Completely agree with Maybe Happy Ending at #1. It's honestly now my favorite musical of all time. I feel so lucky I've gotten to see it three times now.
I haven't been able to see many shows but I really enjoy your channel and appreciate being introduced to so many fantastic shows and performers. Keep up the great work! Have a wonderful new year!
Thank you for sharing! I think our tastes closely align and when they don’t, I admire how you give specific reasons as to why something didn’t work for you. That’s great reviewing (is that a correct use of the word?). Anyway, keep up the wonderful work and see you around NYC next time you’re here!
Such a delight! Thank you for this and all your amazing content this year ++ Full yes to a review of Lempicka: so looking forward to your thoughts on this one. Happy New Year
YAAASSSS I'm ready with my giant mug of tea to watch this! After this Sunday I'll have seen 54 shows (including ones I'd seen before of course), so I'm excited to see how we agree/disagree LOL
Totally agree on Maybe Happy Ending! I’m from Mexico and currently visiting NYC to see a lot of shows. I saw MHE on Christmas Eve and it was fantastic!
Im very excited to watch this- and Im so excited because im going to be seeing a couple shows in January and this is getting me hyped. Maybe Happy Ending and Six in January - yea!!!
Given your sweatshirt I thought you watched Merrily We Roll Along this year! I agree with you on enjoying Heart of Rock and Roll more than I thought I would. I really wished it lasted longer. Loved Maybe Happy Ending and Oh Mary! Thx for your content this year!
33:06 Adam lambert made the show unforgettable for me. I hope I can see him again in cabaret before he ends his run in March but I’m not sure I’ll be able to snag affordable tickets
Ok, this (and all the comments agreeing with you) cinches it for me - just bought tix for Maybe Happy Ending for my first Broadway trip in March. Squeee I'm excited :)
5:49 as someone who grew up with american parents who ADORED Tammy Faye Bakker, Tammy Faye was a must see for me, an agnostic gay who’s childhood is completely define by this sect of christianity. And Katie truly gave a great performance, however there was absolutely no semblance of Tammy Faye in her performance. It clearly read as “british actress who has absolutely no cultural context for this person”
I heard the show was dated and the direction was average, but that the performances were excellent from the cast. Audra gives a masterclass of acting but doesn't have the range for "Rose's Turn" because she's not a consistent belter. What do think? i didn't see the show myself, I live in France. What are your thoughts?
I was holding my breath for SUFFS to be number one but to be topped by Maybe Happy Ending, made me happy too! I have not heard anything but wonderful things and seems like my kind of show, so I am not sad that SUFFS wasn't there!! I hope I am able to see it someday! I can see how other shows you saw after SUFFS, like Sunset Blvd and Stereophonic (though a play so I don't count that as a musical beating SUFFS 😁) could push SUFFS back a bit. I think if I wasn't such a Jenn Colella and Shania Taub fan ( I saw SUFFS at the Public and twice on Broadway and one more time Jan 5th, their last show 😪) I would put Maybe Happy Ending as my number one too! Because of your reviews and comments about Hadestown, I will see that too when I see SUFFS in January. It didn't perk my interest in the beginning but the more I see and read about it, I think I will like it. LOVE this video! 🤩😍🥰
Maybe Happy Ending is revolutionary. It's somehow a combination of insane spectacle with a reserved and moving score. Will never get over the first time seeing the conductor with the firefly scene. Highly recommend no one look at spoilers before seeing.
