Thumbs Up! Cheers to the Quirky Supporting Cast of Once

In this new feature, Broadway.com staffers send personal shout-outs to applause-worthy stars, shows and more.

Cristin Milioti and Steve Kazee are receiving richly deserved praise for their acting, musicianship and chemistry in Once, but there’s more to this charming new Broadway musical than Girl and Guy’s star-crossed romance. Surrounding the two leads are 10 adult cast members who create a lasting impression from a series of small moments, while accompanying the action on multiple musical instruments. As Milioti’s Czech mother, Anne L. Nathan delivers a priceless parable on the negative effect of fear. As Kazee’s Irish dad, David Patrick Kelly conveys fatherly love with touching simplicity. Lucas Papaelias, Paul Whitty, Andy Taylor and Will Connolly provide comic relief; Elizabeth A. Davis and Erikka Walsh prove that it’s possible to dance and play violin at the same time. By the end, the company, including David Abeles and J. Michael Zygo, feels like a collection of fascinating characters we'd like to know better.