when there is an unexpected understudy for the lead- Page 2

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 6/29/15 at 7:04pm

I saw Gent's Guide without Jefferson Mayes. Greg Jackson, his Standby, was fantasticly funny (though he sounded like he was himself fighting a cold when I saw him). I later went back and caught Mayes, and while I DID prefer him in the role, it was a near thing, and I missed some of the ridiculous vocalizations Jackson brings to the death scenes. (His Reverend was particularly memorable.)

[hork]

Posted: 6/29/15 at 7:14pm

"I wouldn't be to concerned if you see HAMILTON and Lin Manuel-Miranda is out. Both times I saw IN THE HEIGHTS he was out and his u/s(Javier Munoz) was fantastic both times. And based on reports when the show was running, Munoz was actually better than him. We'll see what happens with HAMILTON."

I don't know, I've seen clips of Munoz's performance on Youtube and he's pretty terrible compared to Miranda.

[Marway44]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 6:08am

I could see many people leaving if Christian Borle was out from Rotten.  I hope he's not the only draw as I want to see the show make it and play many wonderful performances.  I fear since he was the only Tony award, the show will fold very quickly once he leaves. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 6:52am

A supporting actor Tony doesn't keep a show afloat.   As much as I love Borle, he is far from star status.

[Dr. Kitchell]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 7:14am

I was so disappointed when I went to the revival of "The Sound of Music" and Rebecca Luker was out. We stayed and saw her understudy named Laura Benatti. She was brilliant. It was a theatrical experience I will never forget.

[kristinchenofan570]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 8:52am

Don't believe her name is above the title, but speaking only about shows currently running, the only person's understudy I would be dissapointed in seeing, is Beth Malone's, mainly because as a gay female actor myself, she is someone I admire greatly, and her performance is the one I couldn't stop thinking about after the show was over. Would I go as far as wanting a refund? I don't know. But I can understand wanting one for any show if there is an actor who is important/meaningful to someone, and they're out 

I will say, however that there's been multiple occasions where I saw a lead's understudy and have never been dissapointed. and found that in many cases, I actually preferred them. 

[coffeeislove]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 11:57am

"I wouldn't be to concerned if you see HAMILTON and Lin Manuel-Miranda is out. Both times I saw IN THE HEIGHTS he was out and his u/s(Javier Munoz) was fantastic both times. And based on reports when the show was running, Munoz was actually better than him. We'll see what happens with HAMILTON."

Munoz is fantastic but Lin is...well, Lin!  

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 2:46pm

Sometimes an understudy is downright brilliant.  I saw MORMON when Nick Spangler went on as Elder Price.  He was sensational and hit his songs out of the ballpark.

 

Also, Jenna Robbins went on for Betty Buckley in an Off-Bwy show called WHITE'S LIES and Jenna was a thousand times better than Betty.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 3:05pm

I saw his first performance as Price (well, it was scheduled and not unexpected, which was why I was able to go so easily) and I really wish he'd gotten to go on more or lead a company.

The subject line of this thread reminds me of the first time my friend and I lotted Wicked on Broadway. She won and we were only going to see Wicked because of Julia Murney. When we got in, we saw that she was out. Haha! But Lisa Brescia was pretty great.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 3:09pm

This past weekend I was revisiting some of my favorite nights of the past season, bringing either my husband or elderly parents for their first time to each show. FINDING NEVERLAND had replacements for both Laura Michelle Kelly AND Kelsey Grammer, and a show that I had really enjoyed with the original cast was a complete waste on second viewing both for me and my hubby. Was it the absence of Kelly and Grammer? Can't say-- their replacements sang well and sold the jokes and pathos, but the magic was absent.

On the other hand, Sydney Lucas was out of FUN HOME, yet her replacement Gabriella Pizzolo was phenomenal and the show landed exactly as it had with Lucas. 

Happily my favorite night of the year was still AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, with the original cast completely intact and completely enchanting for us as well as my folks. (Seeing FH and AAIP back to back, I'm reminded again how much more deserving I feel AAIP was for the directing and best musical tonys, but that's a subject for another thread...)

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 3:22pm

I had 3 very sad experiences of seeing understudies go on for the performance I was hoping most to see:

"Dreamgirls" in 1982...Jennifer Holliday was out, but Sheila Ellis was great, and I saw Holliday when I returned.

"Carousel" revival in 1994...Audra Ann MacDonald was out. Her understudy didn't impress. I never went back.

"The Life" in 1997...Lillias White was out. Sharon Wilkins was good, but I was most disappointed by this one, as I am such a fan of Lillias. The show was so bad, however, I didn't go back.

You win some, you lose some!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 3:22pm

On the other side of the coin, I saw Mitzie Welch go on for Carol Burnett in FADE OUT, FADE IN and she was dreadful,  Then, too, the show was dreadful and without Burnett it wasn't worth sitting through.