My Ranking 1. Maybe Happy Ending 2. The Outsiders 3. Sunset Boulevard 4. Moulin Rouge! The Musical 5. The Book of Mormon 6. Hell's Kitchen 7. Swept Away 8. Death Becomes Her
Love this! I only have the means to get to NYC every once in a while, but I did go in March 2024 for a few days to see Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd with Aaron & Sutton, and the off-Broadway Little Shop of Horrors with Darren Criss. Loved all three. Though I do prefer a baritone Sweeney, I still thought Aaron acted the hell out of it and I’ll never pass up the chance to see/hear him sing anything! But Merrily was easily the best of the three, by far. (Love the sweatshirt!) Most of my theater experiences were therefore regional theater here in Chicago. I saw the pre-Broadway Death Becomes Her, which I liked a lot but didn’t love. But I’m still thinking about the regional productions I saw of Great Comet, The Mad Ones, and A Little Night Music. Those are the highlights of the year for me! (I’m desperate to see Maybe Happy Ending, maybe next year! 🤞)
Always enjoy your analysis and love of theatre. Thank you for your recommendations for shows and gluten free restaurants. For me:1. Sunset Blvd (Amazing Nicole. Also not a fan of cameras but really thought they worked well here). 2. Ragtime (NYC Center). 3.Hadestown ( big Solea fan!). 4. Sweeney Todd (agree about Sutton, but preferred Aaron to Josh). 5. Merrily We Roll Along. 6. The Wiz. 7.Death Becomes Her. 8. The Great Gatsby. 9. Water For Elephants. 10. The Notebook. 11.Here We Are. 12. Stereophonic. Sorry, just did not care for Stereophonic. Way too long.The never ending slow pacing sucked the life out of it. Not enough of the music/music making. Thanks again. Have a great 2025!
I'm so glad I was lucky enough to win lottery for Maybe Happy Ending and Romeo + Juliet in December because both were so incredible to see and have such good reviews that I thought I'd have no chance. I hope to see them both again plus many others that are out right now!
Loved this list (didn’t mind the length :)) didn’t see Prayer for the French Republic but very close to you on your top 10. Which cast did you see Hadestown with?
My own ranking 10. The mousetrap (community theater). 9. Oleanna (college production. It’s good. Just not a favorite). 8. A chorus line (community theater. Revisit what I said about nine). 7. The prom (community theater) 6. Anastasia (community theater). 5. Spring awakening (community theater. This was so close to being a five Star production, but then they made one really bad and distracting artistic choice). 4. Boeing Boeing (community theater). 3. Six (national tour) 2. Cabaret (community theater) 1. Beetlejuice (national tour). 1 and 2 are interchangeable.
I think my most wild disagreement would be with Sunset Blvd. While I thought the signing and orchestration were great, I found the lighting and use of cameras nauseating at times (which I get sometimes in action movies, but have never gotten in a theater before). I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who at the beginning with the costuming and was sitting near a couple who were not familiar with the story and didn’t know what was going on because they didn’t know the basic storyline and were having a hard time following the story, so during intermission I tried to help them understand what was going on. I would probably rank it in the middle, not in my top 5 (I would give it to Maybe Happy Ending, Suffs, Illinoise, Merrily, and Appropriate… with Stereophonic and Hills of California bring a close 6 and 7).
Illinoise was honestly in the bottom tier for me. It was more of a dance revue than a musical. The Notebook should have been nominated over it I think the musical version Tommy is its weakest form (but no way do i think it's the worst musical of the year). The movie from 1975 is superior honestly and makes it so camp. Agree with your top 2
I enjoyed your list of top Broadway shows for 2024 and largely agree with your choices. However, I'm surprised Gypsy didn't receive more acclaim. The outstanding performances alone make it a worthwhile watch. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on this.
Thanks for making this video. Not sure how I feel with you saying "Americans doing Chekov!" I have seen a couple of amazing American productions here in LA. And I have seen some really boring ones on National Theatre at Home.
Swept Away being so low on your list broke my heart!!! You and I are usually so aligned in our tastes. Otherwise, I loved your ranking and look forward to what you see in 2025
My year's Broadway from best to least favorie: 1. The Outsiders 2. Illinoise 3. How to Dance in Ohio 4. Romeo and Juliet 5. Gypsy 6. Oh Mary! 7. Sweeney Todd (replacement cast) 8. Guttenberg the Musical 9. Our Town 10. Spamalot 11. Mother Play 12. Ben Platt at The Palace 13. Stereophonic 14. Hell’s Kitchen 15. Days of Wine and Roses
I know you're limiting your choices to Broadway, but I'll just comment that my favorite show of 2024 was Cats: The Jellicle Ball at PAC. Incredibly inventive & wildly entertaining. I'm away for the holidays, so I'm not able to look thru my Playbills to remind myself what my fav. Bway shows are. But Cats: the Jellicle Ball def. stands out in my memory this year.
