BY CARY GINELL
As we close 2013, many theater critics not unexpectedly take stock of performances seen during the past twelve months. I am no different, and although many critics rank individual performances against one another, I can do no such thing. I find it unfair to compare a performance of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables with one of Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. What I can do, however, is list the performances that had the most effect on me emotionally. Emotion is what drives me when I visit the theater. Does the performer make me cry or laugh? Does the performer disappear into his or her character? Can I see this performance as being one that is worthy of Broadway itself? There were many outstanding performances in the more than 75 shows that I saw in 2013, both musicals as well as plays. Thus, I have listed below what I consider the most exceptional performances of the year, divided into two groups: Community/professional theater and high school/youth group/college theater. If you did not make either of these lists, I still applaud you for all your hard work this year and look forward to seeing you on the stage in 2014. (Since VC On Stage only started in July, I must recuse myself from judging performances in stage plays prior to July as well as areas not covered by my reviews in the Acorn.) Congratulations, Vee-Cee Award Winners!!
MEMORABLE HIGH SCHOOL/YOUTH GROUP/COLLEGE PERFORMANCES
(In alphabetical order)
Reilly Anspaugh – Rusty (Footloose – Oaks Christian High School)
Francesca Barletta – The Witch (Into the Woods – YA4ever)
Ryan Brodsky – Leaf Coneybear (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)
Nia Colemon – Maggie (42nd Street – Young Artists Ensemble)
Brett Crockett – Ren (Footloose – Newbury Park High School)
Kevin Gilmond – Barfee (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)
Alex Karukas – Leaf Coneybear (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Thousand Oaks High School)
Mack Keane – Tony (West Side Story – Calabasas High School)
Austin Miller – Julian Marsh (42nd Street – Young Artists Ensemble) / Poe (Dark Heart of Poe – Elite Theatre Company)
Ryan Palmer – Vice Principal Panch (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)
Ryan Rosenheim – Jesus (Godspell – Agoura High School)
Michael Seltzer – Barfee (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Thousand Oaks High School)
Evan Smith – Officer Lockstock (Urinetown – YA4ever)
Kathy Steele – Christine (Phantom of the Opera – Agoura High School)
Mariah Tobin – Dotty Otley (Noises Off – Newbury Park High School)
MEMORABLE COMMUNITY THEATER/PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES
(In alphabetical order)
Arryck Adams – The Emcee (Cabaret – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)
Matt Bauer – Emmett (Legally Blonde – Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Michael Beck – Buddy (The Diviners – Elite Theatre Company)
Silas Benjamin – Pseudolus (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)
Jeff Berg – Dick Dauntless (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Sydney Bowling – Dame Hannah (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Alex Britton – De Becque (South Pacific – High Street Arts Center)
Reba Buhr – Lois Lane (Kiss Me, Kate – Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Larry Craig – Joe Boyd (Damn Yankees – Conejo Players Theatre)
Emma Degerstedt – Elle (Legally Blonde – Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Kimberly Demmary – Janet (Seatbelts Required – Santa Paula Theater Center)
Ben Deschaine – Javert (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Ryan Driscoll – Marius (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)
Tom Dugan – Robert E. Lee (Robert E. Lee: Shades of Gray – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Jennifer Fogarty – Wednesday (The Addams Family – Theater League)
Davis Gaines – Fred Graham (Kiss Me, Kate – Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Geoffrey Going – Jean Valjean (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theater of Simi)
Richard Gould – Dedlock/Ebenezer Scrooge (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Kimberly Hessler – Anne Frank (The Diary – Thousand Oaks Repertory Company)
Kellie Holm – April (Company – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)
Clynell Jackson III – Sir Roderic (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)
Rebecca Ann Johnson – Estella Scrooge (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Elizabeth Kelly – Nellie (South Pacific – High Street Arts Center)
Melissa Martinez – Amneris (Aida – High Street Arts Center)
Carlos Penaranda – Thenardier (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Mischa Pollack – Jean Valjean (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)
Rachael Pugh – Cosette (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)
Andrew Samonsky – Philip Nickelby (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Jesse Sharp – Gomez (The Addams Family – Theater League)
Cody Slaughter – Elvis Presley (Million Dollar Quartet – Theater League)
Tucker Smallwood – Black (The Sunset Limited – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Joe Spano – White (The Sunset Limited – Rubicon Theatre Company)
Natalie Storrs – Lucy (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – Cabrillo Music Theatre)
Dave Ulmer – King Arthur (Monty Python’s Spamalot – Conejo Players Theatre)
Amanda Wanamaker – Philia (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)
Mazie Wilson – Eponine (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)
Paul Wong – Hysterium (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)
