Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.- Page 2

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 1:37pm

I may be wrong Jon but I'm not sure if she was in the original ensemble of Chicago. She's not listed in the playbill. I think she was doing, or getting ready to go into ACL but I may be wrong, either that or Goodtime Charley(I may be several years off on the second point).

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 1:47pm

Judy Kuhn, Donna Murphy and Rob Marshall were all understudies to the leads in the original production of DROOD.

Bryce Dallas Howard was understudy in a couple of Broadway shows before being plucked to be the lead in the movie THE VILLAGE

A CHORUS LINE had lots of great Broadway understudies early in their careers -- Karen Ziemba, Bebe Neuwirth etc.

Before she became a comedian, Rita Rudner understudied principle roles in ANNIE and MACK AND MABEL.

Blythe Danner was the understudy to the female lead in the flop MATA HARI

Diane Keaton was the understudy for the female lead in the OBC of HAIR.
Updated On: 4/17/05 at 01:47 PM

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 2:44pm

Carl Magnum , you may be right but i've seen clips of orbach's all i care about and i could have sworn she was in there (maybe someone who looked like her?)

[RustyJusty830]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 3:16pm

Am I going crazy? Sherie Rene Scott was the original Amneris in AIDA- After all, she is on the OBCR and if I remember correctly, Idina Menzel was brought in to replace her.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:10pm

Ann Reinking was not in the original cast of CHICAGO. She joined the cast when the part of Roxie was vacated by Gwen Verdon, playing opposite Lenora Nemetz as Velma when Chita departed. Jerry Orbach remained. Reinking's star was already well on the rise when CHICAGO opened, she was never in its ensemble. At the time it opened I believe she was starring with Joel Grey in GOODTIME CHARLEY (do I have that title right?)............Ms. Reinking of course also replaced Donna McKechnie's Cassie in A CHORUS LINE on Broadway.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:19pm

I cannot believe that Charlotte d'Amboise hasn't been mentioned yet. Also:

Nora Mae Lyng for Claudia Shear in DIRTY BLONDE
Karen Mason for Close, Buckley, Paige in SUNSET BLVD.
Patricia Hodges was the stand-by for Mary Tyler Moore, and then replaced MTM, in ROSE'S DILEMMA

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:24pm

Lauren Kennedy for Emily Skinner in SIDE SHOW
Anita Gillette for Ana Maria Alberghetti in CARNIVAL
Elaine Stritch for Uta Hagen in VIRGINIA WOOLF

[bjivie2]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:26pm

Ann Reinking replaced Donna McKechnie in Chorus Line? Was her voice better back then? I can't imagine her singing that song. I can imagine her dancing the crap out of it, though!

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:28pm

Scott was never Menzel's understudy and yes, she (Scott), originated the Amneris role which Mentzel performed for a short time down the line. She was also Menzel's first replacement in RENT, not her stand-by.

[ElTico68]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 4:37pm

BJ, Ugh... I can't find the exact quote now, but I seem to recall that Cassie's song and dance were altered a bit to fit the replacements, at least at first. The costume was also adjusted for Ann... she wore it lower and the opening was on the opposite side.

[InfiniteGirl]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 7:09pm

This is my new fave thread! (And that's saying something after the Famous feuds one). Someone should collect all these and put out a book!

[MissMonika]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 7:17pm

Norbert Leo Butz was the original understudy for Roger in Rent, originated by Adam Pascal.

Updated On: 4/17/05 at 07:17 PM

[iwearshoes]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 7:29pm

hunter foster u/s ren in footloose (he was also bickle but u/sed too)

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 8:08pm

Sean McCourt is a well-known actor for a lot of off-Broadway work, but he is understudying the roles of the Wizard and Dilimond in WICKED (as well as playing Witch's father and other ensemble roles).

[wildcat]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 8:13pm

I don't think Nancy Dussault understudied Bernadette Peters in "some junk" but she was a replacement Witch late in the run of INTO THE WOODS after Betsy Joslyn.

Also Elaine Stritch didn't actually understudy Uta Hagen in VIRGINIA WOOLF, she was part of an alternate company who played matinees.

[Derek]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 9:15pm

I personally think everyone that has understudied or went on for Elphaba (Idina, Shsoshana, Kristy, Saycon, Eden, Stephanie, Jenna..) will all go down in history. They all gave outstanding performances from what I hear.

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:21pm

Kevin Spirtus, Dr. Craig (chloe's dad) of Days of Our Lives, stoodby for Hugh Jackman in Oz. he was not allowed to go on.

[TBone]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:47pm

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the always amazing Linda Mugleston!

She's understudied Lea Delaria in "On the Town", Marin Mazzie in "Kiss Me, Kate", Vanessa Willaims & Kerry O'Malley in "Into the Woods", Mary Stuart Masterson in "Nine" and of course, Donna Murphy in "Wonderful Town."

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:50pm

Yes, but Linda isn't necessarily famous.

[TBone]

Posted: 4/17/05 at 10:59pm

Well, neither is Cheyenne Jackson, really.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 2:57am

Speaking of Marin Mazzie. She played Rapunzel and understudied the roles of Cinderella for Kim Crosby and the Witch for Nancy Dussault in the original Into the Woods production. She has a cute story about having to go on as all three in one week. Reaally crazy

[Al Dente]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 8:58am

AMEN Tbone, but you know how this board is, there's BWW "famous" and then, there's the real world.

[wildcat]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 11:25am

You mean like...
Pia Zadora for Neva Small in HENRY, SWEET HENRY?

I thought everyone knew ALL those names...

[boydancer]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 9:32pm

As a member of the original cast of "Birdie", Apr 14, 1960 - Oct 7, 1961... Please, allow me to correct you re: Gene Rayburn's understudy to D.V.D. Charles Nelson Rielly was the understudy for Dick, and Lee Howard was Paul Lynde's understudy. When Dick left to do the movie version of "Birdie", Gene Rayburn came in as his replacement. FYI, Gretchen Wyler was Chita's replacement.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 4/18/05 at 9:36pm

Um...yes, and Taye also earned "fame" from movies and if we want to go with Broadway - he was a lead in Rent.

Sherie and Idina pretty much switched roles (to Rent and to Aida, respectively - although Sherie went to Rent before Idina went to Aida)