Great casting replacements
Great casting replacements
BroadMagTech
Broadway Star Joined: 5/9/15
#1Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:22am
Who are some people you think did a great job of succeeding an original cast member or any actor for that matter. What did you like about their peformance?
#2Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:51am
- Laura Osnes in "South Pacific": She played Nellie so much younger, and it added something so much more green and inexperienced about her, as Nellie should be. Plus, she sounded so lovely, especially for her first (professional) R&H score. She played Nellie so much more youthful and free. Of course, I loved Kelli, too.
- Annaleigh Ashford in "Wicked": When seeing Annaleigh, I easily made a connection between the 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" Glinda created by Billie Burke, and Annaleigh's Glinda, which really solidified the piece for me overall. It felt more balanced than usual, for whatever reason. I also think she has one of (if not the) best Popular. It's such a boring song to see performed once you've heard it as much as one does in this business, but she made it thrilling and funny again, which was a huge treat for me.
They/them.
"Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."
KathyNYC2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
#3Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:57am
Gabby Pizzolo at Fun Home...and also at Matilda now that I think of it. She is just an excellent all around performer (and looked younger and therefore more age appropriate for the part of Small Alison that the fabulous Sydney was already growing out of)
Ripley Sobo as Matilda.. just awesome. I don't mean to only pick kids but Eli Tokash as Peter in Neverland.
Christopher Sieber (Matilda)and Alison Luff (Matilda & Les Mis), Kyle Taylor Parker as Lola in Kinky Boots.
I was also going to say Annaleigh Ashford as well as Jackie Burns in Wicked..
From way back when, Larry Kert for Dean Jones in Company.
#4Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:04am
Marin Mazzie in next to normal and and Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music. Two performances I rank among my favourites to this day.
I wrote about them here:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/egypt/board/readmessage.php?thread=1037213&boardname=&dt=17
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#5Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:20am
Looking back on my theatre experiences, I realized I've seen surprisingly few replacements compared to originals. But here are some of my favorites:
-Emma Stone (Cabaret)
-John Stamos (The Best Man)
-Sting (The Last Ship)
-Roger Rees (The Addams Family)
-Rachel Potter (The Addams Family)
-Faith Prince (Annie)
-Sadie Sink (Annie)
-Alfie Boe (Les Mis)
Honorable mentions (i.e - I was happy to see their take on the role, but didn't like them as much as the originals):
-Jonathan Groff (Hamilton) - I saw BDJ my 1st time
-Bob Saget (Hand to God)
-Jeff Goldblum (Seminar)
#6Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:40am
Most recently I can think of Rebecca Luker replacing Judy Kuhn in Fun Hone temporarily and Marin Mazzie stepping in for The King And I! Both inspired choices!
#7Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 2:36am
Completely agree regarding Emma Stone (Cabaret), Rachel Potter (The Addams Family) and Marin Mazzie (next to normal) having been great replacements.
I also think Stephanie J. Block was marvelous in Anything Goes, and Harvey Fierstein and Chris Sieber were wonderful in La Cage Aux Folles.
Other great replacements include:
Hugh Panaro as the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera
Jeremy Jordan as Tony in West Side Story
All of the Hedwigs except for the Taye Diggs: John Cameron Mitchell , Andrew Rannells, Michael C Hall and Darren Criss. Not sure if you consider John Cameron Mitchell a replacement since he originated the role off-broadway, but the times I saw Hedwig with him rank amongst the best theatrical experiences of my life. I also thought Darren Criss would be a terrible Hedwig, specially after being spoiled by JCM, but I had the time of my life watching him. Maybe because I had very low expectations, but it was a great night and I was just happy he was playing the role well.
Arielle Jacobs as Nina in In the Heights
Antonique Smith and Renee Elise Goldsberry as Mimi in RENT
Carolee Carmello as Donna in Mamma Mia
#8Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 5:09am
Judy Kaye in On the 20th Century, Bernadette in A Little Night Music, Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard, Marin Mazzie in N2N, Imelda Staunton taking Miss Adelaide over Julia McKenzie in Guys and Dolls, Bebe Neuwirth in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Anna Francolini in Assassins, Michele Pawk in Cabaret, Florence Lacey in Evita, Mandy Patinkin in Falsettos, Eartha Kitt in Follies, Katie Rose Clarke in The Light in the Piazza, Maria Friedman in Chicago.
#9Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 7:04am
Jonathan Pryce and Rachel York in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Reba in Annie Get Your Gun
Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard
Aaron Lazar in Light in the Piazza
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg."
-- Thomas Jefferson
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#10Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 7:48am
Agree about John Stamos in THE BEST MAN, and will add Kristin Davis to the list for the same show. Also, Polly Bergen in CABARET, Jonathan Pryce in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, Michael Urie and Adam Driver in Signature's ANGELS IN AMERICA and, going back a long ways, David Dukes in M. BUTTERFLY.
Adding to this list, and it really was a surprise, Anne Heche in PROOF.
#11Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:18am
I really enjoyed Andrew Rannells in Hamilton.
Gabby in Fun Home.
Michael C Hall and Darren Criss in Hedwig (JCM doesn't count).
Emma Stone in Cabaret.
Many of the Rent replacements were fantastic as well.
bfreak
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/6/11
#12Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:28am
Rory O'Malley is doing a standout job in Hamilton right now! Really terrific performance. Like others have said, Emma Stone was phenomenal in Cabaret.
#14Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:26am
Will Chase as Chris Scott in Miss Saigon (both the final months on Broadway and Manila with Lea Salonga) he was perfect for the role.
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#15Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:38am
Will Chase was also excellent in BILLY ELLIOTT. He replaced Santino Fontana.
#16Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 10:17am
The first replacement that comes to my mind is Andrew Rannells in Hedwig. I also saw NPH in the role and thought they were both great, but to me, Neil was angrier and made me want to find the people who hurt him and drop anvils on their heads, while Andrew was more hurt and made me want to run onto the stage and give him a hug. It made the show a completely different experience and I thought both portrayals were effective.
"I have maggots in my scrotum!"
#17Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 10:27am
Allison case as miss honey
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
BroadwayConcierge
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/24/15
#19Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 11:31am
Michael C Hall as the Emcee
Gavin Creel as Elder Price
Ben Platt as Elder Cunningham
Jennifer Laura Thompson as Glinda
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
#20Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:02pm
Marin Mazzie in NEXT TO NORMAL for sure. Jackie Burns and Ana Gasteyer in WICKED as well.
#21Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:28pm
If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list.
However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances.
#22Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:42pm
Also, Vanessa Williams in Kiss of the Spider Woman!
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 4/23/16 at 08:42 PM
#23Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:58pm
adamgreer said: "If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list.
However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances. "
Are you from 20 years in the future?
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#24Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:03pm
Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller and Ethyl Merman in HELLO DOLLY!
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
#25Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:39pm
Emma Stone in Cabaret was sensational. I wish she'd opened the show. She's certainly have a Tony. Just the right mix of humor and pathos.
Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music was probably the best role she's had in years. A much better fit for her than Rose or Sally. She was stunning, incredibly funny, sexy, and moving.
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#26Great casting replacements
Posted: 4/23/16 at 11:03pm
Call_me_jorge said: "adamgreer said: "If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list.
However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances. "
Are you from 20 years in the future?"
You don't need to be 20 years from the future just to look at the historical trend. The performances by replacements that tend to become considered legendary are almost always the ones where the replacement is a star replacing another star (as in those examples mentioned by adamgreer).
