As the curtain descends on 2023, it’s time to reflect on the past 12 months through the imagery created exclusively for Playbill.com, Playbill magazine, and Playbill Travel. This year, our team consisted of Photo Editor and Photographer Heather Gershonowitz, Photo Assistant Vi Dang, and Photo Freelancer Michaelah Reynolds—with contributions by photographers Jenny Anderson, Tricia Baron, Kayleen Bertrand, Andy Henderson, Molly Higgins, and Valerie Terranova. We conducted over 130 photoshoots.
From opening night red carpets, press previews, and original editorial photoshoots, to the fjords of Alaska and Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, our lenses were witness to the kaleidoscope of theatre on stage, off stage, and even at sea.
Below, Heather, Vi, and Michaelah recap their favorite photos to commemorate another incredible year of theatre.
Heather Gershonowitz's Favorite Photos of 2023
Looking back on the year, I am reminded of how much I love creating with theatremakers. We all share a connection—a passion for the art of performance and the drive it takes to make that passion our livelihoods. Don’t get me wrong, making art around others’ art is challenging. However, when all elements fall into place, the final product can be magical. And that's what this year was, pure magic.
Danielle Brooks came into the Playbill Studio on the heels of her run in The Piano Lesson and with The Color Purple film on the horizon. Brooks and I vibed instantly, which is a dream when you’re trying to quickly create a safe space for vulnerability. We filled our space with upbeat jazz music and talked about life, our love of music and theatre, her beautiful family, and all of the exciting things she had coming up.
The photo below stands out when I think about this label of favorite because it was the tranquil pause before assuming a pose, the solace in the breath drawn just before reopening her eyes and returning to reality. Brooks’ vibrant, joyful spirit is palpable and it was an honor to capture her essence for Playbill. (Read the feature that accompanied that photo here.)
Danielle Brooks
Danielle Brooks
Danielle Brooks
Danielle Brooks
On Valentine’s Day, we received the news that Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play would be coming to Broadway with an all-star cast. As soon as I saw Scott Foley’s name in the release, I jumped up and ran to Playbill’s Features Editor, Talaura Harms, and said, “We have to do a Scandal reunion.” Just 12 days prior, it was that Joshua Malina was joining the company of Leopoldstadt and I was not missing the opportunity to bring the two back together.
The day of the photoshoot and interview, Foley arrived with a gift for Malina—a loaf of bread baked fresh by his wife, Marika Dominczyk. Immediately, I knew it was going to be a great studio session. The next hour included life updates, how each other's kids were doing, how excited and nervous they both were to be back on Broadway (as Thin Lizzy’s The Boys Are Back in Town played in the background).
And, of course, there was absolute goofiness. As Foley sat for solo portraits, Malina joked to get him to break his stoic physique. While Malina posed for his solo portraits, Foley did everything from stick an iPhone in his face to picking up tools around the studio and acting as my photo assistant. My Scandal-loving heart was leaping. A true a 10/10 day and I’m forever grateful to Talaura for jumping into this feature with me (read it here).
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Joshua Malina and Scott Foley
Joshua Malina and Scott Foley
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Scott Foley and Joshua Malina
Sometimes, the camera gets packed into a suitcase and I head out on adventures with Playbill Travel. This year, we cruised through Alaska and Canada and I got to see some of the most jaw-dropping, gorgeous landscapes.
Below is one of those “Omg I can’t believe I caught that” photos, and a gallery of my favorite moments from the trip, which included hiking, bear and whale watching, and performances by Brian Stokes Mitchell, LaChanze, Jessica Vosk, Rob McClure, Kate Baldwin, Graham Rowat, John McDaniel, and John Lloyd Young.
Jonathan Silver, Rob McClure, Jessica Vosk, Zoe Chapin, and Ted Chapin
Brian Stokes Mitchell
John McDaniel, LaChanze, and Brian Stokes Mitchell
Brian Stokes Mitchell and Allyson Tucker
Jessica Vosk
Jessica Vosk
Kate Baldwin
Kate Baldwin
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Bear sighting in the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary
Rob McClure
Rob McClure and Rod
Rob McClure and his loop machine
Zoe Chapin, Ted Chapin, and Jessica Vosk
Kate Baldwin
LaChanze
John McDaniel
John Lloyd Young
The greatest day of the entire year is the day we spend “meeting” the newly minted Tony nominees. This year was particularly special because it was the first year where I was able to attend as an official member of team Playbill. The Meet the Nominees press junket is one gigantic celebration. There's tears, laughter, lots of cheer, everyone is excited and on cloud nine.
