By Elazar Abrahams
Way back in January, we went out on a limb to predict what our favorite Broadway and off-Broadway shows of the year would be and listed the five most anticipated theater productions of 2024. Well, twelve months later, how did our picks pan out? A few lived up to the hype and became the hottest ticket in town, while some were strangely forgettable and unworthy of standing ovations. Let’s take a closer look at the list with 20/20 hindsight.
Teeth
This musical horror comedy from Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson played off-Broadway at Playwright Horizons early in the year, and extended twice before closing. Now, it’s back for an encore at New World Stages, and crowds are loving it. The hilarious songs pack surprising depth and the show is really such a gem that I hope becomes a cult classic just like the film it’s based on. Not many predicted as such, but yup, a biting vagina is the focus of one of 2024’s best stage works.
Suffs
Suffs should have been the next Hamilton. The Music Box Theatre should have been standing room only every night. But we do not live in a just world. The musical, which Shaina Taub wrote and stars in, has struggled to break through a crowded Broadway season and is scheduled to close on January 5, 2025. It’s a real shame, because the show is excellent and poignant, tracking several key suffragettes in the fight to win American women the right to vote. Over the summer, as Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign surged, the songs from Suffs (like the powerful “Keep Marching”) became a rallying cry. After Harris’ decisive loss however, the tunes and the production feel more like a funeral, but still giving audiences a glimmer of hope that the future can still be brighter, if we are willing to fight for it.
Cabaret
One of the biggest surprises in the theater world this year was how this Cabaret revival decidedly did not meet audiences’ anticipation for it. Transferring from a London version that produced rave reviews, the New York run was met with a slew of unimpressed critics. As someone who saw both I can confirm that the Big Apple’s iteration missed the mark.
Much of the show’s Nazi imagery was erased, leaving the musical’s second act lacking its intended emotional impact. Additionally, while Eddie Redmayne did an admirable job as the Emcee, Gayle Rankin was a perplexing choice to embody Sally Bowles. The actress screeched through her solo numbers and did not convincingly play the part. While Rankin’s particulars seemed like intentional character choices, it was a huge misstep on the part of the producers. What should have been a sure fire hit is now in danger of closing in the next couple of months unless a stunt casting drives up ticket sales. Even the immersive aspect of this Cabaret was a bit of a letdown compared to the West End theater, where theatergoers really feel like they have been transported to the underground scene of a grimy 1930s Berlin.
Uncle Vanya
Steve Carell starring in a Chekhov play was the draw here. Sadly this one almost put me to sleep. A starry cast couldn’t save the strangely flat affair, which lacked urgency, tension, and proper angst. There were some positives, like the cool staging and rain effects. But sometimes the worst thing a show can be is forgettable, which is the category this Lincoln Center production fell into.
Mary Jane
Why did this little-seen play excite me so at the year’s start? “It’s just the perfect alignment of talent on stage and behind the curtain,” I wrote back in January. “Written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Amy Herzog, who last season gave us the sublime revival of A Doll’s House… directed by Anne Kaufman, who helmed…an incredible revival of a heartbreaking Lorraine Hansberry script… Rachel McAdams making her Broadway debut…one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood, capable of the most hilarious roles… as well as the most intense and gritty. I cannot wait to see her sink her teeth into live theater…”
Unfortunately, like Vanya, this limited engagement also fell into the “forgettable” category. It was decent, and explored some interesting themes of grief and religion, but didn’t entrance me like I had expected it to. McAdams struggled in previews but as performances continued, grew into the role and eventually merited a Tony nomination for Best Actress. Fans of the star and creative team would not be upset if they caught a showing of Mary Jane, as it’s a compelling one act with several powerful scenes. It fell squarely in the middle range of what New York theater had to offer us over the last 365 days.
TV and City 