The (Hamil)Tonys are fast approaching, and this year promises to be an especially spectacular edition, not just because of the Hamilton juggernaut, but because of the diverse range of talent on display across all the nominated shows - can you imagine another Tonys year in which there was so much quality that the always-brilliant Audra McDonald didn't get a nomination? How lucky we are to be alive right now.
And for those who question whether Hamilton is really that good, I offer an emphatic yes; I've catalogued everything I've seen on Broadway, in the West End, at the Globe, the National Theatre or at the Royal Shakespeare Company (both Stratford and London) over the past decades for comparative purposes. It took something truly amazing to move the most perfect production of A Little Night Music off the top spot, but there you are.
Without further ado, some theatrical reminiscences; I've left out opera, touring productions, college shows and children's theatre for the sake of some attempt at brevity, but still largely failed. Art isn't easy.
Holy Cats, That Was Amazing
| Hamilton, Original Broadway Cast, 2016 | Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Christopher Jackson | History is happening in Manhattan |  |
| A Little Night Music, Royal National Theatre, 1995 | Judi Dench, Siân Phillips, Joanna Riding, Patricia Hodge | Best Sondheim production ever | |
| Fun Home, Original Broadway Cast, 2015 | Michael Cerveris, Beth Malone, Sydney Lucas, Judy Kuhn, Emily Skeggs | Amazing cast and show; I hope it runs forever |
Truly Great
 |
Assassins, Broadway Revival, 2004 | Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Cerveris, Denis O'Hare | Fact: Michael Cerveris wins a Tony every time I see him |
| Richard III/Twelfth Night, Globe Theatre on Broadway, 2014 | Mark Rylance, Stephen Fry, Samuel Barnett, Paul Chahidi, Kurt Egyiawan | Mark Rylance! Also, one of several productions featuring an alum from The History Boys | |
| Henry V, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1995 | Iain Glen, Daniel Evans, Tony Britton | Or, where I first discovered Iain Glen. Excellent St. Crispin’s Day speechifying | |
| Henry V, Globe Theatre, 2012 | Jamie Parker, Kurt Egyiawan | Another great Henry V, and another History Boy to add to the collection | |
| Company, Broadway Revival, 2006 | Raúl Esparza | He could drive a person crazy; everybody rise | |
| One Man, Two Guvnors, Original Broadway Cast, 2012 | James Corden | Some of the best physical comedy you’ll ever see | |
| A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, Original Broadway Cast, 2013 | Jefferson Mays, Bryce Pinkham | Jefferson Mays is a national treasure |
Really Quite Good
| Equus, Broadway Revival, 2008 | Daniel Radcliffe, Richard Griffiths | Really nicely observed production |
| Avenue Q, Original Broadway Cast, 2003 | John Tartaglia, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Ann Harada | What do you do with a BA in English? Work toward your EGOT |
| The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Original Broadway Cast, 2005 | Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler | I do love some William Finn, and this was an outstanding cast |
| Hamlet, Almeida Theatre, 1994 | Ralph Fiennes, Francesca Annis, Damian Lewis, Tara FitzGerald, Paterson Joseph, Rupert Penry-Jones, Nicholas Rowe | Before internet scalping, before Tennant and Cumberbatch, this was the Hamlet people were looking for |
| The Clandestine Marriage, West End Revival, 1994 | Nigel Hawthorne, Finty Williams | Fun with Molière |
| Cabaret, Broadway Revival, 2014 | Alan Cumming, Michelle Williams | How did Alan Cumming look fitter and stronger, all these years later? |
| How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Broadway Revival, 2011 | Daniel Radcliffe, John Larroquette, Tammy Blanchard | Yes, Daniel Radcliffe is quite a good singer and dancer, even with his clothes on |
| The Light in the Piazza, Original Broadway Cast, 2005 | Victoria Clark, Kelli O'Hara, Matthew Morrison | Well worth the price of admission |
| Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway, Original Broadway Cast, 2012 | Hugh Jackman | Yes, please |
| Henry IV, Pt 1, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1991 | Julian Glover, Michael Maloney, Robert Stepehens | Julian Glover! |
| Julius Caesar, Royal Shakespeare Company, 1995 | Hugh Quarshie, John Nettles, Julian Glover, Paul Bettany | As with a lot of ’90s Shakespeare, I was often getting my Julian Glover fangirl on |
| Take Me Out, Original Broadway Cast, 2003 | Denis O'Hare (though we saw excellent understudy Nat De Wolf), Daniel Sunjata | Sportsball! On Broadway! |
| Spamalot, Original Broadway Cast, 2005 | Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, Christian Borle, Sara Ramirez | A fun show, and glad we got to see Tim Curry |
Great Cast, Meh Show and/or Production
| Nine, Broadway Revival, 2003 | Antonio Banderas, Laura Benanti, Jane Krakowski, Chita Rivera, Nell Campbell, Mary Stuart Masterson | Never a huge fan of the show, but the cast was amazing |
| The Boy from Oz, Original Broadway Cast, 2003 | Hugh Jackman | This should be the dictionary definition of a performer utterly transcending a mediocre show |
| Man of La Mancha, Broadway Revival, 2002 | Brian Stokes Mitchell (and future Hamilton choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler in the ensemble) | Stokes! And not a bad production, just not a great one, either |
| Curtains, Original Broadway Cast, 2007 | David Hyde Pierce | Another fine effort, but the show didn’t hang together well |
| Dessa Rose, Original Off-Broadway Cast, 2003 | LaChanze, Norm Lewis, Rachel York | Once again, a great cast, a middling show |
Not Bad
| Urinetown, Original Broadway Cast, 2002 | John Cullum, Hunter Foster, Spencer Kayden | A cute show, and a lot of fun |
| Lenny, West End Revival, 1999 | Eddie Izzard, Elizabeth Berkley | Eddie Izzard is often underrated as an actor, though the production wasn’t amazing |
| Relative Values, West End Revival, 1993 | Sarah Brightman, Susan Hampshire | I don’t think Sarah Brightman was cut out for Noel Coward |
The Lows
| A Little Night Music, New York City Opera, 2003 | Jeremy Irons, Juliet Stevenson, Anna Kendrick | One of my faovrite shows butchered by a non-singer in a must-sing role; props to a very young Anna Kendrick for playing a delightful Frederika, though |
Martin Guerre, Original West End Cast, 1996 |
Iain Glen, Sheila Reid, Baby James Corden (in the chorus) | I love Iain Glen, there are some OK tunes, but the words and brief talking bits were a trainwreck; mystifying choreography as well |
| Aspects of Love, Original West End Cast, 1990 | Not Michael Ball that night, but Michael Praed instead | A series of drink ordering by recitative, followed up with creepy would-be teenage cousin molestation – not a great idea for a musical |
| Speed the Plow, Original Broadway Cast, 1988 | Madonna, Ron Silver, Joe Mantegna | 2/3 of the cast was great, and the other 1/3 was Madonna – enough to ruin everyone’s evening |