Whatever Happened to? (broadway folk of the 80s and before)

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:38am

How about:

Terri Klausner (original matinee EVITA, then SOPHISTICATED LADIES and the Polly Penn shows)

Anne Twomey (NUTS, a breakthrough role)

Patti Cohenhour (2nd Christine, EDWIN DROOD)

Wanda Richert (original Peggy Sawyer, memorable Cassie, memorable Carla in NINE)

John Herrera (memorable work in EDWIN DROOD)

Terri White (BARNUM, bartender at 88s)

Camille Saviola (NINE, and album of RAGTIME)

Deborah Burell (DREAMGIRLS original)

Ben Harney (DREAMGIRLS -- brilliant)

Nancy Ringham (Liza in major FAIR LADY REVIVAL)

Marianne Tatum (BARNUM, THREE MUSKATEERS)

Dona Kane (DAMES AT SEA, many others)

Faye Grant (SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, Theater World Award winner)

Ann Morrison (MERRILY)

Sharon McKnight (STARMITES)

Leilani Jones (GRIND)

Maryann Plunkett (SUNDAY IN THE PARK, ME AND MY GIRL)

Martine Allard (TAP DANCE KID)

John Weiner (original Jean-Michael in LA CAGE)

Anna McNeely (longest running member of CATS--?)

Chris Groenendaal (2nd Anthony Hope, 2nd George in the park, CANDIDE)

Liz Larsen (MOST HAPPY FELLA)

Alyson Reed (MARILYN A MUSICAL FABLE, Sally Bowles, first revival, dreadrul film of CHORUS LINE)

Loni Ackerman (EVITA)

Linda Thorson (STEAMING,NOISES OFF)

James Russo (EXTREMITIES)

Lara Teeter (ON YOUR TOES)

Kim Crosby (INTO THE WOODS)

Kay McClellan (CITY OF ANGELS)

Meg Bussert (BRIGADOON, heavyduty soprano roles)

Laura Waterbury (SMILE, musical leady lady)

Daren Kelly (WOMAN OF THE YEAR, DEATHTRAP)

Candace Tovar (Mona, WHOREHOUSE, many replacements)

Kate Draper (DAY IN HOLLYWOOD, NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE)

Russ Thacker (OH COWARD, everything!)

Philip Anglim (original ELPHANT MAN, That play in Scotland...)

Diane Tartleton (Original TORCH SONG TRIOLOGY)

Charles Repole (Goodspeed Star, several b'way shows)

Updated On: 11/21/04 at 11:38 AM

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 11:44am

I believe Herrera was most recently in the Man of La Mancha revival.
Groenendaal was in Passion and the Forum revival in the mid 90's. Updated On: 11/21/04 at 11:44 AM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:02pm

Auggie- that's a great list. You should track those people down and interview them, find out what they've been up to, and then send the article in to Rob.

[Mattio98]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:07pm

John Herrera was in the last Man of La Mancha revival. He was also Pilate to Max Von Essen's Jesus in JCS at the Music Circus. I had the pleasure of taking a Master Class with him a little while back and I can honestly say he's one of the most incredible teachers I've ever studied with.

Posted: 11/21/04 at 12:43pm

We saw Alyson Reed in a lovely production of Do I Hear A Waltz (with Carol Lawrence) last year at the Pasadena Playhouse. We knew someone else in the cast, so got to go backstage afterwards - she seemed to be very happy. She was also in fine voice.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 1:07pm

Lara Teeter has been the artistic director of Light Opera Works in Evanston for the last few years. He resigned from the post effective at the end of this season. I don't know what he is going to be doing after, but it seems as if he has given up performing for directing/administration work.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:01pm

Patti Cohenhour played the Mother Abbness in the Rebecca Luker "Sound of Music" revival

Wanda Richert I heard pretty much fell into obscurity

Nancy Ringham appeared in the Sting "Threepenny Opera" revival and has not been back to Broadway since

Kim Crosby married Robert Westenberg and has since been more of a mom than an actress, I think

Phillip Anglim did a bunch of guest appearances on "Star Trek" but nothing else major that I know of

Chris Groenendaal played Miles Gloriosis in the Nathan Lane "Forum" revival, and was recently seen in the Sondheim review "Opening Doors"

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:03pm

Oh, and Kim Crosby was also the final Sarah Brown in the long-running "Guys and Dolls" revival

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:07pm

Oh, and one more. Liz Larsen in the "Damn Yankees" revival (a replacement Gloria Thorpe, I think). Isn't she also currently a standby in "Hairspray," as well?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:09pm

Liz Larsen stands by for Velma and the Female Authority Figure in Hairspray.

patti Cohenour also did a turn last year at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle as Glinda/Aunt Em in The Wizard of Oz. Updated On: 11/21/04 at 02:09 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:11pm

Terri White can be seen in the filmed versions of Nunsense and Nunsense 2 with Rue McLanahan. And she had a bit in the movie "Boys on the Side"

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:29pm

I just read that Terri White was in the Irish Repertory cast of Finian's Rainbow.

http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=502764 Updated On: 11/21/04 at 02:29 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 2:39pm

I just saw Nancy Ringham about two months ago in "Shorts" which was an evening of one act musicals from the BMI Workshop that was part of the NY Musical Theatre Festival. She was absolutely terrific as a woman who all but has a nervous breakdown preparing to throw a dinner party -- she was hilariously funny and her voice still sounds fantastic. No idea why she doesn't work more.

