Understudies- Page 5

[MillieDillmount]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 9:56pm

When I saw A Chorus Line recently I went to the mantiee so naturally there was a lot of people out. One person I was upset about was Natalie Cortez as Diana. But I actually loved her understudy Jessica Lea Patty. She was really funny and quite talneted.

I was actually surprised how hard it was to pick out the four understudies in that performance. ACL not only has a really talented cast, but even the understudies are amazing!

~Darci

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 10:07pm

First Broadway show I ever saw was "Gypsy" with Bernadette Peters...

And, I saw the understudy for the back end of the cow.

She made such an impact on me.

And, dashb0ard, where did you see Courtney do Judy?

Updated On: 8/7/07 at 10:07 PM

[wickedlover52741]

Posted: 8/7/07 at 11:55pm

Maria Eberline-Wicked...she seriously DOES NOT get enough credit...she was one of the best Elphaba's I've ever seen

Lisa Brescia-Wicked...very good also...not as good as Maria but still pretty amazing!

[BorensteinBoi]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 2:35am

In NYC, I would have to say Eden Espinosa as Elphaba, Brynn O'Malley as Belle and Megan Hilty as Glinda.

On tour, I too thought Katie Adams was great as Galinda in Wicked and Dana Steingold as Olive in Spelling Bee will remain an absolute favorite performance.

[zoran912]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 3:50am

Maria Eberline gave an incredible performance as Elphaba when I saw her.

Megan Campbell made a great Millie. I'm disappointed that I didn't get to see Sutton, but Megan did a great job. She really won me over.

Robi Hager was on as Hanschen in Spring Awakening when I saw the show. I have not seen Jon Wright's portrayal, but I would not have known I was seeing an understudy. Robi Hager is that good.

Erin Maguire, although, remains the best understudy I've ever seen. I saw her go on for Cathy Rigby as the Cat in the Hat in Seussical. I cannot imagine enjoying the show without her performance. She was the show for me. Maguire is a firecracker, like a young Bebe Neuwirth. I haven't heard much from her since, but I hope she's still performing.

[dashb10ard]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 8:13am

theaterkid1015- Courtney was on as Judy when I saw ACL on July 8th.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 8:24pm

Megan McGinnis as Eponine in "Les Mis" [before promotion]
Todd Buonopane as Leaf in "Spelling Bee"
Tina Maddigan as Julia in "The Wedding Singer"
Corinne Melancon as Rosie in "Mamma Mia!"
Jerad Bortz as Fiyero in "Wicked"
Ben Eakeley as Anthony [but not the Beadle] in "Sweeney Todd"
Phoebe Strole as Ilse in "Spring Awakening"
Shoshana Bean as Tracy in "Hairspray"

[me2]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 8:56pm

I've seen SO many understudies in shows and very, very rately have I been disappointed by a performance.
Broadway Blog: Miss Saigon, Sixteen Years Later (and 50 Amazing Broadway Performers)

[banana]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 11:39pm

i saw jacqui polk today as logan schwartzandgrubenerre for the 3rd time. and I love her!

[broadwayboy522]

Posted: 8/8/07 at 11:55pm

Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods!!! She was fantastic! Please don't attack me for saying this but I thought her singing voice was definitely better than Laura Bell's

[DRSisLove]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 12:08am

^I felt the same way.

[JMVR]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 11:21am

I was there on the famous (or should I say "infamous?") night during previews for La Cage Aux Folles when Daniel Davis stopped the show literally, walked DSC and announced that he was sick and couldn't go on. Curtain. Then John Hilner came out a few minutes later and took over. Considering this was previews, you can bet he had not had much time to prepare yet so for me, that night was the perfect example of the guts, instincts and talent a good understudy needs. Hilner pulled it off and got a HUGE ovation in the end.