These Broadway shows generated buzz in 2023
NEW YORK -- On Broadway, the year ends with new and notable shows opening that will be eligible for Tony Awards to be handed out in June.
CBS New York's Dave Carlin takes a look at some of the productions that opened in the last four months of 2023, generating big buzz on Broadway.
"Appropriate"
Sarah Paulson stars in "Appropriate," alongside Corey Stoll and Elle Fanning. The acting ensemble is earning rave reviews in this darkly comic tale of a fractured family brought together in Arkansas by the death of a patriarch.
"Three estranged siblings who come home to deal with their father's estate, their deceased father's estate, and shenanigans ensue, and shocks and heartbreak and a lot of other things too," Paulson said.
Things take a turn when an uninvited sibling shows up, and shocking objects are discovered in the clutter.
Paulson says she could not resist what playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins wrote about hidden secrets and buried resentments, and it lured her back to Broadway.
"I thought it was, the writing was so spectacular. I thought, how do I not do this play? I have to do this play," she said.
"Purlie Victorious"
Leslie Odom Jr. returns to Broadway in the title role of "Purlie Victorious." The revival of the landmark 1961 comedy by Ossie Davis is about a traveling preacher who angles to reclaim his inheritance and liberate his family in Jim Crow-era Georgia.
"This is about a great American," Odom said. "He's using the United States Constitution, he's using the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights to preach for him."
In this spirited production, Kara Young plays Lutiebelle.
"How to Dance in Ohio"
The groundbreaking musical "How to Dance in Ohio" stars seven autistic actors, and it explores the universal need to connect and the bravery required to step out into the world.
It follows young adults adapting to change as they prepare for a spring dance. It i s based on a true story and a critically acclaimed documentary.
"Monty Python's Spamalot"
Another film is the basis for this musical that is back on Broadway. The revival of "Spamalot" is for you if your Holy Grail is wacky entertainment full of belly laughs.
Just like the classic movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," this show hilariously spoofs the legend of King Arthur.
"This is the show just to have fun. This is the show just to laugh. Come here and have a good time," actor James Monroe Iglehart said.
This funny show reminds us to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."
Looking ahead
The beginning of 2024 will see eagerly awaited revivals hit Broadway stages, including musicals "The Wiz" and "The Who's Tommy" and plays "Doubt" and "Uncle Vanya."
The 77th Annual Tony Awards will be held at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Sunday, June 16, and will air live on CBS2.
