Swing Joined: 10/20/15
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
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
Actually, it's Marlene Danielle. George Lee Andrews was in Phantom for over 20 years.
Marian Seldes in Deathtrap. Four years, 1,793 performances.
Swing Joined: 10/20/15
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?
ANNIE original Broadway cast member Raymond Thorne played FDR for that musical's entire Broadway run: 1977 to 1983.
Tony Danza stayed with Honeymoon in Vegas for its entire run.
Swing Joined: 10/20/15
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
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
Barbra Steisand has been playing Barbra Streisand for what, 7 decades now?
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
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.
http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-39-s-phantom-announces-principal-cast-changes
Peter gregus and mark lotito are still in Jersey Boys
Tshidi Manye has been playing Rafiki on Broadway on and off for over 10 years
Blockhead24 said: "Peter gregus and mark lotito are still in Jersey Boys "
Sara Schmidt, too.
Wasn't Kathy Deitch with Wicked for a long ass time? Not sure when she left.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/20/15
How long was Jerry Orbach with the Fantasticks?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
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.
"
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