by Ben Togut
In the weeks leading up to the 77th Annual Tonys, Broadway’s Best Shows ran a series exploring the Broadway careers of this past season’s nominees. However, there was a wealth of excellent performances in the last season that were overlooked in this past season’s awards circuit that are just as deserving of recognition. As we head into a very busy 2024-2025 Broadway season, we want to take a moment to celebrate the work of these fine performers. In honor of these actors and their onstage contributions, here are some of Broadway’s great unsung performances from the 2023-2024 season.
Jay O. Sanders
One of Purlie Victorious’ undeniable highlights was Jay O. Sanders. In the production, Sanders played Ol’ Cap’n Cotchipee, a tyrannical plantation owner who believes he treats his workers well but weighs them down with debt. Critics and audiences alike enjoyed Sanders’ performance for its humor and intensity.
Noah Ricketts
While The Great Gatsby was largely overlooked during awards season, Noah Ricketts emerged as one of the show’s bright stars. Audience members and critics praised his commanding portrayal of Nick Caraway, who provides an outsider’s perspective into Gatsby’s lavish world.
Anika Noni Rose
Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose turned in another brilliant performance in Uncle Vanya. Stepping into Chekhov’s world, Rose showcases her versatility as an actress, revealing the vulnerabilities that lie beneath Elena’s confident exterior.
Chip Zien
An actor who has originated iconic roles such as The Baker in Into the Woods, Chip Zien most recently returned to Broadway in Harmony. Zien’s performance as Rabbi Josef Roman Cycowski, the last surviving member of a German singing group broken apart by the Nazis, was well-liked by audience members and critics like Jesse Greene, who celebrated Zien’s “forceful” onstage presence.
Billy Eugene Jones
Billy Eugue Jones gave a standout performance in Purlie Victorious as Gitlow Judson, Purlie’s brother and one of Cotchipee’s sharecroppers. A key player in Lutiebelle’s scheme to win back a $500 inheritance, Jones gave a performance which New York Magazine called “extraordinarily committed, gutsy, and delicate.”
Izzy McCalla
Another memorable performance from this season came from Izzy McCalla, who played star circus performer and love interest Elena in Water for Elephants. Critics praised McCalla in particular for her graceful and nuanced portrayal of a survivor of domestic abuse. According to Frank Rizzo of Variety, in McCalla’s capable hands, Elena is not a victim but “an ever-resilient wife walking the tightrope of fidelity, fear and desperation.”
Michael Urie
Michael Urie garnered critical acclaim for his impassioned performance as Sir Robin in Spamalot. Critics such as Charles Isherwood and Jesse Greene commended Urie for the infectious energy and comic sensibility he brought to the role originated by Eric Idle and later by David Hyde Pierce in the original Broadway production.
Brittany Adebumola
Brittany Adebumola turned in another standout performance this season as Miriam in Jaja’s African Hair Braiding. Critics and audiences relished Adebumola’s portrayal of a girl-next-door door hair braider who, while timid on the surface, reveals her true feistiness throughout the show. While she wasn’t nominated for a Tony, Adebumola received a well-deserved nomination from the Drama Desk awards