Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:35am
So yesterday I made this video about Marlene Danielle who was in Cats for the whole 18 year run. Does anybody else know any actors who have stayed in a show for a lengthy amount of time. I think I heard someone from Phantom has stayed there since the beginning. Can anyone confirm this?
Updated On: 3/28/16 at 10:35 AM
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:40am
It's Marlene Danielle.
Were you thinking of George Lee Andrews? He's not there anymore, but he might be the longest-running cast member.
http://www.playbill.com/personlistpage/person-list?production=00000150-aea4-d936-a7fd-eef4dee60001&type=op#oc
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:40am
Actually, it's Marlene Danielle. George Lee Andrews was in Phantom for over 20 years.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:40am
Marian Seldes in Deathtrap. Four years, 1,793 performances.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:47am
Just checked the interview again (where I got most of the information from) and they got her name wrong in the title but right in the interview. My mistake. Could be him. How long was he there for?
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:48am
ANNIE original Broadway cast member Raymond Thorne played FDR for that musical's entire Broadway run: 1977 to 1983.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:49am
Tony Danza stayed with Honeymoon in Vegas for its entire run.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:57am
I now remember hearing about Donna Marie Asbury. I'll have to look-up Catherine Russel. Never knew anybody did that. Missing no performances! And I know what you mean with Carol Channing, she's well known for doing Hello Dolly! so many times.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 10:58am
Saying that Catherine Russell hasn't missed a performance isn't entirely true. She has been out of 4 performances, all pre-scheduled absences for family weddings.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 11:02am
There are several cast members in THE LION KING and WICKED and CHICAGO who have been with it since the beginning. Why do they stay? It's a job! And like 'every-day people' -- actors have mortgage payments, kids to put through university, retirement savings to build, etc.
Updated On: 3/28/16 at 11:02 AM
Posted: 3/28/16 at 11:10am
From an interview:
Have you still only missed four performances?
Yeah. The last ones that I missed were in 1995, when my brother got married. No vacations, no sick days. I'm really healthy. I get Tuesday night off. I think I'm probably getting married this year, and I'm gonna get married on a Tuesday, at City Hall. (laughs) We'll have a honeymoon of one night, so I can work on Wednesday.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 11:12am
Link to said interview:
http://backstage.blogs.com/blogstage/2009/04/actress-catherine-russell-celebrates-recordbreaking-22-years-and-9000-performances-in-perfect-crime.html
Posted: 3/28/16 at 11:18am
Yul Brynner stayed with King his entire life.
He also stayed with Home Sweet Homer for its entire run and did not take a day off. The fact that it ran 1 performance helped.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 11:19am
God love Catherine Russell who has basically devoted her entire life to a play your local community theater would likely throw into the rubbish bin. But then if stayed in NYC for 22 years with no vacation, I think I would be a little crazy too. But I really do admire her moxie.
Updated On: 3/28/16 at 11:19 AM
Posted: 3/28/16 at 12:02pm
I believe Todd Michel Smith and Judine Somerville were both in Hairspray for its entire run. Todd opened and closed as IQ. Judine was a Dynamite at points throughout and an ensemble/swing I believe
Posted: 3/28/16 at 12:31pm
Barbra Steisand has been playing Barbra Streisand for what, 7 decades now?
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:12pm
The article about the newest cast changes in Phantom mentioned that Michele McConnel just recently hit her 1,700 performance as Carlotta, making her the longest running Carlotta in the Broadway company, and the actor who just left the show as Piangi had played it for over 1,500 performances.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:14pm
http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-39-s-phantom-announces-principal-cast-changes
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:36pm
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:41pm
Peter gregus and mark lotito are still in Jersey Boys
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:42pm
Tshidi Manye has been playing Rafiki on Broadway on and off for over 10 years
Posted: 3/28/16 at 1:42pm
Blockhead24 said: "Peter gregus and mark lotito are still in Jersey Boys "
Sara Schmidt, too.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 2:34pm
Wasn't Kathy Deitch with Wicked for a long ass time? Not sure when she left.
Posted: 3/28/16 at 2:40pm
How long was Jerry Orbach with the Fantasticks?
Posted: 3/28/16 at 3:35pm
QueenAlice said: "God love Catherine Russell who has basically devoted her entire life to a play your local community theater would likely throw into the rubbish bin. But then if stayed in NYC for 22 years with no vacation, I think I would be a little crazy too. But I really do admire her moxie.
Ms Russell also handles the box office for "The Fantastcks" which plays downstairs from her show. She wears onstage whatever she has on that day.
"
