Matt I have so enjoyed stumbling upon your page this year and hearing your hot takes on the latest theatre fare. It's interesting how I follow so many theatre influencers such as yourself, and a lot of the rankings/Best Of The Year Lists are similar! I will have to make my trip from Texas sometime soon. Thank you for sharing! Can't wait to see what 2025 has in store..
@Thisismyusername227 Hey fellow Texan! (I'm from Houston originally) Thanks for the compliment. I think there tends to be a general consensus among critics but not so much with audiences. How did my list compare? I'm guessing I departed from most critics' lists with a higher ranking for Gatsby and a lower ranking for Ever Happily After.
@@MatthewHardyMusical omg hey fellow Houstonian! :) Your list is hand in hand with some of my faves such as Mickey Jo and Broadway Best Friend. Though most people tended to like The Notebook a little more than you did lol
Thank you for creating this wonderful channel on TH-cam. I realize your intended audience are your fellow New Yorkers, but for those of us living in other parts of the world, you’re providing a fascinating window into the world of live American entertainment. Thank you again and all the best in 2025.
@stephenmessano1847 Thank you! I love comments like this! Lately I've been focusing on reviewing Broadway shows, but I'd like to explore some other areas. Please let me know what kind of content you'd be interested in watching. And Happy New Year!
Always loved watching your videos! I think you’re the only critic I know to not have gone utterly crazy over Maybe Happy Ending, but nonetheless it’s so fun watching your videos! I think your thoughts on Stereophonic make the okay seem not as good as it is. And that says a lot. There are, to me, no flaws WHATSOEVER in that show, it’s just TOO DAMN GOOD!!! I saw it twice as well and it’s probably been the best 6 hours of my theatregoing life so far
@cokedudebestmate7099 But I rated it number 1 and called it a masterpiece! Or are you referring to my original review of Stereophonic? Thanks for the comment and for watching my videos!
@@MatthewHardyMusicalExactly. And even calling it a masterpiece is putting it lightly. I don’t know how, but it just is. My favorite shows all have noteworthy flaws that are drowned out by monumental successes but this can’t apply to Stereophonic because there are just no flaws whatsoever. I think it is easily the best American play I’ll ever see, and might be (and this may not seem as wild in retrospect as it does now) one of the all-time great American plays ever written. (In which case, Annie Baker’s ‘the flick’ is already there)
@cokedudebestmate7099 I'm curious. Have you seen the new cast of Stereophonic? I was so taken with the original ensemble that I'm afraid that the new cast won't be able to compare.
@@MatthewHardyMusicalThe only way in which the new cast feel different is the performance of the music itself; Benjamin Anthony Anderson (who was originally understudying Tom Peckinka’s Peter) is the only Peter I have seen and he was great; Rebecca Naomi Jones - of the recent, unhinged Oklahoma revival - didn’t seem as experienced with the music but does such a solid job! Amy Forsyth was very very capable but is no Sarah Pidgeon (the latter of whom should’ve won a Tony for her work here; Kara’s Tony moment would have come with Purpose, which i am DYING to see when it opens on bway) (And breathe)
I have SO enjoyed discovering your channel in 2024! I'm not in the theatre industry professionally, but I am a really engaged theatre-goer who travels to NYC often. (I also perform from time to time as a cabaret performer and singer in my city, and I used to be an aspiring actor who worked with a regional theatre company.) Storytelling through theatre and music is my greatest passion, and it always will be even if I chose a different profession for my main career. I'm truly appreciative of your thoughtful, clear-minded, and constructive critiques of shows. It's clear you are approaching your reviews with the perspective of someone who is a professional in the performing arts, but you also offer your experiences as an audience member. Equally as important, you have a really friendly and very warm demeanor as a presenter of videos. My one suggestion for you to make your channel even more expansive and engaging in terms of content you cover, if you are open to the idea, is to incorporate more off-Broadway reviews and other shows you see beyond Broadway. I have gravitated to off-Broadway venues over the years because I just feel it's where some of the most thrilling theatre/acting is anywhere in the U.S. to be honest. I travel often both for personal and professional reasons, and I try to see theatre wherever I travel. I would say the only acting that matches off-Broadway in quality and consistency has been in the Bay Area for me. I will frequently travel from the Boston area where I'm based down to NYC to see shows at places like Irish Rep Theatre and Playwrights Horizons. I do this so often not just because NYC is awesome - it is, to me - but also because I feel I'm getting my money's worth when seeing off-Broadway shows. Not all, of course, but I've really never seen bad acting off-Broadway. And I tend to gravitate to the more risk-taking and adventurous theatre productions, as opposed to the corporate behemoths of Broadway. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about other regional markets for theatre. I know there are a lot of reasons for that, but I have been continuously disappointed in the cost vs. quality balance (high cost tickets, low quality) for some regional markets. By contrast, I've never felt my money wasn't well spent at an off-Broadway show. I love your perspectives on shows! I just wanted to share a note of gratitude for the consistently great and engaging content you share here. As someone who is as experienced and engaged with theatre as I am, I appreciate the intelligence and warmth of your videos.
