Best understudy you've ever seen?- Page 6

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 1/8/19 at 11:09pm

Loren Lott as Ti Moune was absolutely phenomenal - although I'm not sure that counts, as I saw Once On This Island during the 2 months that Hailey was out due to her injury, so Loren was playing the role full time then. I was really bummed to miss seeing Hailey but Loren was just as amazing!

Also the understudy for Annette/Beverley (I forget her name) when I saw Come From Away in Toronto was fantastic.

[FlyHigh523]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 2:48am

Loren Lott as Ti Moune (that girl has some serious pipes.)
Laurel Harris in Wicked (I do not know why she hasnt been promoted to lead on broadway. Shes THAT good.)
Jevon McFerrin in Hamilton, standby for Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson. He was great.

[hamiltonstradition]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 9:04am

Laurel is amazing! I saw her with Lindsay K. Northen (u/s Glinda), Tess Ferrell (u/s Nessarose), and Kyle Dean Massey who was filling in as Fiyero. Hands down my favorite Wicked performance by FAR.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 9:29am

September 1980. The first Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY at the Minskoff Theatre. The revival’s Tony, Ken Marshall, was on leave making a film so his understudy Brent Barrett was on for several performances. He would go on the have a lucrative career on Broadway. What ever happened to Ken Marshall?

[andrewftw]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 11:12am

Stephanie Torns when she was t/r Jenna

Loren Lott - Ti Moune and Andrea

Darlesia - Erzulie and Mama Euralie 

Cassondra James - Erzulie

Updated On: 1/10/19 at 11:12 AM

[raddersons]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 11:52am

I was so obsessed with Kim Blanck in the most recent Shaina Taub Twelfth Night that I was mad when she wasn't on the cast recording. I mean, Nikki's great. But I love love loved Kim Blanck.

Updated On: 5/9/19 at 11:52 AM

[Andres_Zayas]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 12:49pm

Wonza Johnson as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in the Phillip tour of Hamilton. I really wanted to see Kyle Scatliffe but Johnson proved that you cant go wrong with understudies

[Ms_Flyover]

Posted: 1/10/19 at 8:07pm

bwayphreak234 said: "- Analisa Leaming as Anna in the King and I revival


She is near perfection as Molloy in the Nat’l  tour of Dolly, so i can image she was terrific as Anna.

Bryan Batt forever changed my feelings about understudies when he went on as Albin in La Cage (Gary Beach was filming the Producers at the time)  He was just fabulous. i ended up watching 6 seasons of MadMen because i surfed past it one day and went “its that guy who was so great in La Cage!  I should check this out”

 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 1/11/19 at 3:14pm

I saw an Asian girl play Ellen during the UK tour of Miss Saigon last year. It added so many levels to the character and made her incredibly sympathetic. Going forward I'd always cast Ellen as an Asian character.

[theaterlyfe19]

Posted: 1/17/19 at 7:57am

Last night Erika and Barrett were out at Mean Girls and Gianna and Becca were on as Janis and Cady, respectively. I thought they were both fantastic! Gianna absolutely NAILED I'd Rather Be Me, and I loved seeing Becca grow as the show went on. I think maybe understudying Regina kind of worked to her advantage during the scene after her party with Janis and Damien. She had that harshness that was needed to show just how much she had changed since joining The Plastics. Overall very thankful that I had the opportunity to see them! Don't be disappointed if you see them and not Erika or Barrett because either way, you'll be treated to amazing performances. 

 

On another note, which show do you think has the best understudies? Like no matter who's out, you're always happy to see their name on the board, or their name listed on those "At This Performance" sheets that some shows have?

I've never been disappointed with understudies at Frozen, personally. Waitress also has incredible people standing by for the leads. I've never been disappointed. particularly if the actress playing Jenna is out and someone like Stephanie Torns is on. NEVER disappointed. 

[Becky]

Posted: 1/17/19 at 1:49pm

Norbert Leo Butz when he understudied Roger in RENT. Hands down my favorite understudy experience.

Posted: 5/8/19 at 8:09pm

FlyHigh523 said: "Loren Lott as Ti Moune (that girl has some serious pipes.)
Laurel Harris in Wicked (I do not know why she hasnt been promoted to lead on broadway. Shes THAT good.)
Jevon McFerrin in Hamilton, standby for Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson. He was great."

Completely agree with Laurel. Just saw her for the matinee and WOW. Blew me away. I honestly liked her portrayal of Elphaba more than I liked Jessica's (I LOVE Jessica, so this says a lot), and her singing was just as good as Jessica's. Incredible performer.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 5/8/19 at 9:03pm

Stephanie Torns as Dawn in Waitress
Lisa Karlin as the Leading Player in Pippin
Lulu Lloyd as Jenna in Waitress
Jane Houdyshell as Madame Morrible in Wicked
Stephen Christopher Anthony as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen
Chelsea Emma Franko as Elphaba in Wicked
Lexie Sharp as Morticia in The Addams Family
Allison Bailey as Glinda in Wicked
Rory Donovan as The Producer Guy/Hook in Finding Neverland
Mamie Parris as Rosalie in School of Rock
Myra Malloy as Kim in Miss Saigon

[Here I Am]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 3:00am

Linda Mugleston as The Witch in INTO THE WOODS.

