Actors who are not returning to their roles

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:22am

Obviously there have been a few high-profile cases of actors who are not returning to their reopening shows -- Karen Olivo, for example -- but it's still been hard to tell exactly who is and isn't returning to most productions. I haven't seen a thread on this, so I was hoping this would be a place to centralize the information. I've listed a couple that have been announced -- can others add to the list?

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY -- Colton Ryan

FLYING OVER SUNSET -- Erika Henningsen

JAGGED LITTLE PILL -- Celia Rose Gooding, Elizabeth Stanley (maternity leave)

COMPANY -- Kyle Dean Massey

MOULIN ROUGE -- Karen Olivo, several ensemble members

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD -- most of the March 2020 cast

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY -- Ben Miles

THE MINUTES -- Armie Hammer

COME FROM AWAY -- Chad Kimball

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Updated On: 9/20/21 at 11:22 AM

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:38am

Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer. Almost the entire Hadestown cast came back except for her. No mention why she didn't return.

Kay Trinidad Kerns is on maternity leave now and will return to the show at some point.

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:38am

I have kept a list of all the principal cast members of Broadway musicals who will NOT be returning upon reopening. Thus far:

Doreen Montalvo (Janet Lundy, Mrs. Doubtfire) - died October 2020

Karen Olivo (Satine, Moulin Rouge!) - backed out due to social injustice / Rudin physical abuse allegations

Kyle Dean Massey (Theo, Company) - impending birth of child in fall w/husband

Colton Ryan (Gene Laine, Girl from the North Country) - TV/film conflicts

Erika Jayne (Roxie Hart, Chicago) - stunt casting

Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly, Chicago) - stunt casting

NaTasha Yvette Williams (Matron “Mama” Morton, Chicago) - stunt casting

Ryan Silverman (Billy Flynn, Chicago) - stunt casting

Ephraim Sykes (Michael Jackson, MJ) - film conflicts

Chad Kimball (Kevin T., Garth, and others, Come From Away) - anti-vaccine

Petrina Bromley (Bonnie and others, Come From Away) - TBA THRU 10/8/21 ONLY

Daniel Breaker (Aaron Burr, Hamilton) - TBA

Patrick Page (Hades, Hadestown) - film conflict THRU 10/31/21 ONLY

Kay Trinidad (Fate, Hadestown) - maternity leave THRU JANUARY ‘22 ONLY

Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Fate, Hadestown) - TBA

Bradley Gibson (Simba, The Lion King) - TV/film conflicts

Ben Roseberry (Ed, The Lion King) - TBA

Bryan Holden Chan and Haven Alexander (Young Simba, The Lion King) - aged out of role

Aliya Ramey and Layla Capers (Young Nala, The Lion King) - aged out of role

Ainsley Melham (Aladdin, Aladdin) - TBA

Arielle Jacobs (Jasmine, Aladdin) - TBA (will Between the Lines reopen Off-Broadway?)

Brian Gonzales (Babkak, Aladdin) - TBA

Shoba Narayan (Nessarose, Wicked) - cast in Aladdin

Erika Henningsen (Ann Clare Brokaw / Judith, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Jeremy Kushnier (Father / Dr. Harris, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Dave Thomas Brown (Elder Price, The Book of Mormon) - TBA

Elizabeth Stanley (Mary Jane Healy, Jagged Little Pill) - maternity leave

Celia Rose Gooding (Frankie Healy, Jagged Little Pill) - TV conflicts

Kelsey Connolly (Meg Giry, The Phantom of the Opera) - TBA

“I am furious, but I am sailing.”

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:43am

Do the Chicago cast changes really count as stunt casting?

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:43am

Jordan Levinson said: "I have kept a list of all the principal cast members of Broadway musicals who will NOT be returning upon reopening. Thus far:

Doreen Montalvo (Janet Lundy, Mrs. Doubtfire) - died October 2020

Karen Olivo (Satine, Moulin Rouge!) - backed out due to social injustice / Rudin physical abuse allegations

Kyle Dean Massey (Theo, Company) - impending birth of child in fall w/husband

Colton Ryan (Gene Laine, Girl from the North Country) - TV/film conflicts

Erika Jayne (Roxie Hart, Chicago) - stunt casting

Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly, Chicago) - stunt casting