My most memorable moments from this year's event were getting to hug Jordan E. Cooper and-very professionally-scream over his double nomination for Ain't No Mo', and getting to photograph Sara Bareilles—I think I made her laugh, I’m not totally sure, I blacked out (and this article is actually being written from beyond the grave).
If you find yourself reminiscing further, all content from the 2023 Tony Awards can be found at Playbill.com/Tonys.
Max Webster and Finn Caldwell
Nikki Crawford
Nikki Crawford
Wendell Pierce
Wendell Pierce
Susan Stroman
Susan Stroman
David West Read
David West Read
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally
Saheem Ali and James Ijames
Suzan-Lori Parks
Suzan-Lori Parks
David Thompson and Sharon Washington
Jack O'Brien
Dominique Fawn Hill and Bradley King
Robert Horn
Robert Horn
Alex Newell
Alex Newell
Scott Pask
Scott Pask
Sean Hayes
Kevin Cahoon
Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald
Ruthie Ann Miles
Rachel Hauck
Betsy Wolfe
Lorna Courtney
Lorna Courtney
Betsy Wolfe and Lorna Courtney
Betsy Wolfe and Lorna Courtney
Clint Ramos
Brian Anthony Moreland
Helen Park
Tom Kitt and Cameron Crowe
Bonnie Milligan
Bonnie Milligan
Kevin Del Aguila
Martyna Majok
Josh Groban
Annaleigh Ashford
Annaleigh Ashford
Corey Hawkins
Corey Hawkins
Corey Hawkins
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Jessica Chastain
Miriam Silverman
Julia Lester
Julia Lester
Stephen McKinley Henderson
Katy Sullivan
Katy Sullivan
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer
Jodie Comer
Lucy Mackinnon and Dane Laffrey
Jennifer Weber
Jordan E. Cooper
Jordan E. Cooper
Casey Nicholaw
Crystal Lucas-Perry
Crystal Lucas-Perry
Ben Platt
Ben Platt
J. Harrison Ghee
J. Harrison Ghee
J. Harrison Ghee
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman
Lear deBessonet
Brian d'Arcy James
Dominic Fallacaro and Bill Sherman
Brandon Uranowitz
Brandon Uranowitz
Brandon Uranowitz
Robert Fried
Colton Ryan
Colton Ryan
LaChanze
Debra Martin Chase
Micaela Diamond
Micaela Diamond
Micaela Diamond
Christian Borle
Susan Hilferty
Heather Gilbert
Susan Hilferty and Heather Gilbert
NaTasha Yvette Williams
NaTasha Yvette Williams
Stephen Adly Guirgis
Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles
Stevie Walker-Webb
Amy Herzog
Jo Bonney
David Zayas
Amber Ruffin
Amber Ruffin
Lee Daniels
Alex Neumann
Jordan Roth
Paloma Young
Jessica Stone
David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori
David Lindsay Abaire, Justin Cooley, and Jeanine Tesori
Justin Cooley
Justin Cooley
Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark and Justin Cooley
Jordan Donica
In compiling this gallery to recap the year, I am reminded of something a friend far wiser than me once said, “It’s about the people, it always has been and it always will be.” And I am so grateful for the people. To the theatremakers who stepped in front of my lens, the audiences who flipped through the pages of their Playbill in the theatre, and readers who scrolled through Playbill.com, thank you.
Wishing all a happy and healthy new year, and looking forward to more magic in 2024!
Josh Groban photographed at Barber Shop NYC
Heidi Blickenstaff backstage at Jagged Little Pill
Joel Grey attends Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish's press preview
Myles Frost
Heather Headley, Steven Reineke, and The New York Pops
Heather Headley, Steven Reineke, and The New York Pops
Heather Headley, Steven Reineke, and The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall
Alex Newell
Rosé as Queenie and Burrs from The Wild Party
JoAnn M. Hunter
Jordan Donica
Joanna “JoJo” Levesque
D'Arcy Carden
Lorna Courtney
Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford perform at MCC's MisCast
Vanessa Williams honored at MCC's MisCast
Jordan E. Cooper performs at MCC's MisCast
LaChanze performs at MCC's MisCast
Alyssa Fox and McKenzie Kurtz
Anna Zavelson
Ruthie Ann Miles and Anna Zavelson
Tony the Tiger
Kara Young
Antwayn Hopper
L Morgan Lee and Antwayn Hopper aboard Playbill's Pride float
Kimber Elayne Sprawl aboard Playbill's Pride float
Frankie Grande aboard Playbill's Pride float
Vi Dang aboard Playbill's Pride float
NYC Pride spectators
Joan Grande aboard Playbill's Pride float
Solea Pfeiffer
Solea Pfeiffer
Alan Cumming attends The List party
Edinburg Fringe festivalgoers
Joseph Martin and Linus Karp
Larry Owens at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Isis Clegg-Vinell and Cornelius Atkinson in Sophie's Surprise 29th
Tim Murray performs Tim Murray Is Witches at Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Bruce Sussman and Barry Manilow
Chip Zien and company of Harmony
Lindsay Mendez photographed at Alchemical Studios
Patrick Page
Marybeth Abel
Alex Edelman
Ephraim Sykes and company of Pal Joey
Elizabeth Stanley
Aisha Jackson
Britney Coleman photographed at Alchemical Studios
Danny DeVito and Lucy DeVito
Eden Espinosa, Kalyn West, Mary Testa, and Andréa Burns
Andrew Keenan-Bolger
Shoshana Bean and Maleah Joi Moon
Krystal Joy Brown
Julia Lester
Sheldon Harnick's Celebration of Life
Bernadette Peters at West End Woofs
Sarah Paulson and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Sarah Paulson and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Vi Dang's Favorite Photos of 2023
Happy New Year from Playbill's Photo Assistant! 2023 has been nothing short of chaotically amazing (I think for all of us) and I am glad I have the photos to prove it.