I think hell's kitchen ranks much higher for the black audience that identifies with it more. MJ was similarly underrated but continues to do great numbers.
Thank you so much for your ranking! I’ve seen too many shows this year to rank them all, but here are my top 5: 5. Sweeny Todd 4. Enemy of the People 3. Ragtime (City Center) 2. Suffs 1. Shucked (was at the final Broadway performance on January 14th)
I almost gave up reading comments. Was hoping SOMEONE felt the same as me. I only saw 11 but LOVED Tommy! I almost didn't go bc I usually agree with Mickey :) so glad I got to see TOMMY before it closed. And so glad the Tony's had them perform.
Gatsby at the ART was the best thing i’ve seen in awhile….i hope it has a life on broadway or the west end. Queen of Versailles was awesome (especially the first act) but it has problems and needs work. Kristen chenowith though is a force of nature
Had the opposite take on MATTRESS…thought it was a solid Encores! entry (and I wish they hadn’t made as many changes as they did), but loved it on Broadway (with the same reservations about all the changes).
Thanks. Was surprised by a few. Hoping Nicole wins the Tony. She was incredible. Will be seeing Maybe Happy Ending in a few weeks. Also based on your review, the Belasco looks like a beautiful theatre. Looking forward to it.
I agree with much of your ranking! I will say, despite its obvious flaws, no show affected me more on an emotional level than Lempicka. Especially as it relates to queerness and womanhood. It deserved better than it received on Broadway.
Ranking the 7 I just saw on my recent trip: 1. Sunset Boulevard (overall best - would be interested if anyone has seen a Tuesday performance, as Nicole has a big impact); 2. Maybe Happy Ending (self-contained, enjoyable; bit too fast pacing - seemingly very hyped right now); 3. Stereophonic (great concept and music but the arguing gets a bit tiring); 4. Suffs (great themes; good execution); 5. Outsiders (impressive staging and enjoyable songs but for a younger audience); 6. Gypsy (high quality performances but dated); 7. Notebook (fairly one-dimensional).
I heard the show was dated and the direction was average, but that the performances were excellent from the cast. Audra gives a masterclass of acting but doesn't have the range for "Rose's Turn" because she ks not a consistent belter. What do think, i didn't see the show myself, I live in France. What are your thoughts?
@@MickeyJoTheatre I think it's a fair question. I was a theater reviewer for almost five years and definitely burnt out. But one advantage you have over me is the ability to travel. Seeing high caliber West End and Broadway and regional shows probably keeps you on your toes, as well as going to occasional other venues, *and* getting to express yourself in multiple media formats. I was only reviewing shows in my Canadian city so saw the same performers over and over, plus I only reviewed in written press (no social media or video). Glad you are still enjoying this wonderful art form. 🎉
My 2024 Broadway ranking: 1. Stereophonic 2. Hills of California 3. Sunset Boulevard 4. Maybe Happy Ending 5. Cabaret 6. An Enemy of the People 7. Once Upon a Mattress 8. Suffs 9. Oh, Mary! 10. Yellow Face 11. The Outsiders 12. The Notebook 13. Water for Elephants 14. Our Town 15. Tammy Faye
Yeah I have to agree, just like Patti Lupone said "I love this production" "Nicole and Tom are stunning", "Nicole is unbelivable", "she broke my heart", "she is a force".
If i said it’s the worst theatrical production I have ever seen - which it absolutely is, tied with Bonnie & Clyde in London - would you be able to tolerate me?
