BWW Reviews: The Best of O.C./L.A. Theater for 2010

BroadwayWorld correspondent Michael Lawrence Quintos highlights his picks for the best in Orange County/Los Angeles-area theater for 2010.

Between the Southern California arrivals of Lincoln Center Theatre's impressive SOUTH PACIFIC revival and the Tony-winning NEXT TO NORMAL tour starring Alice Ripley, to the incredibly entertaining offerings from regional and smaller theaters in the area, 2010 was a banner year in musicals and plays.

Los Angeles and Orange County both enjoyed a slew of recent direct-from-Broadway hits that finally made their way to the area, and many more will be gracing their stages as the rest of the 2010-2011 Season rolls along. Stand-alone productions from regional and smaller "black-box" theaters also provided some wonderful new visions of revered properties, and even some debuted some fresh productions straight from their buzzworthy New York debuts. And hovering somewhere in between, a high-tech, high-flying classic British play reignited the child in all of us.

There were plenty of surprises which made my list this year, including a memorable theater-star-making turn by a pop diva (and Dancing with the Stars champ) and the Southern California concert tour stop of a Broadway superstar that, in 2010, made a splash on the small screen's hit musical series Glee.

I tried my best to narrow down my choices...a difficult task considering there was so much terrific theater in the area this year (it's certainly a good problem to have) and there were also many individuals who stood out significantly with amazing performances that deserve to be recognized.

Thank you to all of you for entertaining us this past year.

(You can read the full reviews of many of the shows listed below here).

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BEST NATIONAL TOUR PRODUCTION

Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

This incredible Lincoln Center Theatre revival directed thoughtfully by Bartlett Sher—winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical revival—is the embodiment of what great musical theater can accomplish: a wonderful, brilliantly-designed stage amalgam that combines a deeply rich story, a still soaringly beautiful score, inventively fresh creative staging, and a spot-on cast. This show, in my opinion, is unequivocally the absolute best revival of a classic musical in decades.

BEST REGIONAL THEATRE PRODUCTION

1776, The Musical
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach

MTW's truly impressive revival turns out to be one engaging, eye-opening history lesson. An unexpected surprise, the show, that tells the story of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, is a riveting, edge-of-your-seat drama with plenty of heart and soul and a generous amount of genuinely comical moments. It's unquestionably brilliant, intensely affecting, and deeply moving—from its rousing beginning to its glorious end.

BEST PLAY

In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa

Hands down one of the funniest new plays I've seen this past year, IN THE NEXT ROOM is a giddy, poignant, and often witty modern comedy that was a finalist for this year's Pulitzer Prize. Fresh off its recent Tony Award-nominated production at the Lincoln Center Theatre, this new production of Sarah Ruhl's charming play is an intellectually satisfying comedy that's surprisingly classy and sophisticated, yet wholly sweet and approachable. It's also a heartfelt drama about (inadvertent) sexual stimulation, expressive freedom, and the clarity that such startling pleasures can cause among the mannered, yet wonderfully quirky denizens of this affluent spa town, circa 1880's.

BEST INTIMATE THEATER PRODUCTION

Bent
Theatre Out, Santa Ana

Martin Sherman's BENT is a provocative, thought-provoking piece of theater. Using their small theater space effectively, Theatre Out's production is emotionally searing and effectively performed. With each tragic turn, there are moments of genuine wit, only to be followed by soul-baring heartbreak and an ending that is so overwhelming, it sticks with you long after you've left the theater.

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT

Peter Pan, Presented by threeSixty
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa [Continues on Page 2]

A charming, hit spectacular direct from London—which will soon start performances in Atlanta under its giant tent—threesixty° Theater's PETER PAN uses advanced projection technologies, clever staging and design, gravity-defying flying sequences, and an engaging ensemble cast to produce a spry new take on the classic JM Barrie tale. Here, the wonders of technology not only serve the story well, it also elevates it—and quite literally. It is a thoroughly delightful, childishly giddy, and fully-immersive theatrical experience.

BEST BROADWAY CABARET ACT

(Tie)
KELLI O'HARA
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

FAITH PRINCE
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Two of Broadway's most sought-after musical theater actresses made spectacular appearances as part of OCPAC's Cabaret Series this year, each bringing their unique, unmistakable talents to the more intimate, candlelit setting of the Samueli Theater. Three-time Tony nominee O'Hara possesses a voice so pure that notes of any kind sound beautiful and effortless. Tony winner Prince, on the other hand, is that rare performer that can make you ache with laughter with a flick of an eyebrow or a scream of a line, then instantly make you sigh with melancholy with a heart-tugging ballad. Both cabaret sets were excellent showcases for their amazing talents.

BEST BROADWAY CONCERT ACT

IDINA MENZEL
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Curiously, Menzel's symphony orchestra-backed concert tour stop in Orange County has been billed as part of OCPAC's Cabaret Series. But for her, though, her "intimate" cabaret-tinged concert has been appropriately scaled up to match her huge voice and indisputable star power: lush, full-bodied symphony orchestrations, coupled with her incredible marquee-worthy talent. If anything, Menzel's powerhouse concert is much more akin to a pop-rock concert, judging from the plethora of loud, adoring declarations of love from its appreciative, fan-filled audience. Three standing ovations, then, should not be a surprise to anyone.