In late September, we helped welcome new cast members Betty Who and Phillip Boykin into Hadestown with an exclusive first look photoshoot. We shot in one of the boxes of the wonderfully ornate Walter Kerr Theatre just so I could capture a glimpse of the set/stage in the background. The best part of the shoot was meeting the new Hades and Persephone (Boykin and Who, respectively). The chemistry between the two actors was already playful and exciting as we were shifting around the tiny box, which hopefully emanated through the photos. The final images turned out moody, mysterious, but trust me, we were all smiles the whole time. Read Margaret Hall's feature to accompany the photos here.
Phillip Boykin and Betty Who
Phillip Boykin and Betty Who
Betty Who and Phillip Boykin
Phillip Boykin and Betty Who
Phillip Boykin
Phillip Boykin
Phillip Boykin
Phillip Boykin
Betty Who
Betty Who
Betty Who
Betty Who
For the month of August, Playbill took a trip overseas to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was my first time at the festival and between taking in the beautiful city, I got to witness some really raw, incredible art happening at every square inch (or I suppose, square centimeter) of Edinburgh.
One act that stood out in particular was Australian supernova, Reuben Kaye. On the night I arrived, I had the chance to see his weekly midnight variety show, The Kaye Hole, which revived me from the long train ride up from London. I could already tell Kaye was no stranger to a camera and would be a perfect model to feature as some of the festival's finest.
For the photoshoot itself, we started in the Assembly Checkpoint venue and Kaye already had a vision for the shoot. He laid upside down on the staircase, we took photos in the grungy bathrooms, and utilized every possible photo op in the place. Then, the seven-foot-tall wonder traversed through the streets of Edinburgh as I attempted to keep up and snapped photos of them greeting friends, fans, and people in wonderment as they stomped along: full beat, full costume, and full of charisma.
This photo in particular has a cheekiness to it, with the entrance to the dressing shed barely clearing his head, and what strikes me is that exuberant smile. I like the dichotomy of the dramatic make-up and jewels with the undone blouse and shed that he's emerging from. The photos turned out gritty, grungy, but also elegant which I think only scratches the surface of Kaye's essence.
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
On opening night of this year's Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet, I photographed the red carpet arrivals right outside the Delcorte Theatre. Red carpet fashion is known to be glamorous or funky—you never really know what you're going to see grace the carpet.
However, the cast of Hamlet understood the assignment, and showed up in the most vibrant and beautiful fashions, giving us photographers a field day. One of my favorite photos, however, didn't come out of the step and repeat—it was actually a candid shot of the actors right off to the side of the carpet. Now, I've been to a number of opening nights and I've never experienced an actor pulling out a bluetooth speaker and blasting Rihanna, completely transforming the step and repeat protocol into a full-out dance party. We broke tradition that night. I couldn't resist joining in with a little two-step of my own, seeing all the contagious energy and joy coming from the sidelines.
Pictured here is Solea Pfeiffer, Laughton Royce, and Ato Blankson-Wood vibing to the music. My favorite part was the cast hyping one another up, letting loose, and truly celebrating their accomplishments. Now, I firmly believe there should be a mandatory dance party at every red carpet from here on out.
