Alton Fitzgerald White

Aug. 4, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford

Summers at the O’Neill are a bastion of creativity and talent. White’s show during the Cabaret & Performance Conference was one of the best of the year. His voice is so evocative and is capable of doing so many things so (seemingly) effortlessly. And, with his between-song talk about his life, he was absolutely ingratiating. White played Mufasa in “the Lion King” for more than 4,300 performances, so course he sang “They Live in You,” but he also did a slightly poppy, pepped-up “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: that is my new favorite version of that tune.

– Kristina Dorsey

“The 12,” “Private Jones”

Goodspeed

Goodspeed Musicals had a banner year, but if I had to pick favorites of their offerings, I’d go with “The 12” at the Goodspeed Opera House and “Private Jones” at the Terris Theatre. Both explored very different subject matter for a musical — “Private Jones” about a deaf sniper in World War I, and “The 12” about the disciples in the days after Jesus’ death. They had drama and depth, and the music was tremendous.

– Kristina Dorsey

“On Golden Pond”

May 18-June 11, Ivoryton Playhouse

Star turns by two actors with a raft of TV, movie and stage credits, James Naughton and Mia Dillon, made this a show to see. I didn’t think anyone could outdo Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in the movie version, but Naughton and Dillon brought new humor, heart and humanity to the story.

– Kristina Dorsey

Tears For Fears

June 26, Mohegan Sun Arena

One of the absolute best of the long list of great ‘80s bands loosely affiliated with New Wave — best musical “genre” ever? — Tears For Fears sounded as fresh and new as 40 years ago. That’s astonishing given the weary tendencies of go-through-the-motions acts still hitting the road. Mixing plenty of utterly competitive tunes from last year’s sterling “The Tipping Point” album with requisite hits and deep cuts, founders Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith and a top-flight band made 10,000 people feel really young again.

— Rick Koster

The Moth

Sept. 29, Garde Arts Center

Ah, the art of storytelling. When The Moth came to the Garde, it made for an intriguing night of tales told by people onstage — a simple idea, but with stories of great depth and complexity. And it was encouraging to see that the theater was filled.

– Kristina Dorsey

Ben Folds

June 13, Garde Arts Center

Folds, who’s embraced a variety of performance formats over his “Wait! I’ve been playing over 30 years?!” career, brought a five-piece group to New London on his “What Matters Most” tour. The new album displays the latest of his sophisticated approach to witty, hummable songcraft and he played plenty of those tunes to the happy delight of a sold-out crowd. But Folds’ catalog is extensive and strong, and he paid proper attention to those works as well. Throughout, he was funny and anecdotal — with a diminishing “stage prop” of tequila to add to his impetuous charm.

— Rick Koster

“Almost Famous”

October, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford

How amazing to get the chance to see a new version of the musical that premiered on Broadway last year. Creators Cameron Crowe and Tom Kitt reworked the piece, and it made for a joyous night at the O’Neill.

– Kristina Dorsey

Pat Travers Band

Sept. 28, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

For all the famous hard rock acts of the late ’70s-into-’80s, Pat Travers goes down as being “not famous enough.” The Canadian guitarist/songwriter brought a stripped down but sparkling rhythm section to Old Saybrook for a late-career show. There were moments of sublimity as PT blasted through “Life in London” and “Getting Betta” and selected other signature tunes. Travers is still an amazing player, but he’s lost a lot of the high end of his voice. As such, the setlist had to include a few blues covers at the expense of too many of his great songs.

— Rick Koster

Colin Quinn

July 7, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center

Just damned funny.

– Kristina Dorsey