The Next Evita/Fanny Brice?

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 8:54pm

Evita and Fanny Brice come to mind as two of the most powerful and coveted roles on Broadway. What roles from recent broadway shows would you say could be added to this list?

[inception]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 9:04pm

Wendla from Spring Awakening.

And once it gets better known, I can see Alison from Fun Home as being something a lot of college aged actresses will want to experiment with, though likely they won't fully commit.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 9:37pm

^ what?

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 9:41pm

I could argue that the role of Elphaba is beginning to inch its way into that category, as well. Despite how many people feel about Wicked, there is no denying that that part is one that MANY actresses would not mind having.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 9:42pm

Deloris from Sister Act, Rose from Gypsy, Reno from Anything Goes

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 10:12pm

All of those are iconic roles, yes, but they all lack the thing that makes Fanny Brice, or makes Evita, such a super-role.

These roles are monoliths. Almost never offstage, almost never not singing the lead in a number. They command every moment of the show. They ARE the show.

Evita is a fairly good show despite this. Funny Girl is very little more than a frame to hang numbers for Barbra (not Fanny, Barbra) on. Monolith roles are dramaturgically unsound because they leave the show unbalanced and dangerously hard to cast and maintain. If "Bombshell" had been staged, or if it ever gets staged in the future, Marilyn/Norma Jean would be that kind of enormous monolith onstage.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 5/5/14 at 11:27pm

Honestly, after being in a production of "Legally Blonde," Elle might join these ranks. It ay not be as well written as "Evita" or "Funny Girl" but Elle is a demanding role. She is barely offstage, has a few dance numbers (as much as Eva does if not more), and is belting contemporary Broadway music the whole show.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 1:26am

Diana in N2N?

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 1:30am

Diana in N2N?

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 1:36am

Sir Robin2-

I actually think Legally Blonde is expertly written. While Funny Girl . . . is not.

Add to the list-

Sutton in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Little Women.

Heather in Aida.

. . . there are dozens . . . Updated On: 5/6/14 at 01:36 AM

[E.Davis]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 4:30am

^^^ They are not talking about the actors but the roles themselves.

If BOMBSHELL ever makes it to Broadway Marilyn is in that category.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 7:46am

If you're going back far enough to call Fanny Brice a "recent" role, you might as well include Rose in Gypsy.

I would also add Effie in Dreamgirls.

And yes, Elphaba.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 7:47am

Millie from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 8:04am

Velma, Roxy and Sally.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 9:08am

"Wendla from Spring Awakening"

O.o

Elphaba will probably be added to that list but not for the reasons Fanny and Evita are.

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 11:45am

" ^^^ They are not talking about the actors but the roles themselves.

If BOMBSHELL ever makes it to Broadway Marilyn is in that category."

They usually go hand in hand, as most of the actors who played the roles, made the material their own and in most cases the magic of why the show worked stopped when that particular actor (or actors) left the show. Which is the case for all the musicals mentioned.

Bombshell won't be made into a musical, so I'm not sure why we are discussing it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 12:29pm

"They usually go hand in hand, as most of the actors who played the roles, made the material their own and in most cases the magic of why the show worked stopped when that particular actor (or actors) left the show. Which is the case for all the musicals mentioned."

I would disagree with that statement. Evita ran for several years after Patti left (and she wasn't even the first, since Elaine Paige opened the show in London before Patti did it in the US) both on Broadway and on tour, not to mention countless successful regional stagings. Gypsy has certainly not suffered without Merman being on hand. Even the newer pieces like Legally Blonde have done just as well without Laura Bell Bundy, or, like the London premiere showed, even better.

I would say Funny Girl is more the exception than the rule of the original star's performance completely overshadowing the show and making it exceedingly difficult to see anybody else in that role or make the show work without that original star power.

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 12:40pm

"in most cases the magic of why the show worked stopped when that particular actor (or actors) left the show."

Which is why Wicked closed after Idina left, right?

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 1:10pm

Again, I'm not sure why people get hung up on silly semantics. I said "most."

I'm in the minority here. I love WICKED. And Shoshana Bean was far superior in the role.

However, no one can play or sing the role of Glinda like Kristen Chenoweth.
Updated On: 5/6/14 at 01:10 PM

[gleek4114]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 4:42pm

No matter what your feelings toward the show were you can't deny that Aimee in SCANDALOUS is extremely difficult. I can't picture anyone other than Carolee doing it. Did Carolee's understudy ever go on during its short run? I would love to hear how the understudy compared.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 9:11pm

"No matter what your feelings toward the show were you can't deny that Aimee in SCANDALOUS is extremely difficult."

The role may be, but in order for it reach that sort of legendary status of some of the other roles mentioned (Eva, Fanny, Rose, etc) the show itself also has to find its place as a standard part of the repertoire. I would be willing to bet a very large sum that Scandalous will not achieve that sort of popularity.

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 9:23pm

"However, no one can play or sing the role of Glinda like Kristen Chenoweth. "

That's your opinion. Having seen the OBC, I enjoyed Jennifer Laura Thompson's Glinda much more.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/6/14 at 9:56pm

Funny Girl has not become a standard the way those others have. The Funny Girl movie and cast recording have.

Barbra made Funny Girl just as much as Funny Girl made Barbra.

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 5/7/14 at 1:58pm

Unfortunately history won't remember Mimi Hines who replaced Barbra, Shoshana who replaced Idina, or Linda Lavin who replaced Tyne Daly in GYPSY. Or whoever replaced Patti in Evita. I suppose that's what I meant by my statement that some of the "magic" leaves.

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 5/12/14 at 1:10am

"Funny Girl" is very little other than a frame to hang numbers on (Barbra, not Fanny)" although it should be remembered that Streisand was not the first, second, third or even fourth choice for the part when it was being produced. Mary Martin, Anne Bancroft, Edie Gorme, Carol Burnette were all approached first. Streisand, well received for her supporting role in "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" and cabaret singer with a cult fan base, auditioned several times before she was finally cast (over the objections of producer Rsy Stark's wife - Brice's daughter) "Cast HER as my mother? I wouldn't cast her as my mother's maid!"
It seems to be a common assumption that the role was written and conceived for Streisand. Not the case. She certainly made the part hers though and in her shadow is anyone who dares play it since.The opening night is legendary - twenty-three curtain calls and can you imagine - orchestra seats cost $9.90! Wonder how many curtain calls Lea will get if that production ever really happens?