Broadway Legends of this Generation???? (future broadway legends)- Page 3

[shiz_student94]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:23pm

Mmmm I agree with almost all of the names listed, granted the same ones have been repeated over and over. Definitley Kristin, Idina, Hunter Foster, Sutton Foster...Audra....so many leads on Broadway are sincerley, genuinley talented.
I'd be pleasantly surprised if Cheyenne reached "legend" status.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:28pm

Patti doesn't put butts in the seats.

Bernadette doesn't put butts in the seats?

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:04pm

Okay I'd just like to remind everyone the name of the topic is FUTURE legends. Like saying a group of children are the future leaders of America and whatnot.
True these names people are listing might not "put butts in the seats" at the moment (except maybe Kristen, and if not, give her a few years) but the OP asked who we thought WILL BE PUTTING butts in seats a decade or two from now.
Thank you.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:10pm

Patti LuPone sure as hell is putting my ass in a seat when I see Gypsy this summer, so if that's the definition of a Broadway legend, then there you go.

She's the reason I'm seeing the show. Even if it were a different show, even if the rest of the cast was different, even if it was being done in The Village instead of on Broadway, I'd be there just for her.

That's the mark of a legend. Which many people mentioned in this thread do, or will one day meet.

Updated On: 2/26/08 at 10:10 PM

[Urban]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:43am

I think Idina needs to do another couple of shows under her belt first. Just my feeling. But she'll get there.

Saying that she does definately put the butts in seats, so maybe she is already :)

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 2:53am

Saying that Peters and Lupone aren't Broadway legends is ridiculous.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 3:12am

Simple answer. There are none. Peters, Lupone, Buckley, and Chenoweth haven't had and never will have the careers or talent to become true legends.

Some people are so transparent.

If YOU can't be a legend, then nobody can be a legend, right?

Poor, sad, old man.

Meanwhile, speaking of putting butts in seats, Angela Lansbury couldn't put butts in seats for DEUCE this past year, so does that mean she is not a legend?

That logic is silly.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 3:28am

Agree with Foster.
And when was the last time a Broadway show headlining Patti LuPone closed in red?
You might have to go as far as the 80s (not sure if THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD recouped). Even the SWEENEY revival that many people thought would not recoup, turned out to be profitable and she was the bigger name attached to it.
I disagree with Tom. I think at least six of the actresses mentioned in here: Donna Murphy (IMO, the best musical theater actress of her generation and one of the best stage actresses of her generation), Tonya Pinkins, Sherie Rene Scott, Kristin Chenoweth, Anika Noni Rose, and Audra McDonald (even if I'm not a huge fan) certainly have the talent and--most importantly--the star power and stage presence to become Broadway legends.
Now the people saying Stephanie J. Block are the ones I don't really get.

Updated On: 2/27/08 at 03:28 AM

[Urban]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 3:33am

Agreed Ray. Heck I am a Blockhead but I don't see her ever becoming legendary. Heck that isn't even part of her appeal.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 3:53am

The reason why Stephanie J. Block is immortalized on this board is because she was everyone's first Elphaba, since nobody lived in New York and the only way they could see WICKED was on the First National Tour.

Aside from being, like, SO super nice at the stage door, ALL around the country, WICKED-ites were pissed because Block somehow was going to originate the role on Broadway but Idina Menzel came in and swept the role out from under her, winning the Tony, playing half of her run squealing, unable to handle the vocal demands the way that Stephanie J. Block was on the tour.

Block was wronged, and she is their hero. She rose above the loss of creating the role on Broadway, and came flying back with PIRATE QUEEN, which everyone hated, EXCEPT for the WICKED-ites, most of whom never saw it, all of whom went on and on about how fierce her performance was as the Pirate Lady, and how she and the show were robbed of Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Leading Actress, Best Featured Actress, Best Leading Actor, Best Featured Actor, Best Book, Best Score, Best Costume Design, and most importantly, Best Choreography.

