2018 Wrap-Up: Broadway.com Picks the Best Performances of the Year
(Illustration by Ryan Casey for Broadway.com)
Making a list of just five of our favorite performances of 2018 is a difficult burden to carry, especially because of all the incredible talent seen on the boards this year. But these unforgettable turns are engraved in our hearts and minds and deserve their own accolades.
5. Robin De Jesús in The Boys in the Band
In a talent-packed ensemble of bold-faced names, Robin De Jesús was a standout in The Boys in the Band. Effortlessly shifting between flamboyant humor and real vulnerability, De Jesús brought humanity to a role that could have been a nothing but a cliche in less able hands. Instead, De Jesús offered up specificity and poignance.
4. Christiani Pitts in King Kong
Acting alongside a 20-foot puppet is no simple task, but Christiani Pitts makes it look flawless in King Kong. She puts an independent spin on the classic role of Ann Darow. With her platinumn pipes and powerful stage presence, Pitts carries the show and brings heart to the action-packed musical.
3. Beth Leavel in The Prom
Beth Leavel's hilarious turn as a self-involved Tony winner in a career slump is comedy gold. The real-life Tony winner brings warmth to a role that defines diva. Did we mention the show-stopping belting?! We love everything about The Prom, but we're living for Leavel's latest star turn.
2. Laura Donnelly in The Ferryman
Laura Donnelly's performance in Jez Butterworth's The Ferryman is about as real as it can get, especially because the new work is based on her family's history. The actress leaves it all on the stage as a distraught single mother looking for answers. Her performance is simply breathtaking.
1. Andrew Garfield in Angels in America
Andrew Garfield's heart-stirring performance as Prior Walter in Angels in America earned him a well-deserved Tony Award. As a reluctant, latter-day prophet, Garfield mined the depths and climbed the heights of Tony Kushner's electrifying epic. After spending nearly eight hours experiencing his raw, stunning performance had us on our feet.
