Celebs come to Broadway

[jacksonpotter]

Posted: 12/27/17 at 5:08pm

Just curious about what you guys think about recent celebs who have joined Broadway productions, were they good, bad, not right, or somewhere in the middle. The few that come to mind are: Jennifer Hudson in the Colour Purple, Vanessa Hudgens in Gigi, Emma Stone in Cabaret, Daniel Radcliffe in HTSIBWET, Sara Bareilles & Jason Mraz in Waitress, Alex Newell in OOTI... I can't think of any others rn but comment below!

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 12/28/17 at 7:17am

I wouldn't necessarily call Alex Newell a Celebrity, Lea Salonga is a bigger name than him

Jordan Fisher in Hamilton

Brendon Urie in Kinky Boots

Mel B in Chicago

Todrick Hall in Chicago

Jennifer Nettles in Chicago

Rumer Willis in Chicago

Nene Leakes in Chicago

Springsteen in his own show

Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly!

Catherina Zeta-Jones in A Little Night Music

The list goes on and on for stunt casting.

[Lot666]

Posted: 12/28/17 at 8:07am

Daniel Radcliffe was excellent in Equus, as was Jake Gyllenhaal in Sunday in the Park with George.

[thebookofwhizzer]

Posted: 12/28/17 at 8:24am

I think Brendon Urie did a fine job in Kinky Boots, it was just his fans that made the experience not so good.

[newintown]

Posted: 12/28/17 at 9:32am

Of the few I've seen in recent-ish years:

Radcliffe - OK in Equus, rather amateurish and dull in How To Succeed
Gyllenhall - clumsy and awkward in If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet; handsome but bland in Sunday In The Park
V Hudgens - at best, cute but very limited/undeveloped in Gigi
Hugh Jackman - exceptionally charismatic in The Boy From Oz
Claire Danes - totally in over her head in Pygmalion
Groban - pretty voice, no acting skill in Natasha, Pierre, Etc.
Forest Whitaker - utter disaster in Hughie
Jim Parsons - passable in The Normal Heart; the usual stereotype in Harvey and An Act of God
Harry Connick - charming if slightly dull in The Pajama Game; a lump of lumpiness in On A Clear Day
Zeta-Jones - beautiful but bland and all wrong in A Little Night Music
John Stamos - beautiful but bland and all wrong in everything he's done on B'way

I find (in my opinion) that what makes a compelling TV/film performer generally doesn't translate to the stage (except in very small houses, or from the first few rows).

Updated On: 12/28/17 at 09:32 AM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 12/28/17 at 10:48am

To be fair, everything in the revival of A Little Night Music was bland; the direction, the design, the orchestrations, the performances, the whole thing felt beige. That show should be a sparkling gem and Trevor Nunn managed to turn it into a dusty relic.