@christophercobb249 This is the best comment I've read all year! I'm so glad you're enjoying my content. I started with Broadway because there seems to be a large audience for those reviews.I will definitely review more Off-Broadway shows and even some regional shows I see when I'm traveling. This is a new endeavor for me I really appreciate you watching my videos! Keep following your passion for theater! Happy New Year
@SandyGooen I really hope Soft Power makes it back to New York. I love Hwang and Tesori ALTHOUGH I do find that when Tesori often makes playwrights think they are lyricists when she's really just using her amazing skills to turn their prose into something that sounds like lyrics. The exception is David Lindsay Abaire who I think is a very good lyricist as well as playwright. I' excited for Dead Outlaw to come to Broadway because I missed it Off Broadway.
Have you heard about the immersive Phantom of the Opera coming off Broadway? I don't know if it is rumored still or if it is real, but if it real would love to see it and your review of it.
@valeriemoomjian4469 I haven't heard of it! Immersive you say? Does the audience actually get hit by the chandelier? lol I think it may be too soon for a revival of Phantom. I mean they just finished reinstalling the real chandelier into the Majestic Theater. Sounds interesting none the less.
@kaitlyng8968 Merrily opened in 2023 so I didn't include it. But if I had done a 2023 Year in Theater I think it would have been number 2 after Prima Facie. Appropriate, Shucked, Good Night Oscar and Melissa Etheridge: My Window were also some 2023 highlights.
@ I haven’t seen Gatsby yet. I keep putting it off. I didn’t like Sunset Boulevard and I didn’t love maybe happy ever after or whatever people seem to like it. I liked it, but wouldn’t make my top 10.
@sterlingross919 Appropriate moved theaters in 2024 with some slight cast changes. I reviewed it in 2024 but I didn't include it because it technically opened in 2023. But it would have been up there. Definitely in the top 5 for 2023.
My number one is Maybe Happy Ending, I loved it! I think you need to see it again. My number 2 is Sunset Blvd. It was amazing. I disliked this revival of Cabaret very much. The performances were great but I hated the theater and the small center stage. I was very excited to see it but it hugely disappointed me. The Sam Mendes - Rob Marshall version was way much better
@juancarlosgarza5511 Agreed, the revival starring Alan Cumming was a really great revival that elevated the piece and made it more accessible for a modern audience. But it's such a great show that I enjoy it even when it has issues. And I think it's cool how it always changes and they use different songs from other productions and the movie. I will definitely see MHE when I'm back in February. Maybe this time it will warm my cold cold heart just in time for Valentines Day. Happy New Year!
@thomasszymanski1107 Thanks for the comment. But I'm going to stand by my 25 rating. I'm allergic to sentimentality and I just felt that the story was for hopeless romantics. But many artists are hopeless romantics so you're in good company. I prefer the ending to The Great Gatsby better.😈
@@MatthewHardyMusical Honestly, I never saw the movie so my comment is removed of any sentimentality. The ONLY criticism of the score was that there wasn't a thematic melody that we have come to see in scores these days. You did not acknolwedge that this is perhaps the best film to stage adaptation ever - different than a Disney production.
