Just like awards, lists are arbitrary and at times contradictory. While “China Doll,” starring Al Pacino, may have garnered brickbats from the critics, it remains the highest-grossing play on a per-performance basis. So with that caveat, here are the highs and lows of a Broadway year soon to go into the history books.The Phenomenon of Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Hamilton”The unlikelihood of Ron Chernow’s 800-page tome on Alexander Hamilton as a basis of a hit Broadway musical was only one element that led Miranda’s stunning success to suck all the oxygen out of the room. Few other shows could get coverage as this hip-hop take on American history captivated the media’s attention. Raves from conservative columnists like David Brooks, a profile of Miranda on “60 Minutes,” and presidential visits continued to feed the hype which, in this case, was justified. Few doubt that the Pulitzer and Tony Awards are yet to come.The Public Theater on a RollSomewhere Joseph Papp is smiling. The late and legendary founder of the Public Theater wanted his theaters to reflect the concerns of the polyglot outside its home on Lafayette Street. And “Hamilton,” “Fun Home,” “Grounded,” “Barbecue,” and “First Daughter Suite” were just some of the boldly eclectic choices of the Public’s artistic director Oskar Eustis. “Fun Home,” directed by Sam Gold and created by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori, was exceptional not only in its subject matter — a lesbian’s coming-of-age in a funeral home presided over by a closeted and abusive father — but also in its artistic integrity. Its reward was, surprisingly, the Best Musical Tony.The “Jukebox” Musical Is Alive and Well“Mamma Mia!” retired its sequined jumpsuits after fourteen glorious years and “Jersey Boys” is still humming along nicely after ten. Is it any wonder that in their wake has come “Beautiful,” the Carole King musical, and now “On Your Feet!” the story of pop superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio? The fans of the latter have been pouring into the Marquis Theatre since the show, directed by Jerry Mitchell and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, began previews. “Rhythm is going to get you” will have audiences dancing in the aisles for years to come and, for good or ill, pave the way for yet more musicals featuring a songbook of pop hits.The Broadway Auteur Is BackThere was much ringing of hands when Tommy Tune all but retired while Harold Prince, winner of 21 Tony Awards, has had to go to Japan to try out his newest musical, “The Prince of Broadway.” But their ilk has had worthy successors and a good many of them hit their stride this year: Bartlett Sher (“The King and I”, “Fiddler on the Roof”), John Doyle (“The Color Purple”), Jerry Mitchell (“On Your Feet!”), and Casey Nicholaw (“Something Rotten!”). The latter two are minting gold: Mitchell with “Kinky Boots” and Nicholaw as the director-choreographer of two smash hits, “The Book of Mormon” and “Aladdin.” In the non-musical arena, Belgian-born Ivo van Hove became ascendant on Broadway after laboring long in regional and off-Broadway stages. His revival of Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge” was greeted with critical raves and he is due to follow up next year with the playwright’s “The Crucible.” Meanwhile, his production of “Lazarus,” starring Michael C. Hall and with music by David Bowie, generated reams of controversy — which is just how the maverick van Hove likes it.Not So Fast HarveyProducer Harvey Weinstein has long been one of Hollywood’s kingpins, but his ruthless ambition was not enough to fuel “Finding Neverland,” his debut as lead producer, to either hit status or Tony Award glory. In fact, the $11 million musical was snubbed completely when nominations were announced last April. The impresario could then take some comfort in the show’s $1 million weekly grosses but even those have already softened and could deteriorate further once star Matthew Morrison exits on January 24. (Kelsey Grammer returns on January 19 to the dual role of Captain Hook and producer Charles Frohman in this re-telling of the creation of “Peter Pan.”) Weinstein will be back up at bat next year with “Singin’ in the Rain,” an import from Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet. Pacino and Mamet with Targets on Their BacksNothing gets the critics dander up as much as a show that might succeed despite their collective disapproval. It’s safe to say they were gunning for “China Doll” from the beginning and star Al Pacino and playwright David Mamet gave them loads of ammunition. The bullets began to fly early on when the New York Post’s Michael Riedel gleefully attacked the drama in previews, claiming that a prickly Pacino, at 75, was having a devil of a time remembering his lines and battling with the director Pam Mackinnon. The use of teleprompters, audience walk-outs, and a playwright in absentia all fed the voracious maw of the 24/7 news cycle and the blogosphere. While the reviews were mostly unkind, Pacino’s substantial fan base has kept the grosses respectable and Mamet is the only contemporary playwright who can boast that he has had ten Broadway productions in as many years. Having been in the firing range since 1977, he must have developed a suit of armor by now.
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