10 Amazing Broadway Babes You MUST See This Season

It's truly a glorious time to be a theater fan. With Tony season on the horizon, the Great White Way is being inundated with fantastic, thrilling performances that might very well live on in our hearts and on our iPods for years to come. And of course with this new season comes a new brigade of kick-ass actresses who command the stage with a powerful fierceness we're lucky to experience live. It's absolutely imperative that we celebrate these stunning souls, and so here is our pick for Top 10 Broadway Babes this season. Get your tickets today!

10. Helen Mirren in The Audience: Helen Mirren is definitely no stranger to playing Queen Elizabeth II. She's already played her majesty before on screen and on stage in London, and now the US is blessed with Helen's masterful portrayal in NYC. When award season rolls around, we're pretty sure all will be hailing this Queen. 

9. Kristin Chenoweth in On the 20th Century: Charm abounds in the recent revival of On the 20th Century, but no one's packed with more vivacious likeability than the hype-worthy powerhouse that is Kristin Chenoweth. Though she formerly played Glinda the Good in the crazy popular musical Wicked, she's still just as good as a 1920s movie star struggling with a career decision that will change her life. This is one train we're super happy to get on board!

8. Sarah Stiles in Hand to God: You might have already heard of Hand to God, the horror/comedy play about a deranged demon puppet that's possessed a young boy, Jason, and proceeds to destroy everything around him. It's a bloody good time (often literally), and while lead Steven Boyer's possessed performance is inspired, Sarah Stiles as Jason's cleverly resourceful friend certainly steals her scenes when she swoops in to try to save the day. Also, shout out to Geneva Carr, making one hell of a Broadway debut as Jason's tortured mother. Come for the demon puppet, stay for the completely captivating performances all around. 

7. Lora Lee Gayer in Doctor Zhivago: Doctor Zhivago's totally a musical now, everyone! And while we all know (assuming, of course, you are familiar with the classic Russian epic novel/movie) the titular doc spends basically the entire time majorly swooning over Lara, we're finding ourselves leaning towards Team Tonia this time. Wait, we kinda really love Kelli Barrett as Lara too. And from watching the video below it seems even they can't decide who's more awesome. Doctor Zhivago, we totally get the dilemma here and can't wait to watch it play out onstage!

6. Vanessa Hudgens in Gigi: Will she soar? Will she fly?? Is there a star in heaven that she can't reach??? Okay, High School Musical references aside (which is, like, really hard for us), we're psyched to catch V-Hudge live onstage in this revival of the musical Gigi. Like really, how absolutely precious is she in this Good Morning America clip alone? Consider us enthusiastically soaring and flying to this Parisian adventure!

5. Rebecca Naomi Jones in Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Fine, yes, Hedwig opened over a year ago and already won a bunch of Tonys, but we need to take a moment to celebrate Rebecca Naomi Jones joining the cast this month as Yitzhak, Hedwig's power-belting husband who has a tendency to win and break our hearts over and over again in 100 minutes. We'll definitely miss Lena Hall's Tony winning portrayal, but we're sure Rebecca will take good care of one of our favorite characters currently on Broadway. And we already know this girl can sing. Seriously, take a listen and prepare to fall madly in love. Sure, Darren Criss joining the cast is cool too, but Rebecca's just as much the real deal.

4. Chita Rivera in The Visit: Once a Broadway Babe, always a Broadway Babe. The endlessly wonderful Chita Rivera stars in this revival of the super dark Kander & Ebb musical as a vengeful billionaire who, upon returning to her home town, reveals some pretty cruel intentions to have an ex-lover who scorned her murdered. Does it work? You'll just have to...visit to find out. Is Chita Rivera amazing? Yes. Always.  

3. Tracee Chimo in The Heidi Chronicles: Elisabeth Moss may be the big name playing Heidi in this revival of Wendy Wasserstein's Tony award-winning play, but Tracee Chimo is absolutely killing it in five different roles that pretty much command each scene she sets foot in. If you don't recognize Tracee for her prominent and constant work in the New York theater scene, you'll remember her as Piper's brother's wife inOrange is the New Black. See? Many of you already love Tracee Chimo and didn't even know it! Now know it, revel in it, and fall in love with her right this moment on Broadway. 

2. Heidi Blickenstaff in Something Rotten!: Something Rotten!, about two men in the Renaissance trying to write basically anything that will outshine the deeply popular William Shakespeare, is making epic waves in the theater scene. We're talking standing ovations mid-show, Christian Borle's arm muscles abounding, and as many references to Cats as you can handle. But the real heroine here is Heidi Blickenstaff as the outgoing, quick-thinking wife of one of the downtrodden writers. Her voice is as strong as her comic timing, and we're totally rooting for her from start to finish. Seriously world, take note: the more Heidi Blickenstaff, the better. 

1. Beth Malone & Emily Skeggs in Fun Home: What's better than one Alison Bechdel? Multiple Alison Bechdels singing beautiful songs about being Alison Bechdel and bringing us all to tears. Fun Home only recently started previews and is already striking deeply emotional chords in many who come to visit. It's a dream come true that this story has made its way to Broadway, and even more so that it's in the hands of such powerful, unique performers as Beth and Emily, who portray medium/post-college Alison. And we just have to mention, of course, Sydney Lucas as Little Alison, who has already picked up several awards for her epically passionate, mature, and nuanced performance (speaking of which, it's definitely time for you to experience Ring of Keys). This is one truly special moment for Broadway, and now we're totally changing our major to Bechdel. (Click here to check out the soundtrack and get the reference!) 

Have you liked us on Facebook?