, and Seth Bockley, Directed by Seth Bockley



6. I Love the Smell of Gasoline - Nightwood Theatre at Aki Studio - Toronto, ON
Created by Claren Grosz, Co-Directed by William Dao and Claren Grosz




Solid Revivals:

Cabaret - Lido 2 Paris - Paris, FR

Pygmalion - Old Vic Theatre - London, UK



Breakthrough Performances (in alphabetical order):

Andrew Chown in Bad Roads
Trevor Coll in Rock of Ages
Jonathan Cullen in Rock of Ages
Katherine Gauthier in Bad Roads
Mei Mac in untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play
Andrea Macasaet in Rent
Jade McLeod in Jagged Little Pill
Dan Mousseau in Prodigal
J Antonio Rodriguez in Hadestown
Nabil Traboulsi in Martyr



Great Performances (in alphabetical order):

The cast of A Strange Loop: Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea, Danny Bailey, Kyle Birch, Eddie Elliott, Sharlene Hector, Tendai Humphrey Sitima, Yeukayi Ushe  

The cast of the hooves belonged to the deer: Makram Ayache, Noor Hamdi, Ryan Hollyman, Adrian Shepherd-Gawinski, Eric Wigston, Bahareh Yaraghi 

The cast of The Master Plan: Christopher Allen, Ben Carlson, Philppa Domville, Peter Fernandes, Tara Nicodemo, Yanna McIntosh, Mike Shara

The cast of Prodigal: Michael Ayres, Veronica Hortiguela, Cameron Laurie, Dan Mousseau, Nancy Palk, Rick Roberts, Hallie Seline, Meghan Swaby, Shauna Thompson, Jeff Yung

The cast of Things I Know To Be True: Alanna Bale, Michael Derworiz, Christine, Horne, Daniel Maslany, Tom McCamus, Seana McKenna

The cast of Vierge: Yvonne Addai, JD Leslie, Kudakwashe Rutendo, Shauna Thompson

Bertie Carvel in Pygmalion 
Steffi Didomenicantonio in Rock of Ages
Patsy Ferran in Pygmalion
Jesse Lavercombe in King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild
Ahmed Moneka in King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild
Erica Peck in Rent
Ron Pederson in Chaos Menu: Disorder Up! 
Julie Reiber in Jagged Little Pill
Lee Siegel in Rent
Tom Weston-Jones in untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play
Eleanor Worthington-Cox in The Secret Life of Bees



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Here is every Stage Show I saw in 2020 in alphabetical order. All reviews are based on a 5 stars system (Workshop, Labs, Readings, Concerts and Cabarets are not graded):


Ain't Too Proud (Musical) - CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre - Toronto, ON - **1/2

An Evening with Audra McDonald (Concert) - Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall - Toronto, ON

A Strange Loop (Musical) - National Theatre at Barbican Theatre - London, UK - ****

A Streetcar Named Desire (Play Revival) - Almeida Theatre - London, UK - ****

A Wrinkle in Time (Play) - Stratford Theatre Festival in the Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON - **1/2

Bad Roads (Play) - Crow's Theatre in the Studio Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON - ****

Boy George & Culture Club: The Letting It Go Show (Concert) - Budweiser Stage - Toronto, ON
Opening Acts Howard Jones, Berlin

Cabaret (Musical Revival) - Lido 2 Paris - Paris, FR - ****1/2

Chaos Menu: Disorder Up! (Comedy) - The Second City Toronto Mainstage - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Charlie Puth: The 'Charlie' Live Experience (Concert) - Budweiser Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON

Chris, Mrs. (Musical) - Winter Garden Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Dancing in the Street: The Music of Motown (Concert) - Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall - Toronto, ON

The Darkest Dark (Play) - Young People's Theatre Mainstage - Toronto, ON - ***

Dean Brody & Friends Present The Brodeo (Concert) - Budweiser Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON
Opening Acts Tyler Joe Miller, Nate Smith, Griffen Palmer, Meghan Patrick

Deon Cole: My New Normal Tour (Comedy) - OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino - Niagara Falls, ON

Dierks Bentley: Gravel and Gold Tour (Concert) - Budweiser Amphitheatre - Toronto, ON
Opening Act Jordan Davis

English (Play) - Soulpepper Theatre Company in the Baillie Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Girls & Boys (Play) - Here For Now Theatre at Crow's Theatre in the Studio Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON - ****

Groundhog Day (Musical) - Old Vic Theatre - London, UK - ****1/2

The Guide to Being Fabulous (Musical) - Soulpepper Theatre Company in the Michael Young Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Hadestown (Musical) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Hamilton (Musical) - Peggy National Tour at Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

the hooves belonged to the deer (Play) - Tarragon Theatre Mainstage - Toronto, ON - ****