@thomasszymanski1107 How do you know if it is the best film to stage adaptation if you never saw the movie? I didn't see the movie or the book so I came to the musical not really knowing anything about it. Did you watch my Notebook review? careful what you say about Disney. The mouse is watching.😟
@thomasszymanski1107 Are we still talking about The Notebook Musical? The reviews were mixed in NYC www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-THE-NOTEBOOK-Opens-On-Broadway-20240314
@jamesreda3687 Did you watch my Swept Away review? It was a gorgeous show, but have an issue with songwriting teams being MIA. (Although they did make a surprise appearance at the end of the run.)
@@MatthewHardyMusical I will view your review. I thought the actors were superior singers and actors. The musicians were superb. So, avett brothers were not needed, except they may have written a song to help better tell the story. I did not agree with Mickey Jo who does not understand American music and heritage.
@jamesreda3687 Love Mickey Jo but I haven't watched his Swept Away review. I appreciate his reviews because he's coming at the shows from a different perspective than my own. I agree that the actors and musicians were superb.
Forgot to mention, you asked about favorites/standouts: My favorite production I saw in NYC - or anywhere - in 2024 was Bill Irwin's one man show about Samuel Beckett, at the Irish Rep. It was just Bill Irwin with clown costumes, a podium, some lighting cues, and 90 minutes of Samuel Beckett writing. But it was so captivating and moving that it had me in tears, at times. He brought out the beauty - and the brutality - of Beckett's language in a way that seemed to really capture how it feels to be alive right now. Bill Irwin's also extremely charming and quite handsome in in his own unusual way, so that didn't hurt! :) My other favorite: a deeply strange show at Playwrights Horizons called "Staff Meal" that was one of the most captivating and moving shows I've seen in a long time. It would be almost impossible to describe, and it very heavily leaned into surrealism. But it was the most captivating new play I've seen in quite a while. I hope it's done more often, in the future, in more places.
@christophercobb249 Thank you for this comment! I LOVE Bill Irwin. People often overlook his theatrical genius. He was amazing in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe and I loved his 2 man show Old Hats with David Shiner. I've heard about Staff Meal. Wish I had seen it. I hope there's an opportunity. Did you see Small Mouth Sounds at Signature in 2016? I think about that play often. Probably the best play with little to no dialogue.
Matt I have so enjoyed stumbling upon your page this year and hearing your hot takes on the latest theatre fare. It's interesting how I follow so many theatre influencers such as yourself, and a lot of the rankings/Best Of The Year Lists are similar! I will have to make my trip from Texas sometime soon. Thank you for sharing! Can't wait to see what 2025 has in store..
@Thisismyusername227 Hey fellow Texan! (I'm from Houston originally) Thanks for the compliment. I think there tends to be a general consensus among critics but not so much with audiences. How did my list compare? I'm guessing I departed from most critics' lists with a higher ranking for Gatsby and a lower ranking for Ever Happily After.
@@MatthewHardyMusical omg hey fellow Houstonian! :) Your list is hand in hand with some of my faves such as Mickey Jo and Broadway Best Friend. Though most people tended to like The Notebook a little more than you did lol
Thank you for creating this wonderful channel on TH-cam. I realize your intended audience are your fellow New Yorkers, but for those of us living in other parts of the world, you’re providing a fascinating window into the world of live American entertainment. Thank you again and all the best in 2025.
@stephenmessano1847 Thank you! I love comments like this! Lately I've been focusing on reviewing Broadway shows, but I'd like to explore some other areas. Please let me know what kind of content you'd be interested in watching. And Happy New Year!
Great video! I love that you gave just a quick explanation for each show.
@laurakinnoin5649 Thanks! Glad you liked it. I'll do it again next year! Happy New Year!
Always loved watching your videos! I think you’re the only critic I know to not have gone utterly crazy over Maybe Happy Ending, but nonetheless it’s so fun watching your videos!