Emily Rozek as Millie Dillmount in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE.

Joseph Mahowald as Jekyll/Hyde in JEKYLL & HYDE.

Lauren Zakrin as Natasha in NATASHA, PIERRE...

Aaron Walpole as Valjean in LES MISERABLES.

[broadway86]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 10:08am

I've been "lucky", in the respect that I can't think of more than a few instances where understudies were on in major roles. But each time that has happened, they were terrific.

Robert Evan (on for Robert Cucciolli) in Jekyll & Hyde. Technically, an alternate for matinees.

Kelly McAndrew (on for Ashley Judd), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Javier Muñoz (on for Lin-Manuel Miranda), In the Heights.

Matthew Hydzik (on for Matt Cavanaugh), West Side Story.

Updated On: 5/9/19 at 10:08 AM

[JuneJune]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 10:14am

I've only seen Kinky Boots once so I don't know how he compares to the other principles but James Delisco Beeks was, in my opinion, a phenomenal Lola.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 10:38am

Seconding Lauren Zakrin- she was my first Natasha and the one I ended up liking the most.  Jackie Burns was also thrilling, which goes without saying as she is a star in her own right, when on for Idina in If/Then.

Updated On: 5/9/19 at 10:38 AM

[MattieIce2018]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 10:59am

Completely agree with Laurel. Just saw her for the matinee and WOW. Blew me away. I honestly liked her portrayal of Elphabamore than I liked Jessica's (I LOVE Jessica, so this says a lot), and her singing was just as good as Jessica's. Incredible performer."

Agreed. I was at that performance, too, and at first I was disappointed that I wouldn't get to see Jess, but the second Laurel opened her mouth, all that went away. She completely blew me away in every way.

[amandap213]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 11:25am

mean girls !! danielle wade who just joined the cast was equally if not even better than erika. she looks like and actual high school student and her vocals just..wow unbelievable. when i saw her, i did not expect her cady to be that incredible because erika is so good, but damn if you have the chance go and see her !! also, ashley de la rosa is an amazing regina, she is the best understudy for the role. she completely knocks the persona and vocals out of the park, no doubt. the understudies and swings over at mean girls are seriously talented. 

Updated On: 5/9/19 at 11:25 AM

[Dave28282]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 11:31am

gleek4114 said: "
Myra Molloy as Kim in Miss Saigon "

This girl is incredible. Her voice, looks, acting and whole aura is much more of a "real Kim" than the first cast.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 1:03pm

Tyrone Banks, Jr. as Ogie in Waitress

Matthew Faucher as Gerry Goffin in Beautiful

Andrew Fitch as Cal in Waitress (funnily enough, it was his birthday, too!)

[ActorGuyIL]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 1:25pm

Vance Avery on for Donny Osmond in JOSEPH in the early 90s in Chicago.

[GreatBroadwayFan]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 3:19pm

Desi Oakley in Evita (but she was the alternate for Caroline Bowman and not technically the understudy) and she was so energetic and full of life! I've been following her career ever since that national tour of "Evita" and I'm so happy to see everything she has done.

Emmy Raver-Lampman as Elphaba in Wicked on the National Tour. She was BREATHTAKING and I think it is a crime that she has never been promoted to lead Elphaba on Broadway! But I'm super happy she got Hamilton.

Jessica Sheridan as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! (The Pantages literally had printed signs outside of the theatre that said "Betty Buckley will not be performing tonight" in addition to the traditional sign in the lobby) I could also hear people in the lobby and audience complains about seeing an understudy but when the show started, the audience gave her entrance applause. And by the end of the show, the audience gave Jessica a FULL STANDING OVATION!!! And she deserved it! Completely made the character her own and had us rolling in out seats laughing hysterically!

 

[jdrye222]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 4:41pm

By FAR (and can't believe has not been mentioned yet) -

JAYNE PATERSON as Desiree in A Little Night Music
.... why she’s never become a bigger name is something I cannot understand.

Others:

- Jayne Paterson (again) in Billy Elliott (she was basically the only thing I liked about the show)
- Nathaniel Stampley as Porgy in Porgy and Bess
- Farah Alvin in It Shoulda Been You (I liked her better than Lisa Howard)
- Maureen Moore in Grey Gardens

[bryan2]

Posted: 5/9/19 at 5:40pm

Karen Mason-Sunset Boulevard

Christine Andreas - Rebecca -in  Rags

Joanna Glushak-Bella in Rags