Best Understudies
Best Understudies
macbeth
Broadway Star Joined: 5/7/03
#1Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 7:25am
Who have been people lucky enough to see as understudies that went on to be stars? Or that were just great performances?
spicemonkey
Broadway Star Joined: 6/3/18
#2Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 8:35am
From recent memory:
Kerstin Anderson: Eliza Doolittle in the LCT revival of My Fair Lady
Sharon C Brown: Caroline Thibodeaux in Caroline or Change
#3Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 8:56am
I had no interest in seeing Josh in Sweeney Todd, so saw it after they both left, and got ( sadly don’t know names ) the two brilliant understudies. Both spectacular.
Well I didn't want to get into it, but he's a Satanist.
Every full moon he sacrifices 4 puppies to the Dark Lord and smears their blood on his paino.
This should help you understand the score for Wicked a little bit more.
Tazber's: Reply to
Is Stephen Schwartz a Practicing Christian
#4Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:01am
rosscoe(au) said: "I had no interest in seeing Josh in Sweeney Todd, so saw it after they both left, and got ( sadly don’t know names ) the two brilliant understudies. Both spectacular."
Agreed. Nicholas Christopher Jeanna de Waal were the best pairing in the most recent revival. Leagues better than Groban/Ashford and Tveit/Foster.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#5Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:02am
Phylicia Ayers Allen (Rashad) on for Sheryl Lee Ralph in Dreamgirls. She was terrific!
Ditto an actor named Eric Bryant, who went on for Adam Driver as Louis in Signature's revival of Angels In America Part Two: Perestroika. Driver was excellent in Part One, but honestly Bryant was even better. Louis is arguably the most challenging role in the plays and Bryant is my favorite of all of those I've seen.
#6Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:15am
Jeremy Jordan as Drew in ROCK OF AGES (2009). When I talked to Constantine Maroulis years later, he told me that “it was only one of, like, four performances [Jeremy] went on and one of those night was how he got cast for the Dolly Parton movie [Joyful Noise]”
Kyle Ramar Freeman in A STRANGE LOOP for sure. He helped hold the show together for a good chunk of the run and I was elated to see him when he took it to London and was able to craft the role more in his image. I particularly recall one matinee where E. Bates had a medical emergency mid-show during “Didn’t Want Nothin’” and Kyle swung on within 5 minutes.
Jennifer Simard on for Joanne in COMPANY. I think because she was an unlisted “shadow” standby, her going on for the week Patti had COVID was suddenly a very hot event and I know a bunch of my friends and I clamored to get there.
Autumn Hurlbert as Tammy Faye. The show was absolutely messy, but she NAILED the role in a far more believable way than Katie Brayben did, and she only ended up going on 4 times (I was at her “opening”)
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#7Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:17am
bwayphreak234 said: "rosscoe(au) said: "I had no interest in seeing Josh in Sweeney Todd, so saw it after they both left, and got ( sadly don’t know names ) the two brilliant understudies. Both spectacular."
Agreed. Nicholas Christopher Jeanna de Waal werethe best pairing in the most recent revival. Leagues better than Groban/Ashford and Tveit/Foster."
Echoing the love for Nicholas Christopher and Jeanna de Waal. They were immaculate in the roles. Paul-Jordan Jansen as Sweeney too! Both of them legitimately terrified me. Groban did pretty well, but Tveit was an absolute mistake - he couldn’t scare the flies off a pile of horse doo-doo
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Bwaygurl2
Leading Actor Joined: 3/8/22
#8Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:30am
Diego Rodriguez in Sunset (for Joe) felt like witnessing a star being born.
Greg Jackson in Gentlemen's Guide: he stepped in for Jefferson Mays and playing nine different characters with all those quick changes seemed like a very tall order but he made it seemed easy; he only missed that fey quality that Mays has.
Plannietink08
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/2/11
#9Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 12:00pm
While she wasn’t an understudy I saw Casey Al-Shaqsy as standby Elphaba in the most recent UK tour and I was blown away by her interpretation. I’m not sure if it was a combination of her acting and her being so new to the role, instead of the recycled Elphabas we always seem to get, but it felt like I was watching the show for the first time with her.
Her acting choices were unique, her voice was in incredible shape, and, most importantly to me, the difference between Act 1 Elphaba and Act 2 Elphaba felt like two different people! She was more hardened and angry in the second half and I truly believed this woman was living on the edge of sanity.
She’s someone whose career I’d happily follow after that performance.
"Charlotte, we're Jewish"
rannells_renthead.11
Swing Joined: 3/4/25
#10Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 12:57pm
I had the opportunity to see Alex Prakken as Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby and I was blown away. His voice and stage presence are incredible and I hope someday he becomes more recognized. And also though I haven't seen this in person, Dariana Mullen is SPECTACULAR as Jordan Baker. Don't get me wrong, Sam Pauly is literally my idol and I love her but Dariana is so amazingly talented and one of the kindest people on Broadway. She deserves so much more praise than she receives!
#11Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:26pm
Andrew Call was my favorite St. Jimmy from the Broadway production of American Idiot (I also saw Tony Vincent, Melissa Etheridge, and Billy Joe Armstrong). I wrote about it on my friend's blog a few years ago.
