Theater Better of 2021: Featured Actor, Comedy – Orlando Sentinel

By FloridaDailyHerald On Dec 12, 2022

Enjoying the whole lot from one of many world’s best-known artists to a bawdy innkeeper, listed here are the 2022 Orlando Sentinel honorees for featured actor in a comedy as chosen by theater critic Matthew J. Palm.

Though it’s inconceivable for one individual to see each native manufacturing, because the Orlando Sentinel’s theater critic, every year I see a broad spectrum of dramas, comedies and musicals. The people chosen by me for this 2022 theatrical honor roll, introduced right here alphabetically, elevated the theatrical arts. Go to OrlandoSentinel.com/arts to see the honorees in different fields, and verify again on Dec. 20 to study the Critic’s Decide on this class.

Faheem Bacchus stars with Natalie Bulajic in “Say Goodnight, Gracie.” (Marco DiGeorge / Courtesy photograph)

In June’s “Say Goodnight Gracie,” Faheem Bacchus deftly tied collectively the extremes of his character’s character — the fervour for all times with the despair — whereas making this “I can dig it” Jersey boy way more than a caricature.

Avis-Marie Barnes stars within the Orlando Shakes manufacturing of “Candy Water Style.” (Tony Firriolo / Courtesy photograph)

As a loyal spouse in January’s “Candy Water Style,” Avis-Marie Barnes deftly held her personal whereas letting the play’s larger-than-life characters shine.

Natalie Bulajic, proper, stars with Audra Torres in “Say Goodnight, Gracie.” (Marco DiGeorge / Courtesy photograph)

As a newcomer to a gaggle of high-school buddies in “Say Goodnight, Gracie,” Natalie Bulajic captured the essence of being an outsider whereas serving because the viewers’s proxy voyeur on the group. She owned the stage with a life-affirming sensuality and offered a jolt of electrical energy each time she spoke. Bulajic was beforehand honored in 2018 for her performing in Theater on the Edge’s “Gideon’s Knot.”

Gabriel Garcia performs Salvador Dali within the Ensemble Firm’s manufacturing of “Hysteria.” (Mike Kitaif / Courtesy photograph)

In March’s “Hysteria,” Gabriel Garcia had a area day with the affected speech and mannerisms of preening artist Salvador Dalí. Enjoying him as a narcissistic peacock who nonetheless had a childlike sense of marvel, Garcia gave the artist pleasant comedian complexity.

Anne Hering, heart, stars with Ben Cohen and Johnathan Arvelo, in Orlando Shakes’ “Henry IV, Half Two.” (Orlando Shakes / Courtesy photograph)

Anne Hering had one other successful comedian flip as Dottie in Orlando Shakes’ “Noises Off!” this yr, nevertheless it’s her portrayal of the garrulous Mistress Shortly in April’s “Henry IV, Half Two” that is still lodged in my thoughts. In a play that’s divided between drama and comedy, Mistress Shortly is there for laughs. And Hering nailed the humor in every of the nice girl’s attributes — bawdy, grasping, vengeful, aspiring to the next class — turning her litany of complaints, asides and wheedling pleas into comedian gold. This marks Hering’s fourth look within the year-end honor rolls. She was final cited in 2020 for her function as Cardinal Richelieu in Orlando Shakes’ “The Three Musketeers.”

Chris Lindsay, pictured with Avis-Marie Barnes, added laughs to the Orlando Shakes manufacturing of “Candy Water Style.” (Tony Firriolo / Courtesy photograph)

In “Candy Water Style,” Chris Lindsay assuredly captured the divide between youthful and older Black generations — the previous not totally understanding what their elders endured, the latter not all the time appreciating the actual challenges that stay. And with a riveting mixture of anger and delight, Lindsay superbly delivered maybe the play’s most memorable line, summing up a race’s harm attributable to centuries of abuse: “I’m not gonna stand in some white man’s home and beg for six toes of dust.” Lindsay was awarded a Critic’s Decide in 2021 for his performing in Orlando Shakes’ “Intimate Attire.”

The Ghost of Christmas Current is among the characters portrayed by Briana Small in The Ensemble Firm’s manufacturing of “A Christmas Carol.” (Caroline Hull / Courtesy photograph)

In December’s “A Christmas Carol,” Briana Small shone as the bubbling Ghost of Christmas Current, utilizing each physique language, a intelligent sight gag and her personal voice to humorous impact. Is her accent cockney? Caribbean? It’s definitely humorous as she prattles away — a lot to Scrooge’s irritation.

Discover me on Twitter @matt_on_arts, facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or e-mail me at [email protected]. Need extra theater and humanities information and evaluations? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts. For extra enjoyable issues, comply with @enjoyable.issues.orlando on Instagram, Fb and Twitter.