The Top 10 Shows I Saw in NYC This Summer

Long time, no see! I promised you a series of Top 10 NYC highlights posts last month, but then got diverted with a few freelance deadlines (including this essay I pitched — my first New York Times byline! — about how I saw 30 shows in 10 weeks this summer).

Anyway, now that I’m somewhat removed from my whirlwind of a summer, I can say with more clarity what really stood out — so stay tuned for a few more highlights posts!

First up: The top 10 shows I saw this summer.

Let me preface this list by saying I like to think this is a more exclusive list than most tourists’ — this isn’t “I saw six shows, and these are my top five!” — this is me saying, “I saw 30 shows, and these are my top 10.”

In case you’re planning a trip to NYC in the next few months, I’ve marked the shows with an asterisk that have closed, and that you can no longer see. So, because “My Fair Lady” closed July 7 (kicking myself for not seeing it sooner — if it hadn’t been the closing weekend, I’d have seen it again!), “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is my top rec for a play, and “Dear Evan Hansen” is my #1 musical (though I didn't make it to “Moulin Rouge"). So without further ado:

1. My Fair Lady*

This was the easiest show to rank, as it was the only show I saw this summer I would’ve immediately gone and seen again if it hadn’t closed the day after (again, kicking myself for not seeing it sooner!). It was a seamless production with stellar chemistry between Michael Halling as Henry Higgins and Laura Benanti as Eliza Doolittle.

Bonus: It was also the cheapest Broadway ticket I bought this summer, and one of the best seats, thanks to the standout Linctix student ticket program.

From the Blog

On Halling:

“The verdict: Umm, I can’t believe he’s the ALTERNATE. I can’t imagine how an actor could better embody Henry Higgins. He and Benanti had electric chemistry on stage, and the audience was hanging on his every word.”

And Benanti:

“It was one of those cases in which an actress was born to play a role. She IS Eliza Doolittle, in appearance, voice, and personality.”

The Verdict:

“‘My Fair Lady’ has a run time of nearly three hours, but it went by way too fast. So glad I got to see this show from such a great seat before it closed — it was truly ‘lover-ly!’”

2. Dear Evan Hansen

This was the show that made me re-define the way I think about theater. I simply hadn’t seen a production like this before (and, as I’m sure you know, I’ve seen A LOT of shows between London, Indy, and New York in the past few years). Andrew Barth Feldman’s performance as Evan, as well as those of the rest of the cast, were absolutely riveting.

From the Blog

Afflicting the Comfortable:

“This show was uncomfortable to watch at times because the actor who played Evan embodied his character so thoroughly, and the audience was so invested in his struggles, that you forgot you were watching a show and felt part of the world on stage. That’s the mark of truly magical theater — it’s rare for a production to make me forget where I am, but this one did.”

“I looked up, and the first act was over --- I’m pretty sure I didn’t draw breath the entire time (exaggeration, but my neck was stiff from not moving because I was so enraptured by what was happening on stage!).”

First-Class Debuts:

“I was amazed that many of the actors were making their Broadway debuts in this show. I’d never have guessed.”

The Verdict:

“‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is everything I hoped ‘Be More Chill’ would be, times a million. Now THIS is how you do a musical.”

3. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two

This was the show I’d wanted to see since the moment it debuted in London three years ago (I was there, but couldn’t manage to snag a ticket because prices were still in the stratosphere. I did get to meet the original cast at the stage door, though!).

From the Blog

First Impression:

“This was soooooo worth it. I still can’t believe the unbelievable seat I had in the second row! If I could choose one Broadway show to have a prime seat for, it would be this one.”

“Granted, this is not the classic ‘Harry Potter.’ Much of the play is like a Harry Potter fanfiction playing out on stage with little regard for the rules of the HP universe (You can transfigure people into people? Hmmm … *scratches head*). But if you’re willing to suspend your disbelief, the play will suck you right in. Just think of it as Harry Potter playing out in an alternate dimension.”

All the Joy:

“Just picture 2 hours and 35 minutes of me giddily grinning at everything (well, subtract 20 minutes for intermission — I’m not a psychopath).The first half hour of Part One was some of the most engrossing theater I’ve seen on stage in the past few years.”

Special Effects:

“There are countless special effects that made me gasp “How did they do that?!” There was one that happened multiple times that I was still trying to figure out by the end of the show — even as the actors kept repeating it right in front of my face.”

