Chicago Revival 20 Years: Favorite Replacements

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 4:12am

I saw the show recently and thought about all of the actors that have performed in the show over the last 20 years. I wondered who some of your replacement favorites were? With a major focus on style, dance and staging it seems replacements could have slipped in fairly easily. If former Chicago actors read this board maybe there are some fun stories to share.

When it transferred to Broadway from City Center did the staging stay pretty much the same? It looked pretty true to Encores.

Just a special shout out to one of the dancers (Michael Scirrotto) who was an awesome dancer.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 4:30am

Nikka Graff Lanzarone as Velma Kelly!

[LW2]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 6:53pm

Sandy Duncan as Roxie

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 6:56pm

Bebe's first replacement: the incredible Ute Lemper.  She was electrifying and the cast would say how much energy she brings to the stage it forces them to match her so their performances were elevated to another level.  

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 6:59pm

Totally agree about Sandy Duncan. I loved her performance, along with Mamie Duncan Gibbs opposite her as Velma and Ernie Sabella as her Amos.

 

Charlotte d'Amboise is also a great Roxie and seems to bring a spark back to the rest of the cast whenever she comes back to the show that can sometimes be missing during other times. 

 

I also remember Jasmine Guy as a great Velma on tour back in the day.

[SellingOut]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 7:15pm

Yes, Michael Scirrotto stood out each time I saw "Chicago" - which was three times in the course of 2 months thanks to my love for Brandy as Roxie!  I really do love the show as a whole though - always have.  

Looking forward to seeing it again in January with Mel B.  Hope Michael is in it then as well.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 7:17pm

Saw the show earlier this summer just to see Charlotte as Roxie (my upteenth time at this production). I went with some friends who were seeing it for the first time. After the performance, I told them how old Charlotte is in real life...and they were astonished. D'Amboise is truly something special, and I love that Roxie has become such a mainstay of her career. 

[KanderEbb]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 7:46pm

I absolutely adore Charlotte d'Amboise as Roxie! I was astonished how much energy and thoughts she had invested in this show when I first saw her in this role. In my opinion, she's the best Roxie I've ever seen. Another two great Roxies are Bianca Marroquin and Marilu Henner.

I agree that Ute Lemper, who originated Velma in West End, was beyond brilliant. It's hard to cast someone at the same level of Chita Rivera, or the same level of Bebe Neuwirth or Ute Lemper, but Pia Douwes and Leigh Zimmerman (original Go-to-Hell Kitty) came very close. I wish I had seen Jasmine Guy in this role. 

[DAME]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 7:47pm

Charlotte will always be my favorite.  And Jasmine Guy will always be my least favorite Velma replacement.  

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/22/16 at 8:58pm

I've seen the show 5 times.

 

Best Velma: Deidre Goodwin

Best Roxie: Charlotte d'Amboise

Best Amos: Rob Bartlett

Best Billy: Tom Hewitt

Best Mama: Carol Woods

 

Worst Velma: Amra Faye-Wright

Worst Roxie: Tracy Shayne

Worst Amos: Tom Riis Farrell

Worst Billy: Bernard Dotson(u/s)

Worst Mama: Nicole Bridgewater(u/s)

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 1:11am

I saw it recently with understudies in two of the main roles. I felt like there was a lack of ownership in general with the leads and it got me thinking about all of the fun replacements that had blessed that particular stage over the last 20 years so thanks for your stories. I think with such a well oiled machine it must be hard for actors to keep it fresh and in the moment. That with an audience that was mainly foreign (nothing wrong with that) but response was tepid and humor seemed to fly over their heads I guess due to language barriers . But thank God for the tourists because they are a big part of keeping Broadway going!

