The Fabulous Invalid, as they call theater with its cyclical highs and lows, stayed vigorous hereabouts in 2009. That's remarkable given the meltdown started by greedy Big Finance. Pittsburgh's generous arts funders haven't completely abandoned the pro theater companies, which have been weathering the storm.

They did pull in their horns a bit, tilting play selection toward the popular, whether it was the big guys (CLO, Public) or the mediums (City on the large end, Pittsburgh Irish & Classical on the small). Quantum, of course, didn't flinch at all, or Playhouse Rep, with its Point Park backing. But the smallest pro companies (Bricolage, barebones, Unseam'd) found it harder to get grants, as did the semi-pros (Pittsburgh Playwrights, Open Stage, Prime Stage, Kuntu, New Horizon).

Even so, the audience had a tasty smorgasbord spread before it, as our top 10 selections and some runners-up all prove.

The Post-Gazette pulled in its horns a bit, too, seeing fewer semi-pro and community shows. But we found no lack of theatrical evenings to celebrate. I saw almost all the pro productions, and I've consulted with Sharon Eberson and Bob Hoover about those I missed. As always, the Top 10 list includes both local and touring shows. The Performer of the Year selections, still to come, consider Pittsburgh productions only.

1. Thom Thomas, "A Moon to Dance By" (Playhouse Rep): A world premiere by a former Pittsburgher, starring Jane Alexander and Robert Cuccioli, with Gareth Saxe, directed by Broadway veteran Edwin Sherin with strong local design support. The drama concerns D.H. Lawrence's earthy widow, her new Italian husband and Lawrence's grown-up, uptight son. The three are brought together for an emotionally explosive few days in Taos, N.M., on the verge of World War II. The play was ready to move to New York right then. Now, it's playing at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, N.J., with the same cast and designs, hoping to make that final move. It deserves it.

2. August Wilson, "Radio Golf" (Penumbra Theatre, St. Paul): The most polished of the five productions that made up the two-week Aunt Ester Cycle at the new August Wilson Center for African American Culture. This version of the final play of Wilson's 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle was gripping, tightly directed by Lou Bellamy -- better then the four other versions I've seen, and that includes Broadway. With the current struggles to redevelop the Hill, not to mention our first black president, "Radio Golf" is even more contemporary than when Wilson wrote it just five years ago.

3. Tom Stoppard, "Rock 'n' Roll" (PICT): A big play, swinging back and forth from England to Czechoslovakia and from long after the fall of the wall to back before. In the mature Stoppard style, it combines wit and emotion with a serious debate about politics and culture -- overload for some audiences, but I'm not complaining. Andrew Paul's direction featured a heartbreaking Helena Ruoti, matched by Sam Tsoutsouvas and Sam Redford, with expert support by Simon Bradbury, Martin Giles and more. It was a lot of play with a strong afterlife in the mind and heart.

4. Conor McPherson, "The Seafarer" (City): A drama about lost souls sharing poker and drink over a bleak Dublin Christmas. It starts as a comedy, but then the Devil drops in. The resulting struggle mirrors the famous 10th-century Anglo-Saxon poem about a seafarer adrift on an endless, icy sea. Tracy Brigden directed a properly scruffy, feeling cast.

5. Sondheim et al, "Into the Woods" (CLO): One of my favorite Sondheim musicals, an inventive and witty but also surprisingly serious version of those famous fairy tales. Kudos to the CLO for giving director James Brennan such a fine cast, led by Beth Leavel and Hunter Foster.

6. Lillian Hellman, "The Little Foxes" (Public): An invigorating melodrama pitting the old South (ideals and loyal black servants) against the 1930s grasping new South with its Yankee industrialist partners. Ted Pappas directed Helena Ruoti in the juicy role of the evil queen bee, besting her brothers, played by Ross Bickell and John Shepard, while Deirdre Madigan, Michael McKenzie and Lara Hillier played the good guys.

7. Bernstein et al, "Candide" (Quantum): An American operetta with Bernstein's gorgeous score and clever lyrics by some famous wits. Matching that wit was Karla Boos' staging in an automotive repair shop -- who knew "Candide" was so full of automobile puns and jokes? John Wascavage was a golden-voiced innocent in the title role.

8. Jez Butterworth, "Mojo" (Playhouse Rep): Comic thug noir, featuring inept English hoodlums, shedding blood and laughs in equal measure. Kim Martin's crackling direction featured Dave Droxler, Phil Winters, Gregory Johnstone and the delicious double goofus act of Sam Turich and Michael Fuller.

9. Alan Bennett, "The History Boys" (PICT): A feeling comic tale of students being prepped for Oxbridge and the competition between two teachers, one embodying old ways and liberal learning, the other, exploiting learning for personal advantage. Andrew Paul directed a large cast led by Bernard Cuffling, Sam Redford and Martin Giles.

10. David Mamet, "Glengarry Glen Ross" (barebones): One of Mamet's crisp, taut comedies with a purposefully sour aftertaste. Melissa Martin directed a strong ensemble lead by Bingo O'Malley and Patrick Jordan as piranha-like real estate salesmen, with Michael Fuller leading the well-cast support.

A baker's dozen more to challenge the Top 10: Eugene O'Neill, "A Moon for the Misbegotten" (Public); Dan Jemmet et al (after Christopher Marlowe), "FaustUS" (404 Strand); Kander and Ebb, "The World Goes Round" (Public); Rodgers and Hammerstein, "Carousel" (Point Park); David Harrower, "Blackbird" (City); various, "Midnight Radio," a monthly series (Bricolage); August Wilson, "Seven Guitars" (Pittsburgh Playwrights); Sater and Sheik, "Spring Awakening" (PNC Broadway Series); Eric Simonson, "Speak American" (City); Edward Ravenscroft, "The London Cuckolds" (CMU); Jennifer Haley, "Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom" (Bricolage); Tony Kushner, "Angels in America," both parts (Pitt); Keith Reddin, "Human Error" (City).

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.