2022 Year in Review

It’s that time of the year where we reflect on all that has happened in the past year and all we have to look forward to. This has been the first full year I have been running a blog and been able to attend shows, and its definitely been a full year for me. This year I saw 20 professional productions at theaters across the country, and before the year rounds out, I wanted to take one last moment to reflect on some of my favorite performances I’ve seen this year.

Keep in mind, this is my personal best of 2022—it is in no way representative of the industry as a whole, and spans regional, touring, and Broadway productions in four different states. It’s one last Hoorah! for all the amazing work I’ve seen this year.

These are listed in no particular order, so without further ado:

Top 5 Musicals

Moulin Rouge! (Broadway — Al Hirschfeld Theatre)

I actually saw Moulin Rouge twice this year, once with the Broadway reopening cast and once with the replacement cast this summer, and I really enjoyed the show both times. It really is a spectacular, and what I really love about Moulin Rouge! is how from the moment you step into the theater, you step into their world. This is some masterful set design and artistry to make you feel like you’re in the Moulin Rouge in Monmartre. I really loved seeing both casts and the different takes each performer had on their role. This was one of my most enjoyable performances this year. I just think this show is so fun!

Sing Street (Boston — Huntington Theatre)

I have been waiting to see Sing Street since 2020, and in a way it felt like fate when Sing Street announced a Boston run starting the week I was in Boston. I really enjoyed this musical, but I especially loved how they played with the visual and sound design of the show. This was a really fun show and I think the music is always so fun. It toys with fun and heartfelt and is a really great narrative that they have workshopped really well for the stage.

Kimberly Akimbo (Broadway — Booth Theatre)

This was a surprise favorite for me this year. I grabbed a ticket for Kimberly Akimbo to see what the hype was about while I was in the city to see Almost Famous, and I had a blast. I was laughing so hard I was in tears, and it’s really a feel good musical. The cast is star studded, but also highlights some wonderful breakout stars making their Broadway debuts. I can’t wait to see the critical attention this show gets because I think it’s a high contender for best musical.

Anastasia (2nd National Tour — Citizensbank Opera House, Boston)

Longtime followers of this blog will know that Anastasia is my personal favorite musical, and I would never pass up an opportunity to see it. On Christmas Day last year, I made a promise to myself and purchased a ticket for August 2022, with the intention that things would be different in my life by the time it came to this performance. With a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck, I was able to make that come true and got to see the Second National tour cast. I had been waiting so long to see Kyla Stone and Sam McLellan in Anastasia, and I actually saw Sam’s final performance and one of Kyla’s final performances in Boston. Their takes on the characters were so special and really refreshed the material. It was so fun getting to see this show again after seeing it in 2019.

Wicked (2nd National Tour — Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa)

I saw Wicked for the first time in 2022. You read that right, I saw Wicked for the first time in 2022. I had fallen in love with Wicked in when I was just 9 years old, and never had the chance to see it live. I was blown away by the theatrics of this show and it was really cool to see a show that uses early 2000s theatrics to achieve its storytelling. I saw the incredible Talia Suskauer and Allison Bailey on tour — before they joined the Broadway production! This show is still captivating nearly 20 years later. It uses big set design, big special effects and big vocals to tell such a big story. I loved it and it is definitely something I would revisit again in the future.

Top 10 Leads

Christy Altomare (The Wanderer)

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Christy Altomare’s work. I was interested in seeing The Wanderer because of her. I think she has a very profound understanding of the characters she plays, and I was excited to see her take on more of a biographical role. I loved her in Anastasia, of course, but I think the role of Sue really dug down and allowed her to be emotional on stage. Christy is often described as “bubbly” and “a ray of sunshine” by fans and friends, and many of her previous roles have been bubbly, youthful, and hopeful. So how does she confront playing the wife of an addict who has been put through so much hardship? With grace and emotional grit. It was really incredible to see her play a role where she’s confronted with anger and was one of her best performances.

Jisel Soleil Ayon (Waitress)

Jisel Soleil Ayon was a breakout star of the reopening cast of the second national tour of Waitress. I was so thrilled to be able to catch this tour, and was further gutwrenched by her amazing performance as Jenna. She very well may have given a more heartwrenching “She Used to be Mine” than can be heard by Jessie Mueller on the OBCR. Her performance was incredible and I am so happy to see her getting to shine even more now that she has joined the touring company of Hamilton.

