Who was the best Cassie?- Page 2

[Flippancy]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:51am

Did someone ask about Wanda Richert? Oh, hers is a sad tale full of talent, sex, unreliability, Gower Champion, redemption, and Jesus.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 11:56am

Flippancy, do tell.

The only opportunity I had to see Wanda Richert was in 42nd Street, but she was out (which I hear was no big surprise), and I ended up seeing Gail Benedict instead.

I remember her hair was very platinum blonde when she did both Nine and A Chorus Line.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 12:35pm

Oh, Michael Bennett!!!! I would have L-O-V-E-D to have seen Leland Palmer play Cassie! Now, she was an amazing dancer not to mention the backstory she had with the part. I was completley unaware that she had done Cassie briefly in LA.

Dottie - when Wanda played Cassie her hair was normal. She bleached it when she was in NINE and when she came back as Cassie in the ACl record breaking performance. When I did ACL with her she had returned to her "natural" color which was her Peggy Sawyer hair color.

[Mirth]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 12:51pm

Wow...Leland Palmer in ACL...loved her in All That Jazz...
Theatrelover, you reminded me that in the early to mid-eighties there was a televised show with all the ACL casts performing simultaneously. Still kick myself for missing it. Anyone have info. about this? is it on DVD anywhere?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 1:42pm

Thanks, WonderBoy. I guess Wanda's promo picture for Nine is what's stuck in my head.

[thejcm]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 3:03pm

Sorry to threadjack but...DottieD'Luscia, Gail Benedict teaches musical theatre at the performing arts high school that I went to for a couple years. She played Sheila on tour, if I remember correctly.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 3:06pm

No need to apologize. Thanks for sharing. It's nice to hear that she's giving back. I also remember her from Me and My Girl.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 3:10pm

Oh Vicki Frederick, hands down.

But you know, Im not at all biased

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 3:23pm

CJR, did Vicki return to ACL from time to time?

I know she was in the movie, but I could have sworn I saw her as Sheila in the 80s. I'll have to try and find my Playbill.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/9/06 at 3:29pm

As far as I know, she never played Sheila on Broadway -- only in the movie. I could be mistaken though; she could have covered the role at one point... I know she was with ACL for a while.

[irememberitwell]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 9:32am

There were many great Cassies. Here's my rundown:

Vicki Frederick - she was the first I saw when I was fifteen. I had saved my paper route money to get tickets ($17.50) and sat in the front row. I was disappointed it wasn't McKechnie (missed her by a week), but wowie was Vicki terrific, gorgeous and vulnerable. I was in the front row and remember when her hair came undone during the number. Great. Never answered her fan mail, and kept the picture I sent her.

Deborah Henry - saw her in Boston New Year's Eve $25.00 gala ticket). She was really sweet at the stage door. I saw her many times do both Cassie and Val. She was the best Val ever and her Cassie was mighty fine. When she finally came to Broadway as Cassie and the Martha Swope picture went up outside the theater, I stole it. Nervous of course to be in Times Square at 3 am, but had the screwdriver and hammer ready. But the case was already unlocked and it didn't take much to pull it out. When you are nineteen you don't think of the consequences. Three weeks later, it was replaced with a better photograph with the footlights, so screwdriver and hammer in hand, I went to fetch that one as well. Case was still unlocked, got that one even quicker. I later interviewed her and gave her the first photograph which Debbie thought showed her technique to better advantage.

Wanda Richert - was nineteen and what a powerhouse. Its a pity what later happened -- she lost custody of her second child. I think perhaps today she would be even better having had life experience.

Cheryl Clark was also a powerhouse, but one always got the feeling that she was too strong and her dancing lacked the vulnerability necessary.

Ann Reinking I only saw during the 3389 gala when she did the "They're all special" scene -- terrific acting, aided in part by that throbbing voice.

The very best understudy I saw was a girl named Ann Louise Schaut (I think). She never played the role on the line as far as I know, but she was one of the Cassies for the 3389th.

Bebe Neuwirth was also very young, but her acting was excellent, dancing so-so. She was a weaker Sheila.

There were many more, but can't remember who else stood out.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 9:58am

Irememberitwell, not that I condone theft, but that story you told is priceless!! It gave me a good laugh this morning.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 8/10/06 at 10:55am

irememberitwell - Love the story of stealing the pictures! That is great!

Dottie - I don't blame you. I remember the first time I saw a picture of Wanda with that platinum hair and I just thought, "Oy! What were you thinking?" It stuck in my head too!

Posted: 8/18/06 at 2:03pm

Guess I would have to say that next to Donna McKechnie, the late great Deborah Henry was the best dancer. Interestingly, she was up for Val in the film, but was nixed because she wasn't considered pretty. The other Cassie contender was Cheryl Clark, who would have been great. She was cast in All That Jazz as the topless stewardess (later Sandahl Bergman) but was fired because she refused to go topless. This after doing two Fosse shows.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:30pm

Whatever happened to Sandahl Bergman? She was also the first Judy replacement on Broadway and supposedly the girl called in to audition for Cassie the most times without ever actually being given the role.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:54pm

I thought Sandahl couldn't take the pressure and the physical demands so she retired. Would be interested to see where and what she is doing these days. She was a great dancer!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 3:58pm

She really was stunning. I was watching ALL THAT JAZZ last week, and it was intriguing to me how different dancers look now verses then. Frankly, by todays standards, most of the dancers in the 70s were not particularly attractive, but Sandahl Bergman's beauty was just extraordinary for any time period. Amazing body.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 4:10pm

Oh, I agree MB! I rememebr seeing her in Bob Fosse's DANCIN'. She really did have a kind of timeless beauty about her.

Posted: 8/19/06 at 4:07pm

sandahl bergman went on as Cassie as an understudy in late 1977. When I saw her as Judy Turner earlier that year, she had the famous line "I wish I had just one of yours!" Ah, the miracle of silicone!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 5:01pm

I was actually hoping someone would start a thread like this, because I have a Cassie-related question. A CHORUS LINE was the first show I ever saw, in February of 1979. I for the life of me cannot remember who I saw as Cassie. Would anyone happen to know who was playing the part around that time period? I would really like to know---she was incredible and probably the best Cassie I've ever seen.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 5:29pm

Unless an understudy or vacation sub was on, you saw Cheryl Clark, MEF.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 5:33pm

Thanks, MB. I don't think I saw an understudy, so it was probably Cheryl. I'll try to dig out my old playbill some time and check, if I still have it.

[StandingO]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 10:35pm

Laurie Gamache - she was last Cassie in the original Broadway company. She was fabulous!

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 8/21/06 at 11:40pm

I am not a fan of Charlotte's Cassie.

[TT]

Posted: 8/22/06 at 2:01am

I loved Alyson Reed... Donna McKechnie is great!!!!