My Top 20 Live Shows of 2022
Everything from Broadway, theater, concerts, dance, opera, to comedy. I saw a lot, though not everything, of course. Some of these may have opened prior to 2022, but this was the year I saw them. They dazzled and bedazzled my pretty little eyes.
1. PAUL MCCARTNEY’S GET BACK TOUR
It had been on my bucket list for decades to see this Beatle on stage and I finally got to do it. Paul sang his career-defining hits during 2 1/2 hrs of pure nostalgia, adrenaline, and reminded us all what raw talent and love for the craft is like. It was an absolute treasure to see the songs “Hey, Jude,” “Live and Let Die,” “Blackbird,” “Let It Be,” “Band on the Run,” etc. (as the list goes on and on) live with a crowd receiving and giving love back to this legend.
2. TRANSVERSE ORIENTATION
This dance show from Greek choreographer Dimitris Papaioannou blew my mind. I had just come back from Greece when I saw it in NYC. The usage of modern dance, movement, and the combining of ancient values against futuristic elements was astounding. Themes of men vs. beast, nature vs. society, inner vs. outer beauty were mashed together. I saw it months ago and still can’t stop thinking about it.
3. PINK MARTINI
Pink Martini is one of my top five bands of all-time. Created in Portland, OR, this band includes members from every continent and two main singers, China Forbes and Storm Large, who have now recorded in over 25 languages with the band. The pianist and founder, Thomas Lauderdale, is hilarious and super talented. Don’t miss them. Since there is no trailer for the tour, I attached China Forbes singing one of my favorite songs, “Hang on Little Tomato.”
4. TAKE ME OUT
The Broadway play won the 2022 Tony for Best Revival of a play and Jesse Tyler Ferguson for Best Featured Actor in a Play. It also had nominations for Michael Oberholtzer for Best Featured Actor and Jesse Williams for Best Actor. The play moves with great tension and comedic relief and tells the story of a baseball player who comes out as gay and has to front the repercussions of the team and society.
5. SOME LIKE IT HOT
This new Broadway musical based on the 1959 film of the same name it a joy. Written with the same vibrancy as the film and good old musical theater fashion, it adds a modern twist to the story leaving the audience with the ability to relate to these classic characters. The performances by the leads J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks, and Christian Borle are hot, hot, hot! The book and music by Matthew Lopez, Amber Ruffin, & Marc Shaiman, and the choreography/direction by Casey Nicholaw are all sure to get Tony nominations! Here is the cast performing on the Thanksgiving Day parade.
6. TITANIQUE
This musical parody has taken NYC by storm. What if Celine Dion was actually in the Titanic herself? That would make her over 150 years old, right? That’s right and it’s a ball of laughter to see. Marla Mindelle who plays Celine with precision. The show is set to Celine’s hits and has a cast that has comedy at the palm of their hands. This clip of the Celine hit “Taking Chances” is a good start, but the experience of being there is precious. I’m telling you it’s a must-see and my wish for 2023 is that it gets to Broadway.
7. THE HOURS
This brand-new opera by composer Kevin Puts adapted from the 1998 novel and 2002 movie of the same name was spectacular. It had a star-studded cast including Renée Fleming, Joyce DiDonato, & Kelli O’Hara. It follows the lives of three women who are connect through space and time by the sorrows in their lives. I’m continuously overjoyed to see the Metropolitan Opera support new operatic works. This was an absolute hit!
8. THE OLD MAN AND THE POOL
Mike Birbiglia’s latest autobiographical comedic feat onto Broadway was insightful, hilarious, while maintaining a dramatic element of depth and heart. The show was masterfully written touching on subjects of parenting, sleep disorders, youth vs. aging, heaviness of work, and a lot more. Lincoln Center’s production elevated the work to a beauty. If you don’t know Birbiglia’s earlier Broadway shows, some of it is streaming out there.
9. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S MAD APPLE
This new addition to Cirque du Soleil’s “roulette” choice of shows on the Las Vegas strip is unlike any other. It captures the spirit of New York City through its diverse acrobatic numbers set to great New York themed music and sharp stand-up comedy acts. If you’re in Vegas anytime soon, put this at the very top of your list. Be aware, there’s adult language here and it’s not for kids. Grab yourself a drink and take a bite of this Mad Apple.
