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ANDY PROPST'S TOP 10 OF 2009
 | Joel Edgerton and Cate Blanchett
in A Streetcar Named Desire
(© Lisa Tomasetti) |
A Streetcar Named Desire
Cate Blanchett's electrifying turn as Blanche Dubois will forever dispel the sense that this iconic role is merely a fluttery creature on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Under the masterful guidance of director Liv Ullman, Blanchett demonstrated Blanche's strength and stamina, only making her downfall all the more crushing.
Braakland
Seen as part of the New Island Festival, Lotte Van den Berg's site-specific piece unfolded on a remote part of Governors Island. Watched from a distance, this brutal exploration of man's inhumanity to man featured a host of committed and strikingly detailed performances, which made the action chillingly immediate.
The Emperor Jones
Director Ciarán O'Reilly unflinchingly embraced the expressionistic and period elements of Eugene O'Neill's often reimagined and rejiggered play. What emerged was a gripping look at a man - played with thunderous and frightening power by John Douglas Thompson - examining the legacy of his past.
The Firebrand of Florence
Kurt Weill's diverse melodies and Ira Gershwin's choice lyrics for this 1945 musical sprang to life vividly in this concert version, which revealed a long-neglected musical theater gem. The sterling performances from the likes of Victoria Clark, Nathan Gunn, Terence Mann. and David Pittu added to the evening's success.
Hamlet
David Esbjornson's production, starring Christian Camargo in the title role, made Shakespeare's tragedy seem newly-minted from its whirlwind opening moments through its bloody conclusion. Camargo's beautifully spoken turn as melancholy Dane proved not only intelligent, but also deeply and honestly felt, whether in passion, madness, or grief.
Knives and Other Sharp Objects
An impressively ambitious new play from Raul Castillo, Knives examined not only a young woman's coming of age, but cultural clashes and America's economic woes and their effect on a family. With direction by Felix Solix, the piece was brought to life by a top-notch ensemble.
 | Saidah Arrika Ekulona and
Quincy Tyler Bernstine in Ruined
(© Joan Marcus) |
My Wonderful Day
Alan Ayckbourn's gentle comedy about an 8-year-old girl witnessing the bad behavior of the adults around her was enormously affecting and simultaneously hysterical. The production, guided by the playwright, also featured one of the stand-out performances of the year: 28-year-old Ayesha Antoine's breathtakingly convincing turn as the child.
The Norman Conquests
Witnessing Alan Ayckbourn's farcical trilogy unfold over the course of one day is the sort of theater experience audiences will never forget. Matthew Warchus' revival of these plays captured not only the play's side-splittingly funny moments, but also its intensely human - and often quite sad - ones.
Our Town
Director David Cromer's coup de théâtre in this revival of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play is indeed a stunner. But the piece also featured a host of immaculately conceived performances that brought this slice of life from the turn of the last century heartbreakingly to life.
Ruined
Lynn Nottage used field research in Africa and a beautiful grasp of storytelling to create this Pulitzer Prize winner that, in Kate Whoriskey's economically graceful production, was filled with exemplary turns, not only from powerhouse star Saidah Arrika Ekulona, but also Quincy Tyler Berstine and Russell Gebert Jones.
Next Page: DAVID FINKLE'S TOP 10 OF 2009
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