If you follow theatre at all, you don't even have to have seen the shows to know when there's a breakout performance. This week I'm looking at the 5 female musical performances (plus an honorable mention!) that have been the talk of the town this season. As it turns out, I have already seen 4 of them, and will be seeing the other 2 next weekend! What do you think of my picks? Did I leave out one of your favorites? Tweet me @jkstheatrescene and let me know!
THE FRIDAY 5: JEFF'S FAVORITE 2017 - 2018
BREAKOUT FEMALE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
5. BARRETT WILBERT WEED
Janis Sarkisian - Mean Girls
Ever since they announced Mean Girls, I have been looking forward to it. I mean, c'mon! Tina Fey??? But especially since I heard Barrett Wilbert Weed sing "I'd Rather Be Me," I am super excited to see her live!
4. LINDSAY MENDEZ
Carrie Pipperidge - Carousel
I've had a crush on Lindsay Mendez for ages. I loved her energy in Godspell and was overwhelmed by her amazing turn in Dogfight. But nothing prepared me for her delightful (and gorgeously sung) performance in Carousel. I'm still kicking myself for not seeing her in Wicked!
3. PATTI MURIN
Anna - Disney's Frozen
OK... so I adored her in Lysistrata Jones (a seriously underrated musical). And her Twitter feed always makes me laugh and is really inspiring (I suffer from anxiety myself, Patti - thank you for sharing your pain.). I can't wait to see her as Anna in Disney's Frozen! I bet I'll laugh and be inspired, too!
2. LAUREN AMBROSE
Eliza Doolittle - My Fair Lady
OH. MY. GOODNESS. What a performance! What an actress! What a singer! I'm sure I missed several minutes of the main action just watching Lauren Ambrose off to the side being Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. I am amazed and honored to have seen her first-hand.
1. KATRINA LENK
Dina - The Band's Visit
Sometimes, there's a performance where you just sense the magic, and can feel that the actor owns the role in a way that no other will ever be able to replicate. Such is the work that the mesmerizing Katrina Lenk does in The Band's Visit. She makes me never want to leave the desert!
HONORABLE MENTION: HAILEY KILGORE
Ti Moune - Once on This Island
If you have seen Once On This Island, you know how amazing the show is. And I'm sure you've heard about Hailey Kilgore making her Broadway debut as Ti Moune. Her performance is rich and powerfully sung. But she also exudes love. It fills the theater. I can't wait to see what she does next - she has a long, great career ahead of her.
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