OUTSTANDING FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE

Carmen Cusack - SOUTH PACIFIC (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

As Ensign Nellie Forbush, Cusack is simply beguiling. She has no problem effortlessly switching from an entranced woman in love, to a naïve ingenue, to a steadfast modern woman who knows what she wants. Her singing voice is just so achingly beautiful and amazing both in softer moments and in bravura belting.

OUTSTANDING MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE

David Pittsinger - SOUTH PACIFIC (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles (Partial)
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Pittsinger's moving baritone voice and his equally adept prowess in subtle comedy and devastating pathos make him an admirable, riveting Emile du Becque. Just try to resist weeping during his heartbreaking solo on "This Nearly Was Mine" (I, personally, sobbed uncontrollably).

OUTSTANDING FEMALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE

Nicole Scherzinger - RENT
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

In Neil Patrick Harris' staged concert version of RENT for The Hollywood Bowl, everyone was surprised by Scherzinger... perhaps, the show's most eye-opening, awe-inducing performer of all. What a revelation! The surprisingly wonderful Dancing With The Stars champion and Pussycat Dolls frontwoman effectively stole the show from her more theatrically-experienced peers.

As Maureen, this pop star is sexy, funny, slinky, manipulative, captivating and just plain amazing. There is no doubt that Scherzinger has gained a new fan-base within the musical theater-loving community with this performance. Wow.

OUTSTANDING MALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE

Anderson Davis - SOUTH PACIFIC (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

As the dashing Lt. Joe Cable, Davis is a swoon-worthy presence right from the start, handsomely equipped with a mesmerizing persona and an excellent, confident singing voice that will have many wishing they traded places with his lover Liat.

BEST ACTORS ENSEMBLE (TOUR)

West Side Story
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

BEST ACTORS ENSEMBLE (REGIONAL THEATER)

1776, The Musical
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach

BEST ACTORS ENSEMBLE (INTIMATE/BLACK BOX THEATER)

(Tie)
The Who's Tommy
Chance Theater, Anaheim Hills

Zanna, Don't!
Theatre Out, Santa Ana

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HONORABLE MENTIONS / MORE 2010 GREAT PERFORMANCES

Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach

[title of show]
Celebration Theater, Los Angeles (West Coast Premiere)

Misalliance
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa

Stuffed and Unstrung (Tour)
The Barclay Theatre, Irvine

Megan Mullally & Supreme Music Program (Club Act)
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

The Cast of Ordinary Days, A New Musical:
Deborah S. Craig, David Burnham, Nancy Anderson, Nick Gabriel
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa

Michelle Aravena - West Side Story (Tour)
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

Brian Avers - Becky Shaw
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa

Mark Bartlett - The Who's Tommy
Chance Theater, Anaheim Hills

Wayne Brady - Rent
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

Kathleen Early - In The Next Room
South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa

Kecia Lewis-Evans - Leap of Faith
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles

Fantasia - The Color Purple (Tour)
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

Ben Green - Bent
Theatre Out, Santa Ana

Chester Gregory - Dreamgirls (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Arielle Jacobs - In The Heights (Tour)
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood
Orange County Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa

Telly Leung - Rent
Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

Bets Malone - The Marvelous Wonderettes, Annie
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach

Lin-Manuel Miranda - In The Heights (Tour)
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

Alice Ripley - Next to Normal (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles

Joseph J. Simeone - West Side Story (Tour)
Pantages Theatre, Hollywood

Asa Somers - Next to Normal (Tour)
Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles

Robert J. Townsend - 1776, The Musical
Musical Theatre West, Long Beach

Ruth Williamson - Hello Dolly!
3D Theatricals, Santa Ana

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Photo credits (from top to bottom): David Pittsinger & Carmen Cusack from SOUTH PACIFIC by Craig Schwartz. Nicole Scherzinger from RENT - LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL by Phil McCarten/Mathew Imaging. Kelli O'Hara by Jimmy Ryan. Faith Prince courtesy of OCPAC. Steve Vinovich, John Bisom, & Steven Glaudini from 1776, THE MUSICAL by Ken Jacques. Kathleen Early & Rebecca Mozo from IN THE NEXT ROOM by Henry DiRocco/SCR. Jonathan Hyde & Nate Fallows from PETER PAN by Kevin Berne. Ben Green from BENT by Darcy Hogan. Mark Bartlett from THE WHO'S TOMMY by Doug Catiller/Chance Theater. The "Jets" from WEST SIDE STORY by Joan Marcus. Idina Menzel by Stewart Shining. Chester Gregory from DREAMGIRLS by Joan Marcus. Deborah S. Craig & Nick Gabriel from ORDINARY DAYS by Henry DiRocco/SCR. Arielle Jacobs (with Rogelio Douglas Jr) from IN THE HEIGHTS by Joan Marcus. Wyatt Fenner, Melanie Lora, Dakin Matthews & Amelia White from MISSALLIANCE by Henry DiRocco/SCR. Anderson Davis and Sumie Maeda from SOUTH PACIFIC by Peter Coombs. Asa Somers & Alice Ripley from NEXT TO NORMAL by Craig Shwartz.

 

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