The Strange:

“I did wonder how they’d handle applause and bows for the company considering the two-night format. The answer: Only bows on the second night. (It must be somewhat strange to perform a two-and-a-half-hour show that ends on a cliffhanger with no applause every other night or so.)”

The Verdict:

If you visit New York and are a Harry Potter fan, "Cursed Child" is a must see.

4. Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune*

This was my go-to show to recommend to people after I scored a rush ticket to a matinee and was blown away by Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon’s chemistry and humor.

From the Blog

Standout Acting:

“Audra McDonald and Michael Shannon both delivered superb performances that were as hilarious as they were touching.”

“In lesser actors’ hands, I could see how this play could lack the magic the current production has. But unlike ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,’ which could really succeed with almost any cast, this is a production whose specific strength is the skill of its actors rather than solely the script.”

The Verdict:

“It likely won’t happen, but give this production some Tony Awards! (It missed the 2019 cutoff and will probably be overlooked in the 2020 round, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve them!).”

“Hidden-gem plays like this are one of the reasons I love theater.”

5. The Phantom of the Opera

I couldn’t leave New York without seeing my favorite musical, could I? At Show #29, I saved the best for last (well, almost last!).

From the Blog

First Impression:

“From the moment the glowing chandelier rose to the rafters at the beginning of the first act, I was enraptured, and reminded why this is my favorite musical.”

Soaking It In:

“This was the one show I’ve seen here where I saw ZERO people on their phones.”

On Ben Crawford as the Phantom:

“I was surprised by how excellent an actor he is as well as a singer, and he had this exaggerated heel-to-toe, high-stepping walk for the Phantom that I loved. He was by far the strongest member of the cast (no surprise there). He has a yearning, full, tender voice when he’s singing to Christine, and is both earth-eclipsingly in love with her and achingly insecure about his deformity.”

The Verdict:

“You see why Christine is hypnotized.”

6. Kiss Me, Kate*

Kelli O’Hara delivered the single best vocal performance I saw on a Broadway stage this summer. Her voice is unlike that of any other singer, male or female, I’ve ever heard — it’s operatic, warm, and vibrato-filled, like butter atop a slice of toast.

From the Blog

On Kelli O’Hara’s Voice:

“The moment I was most looking forward to in this version was Kelli O’Hara’s rendition of 'So In Love.' She didn’t disappoint! She has one of the clearest voices I’ve heard on stage, and this was my favorite solo by an actor in a Broadway musical I've seen in New York.”

Choreography:

“And, of course, I couldn’t miss the chance to see Corbin Bleu tap dance! The choreography in this production was stellar and reminded me of the big dance sequences in ‘Holiday Inn’ and ‘White Christmas.’”

The Verdict:

“The audience started leaping to their feet to give standing ovations mid-show — the one for the ‘Too Darn Hot’ number went on for nearly four minutes.”

7. To Kill a Mockingbird

This isn’t your grandma’s “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Aaron Sorkin’s reimagined take on Harper Lee's classic novel stretches the source material at times, but Jeff Daniels’ take on Atticus Finch is well worth seeing.

From the Blog

First Impression:

“I knew the Aaron Sorkin script was a reimagining of the classic tale, but I didn’t realize just how much of a reimagining it would be.

On the Changes:

"The plot centers on the Tom Robinson trial rather than Scout, Jem, and Dill’s adventures. I’d be interested to get someone’s take who was seeing the play for the first time. I’m unsure whether it’d be harder to follow the action if I weren't previously (very) familiar with the premise.”

Taking Some Liberties:

“‘TKAM’ reminds me of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ in that it plays with Harper Lee's existing universe in ways that may not exactly be true to the spirit of the characters (Judge Taylor becomes comic relief), but that are entertaining nonetheless.”

“There are echoes of ‘Go Set A Watchman’ in some of the changes and additions, and while I couldn’t get behind the spirit of all of them, my thought process went something like: ‘He/she would never say that, but I’m going with it because it’s hilarious!’”

Full House:

“Every seat in the theater was occupied, and this was probably the most crowded production I’ve been to in New York.”

The Verdict:

“Jeff Daniels steals the show as Atticus Finch.”

8. Toni Stone*

You didn’t expect to see an Off Broadway show here, did you? Neither would I before this summer. But the Indiana-set tale of the first woman to play professional baseball (for the Indianapolis Clowns) gripped me and wouldn’t let me go.