Wow I assumed you must have hated Appropriate because you havent even mentioned it in passing in any of your videos since. Saw this many times and the supporting cast really deserve more of a shoutout tbh
Lempicka is too low on that list. Worst show I saw this year. Every time someone mentions it I get flashbacks to the scene in the lesbian bar where fascists slo-mo attack the women and next scene we have Raphaela threatening to break up with Lempicka if she doesn’t come out as bisexual and as an adulteress to the whole world. Girl, did you not see the fascists?! Could we not have found a more reasonable conflict for those two to have?! Who wrote this garbage, placed those two themes adjacent to one another and said “yup, makes sense!” 3/10, the performances really were good and the set the design was often great.
I will eternally disagree with your rankings of The Outsiders & Water for Elephants; I think they are both masterpieces of musical theatre and damn near perfect musicals; The construction of W4E, and the legendary music of The Outsiders, not to mention the exceptional staging of both shows, put them in my top 3 shows ever seen, let alone this year. And they - and every other production of professional theatre I've ever seen - blow that headache-inducing boring-to-the-point-of-tears revival of SUNSET BLVD out of the water, as that revival lost all the aesthetic splendour that could possibly endear me to the show. I do not think, however, that Water for Elephants shows are as good as that mythically huge achievement that is Stereophonic. It immediately became my favourite show ever made upon seeing it in July and I feel privileged to have seen what is likely the best American play I will ever have the chance to go watch; I can't decide where to begin on it's strengths as every detail of the entire play is, to quote the & Juliet nurse, fucking perfect!!! The fact that you put Maybe Happy Ending above David Adjmi's masterpiece only interests me in that show more, especially in the aftermath of the mad lengths of critical praise it got; I've heard some snippets from that show, as well as the ending, and OOF. It's on a WHOOOOLE different ballgame with all other Broadway musicals. At the moment, only Dead Outlaw can take the Tony for Best Musical away from MHE, and considering what I have heard musically from the show, I can see why. If MHE wins the top prize come June, that would 1,000,000% be an all-timer Tony win.
What a lineup! Wish I got to see Maybe Happy Ending but I can't wait for the cast recording. Hope you and Aeron have a lovely Christmas and New Year!
I ❤ your Maybe Happy Ending hat! I agree with you - I saw this show a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed it! So glad I saw it!
So glad you enjoyed! And I love the hat too! 😅
OMG HEY and happy holidays. Here’s to an amazing 2025 together as a community!
Completely agree with Maybe Happy Ending at #1. It's honestly now my favorite musical of all time. I feel so lucky I've gotten to see it three times now.
I haven't been able to see many shows but I really enjoy your channel and appreciate being introduced to so many fantastic shows and performers. Keep up the great work! Have a wonderful new year!
OMG Holidays! All the best to you, Aeron and your stagey community ❤💚❤️
Thank you for sharing! I think our tastes closely align and when they don’t, I admire how you give specific reasons as to why something didn’t work for you. That’s great reviewing (is that a correct use of the word?). Anyway, keep up the wonderful work and see you around NYC next time you’re here!
Such a delight! Thank you for this and all your amazing content this year ++
Full yes to a review of Lempicka: so looking forward to your thoughts on this one.
Happy New Year
YAAASSSS I'm ready with my giant mug of tea to watch this! After this Sunday I'll have seen 54 shows (including ones I'd seen before of course), so I'm excited to see how we agree/disagree LOL
Your "Old Friend" pullover getting covered to just "old" was cracking me up
Enjoyed the ranking!
@@origami_wasp I forget this happens every time 😅
Totally agree on Maybe Happy Ending! I’m from Mexico and currently visiting NYC to see a lot of shows. I saw MHE on Christmas Eve and it was fantastic!
After your review I’ve already seen Maybe Happy Ending 3x and I plan to go again! It’s like the perfect therapy for my soul and mentality !
Im very excited to watch this- and Im so excited because im going to be seeing a couple shows in January and this is getting me hyped. Maybe Happy Ending and Six in January - yea!!!