I Love the Smell of Gasoline (Play) - Nightwood Theatre at Aki Studio - Toronto, ON - ****

In Dreams (Musical) x2 - CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Jagged Little Pill (Musical) - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

Jonas Brothers: The Tour (Concert) - Rogers Centre - Toronto, ON 
Opening Act Lawrence

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Musical Revival) x2 - Princess of Wales Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

King Gilgamesh & The Man of the Wild (Play) - Soulpepper Theatre Company in the Baillie Theatre at the Young Centre - Toronto, ON - ****

The Land Acknowledgment, or As You Like It (Play) - Crow's Theatre at CAA Theatre - Toronto, ON - ****1/2

Les Belles-Soeurs (Play Revival) - Stratford Theatre Festival in the Festival Theatre - Stratford, ON - **

Maggie (Musical) - Theatre Aquarius - Hamilton, ON - ***1/2

Martyr (Play) - ARC at Native Earth Performing Arts in Aki Studio - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

The Master Plan (Play) - Crow's Theatre in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON - ****1/2

Mozart & Rachmaninoff (Concert) - Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Roy Thompson Hall - Toronto, ON

Pressure (Play) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Prodigal (Play) - The Howland Company in association with Crow's Theatre in the Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest - Toronto, ON - ****1/2

Pygmalion (Play Revival) - Old Vic Theatre - London, UK - ****

Rent (Musical Revival) - Stratford Theatre Festival in the Festival Theatre - Stratford, ON - ***1/2

Return to Grace (Musical) - OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino - Niagara Falls, ON - **1/2

Rock of Ages (Musical Revival) - Elgin Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

The Secret Life of Bees (Musical) - Almeida Theatre - London, ON - ****

Six (Musical) - Royal Alexandra Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Skyline's The Limit (Comedy) - The Second City Toronto Mainstage - Toronto, ON - ***

Spamalot (Musical Revival) - Stratford Theatre Festival in the Avon Theatre - Stratford, ON - ***

Things I Know To Be True (Play) - CAA Panasonic Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***

untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play (Play) - Young Vic Theatre - London, UK - ***1/2

Vierge (Play) - Factory Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

Women at Play(s) 5 (Short Plays) - Red Sandcastle Theatre - Toronto, ON 
The Caved That Hummed a Song
Eminent Domain
Falling Upwards
Missing You
Women of the Highlands
Woodcocks


Yerma (Play Revival) - Coal Mine Theatre - Toronto, ON - ***1/2

__________________________________________________________________
Previous Best-of Lists:

Best of 2020 List:

Best of 2020 List:
Best of Stage 2020

Best of 2019 List:
Best of Stage 2019

Best of 2018 List:
Best of Stage 2018

Best of 2017 List:
Best of Stage 2017

Best of 2016 List:
Best of Stage 2016

Best of 2015 List:
Best of Stage 2015

Best of 2014 List:
Best of Stage 2014

Best of 2013 List:
Best of Stage 2013

Best of 2012 Lists:
Best of Music 2012
Best of Stage 2012

Best of 2011 Lists:
Best of Music 2011
Best of Television 2011
Best of Stage 2011


Best of 2010 Lists:
Best of Music 2010
Best of Television 2010
Best of Stage 2010
Best of Movies 2010


Best of 2009 Lists:
Best of Music 2009
Best of Television 2009
Best of Stage 2009
Best of Movies 2009


Decadeworthy - The Best of 2000-2009 Lists:
SYTYCDworthy (w/ Videos) - List Format
Theatre of the Decade
Best Films of the Decade
Favorite Films of the Decade
Television of the Decade
Television of the Decade - 1 Season Wonders


Best of 2008 Lists:
Best of Music 2008
Best of Television 2008
Best of Stage 2008
Best of Movies 2008
Best of Television Fall '07 - Winter '08 List


Best of 2007 Lists:
Best of Music 2007
Best of Television 2007
Best of Movies 2007
Best of Stage 2007
Best of 2007 (The Final Wrap Up)
Best of Television Fall '06 - Winter '07 List


Best of 2006 Lists:
Best of Music 2006
Best of Television 2006
Best of Movies 2006
Best of 2006
Best of Television Fall '05 - Winter '06 List


Best of 2005 Lists:
Best of Television 2005
Best of Movies 2005



Photo of the hooves belonged to the deer by Cylla Von Tiedemann
All other photos by Dahlia Katz



Vance at http://tapeworthy.blogspot.com




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