I think your thoughts on Stereophonic make the okay seem not as good as it is. And that says a lot. There are, to me, no flaws WHATSOEVER in that show, it’s just TOO DAMN GOOD!!! I saw it twice as well and it’s probably been the best 6 hours of my theatregoing life so far
@cokedudebestmate7099 But I rated it number 1 and called it a masterpiece! Or are you referring to my original review of Stereophonic? Thanks for the comment and for watching my videos!
@@MatthewHardyMusicalExactly. And even calling it a masterpiece is putting it lightly. I don’t know how, but it just is.
My favorite shows all have noteworthy flaws that are drowned out by monumental successes but this can’t apply to Stereophonic because there are just no flaws whatsoever. I think it is easily the best American play I’ll ever see, and might be (and this may not seem as wild in retrospect as it does now) one of the all-time great American plays ever written. (In which case, Annie Baker’s ‘the flick’ is already there)
@cokedudebestmate7099 I'm curious. Have you seen the new cast of Stereophonic? I was so taken with the original ensemble that I'm afraid that the new cast won't be able to compare.
@@MatthewHardyMusicalThe only way in which the new cast feel different is the performance of the music itself; Benjamin Anthony Anderson (who was originally understudying Tom Peckinka’s Peter) is the only Peter I have seen and he was great; Rebecca Naomi Jones - of the recent, unhinged Oklahoma revival - didn’t seem as experienced with the music but does such a solid job! Amy Forsyth was very very capable but is no Sarah Pidgeon (the latter of whom should’ve won a Tony for her work here; Kara’s Tony moment would have come with Purpose, which i am DYING to see when it opens on bway)
(And breathe)
@cokedudebestmate7099 Thanks for the intel. Sadly I wasn't able to see the new cast because I'm not back in NYC till later this month.
I have SO enjoyed discovering your channel in 2024! I'm not in the theatre industry professionally, but I am a really engaged theatre-goer who travels to NYC often. (I also perform from time to time as a cabaret performer and singer in my city, and I used to be an aspiring actor who worked with a regional theatre company.) Storytelling through theatre and music is my greatest passion, and it always will be even if I chose a different profession for my main career. I'm truly appreciative of your thoughtful, clear-minded, and constructive critiques of shows. It's clear you are approaching your reviews with the perspective of someone who is a professional in the performing arts, but you also offer your experiences as an audience member. Equally as important, you have a really friendly and very warm demeanor as a presenter of videos.
My one suggestion for you to make your channel even more expansive and engaging in terms of content you cover, if you are open to the idea, is to incorporate more off-Broadway reviews and other shows you see beyond Broadway. I have gravitated to off-Broadway venues over the years because I just feel it's where some of the most thrilling theatre/acting is anywhere in the U.S. to be honest. I travel often both for personal and professional reasons, and I try to see theatre wherever I travel. I would say the only acting that matches off-Broadway in quality and consistency has been in the Bay Area for me. I will frequently travel from the Boston area where I'm based down to NYC to see shows at places like Irish Rep Theatre and Playwrights Horizons. I do this so often not just because NYC is awesome - it is, to me - but also because I feel I'm getting my money's worth when seeing off-Broadway shows. Not all, of course, but I've really never seen bad acting off-Broadway. And I tend to gravitate to the more risk-taking and adventurous theatre productions, as opposed to the corporate behemoths of Broadway. Unfortunately I cannot say the same about other regional markets for theatre. I know there are a lot of reasons for that, but I have been continuously disappointed in the cost vs. quality balance (high cost tickets, low quality) for some regional markets. By contrast, I've never felt my money wasn't well spent at an off-Broadway show.
I love your perspectives on shows! I just wanted to share a note of gratitude for the consistently great and engaging content you share here. As someone who is as experienced and engaged with theatre as I am, I appreciate the intelligence and warmth of your videos.
