Cameron Adams has been in like 75% of all shows I've seen in New York. In one of my original works, actually, I wrote a featured role with her in mind. I just love her.
Harvey Evans is the first name that comes to mind from the yesteryear of Broadway, since he worked constantly but never played a starring role.
The whole OBC of A CHORUS LINE started out as ensemble members. And most of the great choreographers then and now (Robbins, Fosse, Bennett, Tune, Stroman, Casey Nicholaw, Jerry Mitchell) all started out as dancers. And then of course there's the Shirley MacLaine/Sutton Foster situation. But few people know who these jaw-droppingly-talented, hard-working people are (at least not outside of the tight-knit NY theatre community) before they go on to playing more prominent roles.
Look to past Gypsy Robe recipients, since that is given to the ensemble member with the most Broadway credits.
I feel like Jeremy Davis, Jim Borstleman, Samantha Sturm, and Betsy Struxness are almost always on the boards. Max Clayton seems to be a more recent favorite and has been working nonstop.
Jonalyn Saxer is one to watch out for. She has almost five Broadway credits under her belt at such a young age. She made her Broadway Debut in Bulletts over Broadway, then did Honeymoon in Vegas, Holiday Inn, she's currently in Cats and will soon be appearing in Mean Girls.
JBroadway said: "I feel like none of these people can be classified as famous."
Maybe not head billing famous, but they certainly are Broadway famous.
take ryan Steele for instance, he will be in the ensemble of carousel while two of the leads, Betsy and Joshua have less instagram followers than him. He certainly is a draw for many. I know he was a draw for me with the AAIP tour.
And I remember this musical
I remember their brilliance
And I might never sleep again...
Thayne Jasperson has a lot of fans. Whenever I'm chatting with people outside the theatre, they're more likely to know his name than half the current principal cast
Cameron Adams, Charlie Sutton, Katie Webber, Nina Lafarga, she's only been in one BROADWAY show but Molly Hager, Raymond Lee, Stephanie Klemons, Erica Mansfield, Barrett Martin
Call_me_jorge said: "Maybe not head billing famous, but they certainly are Broadway famous.
I acknowledge "famous" is a spectrum with no hard lines, but to me, "Broadway famous" implies someone of the stature of Patti LuPone, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald, etc. I may even concede that people like Brian d'Arcy James, Norbert Leo Butz, and Laura Osnes could be considered "Broadway famous." But these guys...meh. I don't see it - and I do actually know who most of these people are, so I'm not just pulling a "I haven't heard of them so they're not famous"
HennySlay said: "Maybe not famous, but definitely well known within the Broadway community. ??"
I agree. "known" is a more accurate term. It's subjective, I admit, but that's my 2 cents.
Wasn't a key point of A Chorus Line that -- fair or not -- these people are never going to be famous because, good as they are, they 'blend in', no matter how talented?
I have been attending the theatre for 50 years, and I don't think I have ever once known the name of someone in the ensemble, unless they had something approaching a solo, which brought them special attention, and there really weren't that many.
I suspect they know Thayne Jasperson for three reasons: (1) he has a solo, although it is on the short side; (2) he is one of the only Caucasian members off the cast, which triggers a 'what is he doing there' reaction; and (3) he is very good looking. I could mention Donna McKechnie from Promises! Promises!, but the only reason I became aware of her name was because of her work in Turkey Lurkey Time. Similarly, he only reason I know Harvey Evans is because of his role as Young Buddy in the original Follies, not his ensemble work.
I am not trying to come across as a Grinch here; but, unless one is a theatre insider, which I am not, I just don't think there are famous ensemble members.
Jarethan said: "Wasn't a key point of A Chorus Line that -- fair or not -- these people are never going to be famous because, good as they are, they 'blend in', no matter how talented?
I have been attending the theatre for 50 years, and I don't think I have ever once known the name of someone in the ensemble, unless they had something approaching a solo, which brought them special attention, and there really weren't that many.
I suspect they know Thayne Jasperson for three reasons: (1) he has a solo, although it is on the short side; (2) he is one of the only Caucasian members off the cast, which triggers a 'what is he doing there' reaction; and (3) he is very good looking. I could mention Donna McKechnie from Promises! Promises!, but the only reason I became aware of her name was because of her work in Turkey Lurkey Time. Similarly,he only reason I know Harvey Evans is because of his role as Young Buddy in the original Follies, not his ensemble work.
I am not trying to come across as a Grinch here; but, unless one is a theatre insider, which I am not, I just don't think there are famous ensemble members."
Thayne (and Neil too) probably have a fanbase/following from their time on So You Think You Can Dance.
Lisa Gajda (who may have more or less retired post-Tuck?) has at least 16 shows under her belt.
Jennifer Smith (currently MBP's cover in Anastasia) has been around for a while as well.
For me, (and this could be because I am in the industry and I have a decently large internal database in my brain) I would classify "famous" ensemble members as people that when I read the full casting list and I see their name, I think "oh, yay! That should be good". Of course, then there is the whole SYTYCD alum and Newsies thing that brings in more followers.
Eddie Korbich has a fair amoutn of featured roles (and a tony nomination from the 80s) under his belt, but has also popped up in ensembles a lot. He's someone I always smile when I see their name on the cast list.
joined:1/9/15
joined:
1/9/15
Posted: 9/6/17 at 10:31pm