2004 Wrap-Up: Top Five Shows
1. A RAISIN IN THE SUN
Lorraine Hansberry's deeply moving 1959 kitchen-sink drama was given a first-rate production by director Kenny Leon. Of course, it didn't hurt that the audience-grabbing casting of Sean P. Diddy Combs was balanced by a pair of textured performances by stage pros Phylicia Rashad and Audra McDonald. Both ladies were honored with Tony Awards for their heartfelt work… and crowds were treated to a different side of the rap mogul.
2. TWELVE ANGRY MEN
For audiences weaned on Law and Order and Court TV, this impeccably directed and performed stage version of the popular 1950s TV and film drama was manna from heaven. Inhabited by a cast of stage veterans such as Boyd Gaines and Philip Bosco, the production never falters in capturing and holding one's attention. Jury duty has never been so appealing.
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3. 700 SUNDAYS
Broadway got a bona fide blockbuster when Billy Crystal decided to open up his chest of memories for this sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hilarious solo show about dealing with loss, love and growing up. Audiences ate up Crystal's take on numerous characters from his childhood, including everyone from his basketball coach to a bevy of jazz musicians to his parents. Through it all, Crystal displays amazing control and comic timing. Though schmaltzy at times, this theatrical memoir stands apart from a season deluged with one-person shows.
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4. ASSASSINS
There's nothing like a show about presidential assassins to get people talking--especially in a hotly contested election year. Broadway.com critic Ken Mandelbaum called this production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's clear-eyed look at historical killers "a persuasive, crackling account of a challenging piece." The show won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
5. DOUBT
John Patrick Shanley's thought-provoking drama, set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, opened off-Broadway to virtually unanimous critical praise. The provocative plot involves a nun's questions about a priest's integrity. Able performers Cherry Jones and Brían F. O'Byrne both previous Tony winners turned in sharp performances that offered no easy answers. Look for this satisfying work to head to Broadway in the next year.