I do not envy voters forced to choose among the five women nominated for the Tony for leading actress in a musical, given the wonderfully varied performers gleaming at their brightest in musicals old and new this year.
I've had the joy to witness incredible live stories by such varied performers as Tim Vine, Andy Zaltzman and perhaps most astonishingly, the entirely silent Boy With Tape on His Face.
In immaculate white tie and tails, Ms. Walker evokes the style and spirit of these varied performers, while noting that "whatever they wore, whatever they said or did, these women always sang in their own voices — which means that no one was ever fooled, or even meant to be fooled, by their act".
So many great and varied performers are breaking through like Narcissister, Lady Rizo, and Cole Escola.
As the dust settles on Lady Gaga's divisive Grammy's tribute, a long and varied list of performers have been booked to celebrate the career of David Bowie at the late musician's memorial concerts in New York.
And late last month, Mr. Bell, dressed in his signature flowing sport shirt, hosted a PBS show in which a varied group of performers — among them Sting, Renée Fleming and Mr. Denk — joined him in Lincoln Center's Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse for a live performance intended to approximate the intimate soirées he holds at his Manhattan apartment.
At the same time, Mr. Haygood provides often gripping accounts of Davis's experiences on "Mr. Wonderful," "Golden Boy" and the movie version of "Porgy and Bess" and writes with an informed appreciation of the performer's varied gifts.
But it may be that her residency is part of a trend toward longer and more varied visits by major performers.
"Performers with varied repertoire are more popular and attract fewer complaints," it said, adding: "If you only know a few songs, move to a new location when you've played them".
The original nap of the felt is worn away in places like an old bald teddy bear, the silver braid is revealed as painted webbing, the seams have been taken in and let out repeatedly for performers of varied waistlines, and some of the trousers are fastened with six different types of buttons, of styles spanning the century.
International theatre festivals that brought together performers from many varied traditions were regular occurrences by the end of the 20th century.