10. ALYSSA EDWARDS: LIFE, LOVE AND LASHES TOUR
Alyssa Edwards brings her RuPaul’s Drag Race fame centerstage, touching on her childhood, adolescence, and rise to fame. In this surprisingly moving, revealing, and highly entertaining show she also talks about her web series, her Netflix docuseries Dancing Queen, which follows the story to the award-winning dance company she owns and choreographs for, and her personal story of coming out. There are of course a handful of lip-sync numbers as well in this 2 1/2 hrs extravaganza.
11. DEATH OF A SALESMAN
This fresh take on this staple of American drama comes back to Broadway filled with fire. Written by Arthur Miller and directed by Miranda Cromwell, this production takes you for a ride through the unavoidable descent into the tragic end of its protagonist, Willy Lowman. By having an all-black cast this time around, the script reveals a new layer that adds on to the heaviness and reality of the times. This show is most definitely on watch to get Tony nominations.
12. TONY YAZBECK
Tony Yazbeck’s solo show was part of the Segerstrom Center’s Cabaret Series. It intertwined songs from Tony’s career on Broadway such as Gypsy’s “All I Need Is the Girl” and other favorites of his own like The Beatles’ “Blackbird” into personal stories from his life. There was plenty of tap dancing, gorgeous singing, and insight into the life of a performer’s reflection of the past and his journey into the unknown. Here’s a video of “Luck to Be Me” from On the Town, which he also sang in the show.
13. HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
This abridged Broadway version still hails at 3 1/2 hrs, but it passes you by in a flash. Considered the eight installment in the Potter series, it picks up 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. You can’t help but to root for the characters and embrace the new ones. The onstage magic on Broadway is splendid, the cast is spot-on, and you feel like you are right there at Hogwarts.
14. DORRANCE DANCE
For a good number of years choreographer and founder of Dorrance Dance, Michelle Dorrance, has pushed the boundaries of tap dance and this year was no exception. Every December they are at the The Joyce Theater in NYC. If you haven’t seen them perform, you are missing out. Go their website for videos and upcoming shows, but here’s a quick teaser.
15. THE MUSIC MAN
This award-winning classic is back on Broadway. This time starring the extremely talented stars Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, who are as charismatic as ever in their roles. The story is about a traveling salesman who comes to swindle a small town out of their money by promising them that he will teach them to play music and form a band. But when he unexpectedly falls in love, his plan begins to unravel and all bets are off.
16. BETWEEN RIVERSIDE AND CRAZY
This spectacular Broadway play cannot be missed. What happens when you’ve won the jackpot in real estate in NYC by snatching a rent controlled apartment? If you’ve been in the unit for over 40 years, it means the rent will be extremely low. But what will the landlord do in order to try to get you out of there so they can raise the price? What lengths will the city go to to evict a retired black cop? Race, money, suppression, greed all play a role on this fast and intelligent script.
17. GEORGE BALANCHINE’S THE NUTCRACKER
This is an all-time classic and it was my very first time seeing it! I was not disappointed and felt like a kid. It has been staged in NYC every year since it first premiered in 1954 to acclaim. The production values were outstanding, the dancers dazzled, and the holiday sprit was as alive as ever. If you haven’t seen this, don’t wait like I did. New York City Ballet does it like nobody else.
18. EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE
This musical is inspired by the true story of a sixteen-year-old named Jamie, who wants to pursue his dream of being a drag queen. Living in a small town in the North of England puts many obstacles in his path. But a fairy godmother of sorts, played beautifully by Bianca Del Rio, encourages him to defy the odds and hold his head high. Dreams can come true but only if you fight for them. This was a hit in the West End in London and I saw it in the L.A. stop for its U.S. tour. It is heading to Broadway fall of 2023.
19. LEOPOLDSTADT
A new masterpiece from playwright Sir Tom Stoppard emerges winning the Olivier Award and on sure track to get plenty of Tony nominations this season. Polished acting and staging by director Patrick Marber. Following the lives of a Jewish family in Vienna from 1899-1955 as they face the coming of the Nazi invasion. At times oblivious to the world and at times extremely self-aware, this play takes on a journey of emotions. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and the language is fast-paced as usual with Stoppard.
20. AIN’T NO MO’
This laugh-out-loud comedy first premiered at NYC’s Public Theatre and has now opened on Broadway to great reviews. The play is made of vignettes that dive into racism as the passengers are voluntarily taken back to their home countries on American Airlines flight 1619. The cast headed by Jordan Cooper comedic timing is great and brings playwright Lee Daniels’ pungent writing to life.