Maryann Plunkett is co-starring in Richard Nelson's new play "Rodney's Wife" currently running at Playwrights Horizons.

Ben Harney left acting back in the 80s and works with inner city kids with arts programs (someone tracked him down during the 20th Anniversary Dreamgirls Concert festivities and he apparently was very happy with is current life and was flattered to be remembered).

Not sure what happened to Debbie Burrell, but her little sister Terri (who as also in Dreamgirls with her) played both Muzzy and Mrs. Meers in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

I believe Camille Saviola played Mama Morton in "Chicago" last year for a while.

James Russo has been one of the busier character actors in Hollywood in the last two decades and works non-stop.

I remember Phillip Anglim got a reputation for being VERY difficult to work with as far back as "The Elephant Man" and after he flopped in The Scottish Play, people in NY were happy to see him head to Hollywood. He was a regular on one of the those Star Trek series (Deep SPace Nine?) for a while.

Updated On: 11/21/04 at 02:39 PM

[CJR]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 3:18pm

Yes, we did indeed, just have the lovely and brassy Camille Saviola in Chicago as Mama. Might I add, she kicked ass

Posted: 11/21/04 at 3:24pm

What happened to Martine Allard from the Tap Dance Kid?

[vidkidd]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 5:20pm

Ann Morrison has been doing lots of theater over the years in Sarasota and with Wayne Bryants theatre in Witchita Kansas. She was in the workshop version of Sondheim's Gold! (later "Bounce"). After Merrily, Ann appeared in many shows including NY's "Forbidden Broadway", London's "Peg", Los Angeles's "Anyone Can Whistle", Cabaret in various Cities, Peter Pan (the production that eventually ended up starring Cathy Rigby), Little Shop of Horrors, Ruthless, and on and on.

Currently she is in the process of moving back to NYC to get herself back into the NY theater community.

Sharon McNight lives in Hollywood CA. She appears often in local cabaret and theater shows as well as San Francisco.
She appeared in the Original cast of Amanda McBroom's musical "Heartbeats".

Teri Klausner recently was in a new musical by Polly Penn (as was Ann Morrison - both in Philadelphia - they appeared earlier together in Penn's musical "Goblin Market").

I have to go back to your list to see if there is anyone else on it that I have kept up with.... Oh Alyson Reed did the LA premiere of Hello Again with the Blank Theatre Company and has recently been directing some waiver shows. Updated On: 11/21/04 at 05:20 PM

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 7:45pm

Does ANYBODY know what Jack of the OBC Into the Woods is up to??? I forget his name. Or what about Robert Westenberg???

[vidkidd]

Posted: 11/21/04 at 8:04pm

Last thing I saw Ben Wright (Jack from Into the woods) in was the tour and broadway production of STATE FAIR, opposite Donna McKechnie. I do not believe he has appeared in any other broadway show since.

I seem to remember that he had gotten married, perhaps he has left the biz?

Robert Westenberg (since Into the Woods) has appeared in Secret Garden, Company and 1776. (all broadway casts) Updated On: 11/21/04 at 08:04 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:24am

I remember hearing from my old voice teacher in New York that he has indeed left the business. Too bad, he was a good Jack in ITW.

[Booming Baritone]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 12:58am

Cris Groenendaal also starred in Phantom on Broadway and in Canada. He has a very busy concert career and has recently been performing at Merkin Hall, NYC, in a series of concerts with Sarah Rice, the original Joanna in Sweeney Todd, and Marni Nixon. He still sounds wonderful, youthful and glorious and is a very funny and moving performer.

Sarah is also sounding glorious, etc. and has had an incredible career all over the world singing in opera and operettas. They are both in their prime, vocally.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 1:28am

This thread is fascinating! The only actors I thought of were already in the first post. I'll try to think.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 1:42am

Marianne Tatum is happily married with a child and lives in the South. She teaches, performs, and still possesses a stunning soprano voice. Updated On: 11/22/04 at 01:42 AM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 1:48am

"Anna McNeely (longest running member of CATS--?)"


I know she was in the show for a very long time, but Marlene Danielle is the longest running cast member, and the only one to stay the entire run, or did you mean somethign different?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 10:05am

Sadly, Diane Tarleton died of breast cancer about 6-8 years ago. I did not see it in any paper and only found out about it when I ran into her husband and casually asked after her. He and two children survive.

Maryann Plunkett worked with the National Actors Theatre for several seasons and played Saint Joan among others. She is married to Jay O. Sanders and they have at least one child. She is due in a show this season although I forget which one or even where.

Robert Westenberg and family relocated to Denver where he works quite often in local shows and occasionally elsewhere.

Wasn't Anna McNeely in the Betty Buckley-Gypsy at Paper Mill as Tessie?

When last heard of, Philip Anglim (who was in fact nearly run out of town after the Scottish Play at the Beaumont in 1980) lived in Malibu. He was all but named/outed by a trashy memoir by a Hollywood hustler. Anglim was a silent partner on The Elephant Man and Tintypes (his family had Money-note capital M) and his then-BF was Richmond Crinkley, producer of those two and Lincoln Center producer as well. Crinkley died of aids mid 80s.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 10:10am

Ben Wright was in Swan Lake.