From the Blog

A Starring Turn:

“April Matthis, who plays Toni, gave a standout performance.The way she embodied her character’s spunky attitude, sass, and vibrant personality reminded me of a young Octavia Spencer.”

The Verdict:

“It runs through August 11, so definitely see it if you get the chance!”*

*Oh, darn, it’s September — you missed it!

9. Ink*

This play was both very journalistic and so very British. Highly recommend any time you get the chance to watch a playwright give your profession the stage treatment. And I’ll never forget that fantastic editor conga line!

From the Blog

First Impression:

“It’s impossible to see this play as a journalist and not be excited by it. I never knew the publication process could be so dramatic — we’re talking smoke, editor conga lines (!), a photographer holding a printing plate over his head like Simba in The Lion King, singing nightclub girls, and a booming ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’-esque soundtrack.”

Standout Scene:

“When the photographer descends to the basement presses on a trap door, hoisting the print plate above his head in a cloud of swirling smoke, it brought to mind the ‘I Can Make You a Man’ scene in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’!”

About That Conga Line:

“Picture a grizzled old sports editor, a women’s issues editor, a horoscope writer, a balding and bespectacled news editor, and a long-haired photographer in bell-bottom pants who looks like Shaggy from “Scooby-Doo” dancing around the stage in a conga line, accompanied by a bass beat, and you’ve got the recruiting scene."

"I was chortling because of how outlandish but also hilarious and captivating it was. Now I wish every day in the newsroom were so musical!”

A Trip Across The Pond:

“‘Ink’ is a very British play — I felt like I was back in London between the accents and slew of British slang, such as 'fag' for cigarette, that definitely would’ve confused me if I hadn’t lived in England for a while!”

The Verdict:

“Another production I’m sorry to see close! (Tap-dancing editors in bowler hats are always a plus.)"

10. Sierra Boggess at Feinstein’s/54 Below*

Sierra Boggess is a human paintbrush, a laugh track, and an angel’s harp.

Picture the Jennifer Lawrence of Broadway doing a Britney Spears-inspired rendition of “Think of Me” from “Phantom of the Opera” — and then a moving “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” tribute to legendary “Phantom” director Hal Prince, and you’ve got her fantastic 54 Below cabaret show.

From the Blog

The Venue:

“Feinstein’s / 54 Below is a slice of musical paradise below the streets of Manhattan — you’d never know you have honking horns and screeching tires feet above your head, which you can sometimes hear in Broadway theaters.”

The Highlights:

“‘Think of Me’ three ways — 1) Britney Spears-esque (!), 2) in French (remember that unfortunate, ill-fated Paris production she was cast in that was halted after a fire broke out in the theater?), and 3) in English.”

“‘Come To My Garden’ from ‘The Secret Garden’ (one of my favorite musical scores).”

“Boggess reading her grandma’s 1940s love letters to her grandpa, who was stationed overseas (One of my favorite lines read something to the effect of: ‘Don’t you wish you could see me now? It’s so hot here I haven’t got a lick of clothing on! Oh, I hope no one else but you reads this.’)”

“Her rendition of ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,’ which she dedicated to Hal Prince, and which nearly broke my heart (and hers, it looked like).”

The Verdict:

“I would see Sierra Boggess in anything. She is so, so good live, as well as a hilarious storyteller.”

Honorable Mentions:

Mean Girls

Tootsie

The Black Clown*

____________________________________________________

Finally, here’s a list of every show I saw this summer, ranked in four tiers: Excellent, Very Good, Good, and The Rest (which weren’t bad by any means, but just weren’t as good as some of the other shows I saw. I can’t love everything!).

The standouts: My Fair Lady, Dear Evan Hansen, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Phantom of the Opera.

The excellent: Kiss Me, Kate, To Kill a Mockingbird, Toni Stone, Ink, Sierra Boggess, Mean Girls, Tootsie, The Black Clown.

The good: Come From Away, Sea Wall / A Life, Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, What the Constitution Means to Me, Much Ado About Nothing, Chicago, Beautiful.

The rest: All My Sons, The Prom, Jane Eyre (the ballet at the Met Opera), Coriolanus, King Lear, Be More Chill, Working: The Musical, The Ferryman, Fairview.

And a visual of a summer well spent: