Best One Hit Wonder!

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:56pm

The actor or actress who starred or appeared in one show, shone like there was no tomorrow, and then disappeared or never had that type of magic again.

I say Daphne Rubin-Vega in Rent and Carl Anderson in JCS.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:58pm

Jennifer Holliday
Sad but true
and literally a one hit wonder on the billboard charts

[Delphine]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:58pm

Daphne? She's done a lot since RENT.

If any RENT alumni, I'd say Wilson Jermaine Heredia.

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/2/04 at 11:58pm

Wilson Jermaine Heredia...he won a Tony for "Rent" but never did anything on Broadway after that.

Oops..Delphine, you beat me to it.

Updated On: 9/2/04 at 11:58 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:02am

Daphne did Anna in the Tropics (and RHS for that matter), but I don't think either of them even compared to her exposure from Rent. That's what I meant. :)

[LadyGuenevere]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:03am

Daphne has proven, though, that she can hold her own in a straight play.

I saw Anna in the Tropics, and thought that she was wonderful.

Most straight plays usually don't get rabid fans anyway.

[little_sally]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:04am

Wasn't she nominated for a Tony this season?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:07am

She might've been, in which case I'll take back what I said about her. It could just be my fault because aside from Rent and RHS, I didn't really follow anything else she did.

What about Mary Louise Parker? (I'm fairly ignorant when it comes to plays though, so she may have done things I'm not aware of.)

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:10am

Meredith Willson.
(Not for acting....but still).

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:14am

yes, Daphne Rubin-Vega was indeed nominated for a Tony this year, for Best Actress in a Play. She has proven herself versatile and able to tackle straight plays as well as musicals (she also did "Rocky Horror" on Broadway) is ample proof that she is not a "one hit wonder".

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:15am

jennifer holliday had a well recieved run in chicago fairly recently, i wouldn't call her a 1 hit either

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:17am

good grief, I forgot Chicago! And I saw her in it too
But seriously, she really hasn't had a mega-comeback like Dreamgirls, although she will always be a star in my eyes.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:18am

Linda Eder. She needs to get back on Broadway soon or she will certainly go down as a one-hit wonder.


Judy, I always maintain that Meredith Willson was a two-hit wonder. The Unsinkable Molly Brown ran for more than a year on Broadway and spawned a very successful film.

Updated On: 9/3/04 at 12:18 AM

[Mamie]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:16am

Meredith Wilson? Which one? The Music Man or The Unsinkable Molly Brown? (Probably more out there but I'm too tired to think of them.)

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 5:01am

Jennifer was also Teen Angel in the last revival of "Grease," starred as Bessie Smith in "Downhearted Blues" Off-Broadway a couple of years ago, was Mahalia Jackson in "Sing, Mahalia Sing" and was featured in Maurice Hines' "Harlem Suite" out of town (neither show ended up on Broadway -- I saw both and Jennifer was incredible).

Daphne Rubin Vega has worked non-stop since "Rent" (all you Rentheads really need to pay more attention to off-Boradway and non-musicals). I've seen her in Nilo Cruz's "Anna In The Tropics" (Pulitzer-prize winner), Cruz's "Two Sisters and a Piano" at the Public, "F*CKing A" by Suzan-Lori Parks (who won the Pulitzer for "Topdog/Underdog"), "Free To Be, You and Me" at The Drama Dept., "Between Us" at MTC, and "Rocky Horror" on Broadway.

As far as Mary-Louise Parker, fewer actors have spent more time on stage in the last 5 - 10 years than Parker. In addition to winning the Tony and Drama Desk for her two years doing "Proof," she won the Obie and Lortel for Paula Vogel's Pulitzer-winning "How I Learned To Drive," starred in the revival of "Bus Stop" on Broadway, John Patrick Shanley's "Four Dogs and a Bone" at MTC, Ayckbourn's "Communicating Doors" off-Broadway and will open on Broadway in a revival of Craig Lucas' "Reckless" in the next few weeks.

Posted: 9/3/04 at 6:13am

I don't know if I'd call Linda Eder a one hit wonder. I mean I understand where you're coming from but I think it's more like she doesn't need Broadway anymore. A lot of my new musical friends know who she is either from her Christmas songs, tv appearances, the Olympics or all the ice skaters who use her music LOL It seems like she's much happier in her concert career and I don't think we'll see her on Broadway anymore, just like I think we've seen the last of Sarah Brightman on stage too.

[Jon]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 8:08am

I suppose it would be unfair to include child performers like Daisy Eagan.

But while we're on the subject, can we include Secret Garden composer Lucy Simon?

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:29pm

Margo - Like, if there isn't music and dancing and singing and pretty costumes and big sets and an orchestra and it's not in the theatre district and it doesn't cost one week of my pay for one ticket, then, like, why would I want to know about it??? (PS. You're all right, but I like your sister - daughter? -Stockard more.)

But I guess I should define what I'd consider a one-hit wonder. It doesn't mean necessarily that they never worked again - they may have worked again, but nothing that gave them the exposure, attention, or accolades of that one piece of work.

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:37pm

Well, if we're including those people, Loretta Devine probably counts, no?

I'd have to say while Jennifer did go into Chicago...she hasn't originated anything since Dreamgirls...on Broadway (I saw her off-bway of downhearted...omg...brilliant). When will someone write her a new Bway show...it'd sell like hotcakes, I'm sure.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 12:40pm

Margo - Like, if there isn't music and dancing and singing and pretty costumes and big sets and an orchestra and it's not in the theatre district and it doesn't cost one week of my pay for one ticket, then, like, why would I want to know about it???

And, like, why see a show that doesn't have Idina? I mean, like, she's a GODDESS! Oh my god, she is!

[Thetruth]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:51pm

I don't know if I'd put Loretta Divine in this category either. She's more into movies and TV. So, its not like she's suddently vanished. We know the direction she's taken her career in. I heard they wanted her for Motormouth in Hairspray and also that she was doing Ma' Rainey in LA. I'd love for her to make a comeback along with Jennifer Holiday. It's sad but roles are not being written for women like these 2.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 1:54pm

this isn't the best one hit wonder, but it's the only one i can think of right now.

frances ruffelle- les mis

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 2:06pm

Carl Anderson was never in the Broadway production of JCS. Ben Vereen, Patrick Jude and Tony Vincent have been Broadway's only Judas Iscariots (excluding replacements, for which I couldn't find any). Carl Anderson was briefly seen on Broadway in the short-lived musical Play On, but it was not a "one hit wonder" performance.

Updated On: 9/3/04 at 02:06 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 2:24pm

Yeah, I should've clarified that I meant the movie.

Updated On: 9/3/04 at 02:24 PM

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 2:29pm

But I guess I should define what I'd consider a one-hit wonder. It doesn't mean necessarily that they never worked again - they may have worked again, but nothing that gave them the exposure, attention, or accolades of that one piece of work.

OK, but we can't always top ourselves over and over again.

(Not without a very naughty toy, anyway.)

Updated On: 9/3/04 at 02:29 PM