Bigger Stars taking over for Big Stars

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:07pm

What shows can you think of (or maybe you would LIKE to see), where someone of BIGGER fame takes over the origional role
(example: Sutton Foster taking over for Ashley Brown in Mary Poppins)

[being.jeremiah]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:09pm

Britney Spears for Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity... hahahaha!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:11pm

a. Sutton Foster taking over for Ashley Brown will never happen.

Things I can think of: the stunt casting in Cabaret, stunt casting in Chicago, stunt casting in Annie Get Your Gun....anything by the Weisslers.

[Horton]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:36pm

Lets make this Broadway stars only, so no well Brooke Shilds took over for Donna Murphy, because I dont feel Brooke is really a broadway star, although I recognize what she has done for theatre.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:43pm

Maybe not BIGGER names, but in the original HELLO DOLLY, Carol Channing was replaced by Betty Grable, Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey, Martha Raye, Phyllis Diller and Ethel Merman.

Constance Towers was replaced by Angela Lansbury during the Yul Brynner revival of THE KING AND I when Yul went on vacation (he was replaced by his understudy, Michael Kermoyen).

Lauren Bacall was replaced by Racquel Welch and Debbie Reynolds in WOMAN OF THE YEAR -- and previously by Anne Baxter in APPLAUSE.

Julie Andrews was spelled by Liza Minnelli and Racquel Welch during VICTOR/VICTORIA.

And of course, Liza filled in for Gwen Verdon during the original run of CHICAGO.

[Horton]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:45pm

Liza Minelli temporarly taking over for Gwen Verdon in Chicago would be one example

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:49pm

Jonathyn Pryce Replacing John Lithgow in DRS, because for me and for my family, Pryce is a bigger name!

[jv92]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:49pm

A little off topic-
As much as I find Liza phony, annoying and insane, we all must thank her for replacing Gwen for those few weeks. She made Chicago a hit.

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 4:58pm

And though not perhaps to those who read this Board, Reba McEntire would be considered by a large number of people to be a much bigger star than Bernadette Peters (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN).

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 5:10pm

And of course, Joan Crawford taking over for her beloved daughter Christina on the TV soap when she was sick.

...Okay, that was TV, but still...

...it was creepy.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 5:24pm

How about some of the bigger named stars who have taken over for Roxie, Velma, and Billy Flynn in the Chicago revival?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:18pm

Though Liza helped keep Chicago alive. It does not take away from Gwen Verdon's fame. She was one of the most famous Broadway stars at the time, and known as one of the best dancers. Now these days she cosidered the best female Broadway dancer of all time. People came to see Verdon, and still came to see Verdon once she returned. The entire show was created just for her, not Liza.

[morosco]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:27pm

The recent revival of La Cage brought in Robert Goulet.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:31pm

ljay889 --- Amen to everything you said!

But Liza was and is a bigger star. Fact of life. When she stepped in, the show sold out the entire time she appeared in it.

Gwen was/is revered, adored, amazingly talented, and a legend in the theatre world.

Liza was a household name, a Broadway star and an Oscar-winning movie star when she took over.

And there's a big difference.

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:33pm

Joey Mcintyre as Fiyero? Glad I missed him, Norbert is amazing.

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:38pm

And though not perhaps to those who read this Board, Reba McEntire would be considered by a large number of people to be a much bigger star than Bernadette Peters (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN).

Reba McEntire is famous, but Bernadette isn't just known to theatre fans. She is famous for performing on Broadway, but her fame has grown past people who follow theatre. She is the closest thing to the type of Broadway star that Ethel Merman and Gwen Verdon were- people would come see her just because she's Bernadette Peters. Yes, Reba McEntire is famous and has many fans, but I wouldn't say that Bernadette Peters isn't that famous.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:42pm

The main thing about that statement is that "fame" comes and goes. And the mass perception of a performer changes over the years.

It's a "fluid animal," not one that remains constant for any length of time (with RARE exception). That's why a lot of people look back now and can't figure out why certain people were starring in Broadway shows in a given era. Some of them were "hot" on TV shows at the time, or known for a recent performance in a film, etc.

When I was a kid, Bernadette Peters was known as a TV Guest Star, mostly on variety shows like the Carol Burnett Show. Then, she became a film star, mostly in Steve Martin movies. That's how the general public knew her, LONG before she met a guy named Sondheim. Everyone knew she had done Broadway shows before, but very few could tell you what they were. She was known for TV and movies first. Then she went BACK to Broadway as a "known" leading lady and became the "theatre legend" that she is today. People still remember her from film and TV though, if they're over the age of 35.

Updated On: 5/10/06 at 06:42 PM

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 6:53pm

I wasn't denying that Bernadette isn't known for her TV and film work and that didn't help her status as a performer. When she did Sunday in the Park with George, or Song and Dance, she was probably more well known for other things- I wasn't alive at the time so I don't know. What I was trying to say was at the time she did Annie Get Your Gun, her status of fame was for her work on Broadway, at least with the younger generation. When I first heard of Bernadette Peters, I was eight, and I was knew that she was famous for acting on Broadway, not her film work and guest appearences on TV. I didn't even know she was famous for that stuff until two years later. So her work as a Broadway star is more well known to some people that her other work.

When she is in a show, people's reactions aren't "This is a movie star on Broadway" but, "This is a "Broadway star on Broadway" Her background is theatre, those are her roots, its where she got her start. That's why I consider her to be a Broadway star, rather than a TV and film actress who has performed on Broadway.

Updated On: 5/9/06 at 06:53 PM

[kevinr]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 8:38pm

Rue McClanahan (Emmy winner) and Carol Kane (three time Emmy winner and Academy Award nominee) taking over for Carole Shelley in Wicked.
Updated On: 5/9/06 at 08:38 PM

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/9/06 at 8:43pm

Carol Channing taking over for Patti in Sweeney.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 1:59pm

"Lets make this Broadway stars only, so no well Brooke Shilds took over for Donna Murphy, because I dont feel Brooke is really a broadway star, although I recognize what she has done for theatre".

Brooke Shields' credits on Broadway and Off Broadway:

Cabaret
Chicago
Wonderful Town
Grease!
Love Letters
The Vagina Monologues
Exonerated
Chicago(West End)
24 hour play

I think it's about time to call her a Broadway star, she is a TV star and a Hollywood star as well though. She got rave reviews across the board for Wonderful Town and her name is "Shields", not "Shilds"!!!

Updated On: 5/10/06 at 01:59 PM

[Philomena]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 4:06pm

Jim Dale took over for Robert Lindsay in "Me and My Girl".

Richard Burton took over for Anthony Hopkins in "Equus".

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 4:38pm

Dixie Carter took over for Patti LuPone who took over for Zoe Caldwell in Master Class.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/10/06 at 4:58pm

Loretta Swit took over for Karen Morrow, who took over for Cleo Laine in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood."

*waits for Dollypop*

[philcrosby]

Posted: 5/11/06 at 11:04am

Anthony Perkins also took over during EQUUS, between Hopkins and Burton, I believe.

Did Kathryn Grayson replace Julie Andrews in CAMELOT, or head up the national tour?

Alice Ghostley and Betty Hutton replacing Dorothy Loudon in ANNIE.

And what would have happened if the story wer actually true that Judy Garland auditioned to replace Angela Lansbury in MAME?