@christophercobb249 This is the best comment I've read all year! I'm so glad you're enjoying my content. I started with Broadway because there seems to be a large audience for those reviews.I will definitely review more Off-Broadway shows and even some regional shows I see when I'm traveling. This is a new endeavor for me I really appreciate you watching my videos! Keep following your passion for theater! Happy New Year
I always love such ranking videos xD
@Mungoteazer11581 I love them too! What is it about humans that we love to rank things! Is everything a competition? lol
Good year end review
@JoshAragon Thank you!
I'm in my 50's and I don't care anymore. lol. Love that!
@TimeIdle Ain't it the truth tho?
Great job on this one,,,I may even forgive you for your Death Becomes Her review.....lol
@garycox3118 LOL Thank you! You have a kind heart. Happy new year!
Of the ones you missed, I liked Tommy
@SandyGooen I really hope Soft Power makes it back to New York. I love Hwang and Tesori ALTHOUGH I do find that when Tesori often makes playwrights think they are lyricists when she's really just using her amazing skills to turn their prose into something that sounds like lyrics. The exception is David Lindsay Abaire who I think is a very good lyricist as well as playwright. I' excited for Dead Outlaw to come to Broadway because I missed it Off Broadway.
Have you heard about the immersive Phantom of the Opera coming off Broadway? I don't know if it is rumored still or if it is real, but if it real would love to see it and your review of it.
@valeriemoomjian4469 I haven't heard of it! Immersive you say? Does the audience actually get hit by the chandelier? lol I think it may be too soon for a revival of Phantom. I mean they just finished reinstalling the real chandelier into the Majestic Theater. Sounds interesting none the less.
Stereophonic is a masterpiece that will outlast this moment, we will be talking about it in 50 years.
@jeffkoons001 Assuming it can beat the lawsuits! I wonder if there are talks to make it into a movie.
Where is Merrily?
@kaitlyng8968 Merrily opened in 2023 so I didn't include it. But if I had done a 2023 Year in Theater I think it would have been number 2 after Prima Facie. Appropriate, Shucked, Good Night Oscar and Melissa Etheridge: My Window were also some 2023 highlights.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST MUSICAL/PLAY THAT YOU SAW AND WHAT WAS YOUR AGE AT THE TIME?
I think I was 7, it was in Houston and I saw Annie at Theater Under the Stars. But I may have seen something before that and I just don't remember.
Agree on alot + differ on some
@adamweinstock4095 Spill it! Which did you differ? Gatsby and Ever Happily After are the ones I differ with most critics
@ I haven’t seen Gatsby yet. I keep putting it off.
I didn’t like Sunset Boulevard and I didn’t love maybe happy ever after or whatever people seem to like it. I liked it, but wouldn’t make my top 10.
@adamweinstock4095 We are odd men out on Maybe Happy Ending. I'd be curious to hear all your thoughts next time I see you.
Matt, you didn’t mention Appropriate!
That was last season, no?
@sterlingross919 Appropriate moved theaters in 2024 with some slight cast changes. I reviewed it in 2024 but I didn't include it because it technically opened in 2023. But it would have been up there. Definitely in the top 5 for 2023.
My number one is Maybe Happy Ending, I loved it! I think you need to see it again. My number 2 is Sunset Blvd. It was amazing.
I disliked this revival of Cabaret very much. The performances were great but I hated the theater and the small center stage. I was very excited to see it but it hugely disappointed me. The Sam Mendes - Rob Marshall version was way much better
@juancarlosgarza5511 Agreed, the revival starring Alan Cumming was a really great revival that elevated the piece and made it more accessible for a modern audience. But it's such a great show that I enjoy it even when it has issues. And I think it's cool how it always changes and they use different songs from other productions and the movie. I will definitely see MHE when I'm back in February. Maybe this time it will warm my cold cold heart just in time for Valentines Day. Happy New Year!
@@juancarlosgarza5511 wow that’s what makes a horse race because I didn’t like either of them that much
✨⭐✨💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💗✨⭐✨
@Mrajtheartist SO MUCH LOVE!!!!
How you put The Notebook at 25 is criminal, especially when you talk about how well other shows were actd.
