Best Standbys/Understudies- Page 2

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:21pm

I'm with Mom -- Janna Robbins in the Tyne Daily "Gypsy" -- but I am afraid most posters here were not born in 1989...

[N0tThatGirl213]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:30pm

Eden Espinosa (Wicked), Jessica Hendy (Aida), Saycon Sengbloh (Aida), Sean McCourt (Wicked)

[jayem1968]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:33pm

I heard James Clow was great as both Booth and Guiteau in Assassins...but I never saw him. :)

[zepka102]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:34pm

i agree... Sean McCourt was amazing! he really should have been given the role!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:35pm

I saw Steve Gannon on for Randal Keith as Valjean in Les Miz. He was incredible.

Also I saw Jayne Patterson as Fantine (she wasn't the understudy) she was by far the best Fantine I have ever seen, so I can imagine she was brilliant in Jane Eyre.

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:38pm

I saw Clow in Assassins -- he did a great job...

Posted: 8/13/04 at 3:48pm

I also saw liz larsen as prudy pingleton and gym teacher in hairspray, and she was really pretty good. and I saw some guy i forget the name of as piangi in phantom.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:11pm

KMF, it was me, not mom who mentioned Robbins. *hangs head, feels hurt at being so quickly forgotten*

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:15pm

i've only ever seen 1 understudy in a role so I have to go with Emily Rozek as millie in tmm

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:37pm

didn't see her, saw the other understudy for millie...

[TheAudrey3]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:38pm

I agree with the Charley Izabella King comment. I just saw the touring "Producers" on Tuesday and walked away in absolute awe of her performance.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:52pm

I saw Megan Lawrence go on for Eponine in Les Miz back in 1997....she eventually took over the role full time.

I saw Coleen Sexton as Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde back in 98 or 99, and she too, eventually took over the role of Lucy.


Shoshana Bean was a terrific Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray.


Those are my favorite understudies.


Cheers,
The Balladeer

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:54pm

amen! Shoshana was a FAB Tracy!

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:57pm

SORRY RATH...you'll never be forgotten -- ***hitting my head for being so dumb***

[shlamdiddly]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 4:58pm

the only understudy I've seen on Broadway is Barrett Foa.

[Jersey_Girl]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:12pm

On my second time at Jeckyl & Hyde an understudy was announced for Robert Cuccioli. I went to the box office to exchange my tickets and was told to stay for the first act: I could exchange the tickets at intermission if I didn't think Rob Evan was up to the part. I stayed and have became a Rob Evan fan ever since.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:13pm

Jim Borstelmann as Roger DeBris, Eden Espinosa as Elphaba, Katrina Yaukey as Sally Bowles... those are really the only understudies I've seen for major roles.

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:32pm

Alice Ripley as Mrs. Walker in The Who's Tommy (1993)
Kristin Lee Kelly as Janet in The Rocky Horror Show (2000)
Donna Marie Asbury as Velma Kelly in Chicago (more than once)
Karen Mason as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard (1994)
Ming Lee as the Engineer in Miss Saigon (1996)

I know there's more but I can't think of anymore off the top of my head.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:35pm

I've been pretty fortunate in seeing the roles played by the original actors, but in the case of seeing an understudy, hands down, Jana Robbins in Gypsy.

Ally Mauzey as Penny in Hairspray (Tour)

Faith Prince understudying various roles in Jerome Robbins Broadway; she was a hoot!!!

Updated On: 8/13/04 at 05:35 PM

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:48pm

NYY! How did i know you would make an apperance on this thread? But i agree with you 100% on your choices

Saycon and Cheyenne are(were) phenominal standbys in AIDA. I feel honored to get a chance to see both, and catch Saycon's last performance.

Dominique Roy - RENT. She did a great job as Mimi in RENT. I would love for her to take over after Scary leaves. I havent seen Karmine in the role so i don't know how she stacks up to Dominique.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:50pm

I thought Karen Mason sang SUNSET incredibly, just beautifully, but she was not Norma. She was too youthful. Just didn't work for me.

[SammyGal]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 5:59pm

Sean McCourt in Wicked was SO FABULOUS!!!!!! I hated Joel's performance anyway and he made me actually care for the Wizard.

Josh Kobak in RENT. F*Cking AMAZING! oh and Dominique, she rocked my world.

[Bret]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 6:32pm

Andrew Varela for Valjean in Les Mis
Rachel Stanley for Reno Sweeny in Anything Goes in London

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 6:34pm

EDEN ESPINOSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok sorry.

Cheyenne Jackson-Trevor Graydon-TMM
Darren Ritchie-Orin and other roles-Little Shop

[Ustadance]

Posted: 8/13/04 at 6:48pm

Eden - lock, stock and smokin' vocals.