NaTasha Yvette Williams (Matron “Mama” Morton, Chicago) - stunt casting

Ryan Silverman (Billy Flynn, Chicago) - stunt casting

Ephraim Sykes (Michael Jackson, MJ) - film conflicts

Chad Kimball (Kevin T., Garth, and others, Come From Away) - anti-vaccine

Petrina Bromley (Bonnie and others, Come From Away) - TBA THRU 10/8/21 ONLY

Daniel Breaker (Aaron Burr, Hamilton) - TBA

Patrick Page (Hades, Hadestown) - film conflict THRU 10/31/21 ONLY

Kay Trinidad (Fate, Hadestown) - maternity leave THRU JANUARY ‘22 ONLY

Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer (Fate, Hadestown) - TBA

Bradley Gibson (Simba, The Lion King) - TV/film conflicts

Ben Roseberry (Ed, The Lion King) - TBA

Bryan Holden Chan and Haven Alexander (Young Simba, The Lion King) - aged out of role

Aliya Ramey and Layla Capers (Young Nala, The Lion King) - aged out of role

Ainsley Melham (Aladdin, Aladdin) - TBA

Arielle Jacobs (Jasmine, Aladdin) - TBA (will Between the Lines reopen Off-Broadway?)

Brian Gonzales (Babkak, Aladdin) - TBA

Shoba Narayan (Nessarose, Wicked) - cast in Aladdin

Erika Henningsen (Ann Clare Brokaw / Judith, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Jeremy Kushnier (Father / Dr. Harris, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Dave Thomas Brown (Elder Price, The Book of Mormon) - TBA

Elizabeth Stanley (Mary Jane Healy, Jagged Little Pill) - maternity leave

Celia Rose Gooding (Frankie Healy, Jagged Little Pill) - TV conflicts

Kelsey Connolly (Meg Giry, The Phantom of the Opera) - TBA

"

None of these 3 could even remotely be considered "stunt casting"

Amra-Faye Wright (Velma Kelly, Chicago) - stunt casting

NaTasha Yvette Williams (Matron “Mama” Morton, Chicago) - stunt casting

Ryan Silverman (Billy Flynn, Chicago) - stunt casting

And these 2 are flat out lies:

Erika Henningsen (Ann Clare Brokaw / Judith, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Jeremy Kushnier (Father / Dr. Harris, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

And I fixed this one for you:

Karen Olivo (Satine, Moulin Rouge!) - backed out due to "perceived" social injustice, and mental instability

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:47am

NaTasha Yvette Williams joined Chicken & Biscuits.

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:58am

I'm curious as to the last Christine alternate in Phantom, as Emilie Kouatchou will assume the role when the show reopens.

Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

Updated On: 9/20/21 at 11:58 AM

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 11:58am

Dave Thomas Brown was planning to leave Mormon in April 2020 anyway. (I can't find the post right now, but he posted it on one of his social media accounts.)

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:03pm

DottieD'Luscia said: "I'm curious as to the last Christine alternate in Phantom, as Emilie Kouatchou will assume the role when the show reopens."

I believe it was Eryn LeCroy

“I am furious, but I am sailing.”

#10

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:14pm

I assumed Erika Henningson left due to other film/TV commitments but I'll admit that's a complete guess on my part.

#11

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:21pm

There's a similar thread about who's not returning (but this one is a lot more digestible):

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1124709&page=3

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#12

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:30pm

Jordan Levinson said: "DottieD'Luscia said: "I'm curious as to the last Christine alternate in Phantom, as Emilie Kouatchou will assume the role when the show reopens."

I believe it was Eryn LeCroy"

Eryn and Kelsey were scheduled to leave at the same time. No idea for Kelsey, but Eryn was leaving to work on 1776 I believe.

#13

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:35pm

Could we say Amber Gray? A lot of people keep saying that she won't stay with the show too much longer.

Also Patrick Page. Replaced by Tom Hewitt (and Patrick is set to return in November)

#14

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 12:52pm

Can you link where Kushnier and Henningsen's reasons for leaving have been confirmed? They can't be fired for those reasons, as you know, but conflicts with other projects are likely.

#15

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 1:32pm

bway0 said: "Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer. Almost the entire Hadestown cast came back except for her. No mention why she didn't return.

Kay Trinidad Kerns is on maternity leave now and will return to the show at some point.