Given your sweatshirt I thought you watched Merrily We Roll Along this year! I agree with you on enjoying Heart of Rock and Roll more than I thought I would. I really wished it lasted longer. Loved Maybe Happy Ending and Oh Mary! Thx for your content this year!
33:06 Adam lambert made the show unforgettable for me. I hope I can see him again in cabaret before he ends his run in March but I’m not sure I’ll be able to snag affordable tickets
OMG HEY! Happy Christmas Mickey, hope you're having a lovely one and HNY 2025
Ok, this (and all the comments agreeing with you) cinches it for me - just bought tix for Maybe Happy Ending for my first Broadway trip in March. Squeee I'm excited :)
What a great overview, thank you.
5:49 as someone who grew up with american parents who ADORED Tammy Faye Bakker, Tammy Faye was a must see for me, an agnostic gay who’s childhood is completely define by this sect of christianity. And Katie truly gave a great performance, however there was absolutely no semblance of Tammy Faye in her performance. It clearly read as “british actress who has absolutely no cultural context for this person”
Loved your Broadway review! Audra in Gypsy is my favourite! ❤
I heard the show was dated and the direction was average, but that the performances were excellent from the cast.
Audra gives a masterclass of acting but doesn't have the range for "Rose's Turn" because she's not a consistent belter.
What do think? i didn't see the show myself, I live in France. What are your thoughts?
@ Rose’s Turn is heartbreaking! I love Audra anyway!
I was holding my breath for SUFFS to be number one but to be topped by Maybe Happy Ending, made me happy too! I have not heard anything but wonderful things and seems like my kind of show, so I am not sad that SUFFS wasn't there!! I hope I am able to see it someday! I can see how other shows you saw after SUFFS, like Sunset Blvd and Stereophonic (though a play so I don't count that as a musical beating SUFFS 😁) could push SUFFS back a bit. I think if I wasn't such a Jenn Colella and Shania Taub fan ( I saw SUFFS at the Public and twice on Broadway and one more time Jan 5th, their last show 😪) I would put Maybe Happy Ending as my number one too! Because of your reviews and comments about Hadestown, I will see that too when I see SUFFS in January. It didn't perk my interest in the beginning but the more I see and read about it, I think I will like it. LOVE this video! 🤩😍🥰
Maybe Happy Ending is also my top pick of the year. Best show I've seen in years actually. It's perfection.
ALMOST, because?
@@cokedudebestmate7099 edited because I meant ALSO 😉
@@NFTProductionsAahhh I see. I really gotta see it soon, right? I don’t know a person who hates it!
Maybe Happy Ending is revolutionary. It's somehow a combination of insane spectacle with a reserved and moving score.
Will never get over the first time seeing the conductor with the firefly scene. Highly recommend no one look at spoilers before seeing.
My Ranking
1. Maybe Happy Ending
2. The Outsiders
3. Sunset Boulevard
4. Moulin Rouge! The Musical
5. The Book of Mormon
6. Hell's Kitchen
7. Swept Away
8. Death Becomes Her
Love this! I only have the means to get to NYC every once in a while, but I did go in March 2024 for a few days to see Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd with Aaron & Sutton, and the off-Broadway Little Shop of Horrors with Darren Criss. Loved all three. Though I do prefer a baritone Sweeney, I still thought Aaron acted the hell out of it and I’ll never pass up the chance to see/hear him sing anything! But Merrily was easily the best of the three, by far. (Love the sweatshirt!)
Most of my theater experiences were therefore regional theater here in Chicago. I saw the pre-Broadway Death Becomes Her, which I liked a lot but didn’t love. But I’m still thinking about the regional productions I saw of Great Comet, The Mad Ones, and A Little Night Music. Those are the highlights of the year for me! (I’m desperate to see Maybe Happy Ending, maybe next year! 🤞)
Absolutely would love to see Maybe Happy Ending! Saw Darren Criss in Hedwig in 2015, the Belasco was a great theatre!
Always enjoy your analysis and love of theatre. Thank you for your recommendations for shows and gluten free restaurants. For me:1. Sunset Blvd (Amazing Nicole. Also not a fan of cameras but really thought they worked well here). 2. Ragtime (NYC Center). 3.Hadestown ( big Solea fan!). 4. Sweeney Todd (agree about Sutton, but preferred Aaron to Josh). 5. Merrily We Roll Along. 6. The Wiz. 7.Death Becomes Her. 8. The Great Gatsby. 9. Water For Elephants. 10. The Notebook. 11.Here We Are. 12. Stereophonic. Sorry, just did not care for Stereophonic. Way too long.The never ending slow pacing sucked the life out of it. Not enough of the music/music making. Thanks again. Have a great 2025!
I'm so glad I was lucky enough to win lottery for Maybe Happy Ending and Romeo + Juliet in December because both were so incredible to see and have such good reviews that I thought I'd have no chance. I hope to see them both again plus many others that are out right now!
Loved this list (didn’t mind the length :)) didn’t see Prayer for the French Republic but very close to you on your top 10. Which cast did you see Hadestown with?
I disagree in so, so many spots, which proves Maybe Happy Ending really is a show for everyone. It's just the best!
My own ranking
10. The mousetrap (community theater).
9. Oleanna (college production. It’s good. Just not a favorite).
8. A chorus line (community theater. Revisit what I said about nine).
7. The prom (community theater)
6. Anastasia (community theater).
5. Spring awakening (community theater. This was so close to being a five Star production, but then they made one really bad and distracting artistic choice).
4. Boeing Boeing (community theater).
3. Six (national tour)
2. Cabaret (community theater)
1. Beetlejuice (national tour).
1 and 2 are interchangeable.
I think my most wild disagreement would be with Sunset Blvd. While I thought the signing and orchestration were great, I found the lighting and use of cameras nauseating at times (which I get sometimes in action movies, but have never gotten in a theater before). I also found it difficult to keep track of who was who at the beginning with the costuming and was sitting near a couple who were not familiar with the story and didn’t know what was going on because they didn’t know the basic storyline and were having a hard time following the story, so during intermission I tried to help them understand what was going on. I would probably rank it in the middle, not in my top 5 (I would give it to Maybe Happy Ending, Suffs, Illinoise, Merrily, and Appropriate… with Stereophonic and Hills of California bring a close 6 and 7).
Illinoise was honestly in the bottom tier for me. It was more of a dance revue than a musical. The Notebook should have been nominated over it
I think the musical version Tommy is its weakest form (but no way do i think it's the worst musical of the year). The movie from 1975 is superior honestly and makes it so camp.
Agree with your top 2
I’d also love to hear your Off Broadway rankings. :)
I enjoyed your list of top Broadway shows for 2024 and largely agree with your choices. However, I'm surprised Gypsy didn't receive more acclaim. The outstanding performances alone make it a worthwhile watch. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on this.
It wasn't on my list, because I haven't seen it yet.
Thanks for making this video. Not sure how I feel with you saying "Americans doing Chekov!" I have seen a couple of amazing American productions here in LA. And I have seen some really boring ones on National Theatre at Home.
Swept Away being so low on your list broke my heart!!! You and I are usually so aligned in our tastes. Otherwise, I loved your ranking and look forward to what you see in 2025
My year's Broadway from best to least favorie:
1. The Outsiders
2. Illinoise
3. How to Dance in Ohio
4. Romeo and Juliet
5. Gypsy
6. Oh Mary!
7. Sweeney Todd (replacement cast)
8. Guttenberg the Musical
9. Our Town
10. Spamalot
11. Mother Play
12. Ben Platt at The Palace
13. Stereophonic
14. Hell’s Kitchen
15. Days of Wine and Roses
your least favorite broadway show was my favorite broadway show lmao
Did you see the cast they announced for Schmigadoon at the Kennedy Center? Emily Skinner, Javier Munoz, and Kevin del Aguila, etc.
