OK, I only saw three
musicals in May when I was in NYC. But one stood out as a unique and breathtaking production for these reasons:
- Imaginative adaptation of a tiny section War and Peace conceived of by Dave Malloy
- Entertaining, touching, and quirky script written by Dave Malloy
- Lilting music that gets the adrenaline flowing and makes you want to get up and move (or cry) by Dave Malloy
- Delightful and anachronistic lyrics by Dave Malloy
- Quirky and haunting orchestrations by Dave Malloy
plus
- Phenomenal and sometimes breathtaking lighting designed by Bradley King
- Innovative staging involving the audience by director Rachel Chavkin.
As an audience member, I (and all the rest of the 1400 ticket holders) saw it from the inside
out— the immersive experience put performers all around me in the mezzanine—and
with wonderfully costumed precision, they played their instruments, danced, and
sang. Sometimes they interacted with the audience, but never in a squirmy kind
of way—a way that was fresh but not embarrassing.
The 2017 Best Musical TONY went to dear
evan hansen. Don’t get
me wrong; I loved dear
evan hansen, and if
anyone else had won the top award for best actor in a musical, I never would
have watched the TONYs again, ever! Ben Platt was phenomenal in the role of
Evan Hansen, and the work itself is exquisite. But in this woman’s opinion, natasha,
pierre, and the great comet of 1812 represented the best of the best in
2017.