"

Yvette had actually left very shortly before the shutdown if I recall, and it was originally temporary. I was there March 9th and I believe that was the first day she was gone.

#16

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 1:45pm

Henningsen said on a podcast last week that she opted not to return to the production so that she could focus on film and television opportunities. I do not know why Kushnier isn't returning or the circumstances of his departure (i.e., whether it was voluntary).

#17

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 1:54pm

soulmistin said: "bway0 said: "Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer. Almost the entire Hadestown cast came back except for her. No mention why she didn't return.

Kay Trinidad Kerns is on maternity leave now and will return to the show at some point.

"

Yvette had actually leftveryshortly before the shutdown if I recall, and it was originally temporary. I was there March 9th and I believe that was the first day she was gone."

i was at their final show before the shutdown (wednesday March 11, 2020) and can confirm that Yvette was indeed on that night, and she was PHENOMINAL. The new Fates are pretty good, but they seem to lack the dynamic chemistry that Jewelle, Kay and Yvette had (just my two cents......)

Slotted spoons don't hold much soup

Updated On: 9/20/21 at 01:54 PM

#18

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 2:16pm

AC126748 said: "Henningsen said on a podcast last week that she opted not to return to the production so that she could focus on film and television opportunities."

Was it the Drama. podcast? (I haven't listened yet, but I saw she was on it.)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fearless-with-erika-henningsen/id1485508517?i=1000535390080

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#19

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/20/21 at 2:27pm

LizzieCurry said: "AC126748 said: "Henningsen said on a podcast last week that she opted not to return to the production so that she could focus on film and television opportunities."

Was it the Drama. podcast? (I haven't listened yet, but I saw she was on it.)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fearless-with-erika-henningsen/id1485508517?i=1000535390080"

Yes, that's the podcast.

#20

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/29/21 at 3:29am

Jordan Levinson said: "I have kept a list of all the principal cast members of Broadway musicals who will NOT be returning upon reopening. Thus far:

Ainsley Melham (Aladdin, Aladdin) - TBA"

As an update on this one, he's back in Australia and leading Merrily We Roll Along in Sydney. I imagine the original contract was only for a specified term arranged through the talent exchange between AEA and MEAA.

#21

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/29/21 at 11:24am

*correction*

Amra-Faye Wright- Ended her run after 13 years

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#22

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/29/21 at 3:39pm

Erica Jayne - Chicago... LOL

I think maybe she couldn't come back because she got temporary dementia, flipped her car 5 times, broke her ankle which turned into a head injury, forgot to wear waterproof mascara for her big acting scene then her eye exploded, had to "downgrade" to a $1.5 million dollar home, demanded to keep her $40K per month glam squad, received $20 million in her LLC Erica Jayne company account from some airline victims, and was called out by a castmate named Sutton (not Foster), and then threatened to "come after" her.

Sorry, off topic but had to snark a little when I saw her name in a post as "not returning" to Chicago.

Updated On: 9/30/21 at 03:39 PM

#23

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/30/21 at 3:01pm

Jordan Levinson said: "I have kept a list of all the principal cast members of Broadway musicals who will NOT be returning upon reopening. Thus far:

Erika Henningsen (Ann Clare Brokaw / Judith, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

Jeremy Kushnier (Father / Dr. Harris, Flying Over Sunset) - replaced for increased diversity

"

Still waiting on evidence of this.

"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

#24

Actors who are not returning to their roles

Posted: 9/30/21 at 10:01pm

Antonio Cipriano has also departed Jagged Little Pill

Updated On: 9/30/21 at 10:01 PM

← Back to Message Board

Latest Posts

Tim Curry has passed away at age 80 Tough week...https://www.tmz.com/2026/08/26/tim-curry-dead/ Last post 2 hours ago Downstate Premiering on Broadway this Fall? This audition notice on Playbill with the title and character names redacted seems to correspond with the play… Last post 2 hours ago Dolly Parton has passed away at age 80 https://people.com/dolly-parton-dead-7565853The world is a whole lot less bright today... Last post 3 hours ago HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD 2021 Previews Accio! Tonight, Hogwarts is back in session, as the Tony-winning Best Play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child r… Last post 3 hours ago Kentucky Schools Production of “Ragtime” Cancelled by School Board Last post 5 hours ago

View all Videos

Tickets From $59

Tickets From $70

Tickets From $106

Tickets From $60