Yes! Devastated I won't be able to catch it!
I know you're limiting your choices to Broadway, but I'll just comment that my favorite show of 2024 was Cats: The Jellicle Ball at PAC. Incredibly inventive & wildly entertaining. I'm away for the holidays, so I'm not able to look thru my Playbills to remind myself what my fav. Bway shows are. But Cats: the Jellicle Ball def. stands out in my memory this year.
I think hell's kitchen ranks much higher for the black audience that identifies with it more. MJ was similarly underrated but continues to do great numbers.
Thank you so much for your ranking! I’ve seen too many shows this year to rank them all, but here are my top 5:
5. Sweeny Todd
4. Enemy of the People
3. Ragtime (City Center)
2. Suffs
1. Shucked (was at the final Broadway performance on January 14th)
omg see death becomes her again trust me it was fabulousssssss omggggggggggggg the effects and the sexienesss
I saw 30 Broadway shows this year. I’m shocked to see Tommy at the bottom of your list. It’s near the top of mine. Worse than Tammy Faye??
I thought so! I found very little value in it, I'm sorry to say!
I almost gave up reading comments. Was hoping SOMEONE felt the same as me. I only saw 11 but LOVED Tommy! I almost didn't go bc I usually agree with Mickey :) so glad I got to see TOMMY before it closed. And so glad the Tony's had them perform.
Gatsby at the ART was the best thing i’ve seen in awhile….i hope it has a life on broadway or the west end. Queen of Versailles was awesome (especially the first act) but it has problems and needs work. Kristen chenowith though is a force of nature
Had the opposite take on MATTRESS…thought it was a solid Encores! entry (and I wish they hadn’t made as many changes as they did), but loved it on Broadway (with the same reservations about all the changes).
Ranking 37 shows must be very hard !
Thanks. Was surprised by a few. Hoping Nicole wins the Tony. She was incredible.
Will be seeing Maybe Happy Ending in a few weeks. Also based on your review, the Belasco looks like a beautiful theatre. Looking forward to it.
@@yankee04 I agree GO Nicole, this is her year. Truely hope she will win
@@aurelienelizabeth4709 Fingers crossed. She was way more compelling than Audra which I realize could be heresy.
I agree with much of your ranking! I will say, despite its obvious flaws, no show affected me more on an emotional level than Lempicka. Especially as it relates to queerness and womanhood. It deserved better than it received on Broadway.
Ranking the 7 I just saw on my recent trip:
1. Sunset Boulevard (overall best - would be interested if anyone has seen a Tuesday performance, as Nicole has a big impact);
2. Maybe Happy Ending (self-contained, enjoyable; bit too fast pacing - seemingly very hyped right now);
3. Stereophonic (great concept and music but the arguing gets a bit tiring);
4. Suffs (great themes; good execution);
5. Outsiders (impressive staging and enjoyable songs but for a younger audience);
6. Gypsy (high quality performances but dated);
7. Notebook (fairly one-dimensional).
I love your channel and your thoughtful and perceptive reviews. However, this video stopped 14 times for ads. I don’t think I’ll be back.
I have no control over that, sadly
Mickey Jo is going to die on that Eddie Redmayne hill!
Have you seen Audra McDonald in Gypsy? I thought that would be your #1 😅
I heard the show was dated and the direction was average, but that the performances were excellent from the cast.
Audra gives a masterclass of acting but doesn't have the range for "Rose's Turn" because she ks not a consistent belter.
What do think, i didn't see the show myself, I live in France. What are your thoughts?
Mickey Jo was in NYC before Gypsy opened. He can't rank what he hasn't seen. I'm sure he will, on his next visit.
How can you separate fun from quality?
It starts with a forensic analysis of your own sense of humour and taste!
MHE at #1 is correct!!!
Very interesting show but honestly do you ever get sick of seeing do much theater?
