How lucky we were to finally receive the local premiere of this phenomenal Broadway blockbuster that managed to play all of its 16 performances in spite of the Omicron variant and a snowstorm. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s strikingly diverse, hip-hop depiction of the “ten-dollar Founding Father without a father” oozed finesse. In addition to Thomas Kail’s brilliant direction and Cincinnati native Andy Blankenbuehler’s impeccable choreography, Ta’Rea Campbell’s fabulous portrayal of Angelica Schuyler dazzled with sophisticated flair.
2. “Fiddler on the Roof” – Dayton Live
As the war in Ukraine rages on, this timeless story of a poor Jewish dairyman and his family forced out of their homeland pulsated with relevancy under the direction of Bartlett Sher. Wonderfully led with contemporary instincts by Danny Arnold as Tevye, this outstanding tour was movingly dedicated at its curtain call to the people of Ukraine. The luminous cast featured marvelously meek work by Daniel Kushner, the best Motel I have ever seen who delivered the best rendition of “Miracle of Miracles” I have ever heard.
Credit: SCOTT J. KIMMINS
Credit: SCOTT J. KIMMINS
3. “Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help” – Human Race Theatre Company
The look and feel of the 1970s fueled the warm nostalgia of Katie Forgette’s charming Norman Lear-esque comedy about an Irish-Catholic family trying to make ends meet while coping with a school scandal. Directed by Margarett Perry, this terrific local premiere included Dayton native Cecily Dowd’s appealing narrative presence as Linda, Mierkta Girten as Linda’s supportive, savvy aunt Theresa, and the humorously versatile Jason Podplesky in multiple roles including opinionated patriarch Mike and pesky busybody Betty Heckenbach.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
4. “Sister Act” – Wright State University
Wright State’s joyful, hilarious and touching production of composer Alan Menken’s musical comedy “Sister Act,” directed by Greg Hellems, was bolstered to the hilt by Alexis Ariana’s radiant portrayal of disco diva Deloris Van Cartier. The vocal caliber of this show was simply superb, particularly Ariana and the Nuns Ensemble’s exhilarating, spine-tingling rendition of “Raise Your Voice.” Amen!
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
5. “Amour” – Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre
It took 20 years for an organization in our region to attempt Oscar-winning composer Michel Legrand’s “Amour,” a beautiful, sung-through, Tony-nominated flop musical about a hopelessly romantic Parisian who magically discovers he can walk through walls. Director Ryan Heinrich’s impressive regional premiere, endearingly led by Sean Miller-Jones as the unassuming Dusoleil, was a vocally sublime testament to artistically confident community theater risk-taking.
Credit: MACKENSIE KING
Credit: MACKENSIE KING
6. “Something Rotten!” – TheatreLab Dayton
Composed by Karey Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick, this kooky salute to the Renaissance was a revelatory delight in the hands of TheatreLab Dayton. Director Angie Thacker’s wildly entertaining cast featured dynamic duo Zach King and Desmond Kingston as playwrights/brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom respectively. Cool, charismatic tenor Brent Hoggatt brought sexy back as Shakespeare, adored by everyone except Nick.
Credit: RICK FLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
Credit: RICK FLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
7. “The Lifespan of a Fact” – Dayton Theatre Guild
Journalistic integrity and creative essaying collide in Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell’s relevant comedy, staged at the Guild by Tim Rezash. Brandon Shockney’s passionately meticulous portrayal of Jim Fingal, a Harvard educated fact-checker hired by a prominent magazine to work on an essay by a famous author, fueled a remarkable battle of unrelenting determination opposite Jennifer Lockwood (editor Emily Penrose) and Jared Mola (writer John D’Agata). The splendid Shockney rivaled Daniel Radcliffe’s portrayal of Jim in the original Broadway production.
Credit: HUMAN RACE THEATRE
Credit: HUMAN RACE THEATRE
8. “My 80-Year-Old Boyfriend” – Human Race Theatre Company
The Human Race Theatre is still a prime developmental outlet for new musicals with enormous potential. Effervescent triple threat Charissa Bertels’ funny and poignant account of her unique friendship with an eightysomething millionaire, directed by Sean Daniels and tunefully musicalized by Christian Duhamel and Ed Bell, was a refreshing, off-Broadway-worthy gem.
Credit: RICK FLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
Credit: RICK FLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY
9. “Broadway Bound” – Dayton Theatre Guild
Neil Simon’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-nominated dramedy was a perfectly intimate fit for the Guild. Director Marjorie Strader’s excellently cohesive cast (featuring Guild newcomers Dustin Schwab and Michael Ferrarelli as brothers trying to break into show business) skillfully navigated the humor and heartbreak of a close-knit family in crisis.
Credit: JUSTIN WALTON
Credit: JUSTIN WALTON
10. “Phantom” – La Comedia Dinner Theatre
Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit’s adaptation of “The Phantom of the Opera” has been a La Comedia favorite for decades. Under the direction of Chris Beiser, the musical returned for its fifth iteration, gorgeously heightened by the soaring vocals and emotional resonance of Matthew Wade (Erik/Phantom) and Lily Autumn Page (Christine).
Contenders: “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” – INNOVAtheatre; “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” – Springboro Community Theatre; “The Addams Family” – Muse Machine; “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” – La Comedia Dinner Theatre; “Company” – TheatreLab Dayton; “Dear Evan Hansen” – Dayton Live; “Hello, Dolly!” – Dayton Playhouse; “Jekyll & Hyde” – INNOVAtheatre; “Jesus Christ Superstar” – Dayton Live; “La Cage aux Folles” – TheatreLab Dayton; “Legally Blonde” – Dayton Live; “The Light in the Piazza” – Miami University; “Mean Girls” – Dayton Live; “The Mousetrap” – Wright State University; “Newsies” – Alter High School; “Oklahoma!” – Springboro High School; “The Old Man and the Old Moon” – Dayton Theatre Guild; “Something Rotten!” – Beavercreek Community Theatre; “Sweat” – Wright State University; “Sweet Charity” – Wright State University
Top 10 shows of 2022 outside the Dayton region
1. “Fiddler on the Roof” – Lyric Opera of Chicago
2. “Into the Woods” – Broadway
3. “MJ” – Broadway
4. “Take Me Out” – Broadway
5. “Funny Girl” (Lea Michele) – Broadway
6. “Parade” – New York City Center
7. “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf” – Broadway
8. “Kimberly Akimbo” – Broadway
9. “The Piano Lesson” – Broadway
10. “Confederates” – Signature Theatre, Off-Broadway
Contenders: “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations” – Aronoff Center, Cincinnati; “American Buffalo” – Broadway; “Carousel” – Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre, Cincinnati; “Death of a Salesman” – Broadway; “Hangmen” – Broadway; “How I Learned to Drive” – Broadway; “The Life” – New York City Center; “The Music Man” – Broadway; “The Notebook” – Chicago Shakespeare Company; “School Girls: Or, The African Mean Girls Play” – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; “Some Like it Hot” – Broadway; “Spring Awakening” – Short North Stage, Columbus; “Sunday in the Park with George” – University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music; “Topdog/Underdog” – Broadway
FYI: “A Strange Loop” was among my 2021 favorites as seen in its pre-Broadway engagement at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C.
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