2014 ended much the way it began for many Americans – watching Idina Menzel give a cringe-worthy performance of “Let It Go” to a large crowd.* My 2014 ended in a dark theatre – a movie theatre, actually. As I waited for Breakfast at Tiffany’s to start, I recounted my rather whirlwind year of theatrical viewings. Strictly by the numbers, I saw 61 different productions in New York City this past year, downloaded 7 hours and 38 minutes of iTunes music from new musicals, visited the Imperial Theatre 4 times to see Les Miserables, and saw 1 young girl confidently proclaim, upon exiting Curious Incident, that she wanted to be good at math when she grows up.**
*Seriously, can we talk about Menzel for a second? The acclaimed stage songstress has now butchered three national performances – her 2004 Tony Awards performance of “Defying Gravity,” her 2014 Oscars performance of “Let It Go,” and her 2014 NYE performance of “Let It Go.” Menzel supporters have been quick to defend the actress (“she had an asthma attack,” “Travolta just destroyed her name,” “it was cold”), but I suspect there is more going on. Perhaps Menzel suffers from stage fright when faced with a national audience. Or, just maybe, years of belting out high notes have taken an irreparable toll on her vocal chords. Discuss.
**You go girl.
Vote for your favorites in the comments section below, via Twitter or Facebook.
Nominees in the Toronto and Boston divisions as well as the My TV and My Cinema Awards will also be announced today. Winners in early April.
And, as always, all nominees are invited to contact us to sign up to be a part of our annual Nominee Interview Series. Email theresa.p@myentertainmentworld.ca for more information.
After careful consideration, here are the productions and actors in New York being considered for a 2014 My Theatre Award…
Best Musical
The Last Ship
Beautiful: The Carol King Musical
Fun Home
Best Revival of a Musical
Les Miserables
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Violet
On the Town
Best Play
All the Way
A Raisin in the Sun
The Cripple of Inishmaan
Hand to God
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Best Actor in a Musical
Ramin Karimloo in Les Miserables
Will Swenson in Les Miserables
Michael Esper in The Last Ship
Neil Patrick Harris in Hedwig & the Angry Inch
Michael Cerveris in Fun Home
Best Actor in a Play
Bryan Cranston in All the Way
Nathan Lane in It’s Only a Play
Daniel Radcliffe in The Cripple of Inishmaan
Stephen Boyer in Hand to God
Alex Sharp in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Best Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster in Violet
Kelli O’Hara in Bridges of Madison County
Rachel Tucker in The Last Ship
Jessie Mueller in Beautiful
Sydney Lucas in Fun Home
Best Actress in a Play
Celia-Keenan Bolger in The Oldest Boy
Audra McDonald in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Estelle Parsons in Velocity of Autumn
Romola Garai in Indian Ink
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
James Monroe Iglehart in Aladdin
Jimmy Nail in The Last Ship
Danny Burstein in Cabaret
Joshua Henry in Violet
Fred Applegate in The Last Ship
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Alessandro Nivolo in The Elephant Man
Micah Stock in It’s Only a Play
Noah Robbins in Punk Rock
Reed Birney in Casa Valentina
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Linda Emond in Cabaret
Lena Hall in Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Anika Larsen in Beautiful
Sally Ann Triplett in The Last Ship
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Sophie Okonedo in A Raisin in the Sun
Sarah Greene in The Cripple of Inishmaan
Mare Winningham in Casa Valentina
Anika Noni Rose in A Raisin in the Sun