Allison Bailey (Wicked)

When I saw Wicked with my mom earlier this year, at intermission we both turned to each other and commented how Allison Bailey had a little bit of a new age Kristen Chenoweth bite to her performance. There have been so many Glindas from Broadway to tour to around the world, and of course, the interpretations of the character vary from actress to actress. Allison Bailey had a very fresh take on the role but still kept true to the OG Glinda, which was really fun to see. I am so glad we were able to see her out in California, and to see that she’s ending the year as a Glinda standby for Broadway!

Adam Bregman (Sing Street)

I really enjoyed Adam Bregman’s performance as Conor in Sing Street. While you might not think much of it, Conor is a bit of a challenging role, requiring an actor to know how to balance the challenges of coming of age. Adam brought a lot of youthfulness to Conor with a lot of spirit and drive, while remaining hopeful and naive. I really enjoyed his performance and can’t wait to see what he does next.

Derek Klena (Moulin Rouge!)

You had to know this one was coming! I was so thrilled to see Derek Klena join the cast of Moulin Rouge! earlier this year as Christian. I think Christian was a perfect role for him and it’s so incredible to get to see a dream cast come true. I really enjoyed his performance and loved his softer take on Christian, versus Aaron Tveit’s a little more unhinged approach. Derek also has incredible on stage chemistry with his costar Ashley Loren, and they really make a power duo on stage.

Ashley Loren (Moulin Rouge!)

It wouldn’t be fair to only talk about Ashley in tandem with Derek. I was blown away by her performance as Satine and I really think in my mind she is Satine. Ashley Loren’s vocal are unreal and I loved every song she was in. Her chemistry with Derek is unreal, but she also knows how to play well off her castmates and bring her story to life. I am so happy I was able to see her in Moulin Rouge!

Alli Mauzey (Kimberly Akimbo)

I have wanted to see Alli Mauzey live since her days of playing Glinda, and somehow I landed perfectly on Kimberly Akimbo. Alli Mauzey is a comedic genius and I loved her as Patty. You give Alli Mauzey a pregnancy belly and two broken arms, and she will absolutely run with it. I was in tears from her comedic timing and it really was a treasure to see her live on stage. If you ever have a chance to see her perform, I highly recommend it.

Bonnie Milligan (Kimberly Akimbo)

I wasn’t very familiar with Bonnie Milligan prior to Kimberly Akimbo. I somehow missed the Head Over Heels era, and even though I had heard of her, I didn’t know much about her. It was a real treat to see Bonnie Milligan as Debra in Kimberly Akimbo. She and Allia Mauzey, playing off each other, was really one of my most treasured memories of seeing a show this year. She has impeccable comedic timing and I am so glad I was able to see her in Kimberly Akimbo.

Phillipa Soo (Into the Woods)

It has been a dream to see Phillipa Soo since her days in Hamilton, but it was a real treat to see her in Into the Woods as Cinderella. She was one of my favorite performers in this production and I am so glad I was able to catch her in it. Phillipa Soo in many ways gives the appearance and grace of a real life princess, and it was so special to see her as Cinderella. Her rendition of “No One Is Alone” was one of my favorite parts of this production and she was incredible.

Kyla Stone (Anastasia)

Kyla Stone was a breakout star of the second national tour of Anastasia, and also drew recognition as the first Black Anya. I was so lucky to catch one of her final performances, and I was so glad I did. At that point in the tour, they were working like a well-oiled machine and you could tell this show was second nature to her. I think Kyla had a very profound understanding of Anya as a character (much like Christy Altomare did in 2017) that really allowed her to dig deep into herself and portray this character. I thought Kyla did a fantastic job and the icing on the cake was that she has a wonderful voice that could carry Anya with ease and grace.

Top 10 Musical Songs

• Moulin Rouge!
• Life of Pi
• Wicked
• Anastasia
• Hadestown

Top 5 Costumes

• Anastasia
• Moulin Rouge!
• Wicked
• Between the Lines
• Almost Famous

Top 5 Choreography

• Anastasia
• Moulin Rouge!
• Sing Street
• Wicked
• Only Gold

It has been a full year to say the least, and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to access to so many amazing and unique productions this year. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2022! Signing off for now, and I’ll see you at the theatre in 2023!