Tony nomination or not, these actors delivered some of the best performances of the season.

1. Kimiko Glenn, Waitress

Kimiko Glenn is making her Broadway debut in Waitress, and it's a fantastic one. As Dawn, Glenn has one of the show's most satisfying arcs, from shy and submissive to sexually liberated and bursting with love. She is aggressively likable, a far cry from Glenn's best known role as Brook Soso on Orange Is the New Black. And while Dawn begins the show as essentially a sidekick to Jenna — for which Jessie Mueller earned a well-deserved Tony nomination — Glenn more than holds her own in her triumphant breakout song "When He Sees Me."

Joan Marcus

2. Nina Arianda, Fool for Love

Manhattan Theatre Club's revival of Sam Shepard's Fool for Love boasted dynamic performances from Sam Rockwell and Nina Arianda as sparring on-again, off-again lovers Eddie and May, but the latter has left the most lasting impression. Arianda's volatility kept audience members on edge as May's passion wavered from lust to rage and back again. If Fool for Love hadn't been a limited run, Arianda — who won a Tony for Venus in Fur and was nominated for Born Yesterday — might have earned more recognition.

Joan Marcus

3. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Fully Committed

Jesse Tyler Ferguson is certainly playing more roles than any other actor on Broadway, but what's more impressive is how easy he makes it look. In Fully Committed, he stars as Sam, who is responsible for reservations at a trendy Manhattan restaurant, but he also plays the hopeful diners whose calls Sam takes. For audience members who know Ferguson solely for Modern Family, Fully Committed is a brilliant showcase of his range: Rather than just doing voices, Ferguson is embodying dozens of characters, and it's a feat to behold.

Joan Marcus

4. Sarah Charles Lewis, Tuck Everlasting

It's not easy to be the star of the show at 11, but Sarah Charles Lewis pulls it off in Tuck Everlasting. Yes, there's a natural sweetness to her performance as Winnie Foster, and a rich emotional component that comes with the territory. But Lewis deserves credit for her ability to lean into Tuck Everlasting's more adult themes — namely the question of death versus immortality, and the staggeringly difficult choice Winnie has to make. Lewis's vocals are also top-notch: Her performance of the showstopper "Everlasting" is stunning.

Greg Mooney

---

View Entire List ›