Block flew beyond the PIRATE QUEEN debacle and made a triumphant return to Broadway in the role she should have created from the start: Elphaba.

So this, my friend, is where all the Block goddessization comes from, and, unlike Idina Menzel, this reaches far beyond New York. It is a nationwide idolization. And we will never. forget. it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 3:57am

It is a nationwide idolization. And we will never. forget. it.

Stab me now. Please. Just take a sharp object and stab me.

[Urban]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 4:42am

I'd stab you with Idina's singing techniques but I don't think they are that sharp.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 4:43am

oh i think it may be a little too sharp

[snl89]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 5:05am

I'm pretty much gonna echo what people have already said:

Audra, Kristin, Sutton, Raul

and Idina. And I'm NOT just saying that because I'm personally a fan. Truly, I'm not. I'm strictly going on the fact that I can mention Idina to people who BARELY even know Broadway, and there's like a 75% chance they'll know who I'm talking about. She's really getting very big. People on HERE may like to make fun of her and say she's overrated, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a widespread and still growing fanbase.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 6:32am

HARVEY!!!! I’m sure it’s just an oversight, but I can’t believe nobody’s mentioned Harvey Fierstein yet. If he isn’t already established as a Legend then it’s only a matter of time before he is considered one.
Updated On: 2/27/08 at 06:32 AM

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 8:24am

Nathan Lane
Kristin Cheoweth
Audra McDonald
Patti LuPone
Harvey Firestein
Bernadette Peters
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Sutton Foster
Raul Esparza

I might be reaching for Brian and Raul, but hey- a gal can dream, right?

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 9:20am

I consider Harvey already a legend. He has won awards as both actor and writer and is a larger than life personality.
Legends already : Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Audra McDonald, Nathan Lane

Maybe future (if they do more roles) - Kristin, Idina,Hunter Foster

[Tom148502]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 9:28am

Given the people mentioned, the term "legend" has gone the way of the standing ovation. Neither seems to mean anything any more.And it's an insult to those true legends and those who truly deserve standing ovations.

[FosterChild]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 9:41am

Orfeh has the vocal power, has been compared to Merman and has an enviable attendance record. She's also gaining an avid if a bit "passionate", following. Much like someone said about LaChanze, if she chooses to continue doing Broadway, I think she's a legend in the making. I'd say the same about Sara Ramirez but again, I'm not sure how much Broadway she's going to want to come back and do. At least, not while her TV career is hot.

[haddaddy3]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 12:58pm

Audra, Ebersole, LuPone (this generation?), Bernadette (also, this generation?), Sutton Foster...

[WickedRentEder]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 1:26pm

From this generation, I would have to name the following:

Audra McDonald
Marin Mazzie
Bernadette Peters
Idina Menzel
Kristin Chenoweth
Christine Ebersole

As for the boys:

Nathan Lane
Raul Esparza
Brian Stokes Mitchell

[mc1227]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 5:19pm

Already legends who put butts in the theatre seats:

Bernadette Peters
Patti Lupone
Nathan Lane
Harvey Fierstein
Matthew Broderick
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Andrea Martin (at least my butt)

Close but not yet:
Kristin Chenoweth
Idina Mendel
Raul Esparza
Sutton Foster
Hugh Jackman
Norbert Leo Butz

Won't get there:
Hunter Foster
Megan Mullally
Roger Bart
Gary Beach (I love him, but he alone doesn't sell tickets)

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 5:34pm

I don't think Idina will ever be a "legend." More like a pop-star that will lose popularity as time goes by. Plus, I don't think she'd ever return to the stage.

[nate2]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 5:57pm

Kristen Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Laura Bell Bundy lol I'm totally kidding about that last one! I hope that if Julia Murney does more shows that she'll become a legend!

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 2/27/08 at 6:56pm

I'm bothered by hearing this talk of "I hope ___ can become a legend!" and so on. That's why the word doesn't mean anything anymore, because you don't pluck an amateur from a crowd and go, "I hope this person will be in more shows and hopefully be a legend." It just don't work that way, friend.