Company of Free Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet
Lance Alexander Smith
Lance Alexander Smith
Solea Pfeiffer, Laughton Royce, and Ato Blankson-Wood
Warner Miller
Warner Miller
Mitchell Winter
Mitchell Winter
John Douglas Thompson
John Douglas Thompson
Ato Blankson-Wood and Solea Pfeiffer
Ato Blankson-Wood
Ato Blankson-Wood
William Oliver Watkins
William Oliver Watkins
Lark White
Lark White
Myxolydia Tyler
Myxolydia Tyler
Laughton Royce
Laughton Royce
Lauryn Hayes
Lauryn Hayes
Safiya Harris
Safiya Harris
Colby Lewis
Colby Lewis
Nick Rehberger
Nick Rehberger
Solea Pfeiffer and Nick Rehberger
Safiya Harris and Solea Pfeiffer
Solea Pfeiffer
Solea Pfeiffer
Greg Hildreth
Greg Hildreth
Bryce Michael Wood
Bryce Michael Wood
Cornelius McMoyler
Cornelius McMoyler
Lorraine Toussaint
Lorraine Toussaint
Tyrone Mitchell Henderson
Tyrone Mitchell Henderson
Liam Craig
Liam Craig
Daniel Pearce
Daniel Pearce
LaWanda Hopkins
LaWanda Hopkins
Brandon Gill
Brandon Gill
Christopher Fitzgerald, Patti LuPone, and Steven Pasquale
Christopher Fitzgerald, Patti LuPone, and Steven Pasquale
Jason Hackett and Mandy Hackett
Corey Stoll and Nadia Bowers
Corey Stoll and Nadia Bowers
Teyonah Parris
Teyonah Parris
Corey Hawkins
Corey Hawkins
Taylor Neisen and Liev Schreiber
Taylor Neisen and Liev Schreiber
Margaret Odette and Grantham Coleman
Latoya Edwards
Latoya Edwards
Lydia Diamond
Lydia Diamond
Margaret Odette
Margaret Odette
Judy Kuhn
Judy Kuhn
Zoë Winters
Zoë Winters
J. Smith-Cameron
J. Smith-Cameron
Carter Redwood
Carter Redwood
Questlove
Questlove
Lindsay Mendez and J. Alex Brinson
Lindsay Mendez and J. Alex Brinson
David Hyde Pierce and Brian Hargrove
David Hyde Pierce and Brian Hargrove
Paige Davis
Paige Davis
Patrick Page
Patrick Page
Wendell Pierce and Kenny Leon
Josh Radnor
Josh Radnor
Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods
Wendell Pierce and Erika Woods
Ericka Yang and Aaron Tveit
Ericka Hunter and Aaron Tveit
Stephanie Rolland
Stephanie Rolland
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Ilana Glazer and David Rooklyn
Ilana Glazer and David Rooklyn
Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy
Gloria Reuben
Gloria Reuben
Michael Stuhlbarg
Michael Stuhlbarg
Kenny Leon
Kenny Leon
André De Shields
André De Shields
Larissa FastHorse
Larissa FastHorse
Earon Chew Nealey
Earon Chew Nealey
Cheris Broadbelt
Cheris Broadbelt
Travis Bihn
Travis Bihn
David Ryan Smith and Amelia Workman
David Ryan Smith and Amelia Workman
Company of Free Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet
Company of Free Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet
Company of Free Shakespeare in the Park's Hamlet
Check out the gallery below compiling some of my favorite photos from the past year.
Solea Pfeiffer, Laughton Royce, and Ato Blankson-Wood
Christopher Fitzgerald, Patti LuPone, and Steven Pasquale
Reuben Kaye
Reuben Kaye
Danny DeVito and Lucy DeVito
Joel Meyers and Erik Christopher Peterson
Phillip Boykin and Betty Who
Betty Who
Phillip Boykin
Solea Pfeiffer
Jacob Yandura and Madison Kopec
Jacob Yandura and Madison Kopec
Tituss Burgess
Tituss Burgess
Priscilla Lopez
Michaelah Reynolds' Favorite Photos of 2023
As I finish my first year officially working with Playbill, I look back and feel incredibly grateful for what I get to do. There are so many special moments I've been able to capture this year from curtain calls, red carpets, press previews, and more! Being able to capture the people I have loved since I was a kid is a huge blessing. I love being a part of this team and I can't wait to capture more moments in 2024.
Sophie Carmen-Jones
Steven Spielberg
Jessica Chastain
Company of Curtain Up's ¡Viva! Broadway: Aquí y Allá
Hiran Abeysekera, Jonathan David Martin, Betsy Rosen, and Nikki Calonge
Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada
Jeremy Strong
Jordan Fisher
Tariq the Corn Kid
Sarah Paulson and Elle Fanning
Nicolette Robinson and Leslie Odom, Jr.
Kara Young
Jinkx Monsoon
Sierra Boggess
Derek Klena and Joanna "Jojo" Levesque
Eric Anderson and the Company of Moulin Rouge
Susanne Bartsch
Richard Parker (Jonathan David Martin, Nikki Calonge, and Betsy Rosen)
Sandra Oh
