Appreciation for Understudies Thread- Page 2

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:01pm

Jonathan Wagner as Dewey was the best understudy I've ever seen.

Also, he wasn't an "understudy" (an alternate, rather), but Michael Luwoye remains the greatest Alexander Hamilton I've seen (and I've seen four of them).

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:09pm

I got to see Olivia as Alana in Dear Evan Hansen last week and she was absolutely stunning. Would love to see her Zoe as I've heard great reviews. I hope she tours!

[rcwr]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:14pm

I saw Anthony Sagaria understudy as Fiyero on the WICKED tour in Boston recently. He was great. I've always considered Fiyero a hard part to nail emotionally -- there's a sort of vagueness written into him, between floppy/brainless and other things. Sagaria let Fiyero's unhappiness show, which made the character make more sense to me. It also meant that Elphaba's comment "...or you wouldn't be so unhappy" rang truer than I've seen it ring with other actors.

(Not that I've seen a million Fiyeros; he's the 4th I've seen.)

Updated On: 6/28/17 at 04:14 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:26pm

Aren't Anthony and Jessica dating? That might add to why he had a more unhappiness feel? 

[rcwr]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:30pm

Call_me_jorge, I have absolutely no idea whether Anthony and Jessica are dating. But, regardless, I give him credit for the acting choices he's making.

[Cat Guy]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 4:42pm

Going back in time......

On a visit to London in 1968, I went to one of the theatres to see Gretchen Wyler in "Sweet Charity".  They announced that she was ill (as I recall) and her understudy went on in her place.  I was disappointed.  But her understudy (whose name is lost to me nearly half a century later) gave a wonderful performance.  Really, really good.  I walked out of the theatre more than happy with the evening, despite the absence of Ms. Wyler.  I hope that young lady went on to have a brilliant career; she deserved it.  

Updated On: 6/28/17 at 04:42 PM

[Nycat63]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 5:00pm

Cat Guy said: "Going back in time......

I walked out of the theatre more than happy with the evening, despite the absence of Ms. Wyler.  I hope that young lady went on to have a brilliant career; she more than deserved it.  

 

It's nice to see that happen when it does.  I saw Rent in 1996 and was so disappointed to learn that a swing was going on for Adam Pascal when I opened my Playbill.  I had listened to the OBCR multiple times prior to finally getting to NY to see the show, and am a massive fan to this day of Adam's voice (I love me a great rock tenor).  However, that swing turned out to be a then-unknown Norbert Leo Butz.  He was fantastic as Roger and immediately made me forget my disappointment - and I was thrilled to see him go on to have such a successful career. 

 

[rcwr]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 5:21pm

Nycat63, that is a wonderful Norbert Leo Butz story. And to link him with my previous comments on this thread, I will always wish I'd gotten to see him as Fiyero.

[Nycat63]

Posted: 6/28/17 at 7:09pm

rcwr said: "Nycat63, that is a wonderful Norbert Leo Butz story. And to link him with my previous comments on this thread, I will always wish I'd gotten to see him as Fiyero.

 

"I wish I hadn't lost the Playbill when I moved a year later!  Would be great to have that and the little slip of paper now!

 

[killerqueenx]

Posted: 6/29/17 at 8:06pm

asmith0307 said: "Forgot to mention that I saw Kennedy Caughell as Marya D. in Comet this last weekend. My friend and I have been following her career for a while (me since I saw her in the American Idiot tour in 2012), so it was a pleasant surprise when we got to the theatre, She was great!

"

That girl is fantastic! Really hope there are big things in her future, because she's very talented!

[Chowd95]

Posted: 6/29/17 at 8:30pm

Pearl Sun for Alice Ripley as Diana in the "Next to Normal" tour.  She was brilliant.

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:48am

The Elphaba understudy on tour, Olivia Polci ,makes her debut sometime this weekend. She's been there for almost 13 months now. 

[steven22]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 8:58am

Jeremy Morse in Waitress. I saw him last night on for Ogie. Fantastic. Saw him back in Boston almost two years ago.

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 9:45am

I have only experienced three broadway understudies.  Staying positive, I will only comment on one.  Billy Bustamante was BRILLIANT as the Engineer in Saigon.  I had seen Jon Jon on the 25th anniversary screening, so wasn't terribly disappointed in general, but the focus and balance of intensity and pathos he brought to the engineer was refreshing.  If this hangs around long enough he should definitely be next in line to play the role..  maybe even on tour if that is the next step.

 

[Messytheatregirl]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 9:47am

Shoba Narayan as Natasha in The Great Comet is an absolute joy! She lights up the whole stage. I saw her first performance back in March and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. 

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 09:47 AM

[RCPanned]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 11:49am

Josh Canfield went on as Anatole in The Great Comet when I went. While I was disappointed not to see Lucas Steele, Canfield was really fantastic!

[thatspoetic]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:29pm

I had the chance to see three understudies in three different shows this past weekend, and all were great. Josh Breckenridge in Come From Away was the standout. He was so effortless and amazing in that role that I thought I had read wrong and he couldn't be an understudy. His character ended up being my favorite in the show. I was most disappointed about missing Andy Karl in Groundhog Day, so poor Andrew Call unfairly had to do a lot to win me over. He did it though. I was impressed at how well he dealt with all the complicated staging and running around on stage pretty much the entire show, he was funny, he played off Barrett Doss well, and the show was still great fun without Andy Karl. I also saw the understudy for Marya in Great Comet (I'm pretty sure I saw Kennedy Caughell). I liked her equally as well as the original actress on the album, and she seemed quite at home in the role.

Updated On: 6/30/17 at 01:29 PM

[caseyd]

Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:59pm

As I just mentioned in the other DEH thread, I saw Colton as Evan at the matinee on 6/25... and he was absolutely incredible. As much as I would love to go back and see Ben, part of me wants to watch Colton again. He was that good. I understand people being upset when Ben isn't performing, but Colton does the role justice, and he should be given a chance! 

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 5:55pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Aren't Anthony and Jessica dating? That might add to why he had a more unhappiness feel?"

They aren't dating they are just really good friends.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 6:50pm

The Come From Away standbys. Just amazed by them to be able to cover 5 roles in that show.

[James Kerrigan2]

Posted: 9/10/18 at 6:58pm

ACL2006 said: "The Come From Away standbys. Just amazed by them to be able to cover 5 roles in that show."

The Standby's at Mean Girls too they cover so many roles.