[Skip23]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 4:53pm

Melanie Griffith and Jasmine Guy

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 11/23/16 at 7:32pm

Favorite Velmas: Caroline O'Connor, Leigh Zimmerman, Carly Hughes, Vicki Lewis
Favorite Roxies: Bianca Marroquin, Amy Spanger
Favorite Billy: Brent Barrett
Favorite Mamas: Roz Ryan, Carol Woods, Adriane Lenox
Favorite Amos': Christopher Fitzgerald, Robert Creighton

Least Favorite Velma: Amra Faye-Wright (although she was pretty damn good when Bebe was mama)
Least Favorite Billy: Coleman Domingo (he was hammy and phoned in when I saw it)

Ensemble Shoutout: Melissa Rae Mahon

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 11/24/16 at 12:39am

Coleman played Billy? Wow. I didn't know he sang that well. From what you have all said thus far I wish I could have seen Charlotte and Sandy.

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 11/29/16 at 2:27am

Jasmine Guy

Donna Marie Asbury

UTE UTE UTE UTE UTE UTE

ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie Ruthie 

terra c 

Caroline oconnor/charlotte/billy Zane together. So good. 

Belle Calaway 

sandy Sandy Sandy build her a shrine Duncan. Words can't express how amazing she was. 

Roz Ryan. 

[RogerMoore]

Posted: 2/19/17 at 10:22pm

I just saw Mel B's final performance as Roxie and she broke character 3 times during 'Roxie'. The first was to sing the opening of Spice Girl's 'Wannabe', the second was to say it was her final performance and she wanted to dedicate it to her dad. The third was when her child Madison said 'I love you Mommy' from offstage and she said 'I love you too, Madison.' Is this a normal thing that occurs during a star's final performance in this show?

She also called the man who played the jurors a motherf***er because he kept pulling her onto his lap and she couldn't stop laughing throughout act 2.

none of this bothered me but I wonder if it's common 

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 2/19/17 at 11:13pm

RogerMoore said: "I just saw Mel B's final performance as Roxie and she broke character 3 times during 'Roxie'. The first was to sing the opening of Spice Girl's 'Wannabe', the second was to say it was her final performance and she wanted to dedicate it to her dad. The third was when her child Madison said 'I love you Mommy' from offstage and she said 'I love you too, Madison.' Is this a normal thing that occurs during a star's final performance in this show?

She also called the man who played the jurors a motherf***er because he kept pulling her onto his lap and she couldn't stop laughing throughout act 2."

 

 

Ugh.  How I hate some stunt casting.  She has no business....  But sadly, the Weisslers do.

Roxie: Ruthie.  In the early London days.  Back when she was dancing it full-out and it was fresh for her.  A close second would definitely be Sandy Duncan.  Incredible character development, danced her ass off.

Billy: Brent Barrett.  He's absolutely perfect.  Handsome, great voice, smooth.

Velma: Caroline O'Connor in London.  She was perfection.  I've never seen better.

Amos: Joel Grey

Mama: Adored Marcia Lewis.  She played the role honestly, before it was stunt-cast for a woman who would just turn the number into one long vocal run.  Mary Testa wasn't too shabby.  I also loved Debbie Gravitte.

 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 6:12am

My very first Velma was Leigh Zimmerman (who danced along with Dylis Croman as Roxie) on St. Patrick's Day 2011.  I wish I could see her again as Velma, but apparently that's not in the cards.   

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 12:37pm

Roxie: Sandy Duncan, Charlotte d'Amboise, Amy Spanger

Velma: Ruthie Henshall, Donna Marie Asbury, Caroline O'Connor, Ute Lemper, Vicki Lewis

Mama: Roz Ryan, Jennifer Holliday, Donna Marie Asbury

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/20/17 at 2:52pm

Paige Davis

Marilu Henner

Ruthie Henshall

Bianca Marroquin

Debra Monk

Karen Ziemba

George Hamilton

Tom Wopat

Alan Thicke

[mailhandler777]

Posted: 2/21/17 at 10:47am

I only saw it once on Jennifer Nettles and Carly Hughes' last day. I don't think any pair of Velmas and Roxies could come close to those two.