I’ve had the chance to see so many amazing shows this year as a DPAC Showstopper, and I thought it would be fun to do my own version of the Tony’s, which are basically Oscars for theatre. All of the shows I was able to see were fantastic, but there are only a few awards! Most of these were incredibly difficult decisions, because each of the shows I’ve had the chance to see at DPAC this year were really impressive, and each for different reasons. Whether or not I liked each show as a whole, there were always aspects of the show that I appreciated. 

Nominees for the awards included: 

Sound of Music

Beauty and the Beast

Elf

The Outsiders

Water for Elephants

Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Stereophonic

Best Acting: Stereophonic

Stereophonic was nominated for thirteen Tony’s, and won five of those nominations. It’s currently the most Tony-nominated play of all time, and for good reason. As a play, Stereophonic already has a leg up on the other shows, but everything in this show felt so personal and real in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen on stage. Through four acts, these actors never stopped their rhythm. Every line felt natural yet purposeful. Most of the characters were under the influence in different parts of the show, and the subtle shifts in their personality or demeanor were perfect. Every character was incredibly nuanced and had many sides to them, which was in part what made the acting so impressive. Honorable Mention: Water for Elephants

Best Choreography: The Outsiders

This show was incredible. The dance sequences were jaw droppingly complex, and my personal favorite dances were “Friday at the Drive-In,” the staging for “Great Expectations,” and the most impressive, “Trouble” where all the actors did insane stage fighting UNDER REAL RAIN. They used actual water for about six minutes and the actors were soaked but somehow not slipping on the stage while dancing. Honorable Mention: Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Best Vocals: The Outsiders

I was stunned by the vocals and harmony parts in the music, and the touring cast was, in my opinion, even better than the Broadway cast, except Cherry Valence—no one can outsing Emma Pittman for Cherry. Perfect examples of the gorgeous harmonies are “Run Run Brother” and “Justice For Tulsa.”  Honorable Mention(s): Stereophonic, Sound of Music, & Water for Elephants

Best Stage Sets: Stereophonic

There’s a recording studio built into the set, and the scenes are split between the studio and the living room/soundbooth. They’re separated by glass so that the actors can still be seen while the audio comes through their mics. The studio is very cool-toned in its design, contrasting with the warmer tones of the living room. This set was incredibly detailed and thought-out, and there were so many props that I never saw picked up or used, but helped with the feeling of real people living there.  Honorable Mention(s): Beauty and the Beast, Water for Elephants

Best Costumes: Beauty and the Beast

This award has to go to Beauty and the Beast because some of those quick changes were physics-defying. And not to mention how smoothly every actor moved onstage–even the actors with the heaviest costumes. Belle’s dress was perhaps one of the most elaborate costume pieces I’ve ever seen, with several pounds of beading, and the way it moved during “Tale As Old As Time” was perfect. Honorable Mention: Stereophonic

Best Sound/Audio Mixing: Stereophonic, Sound of Music

The show is inspired by Fleetwood Mac and their band dynamic, especially during the late-to-mid 70s, while writing and recording their album Rumours. While it’s a play, music still plays a large part of the plot. The songs are performed live and recorded in real time so they can be played back later in the show exactly as they were just sung. The sound design of this show was incredible, and I had the chance to meet the assistant sound manager the morning I saw the show as part of a Showstopper event. He described his job as “imagine just being on edge for three hours waiting for something to go wrong.” The songs for this show were phenomenal, and even better because they were performed and mixed live. “Drive,” “Masquerade,” and “Bright (Fast)” were my favorites from the show. “Masquerade” has five false starts, each slightly louder than the last, and when the song actually begins, the volume is maxed out and it’s an incredible end to Act I. An honorable mention goes to “East of Eden,” which had some gorgeous vocals and really impressive intentional voice cracks before the song’s actual crescendo. 

Honorable Mention: The Outsiders, Harry Potter & the Cursed Child

Best Show: Overall, The Outsiders was my favorite show. The lighting, the sound, the vocals, even the sets formed such a cohesive show that stayed incredibly true to the novel. The songs were beautiful and there wasn’t a single moment of the show where I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.  “Great Expectations” gave me chills with those gorgeous harmonies. It was visually and vocally a stunning show. 

Awards aside, I haven’t even mentioned the amazing special sessions I’ve been able to attend as a Showstopper.  I’ve met with two Queens from Six, learned the wand dance with the Harry Potter & the Cursed Child dance captains, heard about sound, props, and wardrobe from the tech crew of Stereophonic, and had an amazing backstage tour of DPAC during our mid-season soiree. 

Being a DPAC Showstopper has been such a dream, and truly one of the best parts of my year. Next year’s season of performances is phenomenal, and I’m really looking forward to the last two shows of this year: The Great Gatsby and Hamilton.