Broadway Roles that win Tonys

[Whoopi Goldberg]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 8:59pm

I was thinking about some instances where it seems like no matter who played the character in the original (if they have some form of broadway talent), most of the replacements in shows would have won the tony award. 

 

Elphaba Stache from Peter and the Starcatcher, Mama Rose

 

Any contributions?

 

Updated On: 5/12/20 at 08:59 PM

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 9:08pm

I don't know if it's what your thinking of, but all but one revival of La Cage Aux Folles has won the Tony for Best Actor for whoever played Albin.

[Laurapattifan]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 9:20pm

Marge from Promises, Promises!

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 9:24pm

Anna from The King and I

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 9:37pm

For Musicals:

For Women:
Anna from The King & I has 3
Mama Rose from Gypsy has 3
Desiree from A Little Night Music has 2
Celie from The Color Purple has 2
Dolly from Hello, Dolly! has 2
Marge from Promises has 2
Carrie from Carousel has 2

For Men:
Pseudolus from Forum has 3
Albin from La Cage aux Folles has 2
Emile de Becque from South Pacific has 2
J. Pierrepont Finch from How to Succeed has 2

And I’m sure, once there’s a revival, Diana Goodman in N2N

[ggersten]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 9:48pm

Whoopi Goldberg said: "I was thinking about some instances where it seems like no matter who played the character in the original (if they have some form of broadway talent), most of the replacements in shows would have won the tony award.



Elphaba Stache from Peter and the Starcatcher, Mama Rose



Any contributions?

"

Rose is only 3 out of 5 (Merman and Peters did not win)

Too soon to know about Elphaba  - and at this point, it's unlikely to happen because a revival may be decades away. I mean, only one actor has won a Tony playing the Phantom.....

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 10:02pm

Leading Player in Pippin. Both a man and woman have won. 

Also, Emcee in Cabaret. Featured actor originally, then leading for Alan Cumming. One of those roles.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 10:02pm

Leading Player in Pippin. Both a man and woman have won. 

Also, Emcee in Cabaret. Featured actor originally, then leading for Alan Cumming. One of those roles.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 10:31pm

InTheBathroom1 said: "For Musicals:

Dolly from Hello, Dolly! has 2
"

Pearl Bailey also won a special Tony Award for her Dolly in 1968

[C.Jack]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 11:03pm

Not a winner but it feels as though most men who play Herbie in Gypsy on Broadway at least get nominated (with Boyd Gaines actually winning).

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/12/20 at 11:17pm

Mrs Lovett too. Although Lansbury is the only one who won a Tony for it, both Beth Fowler and Patti LuPone were nominated. In London, all the three ladies who played Lovett in major productions of Sweeney Todd were nominated to the Olivier Award, with Julia McKenzie and Imelda Staunton actually winning it for their performance. 

Updated On: 5/13/20 at 11:17 PM

[broadwaydreamer24601]

Posted: 5/13/20 at 1:58am

I think "Whoopi" may have been talking less about the statistics of revivals and numbers of wins vs. the role being well written and moving enough to be Tony-worthy no matter who the original actor is. I see where that's coming from. 

It's more possible to prove the power of a role based on the revival actors also being nominated or winning, for sure.

Another thought from this is that the original actor probably made contributions to the creation of the character, or things were changed based on who was in the room at that time. Maybe a role like Elphaba would be a little different if one of the replacements, per say, had originated it and given the creators other ideas. 

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 5/13/20 at 8:28am

3 out of 4 Georges in Virginia Woolf have won, including mild upsets the last two times (Bill Irwin over Brian F. O'Byrne and Tracy Letts over Tom Hanks).