Charles Isherwood’s Standout Shows of the Year

NYTimes.com: Reflecting on the highlights of my year in theatergoing, I was often brought up short by a sense of renewed surprise. How odd, really, that a production of a play by Bertolt Brecht — a genius of 20th-century theater, yes, but often about as much fun as a doctor’s visit in production — provided more giddy fun than most Broadway musicals. The idea of listening in on eight hours of a phone conversation could hardly sound more tedious, but the show derived from that very source was among the most inspired and imaginative I saw this year. Herewith, in alphabetical order, are the shows that gave me the most pleasure, often by catching me off guard.