Understudies:biggest disappointments/best surprises- Page 3

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 9/20/14 at 9:59pm

I listed my surprises earlier, and after wracking my brain I thought of one "disappointment". I saw Alison Cimmet as Puffer in Drood. She was perfectly pleasant in the role, but suffered the problem of "not Chita". It was clear that the part was staged to be performed by a legend. Her big entrance was met with more or less silence.

[binau]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 4:16am

"Yeah, no--The topic is obviously about understudies, not merely Taking Loud Personal Offense For Cast Being Out. "

It really isn't that obvious. The thread clearly has two components, 1. Biggest disappointments, AND 2., Biggest surprises (from the topic title and original post). For example, the original post listed two disappointments and one surprise. The two disappointments weren't followed up with any indication they were surprised by the understudy, just disappointed that the star was out.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 10:16am

I'm going back MANY years: but Tony Orlando was brought in to cover for Jim Dale during Barnum (to cover his honeymoon, if I remember correctly). I remember very specifically thinking: I simply can't fathom that Dale couldn't possibly have been better. I WAS only 17 and at my 2nd or maybe 3rd broadway show, but the memory lives on.

[jwsel]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 2:36pm

I think I've generally been very lucky over the years because I can only think of a single disappointment -- Gabrielle McClinton in for Patina Miller in Pippin. Part of the disappointment was that I had been waiting months to see Pippin during a trip to New York and had watched a lot of Miller's videos. McClinton was good, but she just didn't seem as fluid a dancer as the role required and lacked the presence that I expected.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 2:47pm

^ Patina Miller was actually quite rigid in her dancing compared to the other LPs. That worked for her portrayal because she was cold, calculating, and cynical. Ariana DeBose was extremely fluid on the other hand, which worked for her because she portrayed the LP closer to how Ben Vereen did it (trying to be friendly to Pippin.)

[jwsel]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 3:09pm

^ I wonder if we are describing the same thing. I get the sense you are describing choreography choices that were made for the role, whereas I'm describing more generally what the performer seemed capable of doing. Miller seems to have the flexibility and movement in her hips that McClintock lacked. It felt like McClintock was struggling at times and just felt "stiff." Having seen videos of Patina doing Magic to Do, On the Right Track, or the Manson Trio from Glory, I never get the sense that she is struggling with the Fosse-inspired choreography (or the actual Fosse choreo from Manson Trio). By comparison, especially during the Manson Trio, McClintock just was not close to the same level as the ensemble members and looked like she was working hard just to keep up.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 3:13pm

I saw Ariana DeBose’s first performance as LP a few months ago and she was absolutely brilliant. She sang to Jesus and made her much more human than Patina. During the finale, she didn’t immediately flip out at the cast and the pianist, but it was a slow burn before falling apart when she said “And no magic?!”

[#1CarrieFan]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 4:33pm

Also years ago, our second viewing of Sunset Boulevard at the Minskoff, after the first act, Glenn came out on stage and said she would be unable to go on in the second act. Unfortunately, I do not recall the name of her understudy for that performance (around Christmas time), but the actress was PHENOMENAL. I "get it" that tourists can be very disappointed if a star is not coming on at that performance, but those of us lucky enough to frequent Broadway, I give a loud shoutout to the alternates and understudies for their dedication putting their heart and soul into the show.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 5:06pm

I saw Natalie Cortez when Karen Olivo was out of West Side Story, and Karen was the reason I went to see the show so I was really disappointed. As the show went on Cortez surprised the hell out of me. She was really great. She played the role much tougher than Karen Olivo which made the vulnerability in the rape scene much more heartbreaking.

Updated On: 9/21/14 at 05:06 PM

[binau]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 5:07pm

"McClintock "

I also think I saw McClintock and I agree there was something off about her dancing - I don't know much about dancing, so from a lay man's perspective the way I'd describe it was less 'sharp' than I would have expected. Also, she seems quite young and I think a sinister-ness that I assume Patina had in the role was a bit lost. That said, I still very much enjoyed it.

Updated On: 9/21/14 at 05:07 PM

[broadwayfan1995]

Posted: 9/21/14 at 6:57pm

I absolutely LOVED Aaron Walpole as Valjean.