I was asked this question in the course of writing my highly acclaimed memoir (“Tis The Drink Talking) and in Chapter 46, Verse 7, Page 292, I humorously responded “Sacrifice Bunts, Double Plays, and Hail Mary Passes”. Since I’m being asked the same question again it is apparent that my flippant reply left my readers wanting. So, this time I’ll respond for real.

My all-time favorite plays are the Gaithersburg High School productions of “The Foreigner”, as produced, directed, edited, and performed by Christopher Todd Tyrrell, and “Bye Bye Birdie” which featured the theatrical debut of Justin Robert Tyrrell. While I understand that my opinion may be criticized as very subjective, those who were fortunate enough to attend those productions would agree that they were outstanding. That’s what they told me anyway in real time. Staying within the realm of subjectivity, I would also include in my list of favorite plays the Gaithersburg High School productions of “Anything Goes”, “Hello Dolly”. and “Once Upon A Mattress”, all of which were hugely successful due in no small part to the choreography and/or director talents of Claudia Teresa Tyrrell.

Meanwhile, while the rest of the family pretended to be on Broadway, Patrick James Tyrrell became for real a musician, pianist, composer, singer, and true rock star.

But I digress. My favorite plays would have to include two productions by my hometown hero, Jason Miller. One is “Harvey” which I saw with my son Chris and my sister and brother-in-law at an outdoor playhouse on Montage Mountain. Jason directed the production and played the wealthy drunk who had an imaginary friend, the giant rabbit named Harvey. Jason was a classmate of my sister at St. Patrick’s High School; indeed, he was her senior prom date. After the play ended, we visited Jason backstage and he remained right in character, inviting us to go across the highway for drink (which we did not do). The other play was “That Championship Season”, written by Jason and centered on a 20-year reunion of a high school basketball team at a school one block from my house. That play resulted in a Tony Award for Best Play and a Pulitzer Prize for Jason. He returned to Scranton after his Hollywood career (which included his role as the young priest in “The Exorcist”) and became a regular at a downtown bar called Farley’s. He suffered a fatal heart attack while sitting at the bar and Farley’s mounted the drink he was having at the moment of his death on the wall behind the bar. When I first heard that story I began to aspire to such glory.

I saw only one play at a dinner theater and that was “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. That was at the Harlequin theater in Rockville. I liked the story and the play, but I remember that the food (a chicken dinner-ugh!) was awful. I saw “A Christmas Carol” at Radio City Music Hall, which was very good. My best recollection is that I saw all of the rest of my favorite plays at Broadway theaters (where often my wife and I had great seats thanks to contacts of Dan Scott and Norman Scott) or at the Kennedy Center (where we almost always had front row seats compliments of Dr. Aaron Kimche). 

My wife loved musicals, and we were fortunate to see many musical productions over the years. She particularly enjoyed “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” which were plays by the renowned composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Other rock musicals we liked were “Hair”, which led us into the Age of Aquarius, and “Godspell”, which stands out in my mind because at intermission the cast circulated among the audience, offering a glass of wine. Or was that “Jesus Christ Superstar”? Now I’m not certain, but I do remember, though, that either the Father or the Son was involved and I did drink the unconsecrated wine.

I have to list “The Buddy Holly Story” as one of my favorite plays because after the cast took their closing bows, they unexpectedly broke into a rendition of “That’ll be the Day”, and most of the Kennedy Center audience got off their seats and started dancing in the aisles (including my dear wife, but not the reserved Dr. Kimche or me). Other musicals we both enjoyed were “Annie”, “Rent”, “Chicago”, and “Cabaret”, the latter of which inspired my wife to perform as a Kit Kat Girl in her 50’s. My favorite musical comedy production is “The Producers”. Less comical, yet still very good productions, were “Sweeney Todd” and “Little Shop of Horrors”. Both, however, should be R-rated since they involve characters getting their head chopped off or being eaten by a plant.

“Hamilton”, of course, was amazing. I regret that my wife didn’t survive to see it.

I have not listed the famous “Cats”, “Lion King”, and “Les Miserables” productions as among my favorite plays because I’ve never seen them. I understand that all three have done well without my attendance.

In closing, I wish to add Slam Dunks, Fake Punts, and Intentional Walks to the list of my favorite plays.