Best understudy you've ever seen?- Page 4

[msmp]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 12:42am

Michael McCormick was on for David Hyde Pierce in Hello, Dolly! on 7/29 and he quickly became my favorite Horace, out of all I've seen or heard.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 1:32am

Judy Kaye in On the Twentieth Century. I was a huge Madeline Kahn fan, but she was not happy in the show and didn't seem to care who knew it. (I know others here saw Kahn when she was really "on", but I did not. The story didn't even make sense with Kahn sleepwalking through her part. To be fair, there was a video of John Cullum on line a few years ago talking about how he felt Kahn had been unfairly treated by the production, so there's another side to this story. I only know what I saw for myself.)

From Kaye's enthusiastic performance, I learned that it isn't enough to be supremely talented (as Miss Kahn was by all accounts), you have to act like you want to be there. The entire mock-opera style of the libretto was obscured until Kaye bounced out and played it to the hilt, I went back several times and now have seen Kaye in numerous other roles; she has never disappointed me.

[papershroud]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:08am

Mason Alexander Park as Hedwig, hands down. 

[herewegoabc]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:10am

I agree with Mason Alexander Park! AMAZING!!

[robskynyc]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:28am

Mariand Torres as Elphaba

Darlesia Cearcy as Erzulie (though she's replaced Lea now)

Jacob Dickey as Aladdin (dear god this man was SO fine.)

and 1000000% agree with those who said Kenita Miller in The Color Purple

[Crazy NooNooHead]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:53am

My third time at The Boys In The Band, I saw Matt McGrath go on for Jim Parsons for the first (and I think the only) time, and really loved his performance! His interpretation was similar to Jim's in many ways, but he still made the role his own.

Shannon Conley was a fantastic Yitzhak in Hedwig. I wish I could have seen her more than once.

When I saw Shuffle Along, Audra McDonald was on for the first act, and then Darlesia Cearcy took over for the second act, so I actually got to see both of them.

I also saw Jordan Grubb go on for a lot of different roles in Groundhog Day, and I'm still so impressed with his ability to memorize so many tracks and give each role everything he had. I think he's the first swing I had seen in multiple roles, so although I already had a lot of respect for swings, he made me really realize how much they do and how hard they work.

[lukeworsham]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 2:00pm

I saw the Rent 20 tour in the winter and for whatever reason, the guy playing Collins had to be replaced by his understudy during intermission. The new Collins came right on, didn't miss a beat, and nailed the "I'll Cover You" reprise. It's not that was one of the best performances I've ever seen, but I was impressed by how seamless the transition was in the middle of the show.

[Baldwin 2]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 8:50pm

Christian Dante White on for Gavin Creel in Hello Dolly. Superb.

[TravisOKC]

Posted: 8/9/18 at 11:00pm

Coleen Sexton as Elphaba.  I was initially disappointed to see the slip, but she was phenomenal in the role.  Too bad she never got to play Elphie full time.

Kathleen Monteleone as Elle Woods. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 9:44am

Jay Armstrong Johnson in HAIR and Christian Dante White in HELLO, DOLLY! (Oddly, both in place of Gavin Creel) - Also CDW, is SO fine...

Also, Jeremy Jordan in ROCK OF AGES. He won me in over in 5 minutes with the innocence he brought to the role and those pipes!

[Wick3]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 10:08am

Baldwin 2 said: "Christian Dante White on for Gavin Creel in Hello Dolly. Superb."

I second on this. I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when Gavin was out but boy I actually preferred Christian Dante White!!!! 

[Ryantheatrekid]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 10:32am

Stephanie Torns as Jenna
Carla Stickler as Elphaba
Tee Boyich as Janis

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 10:51am

Analisa Leaming in King and I!  She went on for Marin Mazzie.  I had previously seen O'Hara do it a few months prior and I preferred Leaming in the role!  She was incredible!

[justice3]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 3:48pm

Maureen Moore as Rose in GYPSY. Brilliant talent.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 4:34pm

Curtis Holbrook and Allan K. Washington as Spongebob and Plankton

Stephanie Martignetti in Nice Work.

 

[Malinda5000]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 5:20pm

I know what I'm about to share was almost 40 years ago...but I'd say Anita Moore on for Phyllis Hyman in Sophisticated Ladies all those years ago...and Ms. Sheila Ellis on for Jennifer Holliday as Effie in the OBC 1981.  Those were the days.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 8/10/18 at 9:55pm

Don't know if this has been mentioned but Scott Stangland was superb as Pierre. Had maybe the best voice of all four Pierres.

[NoName3]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 1:03am

One of the two best understudies I have ever seen was Lenora Nemetz as Velma in the original production of Chicago. Although, to tell the truth, I saw her when she had replaced Chita in the role with Reinking as Roxie.

The worst understudy I have ever seen was NH going on for Bebe in the revival, over twenty years later.

The other best understudy I've ever seen was Jeff Keller as The Phantom. Better than the other four or five men I've seen in the role. I think he played the role briefly as a principal but I saw him when he was covering the part. Covering it brilliantly. Updated On: 8/11/18 at 01:03 AM

[tomwsjr]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 9:25am

I also saw Sheila Ellis go on for Jennifer Holiday in the original Dreamgirls and she was sensational. I wish there was some audio or video of her performance. Did anyone else see her go on for ms. holiday?

[Danielle0314]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 4:05pm

sewhite2 said: "Elizabeth Judd as Eliza in Hamilton and Jevon mcferrin in Hamilton"

Ditto this, plus Andrew Chappelle as Lafayette/Jefferson. Also saw Gregory Treco as Washington, WOW!

My first Hamilton viewing was mostly understudies and they blew me away. 

[ARTc3]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 7:37pm

Two different performances of Equus: Thomas Hulce went on for Peter Firth, and Richard Burton went on for Anthony Hopkins.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 8/11/18 at 7:52pm

NH are you meaning Nancy Hess? 

NoName3 said: "One of the two best understudies I have ever seen was Lenora Nemetz as Velma in the original production of Chicago. Although, to tell the truth, I saw her when she had replaced Chita in the role with Reinking as Roxie.

The worst understudy I have ever seen was NH going on for Bebe in the revival, over twenty years later.

The other best understudy I've ever seen was Jeff Keller as The Phantom. Better than the other four or five men I've seen in the role. I think he played the role briefly as a principal but I saw him when he was covering the part. Covering it brilliantly."

 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/12/18 at 9:42am

Ryantheatrekid said: "Stephanie Torns as Jenna
Carla Stickler as Elphaba
Tee Boyich as Janis "

I agree about Stephanie. I would have loved to see her when she was the Elphaba standby years ago. 

[ValeriaR]

Posted: 8/12/18 at 5:03pm

In 2014 I saw Les Mis and Aaron Walpole blew my mind with his Jean Valjean. I remember that when he sung Bring Him Home the audience kept applauding for at least 3 minutes. It was amazing. His performance and his singing was so humble and yet so powerful.

Reccently I found a video of him singing that song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4zvQmzml9k&t=5s
(Of couse, live was even better)

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 8/12/18 at 6:01pm

Colton Ryan in Dear Evan Hansen

Darlesia Cearcy in Shuffle Along

And most recently, I saw Tony Roach as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady yesterday and he was amazing, I liked him better than Harry on the cast recording. Love Bart's updated ending too