@thomasszymanski1107 Thanks for the comment. But I'm going to stand by my 25 rating. I'm allergic to sentimentality and I just felt that the story was for hopeless romantics. But many artists are hopeless romantics so you're in good company. I prefer the ending to The Great Gatsby better.😈
@@MatthewHardyMusical Honestly, I never saw the movie so my comment is removed of any sentimentality. The ONLY criticism of the score was that there wasn't a thematic melody that we have come to see in scores these days. You did not acknolwedge that this is perhaps the best film to stage adaptation ever - different than a Disney production.
@thomasszymanski1107 How do you know if it is the best film to stage adaptation if you never saw the movie? I didn't see the movie or the book so I came to the musical not really knowing anything about it. Did you watch my Notebook review? careful what you say about Disney. The mouse is watching.😟
@@MatthewHardyMusical sure did when it was launched in Chicago and in NYC and it got stunning reviews
@thomasszymanski1107 Are we still talking about The Notebook Musical? The reviews were mixed in NYC www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review-Roundup-THE-NOTEBOOK-Opens-On-Broadway-20240314
At least Tammy Faye wasn't no.38 😆
@DDTC73 LOL I appreciate that it was an original work. It gets points for that. But I do not like when they sh*t all over the classics!
Swept Away should be higher. Agreed with great gatsby, which gets overlooked.
@jamesreda3687 Did you watch my Swept Away review? It was a gorgeous show, but have an issue with songwriting teams being MIA. (Although they did make a surprise appearance at the end of the run.)
@@MatthewHardyMusical I will view your review. I thought the actors were superior singers and actors. The musicians were superb. So, avett brothers were not needed, except they may have written a song to help better tell the story. I did not agree with Mickey Jo who does not understand American music and heritage.
I did view your excellent review. Like your taste better than most critics.
@jamesreda3687 Love Mickey Jo but I haven't watched his Swept Away review. I appreciate his reviews because he's coming at the shows from a different perspective than my own. I agree that the actors and musicians were superb.
@jamesreda3687 Thank you! That means a lot.
My top 5 -- The Outsiders, Oh, Mary!, Death Becomes Her, Mother Play, Maybe Happy Ending
@bobgarrett3367 Thank! So sad I missed Mother Play! Maybe I need a trip to Lincoln Center performance art library. Did you see my top 2 picks?
@@MatthewHardyMusical No what were they
@bobgarrett3367 1. Stereophonic 2. Eureka Day 3. Oh Mary!
th-cam.com/video/4o2mtEiH6ok/w-d-xo.html
@dorislachat9581 Love it! Thanks for sharing!
Are you in the business?
@thomashess9874 Sometimes! LOL and we call it "The Biz"!😜 YOu can check out some of my other playlists if you're interested in some of my work.
same comment: where is Merrily?
@danielenright4298 Merrily opened in 2023 so I didn't include it. But it would have been in the top 5 easily if I'd done a 2023 Year in Theater
Forgot to mention, you asked about favorites/standouts:
My favorite production I saw in NYC - or anywhere - in 2024 was Bill Irwin's one man show about Samuel Beckett, at the Irish Rep. It was just Bill Irwin with clown costumes, a podium, some lighting cues, and 90 minutes of Samuel Beckett writing. But it was so captivating and moving that it had me in tears, at times. He brought out the beauty - and the brutality - of Beckett's language in a way that seemed to really capture how it feels to be alive right now. Bill Irwin's also extremely charming and quite handsome in in his own unusual way, so that didn't hurt! :)
My other favorite: a deeply strange show at Playwrights Horizons called "Staff Meal" that was one of the most captivating and moving shows I've seen in a long time. It would be almost impossible to describe, and it very heavily leaned into surrealism. But it was the most captivating new play I've seen in quite a while. I hope it's done more often, in the future, in more places.
@christophercobb249 Thank you for this comment! I LOVE Bill Irwin. People often overlook his theatrical genius. He was amazing in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe and I loved his 2 man show Old Hats with David Shiner. I've heard about Staff Meal. Wish I had seen it. I hope there's an opportunity. Did you see Small Mouth Sounds at Signature in 2016? I think about that play often. Probably the best play with little to no dialogue.