#12Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:36pm
If it counts, I saw Jeremy Jordan as Tony in West End Story in the Arthur Laurents revival. He did the Sunday matinees. But Karen Erivo Olivo didn't! If only, I would have had the perfect West Side Story.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Huss417
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#13Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:38pm
Bwaygurl2 said: "Diego Rodriguez in Sunset (for Joe) felt like witnessing a star being born.
"
100% agree with this. I have seen the show more times than I care to mention but I have never been disappointed seeing Diego Rodriguez in the role.
"I hope your Fanny is bigger than my Peter."
Mary Martin to Ezio Pinza opening night of Fanny.
Sytwix
Understudy Joined: 4/30/14
#14Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 5:42pm
Stephanie Torns in Waitress. I’ve seen several Jennas and hers was one of my favorite performances.
#15Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 6:57pm
I saw Jessica Phillips go on for Alice Ripley for I think the first time during previews of NEXT TO NORMAL (the “Costco” song was very much still there). She absolutely blew me away.
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
BorisTomashevsky
Broadway Star Joined: 4/30/22
#16Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 7:01pm
Jeremy Kushnier took over as Judas for Act Two of JCS in 2012. He was excellent and much more suited than Josh Young. I suppose he was technically the standby rather than the understudy though.
I also saw Will Ray as Valjean (on for Alfie Boe) in 2016. Sensational.
#17Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 7:15pm
IdinaBellFoster said: "I saw Jessica Phillips go on for Alice Ripley for I think the first time during previews of NEXT TO NORMAL (the “Costco” song was very much still there). She absolutely blew me away."
I thought Jessica Phillips first went on the night after Alice Ripley won the Tony, or am I misremembering?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Midnight Radio
Broadway Star Joined: 5/26/07
#18Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:00pm
Christian Dante White on for Gavin Creel as Cornelius Hackl early in the run of the recent Hello, Dolly. I ended up seeing every Cornelius and he was by far my favorite.
#19Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 9:10pm
binau said: "IdinaBellFoster said: "I saw Jessica Phillips go on for Alice Ripley for I think the first time during previews of NEXT TO NORMAL (the “Costco” song was very much still there). She absolutely blew me away."
I thought Jessica Phillips first went on the night after Alice Ripley won the Tony, or am I misremembering?"
I’m 99.9% sure Jessica Phillips went on for the first time (in the Broadway production), the night after the Tony awards.
TheOtherOne2
Swing Joined: 4/22/23
#20Best Understudies
Posted: 3/21/25 at 11:47pm
binau said: "If it counts, I saw Jeremy Jordan as Tony in West End Story in theArthur Laurents revival. He did the Sunday matinees. But Karen Erivo Olivo didn't! If only, I would have had the perfect West Side Story."
West End Story would actually make a great title for either a new show or a spoof of WSS.
Mskuphantm
Understudy Joined: 10/1/23
#21Best Understudies
Posted: 3/22/25 at 12:12am
Hairspray 2005 saw two understudies of Link and Tracy, Andrew Rannels and Leslie Kritzer(in a fat suit), 2007 -110 in shade revival saw Will Swenson go on as Starbuck, his and Audra's chemistry was natural. I DID see Chritine Ebersole in Grey Gardens part of me hoped Maureen Moore would have gone on, I became enraptured by her voice and presence from the Sondheim at Carnegie celebration Dvd of weekend in the country and of course from the into the woods demo of cut song Boom Crunch
Updated On: 3/22/25 at 12:12 AM
#22Best Understudies
Posted: 3/22/25 at 4:29pm
I’ve been lucky enough to catch Natalie Charle Ellis twice (on for Leslie Kritzer in Beetlejuice and for Jen Simard in Death Becomes Her) and she’s a star!
#23Best Understudies
Posted: 3/22/25 at 6:13pm
Jessica Phillips as Diana in Next to Normal
Hannah Solow as Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary!
Rema Webb as Shug Avery in The Color Purple
#24Best Understudies
Posted: 3/22/25 at 6:46pm
The first time I saw the Bette Midler revival of Hello, Dolly!, Kate Baldwin was out and Analisa Leaming went on as Irene. I was initially really disappointed being a Kate Baldwin fan, but I knew I was in capable hands the instead Analisa stepped on stage. She was so fantastic and radiant I feel so lucky to have caught her. There is a video of her singing 'Ribbons Down my Back' in the usual place if you are interested.
Updated On: 3/22/25 at 06:46 PM
singer234
Broadway Star Joined: 8/31/08
#25Best Understudies
Posted: 3/22/25 at 7:25pm
Mskuphantm said: "Hairspray 2005 saw two understudies of Link and Tracy, Andrew Rannels and Leslie Kritzer(in a fat suit), 2007 -110 in shade revival saw Will Swenson go on as Starbuck, his and Audra's chemistry was natural. I DID seeChritine Ebersole in Grey Gardens part of me hoped Maureen Moore would have gone on, I became enraptured by her voice and presence from the Sondheim at Carnegie celebration Dvd of weekend in the country and of course from the into the woods demo of cut song Boom Crunch"
I remember seeing Kritzer as Tracy and having no idea who she was, but being blown the hell away.
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