We preface this list with a reminder that, unlike the Tony's, the Musicals101 Dean's List is not artificially limited to Broadway productions.

And the honors go to . . .

Best Musical
Thrill Me
The best new musical to receive a professional production in New York this past season was Thrill Me, Stephen Dolginoff's chilling look at the relationship between Leopold & Loeb. A brilliant examination of how attractive & seductive evil can be, Thrill Me got a first-class staging at Off-Broadway's York Theatre -- and nothing Broadway offered this season came within miles of it.

Best Broadway Musical
Jersey Boys
This award is given with little enthusiasm. While Jersey Boys offered a fine cast and some fun vintage pop songs, it pains me to see a "jukebox musical" take top spot in a weak line-up.

Best Non-Musical on Broadway
Souvenir
Funny, heartbreaking and ultimately exhilarating, playwright Stephen Temperley's underestimated gem was my choice for the most enjoyable and rewarding Broadway production of the past season. Souvenir's commercial failure is a sad illustration of the price we all pay for the increasing cultural illiteracy of mainstream audiences.

Best Musical Revival
The Pajama Game
Smart, fun an sexy, this production was better than most had hoped for, proving that a great show can still delight audiences after half a century. Oh yeah, and having Harry Connick Jr. go shirtless for the finale didn't exactly hurt ticket sales either!

Best Score
Stephen Dolginoff, Thrill Me
This young writer/actor's first full length stage score packed a powerful dramatic punch, and made him a talent to watch in season to come.

Best Book of a Musical
Stephen Dolginoff, Thrill Me
Ditto.

Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Rupert, Thrill Me
A small stage and limited budget meant it all came down to relying on ideas and talent -- and this veteran actor proved himself on all counts, making Thrill Me unforgettable.

Best Choreography
No Award
This was a dismal year for choreography. 

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster, The Drowsy Chaperone
Now the undeniable Queen of the Marquis, Ms. Foster gives a lesson in star power, almost breathing life into this mediocre show.

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys
We first praised this handsome and talented newcomer at Papermill some seasons ago, so its a pleasure to see him conquer Broadway on his very first try.

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Felicia P. Fields, The Color Purple 
A soulful and vivid performance made this a memorable Broadway debut -- more, more!

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Jim Dale, The Threepenny Opera
Amidst the wreckage of Brecht & Weill's masterpiece, this ever-reliable pro steps out and stirs up some real excitement -- three cheers for a magical effort!

Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Musical
Jersey Boys
The cast of The Drowsy Chaperone deservers honorable mention for their Herculean efforts, but this year's award goes to the cast of this disarming jukebox hit.

Set Design - TIE
John Lee Beatty, The Color Purple
Breathtaking sets took us into the old South with a combination of style and rare imagination.
Michael Bottari & Ronald Case, Fanny Hill
The York's tiny stage was graced with one of the most inventive sets ever conceived on a budget, recapturing the spirit of England in the 1700s.

Costume Design
Michael Bottari & Ronald Case, Fanny Hill
As with their set, these men made a compact Off-Broadway production look as if it had cost over a million dollars.

Lighting Design
Brian MacDevitt, The Color Purple
Beatty's sets glowed all the more under this man's intricate care.

Orchestrations
Jonathan Tunick, The Color Purple
Gorgeous orchestrations made this solid score sound all the stronger.

SPECIAL HONORS - AND DISHONORS

Most Promising Musical Newcomer
Stephen Dolginoff, Thrill Me
Aside from writing this impressive show single-handedly, Dolginoff eventually took over one of the roles and added even more power to the production. 

Best Leading Actor In a Non-Musical
No award
Sorry -- none of the performances I saw this year overwhelmed me.

Best Leading Actress In a Non-Musical
Judy Kaye, Souvenir
This gifted lady pulled off one of the most surprising and disarming performances in many a season.

Worst Broadway Musical
In My Life
This was the most hotly contested category this year, what with Lennon, The Woman In White and Lestat bouncing about -- but few shows could ever hope to match this laughable ego trip masquerading as a Broadway production. Whatever Joseph Brooks was thinking when he decided to write and produce this vomit-bag, he was hopelessly wrong.

Most Pretentious New Broadway Musical
Lestat
Okay, we're breaking down and creating a new category for this ponderous bucket of faux blood. Lestat doesn't even suck -- it barely sips. It is infuriating to see millions of dollars thrown into such a pointless project. When making career decisions, Sir Elton should start listening to some of his more sober associates.

Most Needlessly Disappointing New Broadway Musical
The Drowsy Chaperone
Many of us had hopes for this one, but mine were dashed. Apparently, it is no longer enough to just make fun of musicals -- now you also have to attack the pathetic morons who love musicals. Despite a brilliant cast, Drowsy was a major letdown.

Worst Direction of a Broadway Musical
John Doyle, Sweeney Todd
By violently disregarding such minor considerations as plot and characterization, this staging ruins a classic musical and abuses a great cast -- and clueless audiences have packed the house to cheer Patti Lupone playing a tuba. Beam me up, Scotty!

Most Forgettable New Broadway Score
Lisa Lambert & Gregg Morrison, The Drowsy Chaperone
Spoofing musicals of the 1920s without providing a single memorable song? And there isn't a good comic lyric in the entire score. A meager effort. 

Sexiest Male Performer in a Broadway Musical
Harry Connick, Jr., The Pajama Game
Beefcake and talent make for a profitable mix in show business, and this year Roundabout reaped SRO rewards thanks in large part to this hunk's obvious sex appeal and star quality.

Sexiest Female Performer in a Musical
No Award
Sorry -- not a strong year in this category.

Most Unsurprising Failure
Julia Roberts, Three Days of Rain
When a film star has no stage experience, why is anyone surprised when their Broadway debut is a disappointment? If Roberts was looking for a high profile fiasco, she sure as heck got one.

Unsung Heroes of the Season
The Cast of 70, Girls, 70 at Encores!
A spectacular cast of veteran performers, whose credits amounted to a living history of musical theatre over the last six decades, disregarded withering opening night criticism and pulled themselves together for some inspired performances at the end of a brief concert run. Closing night was a joy to behold!

Well, that's it for Musicals101's 5th annual Dean's List! Till this time next year, we bid you all the best, and happy theater going!

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