I saw this in New York live with Audra McDonald in 2014. It was the most convincing acting that I had ever seen--especially live. The story and music have haunted me since that night. I always tell people that that night I did not see Audra McDonald perform; I saw Billie Holiday perform. From the moment it started, I was captivated. When I found out about it being on HBO, I was ecstatic. I would put the New York performance at comfortable 10. The only reason I am ranking this as a 9 is because I don't know what it's like to experience the HBO version without comparing it. There are very minute differences about the two; they're nearly identical. However, the HBO version is slightly less convincing at least in the beginning. From God Bless the Child to the end it's painfully intoxicating. I highly recommend it, and if you decide to watch it, take away all distractions. Imagine you are actually in the bar watching one of the greatest jazz musicians in history.
Review of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill
