Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
#1Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/16/20 at 11:01pmAside from Carol Channing in Hello Dolly , and Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard , have any other leading actors who debuted their characters in the original run, ever revived their characters on Broadway? If so, who would hold the record for longest span? I would guess Channing for debuting Dolly in 1964, and reviving the character in 1994?
#2Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/16/20 at 11:04pmBoth Joel Grey and Alan Cumming as The Emcee.
#3Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/16/20 at 11:08pm
It's probably Yul Brynner, who played the King of Siam for the first time on Broadway in 1951 and for the last time in 1985. 34 years apart, 4 more than Channing's first and last outing as Dolly
Updated On: 7/16/20 at 11:08 PM
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#4Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/16/20 at 11:09pm
Yul Brynner returned to Broadway in The King and I twice, first in 1977 and then again in 1985.
Rex Harrison was in the short-lived revival of My Fair Lady in 1981.
Ethel Merman starred in a revival of Annie Get Your Gun in 1966.
#5Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/16/20 at 11:16pm
Also, Alvin Ing played the Shogun's Mother both in the original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures (1976) and the revival (2004). But that's the only role he played in both, since in the original production he also played the Observer, the Merchant and the American Admiral, while in the revival he was the Old Man, in addition to singing Chrysanthemum Tea. Not a leading role, but a pretty memorable one.
Updated On: 7/16/20 at 11:16 PM
#6Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 12:00am
Cathy Rigby did several engagements of Peter Pan on Broadway.
rattleNwoolypenguin
Broadway Star Joined: 10/11/11
#7Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 12:03am
Wow the fact they still let Yul Brenner play the King again in the 80s....cringey.
#8Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 1:29amThe 80’s weren’t as woke as people like to pretend. Minstrel shows were still popular in the 90’s, to add some perspective here.
"Was uns befreit, das muss stärker sein als wir es sind." -Tanz der Vampire
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#9Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 7:26am
John Cameron Mitchell - Hedwig (original was Off-Broadway, but same idea)
#10Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 7:56amNot a record but didn’t Lansbury revive Mame?
"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
carnzee
Broadway Star Joined: 9/2/11
#11Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 8:24am
rattleNwoolypenguin said: "
Wow the fact they still let Yul Brenner play the King again in the 80s....cringey. "
Well, considering this was before Miss Saigon with Johnathan Price...
#12Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 9:31am
Stephanie Mills in The Wiz
Jarethan
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
#13Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 9:49am
qolbinau said: "Not a record but didn’t Lansbury revive Mame?"
Yes she did, at the now Gershwin. I was at the first preview, which was mayhem with Mame and Lansbury devotees. Alas, there were not enough of them.
Also, Zero Mostel revived Fiddler at the Winter Garden, for a limited engagement of (I think) 20 weeks. Since that could not have returned its investment, I assume that it was part of a national tour. I remember that the top price was $20, which I seem to recall was about 30% more than anything else at the time.
#14Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 10:06am
Terrence Mann, but technically it was the same production.
https://www.playbill.com/article/terrence-mann-expected-to-return-to-javert-in-bway-les-miz-feb-4-march-15-com-110906
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
toottoot
Understudy Joined: 6/17/20
#15Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 3:07pm
Richard Kiley returned to Man of La Mancha several times after the original Broadway production.
Not really a starring role, nor did she originate it, but Lonette McKee would appear as Julie LaVerne in both revivals of Show Boat that occurred in the late 20th century. It seems to follow a pattern as a great many actors from the original production subsequently appeared in a revival several years later, including Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan.
Does Ann Reinking count? She was a replacement in the original run of Chicago and would go to star in the opening night cast for the revival.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#16Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 4:10pm
toottoot said: "Richard Kiley returned to Man of La Mancha several times after the original Broadway production.
Joan Diener also replaced Sheena Easton as Aldonza over the course of the early '90s revival.
#17Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 4:20pm
Hal Holbrook did his "Mark Twain Tonight" 3 times on Broadway.
While Maureen Stapleton didn't originate the part of Amanda in "The Glass Menagerie" she did revivals in 1965 and in 1976.
#18Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 5:46pm
Seeing Yul B as The King of Siam in the 80's, was one of the most memorable theatre experiences I've ever had. It was not cringey at all. Not at all.
He was a legend.
cliffordbradshaw2
Stand-by Joined: 3/2/15
#19Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/17/20 at 6:29pm
Ron Moody was the original Fagin in "Oliver!" when it premiered in London in 1960. He played Fagin again in the short-lived Broadway revival of 1984 (with Patti LuPone).
John Cullum recreated his Tony-winning lead in "Shenandoah" on Broadway in 1989.
Richard Burton was Arthur in the original 1960 Broadway "Camelot." He played the role again 20 years later, at the New York State Theatre, which probably doesn't qualify as Broadway. Likewise, Hershel Bernardi was the third Tevye in the original "Fiddler," and headed up his own revival at the New York State Theater in '81.
#20Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 12:06amThanks for all the replies! I didn’t realize there were so many. I thought Channing and Close were two of the very few. I was wrong!!
#21Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 3:10am
nealb1 said: "Seeing Yul B as The King of Siam in the 80's, was oneof the most memorable theatre experiences I've ever had. It was not cringey at all. Not at all.
He was a legend."
wasn’t it a little odd that a non-asian played the king of Siam?
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."
BrodyFosse123
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/27/06
#22Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 9:44am
gypsy101 said: "nealb1 said: "Seeing Yul B as The King of Siam in the 80's, was oneof the most memorable theatre experiences I've ever had. It was not cringey at all. Not at all.
He was a legend."
wasn’t it a little odd that a non-asian played the king of Siam?"
Not in 1951 or among the other non-Asian principals in the cast. Only a few of the children in the cast had Asian heritage.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#23Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 11:03am
nealb1 said: "Seeing Yul B as The King of Siam in the 80's, was oneof the most memorable theatre experiences I've ever had. It was not cringey at all. Not at all.
He was a legend."
Also, the King has no age frame in the libretto. He can be 30 or 70. And Yul certainly had the appeal in the 80s, as I recall he looked great.
Dollypop
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#24Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 12:12pmJohn Raitt starred in the revival of CAROUSEL at Lincoln Center
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
#25Actors who revived their starring roles on Broadway?
Posted: 7/18/20 at 12:22pm
toottoot: "Not really a starring role, nor did she originate it, but Lonette McKee would appear as Julie LaVerne in both revivals of Show Boat that occurred in the late 20th century. It seems to follow a pattern as a great many actors from the original production subsequently appeared in a revival several years later, including Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan."
Paul Robeson was not in the original Broadway production of Show Boat. That was Jules Bledsoe as Joe.
Elfuhbuh:"Minstrel shows were still popular in the 90’s, to add some perspective here."
You're going to have to prove that.
