Papermag's intrepid theater reviewers AndrewAndrew break down what was hot and what was lukewarm on Broadway this year.
Top 5 Musicals of 2011
The Book of Mormon
What can we say that hasn't already been said about this absolutely perfect production?
Anything Goes
This classic revival may have been almost too classic for some with its racist portrayal of buck-toothed Asian characters named "Ching" and "Ling," but history deserves examining and this show deserves celebrating.
Bonnie & Clyde
It's criminal that this show is already slated to be executed. This gory and historically accurate love story about the 99% taking what's rightfully theirs is topical, fun, and sexy as hell.
Sister Act
You may need some of those adult diapers Whoopi's been promoting. This confection of a show will have you laughing so hard, that, well...
Catch Me If You Can
An improbable piece of source material for adaptation, the incongruity of the film to stage transfer makes the show that much better when they nail it.
Honorable Mention:
Lucky Guy
This huge show staring one of the stage's smallest stars, Leslie Jordan, was the perfect blend of downtown intellect and uptown schmaltz, red state earnestness and blue state sarcasm It should have been on Broadway and shouldn't have been prematurely canceled.
TOP 5 Plays of 2011
Jerusalem
This play has everything; the first act's a comedy, the second a tragedy, and the third is a session in metaphysics. We had to keep re-shooting our initial review because we couldn't stop crying.
Bengal Tiger in The Baghdad Zoo
This show was robbed at the Tony's.
The Mountaintop
Just because it's the theatrical equivalent of a Hallmark card doesn't make the emotional impact of this magically realistic historical fiction about Martin Luther King Jr. any less potent. Long live the king.
Venus In Fur
Fur our money any show with Nina Arianda is a winner so a show with so much of her, wearing so little, is a big win
Motherfucker With the Hat
Hats off to these motherfuckers for building a believable world of emotional cruelty and redemption
Top 5 Worst Productions of 2011
Godspell
Not only was it terrible, it has a terrible agenda.
Wonderland
Just plain bad. We'd love it as a cult classic straight to DVD movie, but Broadway doesn't work that way.
War Horse
Over-hyped. Good writing is not praising a horse with "good boy" for three straight pages.
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
Kudos for an ambitious re-imagining, but next time be more imaginative -- we want more drag on Broadway, not shows that drag on.
Relatively Speaking
The Woody Allen, Joel Coen and Elaine May-penned piece is too little too late to save this mish-mash of confessional complaining.