Not really! I'm constantly, surprised, entertained and moved by this artform which I love! Nobody ever asks this about television 🤷♂️
@@MickeyJoTheatre I think it's a fair question. I was a theater reviewer for almost five years and definitely burnt out. But one advantage you have over me is the ability to travel. Seeing high caliber West End and Broadway and regional shows probably keeps you on your toes, as well as going to occasional other venues, *and* getting to express yourself in multiple media formats. I was only reviewing shows in my Canadian city so saw the same performers over and over, plus I only reviewed in written press (no social media or video). Glad you are still enjoying this wonderful art form. 🎉
My 2024 Broadway ranking:
1. Stereophonic
2. Hills of California
3. Sunset Boulevard
4. Maybe Happy Ending
5. Cabaret
6. An Enemy of the People
7. Once Upon a Mattress
8. Suffs
9. Oh, Mary!
10. Yellow Face
11. The Outsiders
12. The Notebook
13. Water for Elephants
14. Our Town
15. Tammy Faye
Tammy Faye was my worst for sure.
Which was your favourite??
MHE, same as you. I loved it.
I'm just here to LOVE and support Nicole Scherzinger in SUNSET BLVD. The show is BREATHTAKING and Nicole is PHENOMENAL. The best show I saw this year
Yeah I have to agree, just like Patti Lupone said "I love this production" "Nicole and Tom are stunning", "Nicole is unbelivable", "she broke my heart", "she is a force".
If i said it’s the worst theatrical production I have ever seen - which it absolutely is, tied with Bonnie & Clyde in London - would you be able to tolerate me?
Wow I assumed you must have hated Appropriate because you havent even mentioned it in passing in any of your videos since. Saw this many times and the supporting cast really deserve more of a shoutout tbh
You're right, supporting cast were great! Natalie Gold was my fave
Lempicka is too low on that list. Worst show I saw this year. Every time someone mentions it I get flashbacks to the scene in the lesbian bar where fascists slo-mo attack the women and next scene we have Raphaela threatening to break up with Lempicka if she doesn’t come out as bisexual and as an adulteress to the whole world. Girl, did you not see the fascists?! Could we not have found a more reasonable conflict for those two to have?! Who wrote this garbage, placed those two themes adjacent to one another and said “yup, makes sense!” 3/10, the performances really were good and the set the design was often great.
As usual, 95% of your “takes” show your lack of actual theater knowledge and (IMO) terrible taste. Also, maybe look at the camera once in a while.
@@leftoflinus so we can make eye contact while I articulate my terrible taste and lack of actual knowledge? 😅
I will eternally disagree with your rankings of The Outsiders & Water for Elephants; I think they are both masterpieces of musical theatre and damn near perfect musicals; The construction of W4E, and the legendary music of The Outsiders, not to mention the exceptional staging of both shows, put them in my top 3 shows ever seen, let alone this year. And they - and every other production of professional theatre I've ever seen - blow that headache-inducing boring-to-the-point-of-tears revival of SUNSET BLVD out of the water, as that revival lost all the aesthetic splendour that could possibly endear me to the show.
I do not think, however, that Water for Elephants shows are as good as that mythically huge achievement that is Stereophonic. It immediately became my favourite show ever made upon seeing it in July and I feel privileged to have seen what is likely the best American play I will ever have the chance to go watch; I can't decide where to begin on it's strengths as every detail of the entire play is, to quote the & Juliet nurse, fucking perfect!!!
The fact that you put Maybe Happy Ending above David Adjmi's masterpiece only interests me in that show more, especially in the aftermath of the mad lengths of critical praise it got; I've heard some snippets from that show, as well as the ending, and OOF. It's on a WHOOOOLE different ballgame with all other Broadway musicals. At the moment, only Dead Outlaw can take the Tony for Best Musical away from MHE, and considering what I have heard musically from the show, I can see why. If MHE wins the top prize come June, that would 1,000,000% be an all-timer Tony win.
Very interesting to read your thoughts on these shows! Gotta love how subjective theatre can be!