Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.- Page 4

[AC126748]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.#75

Posted: 8/2/11 at 5:58pm

Jere Shea has left the business. He moved back to Boston, his hometown. I think his last professional credit was the out-of-town tryout of High Society. He was announced for Broadway, but dropped out and was replaced by Stephen Bogardus.

I think he taught a BU for a time. According to his LinkedIn page (which I found, quite easily, by Googling him), he's currently working for an NGO.

Stephen Sondheim wants you to originate a leading role for him, you ask where to sign. Unbelievable.

Even the most ardent Sondheim fan has to admit that statement is hyperbolic, at best.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

[husk_charmer]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.#76

Posted: 8/2/11 at 6:16pm

As I understood it, Patti wanted the same billing and money that Bernadette got, and was told no.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

[AC126748]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.#77

Posted: 8/2/11 at 6:18pm

It's all discussed in the Patti memoir thread.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

[MarkieSunshine]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc.#78

Posted: 8/5/11 at 8:24pm

Laura Benanti understudied Rebecca Luker in "The Sound of Music."

Love makes the world go round

Updated On: 8/5/11 at 08:24 PM

[aeichler]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #79

Posted: 4/9/12 at 4:59pm

Ruth Donnelly, famous for all of those Warner Brothers comedies of the 1930's, was standby for Patsy Kelly in "No, No Nanette".

[mmh1019]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #80

Posted: 4/9/12 at 5:10pm

will swenson understudied steve kazee in 110 in the shade back in '07

[broadwayriff]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #81

Posted: 4/9/12 at 5:22pm

Rebecca Lucker for Sarah Brightman in "Phantom"

[goldenboy]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #82

Posted: 4/11/12 at 2:06am

Joel Grey understudied Tommy Steele in Half a Sixpence.
Helen Gallagher understudied Gwen Verdon in Sweet Charity.

[choitoy]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #83

Posted: 4/11/12 at 2:36am

Wasn't Dee Hoty the unlisted understudy for Barbara Cook and Vanessa Williams in "Sondheim on Sondheim".

I chuckle at the thought of the announcement "Tonight, the part of Barbara Cook will be played by Dee Hoty".

Xanadu! Can't cry on cue!

[Here I Am]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #84

Posted: 4/11/12 at 2:52am

I saw Eden Espinosa as Nessarose back when she was understudy in 'Wicked'... does that count? lol.

[Leadingplayer]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #85

Posted: 4/11/12 at 4:19am

Phylcia Rashad was the first Deena Jones understudy in Dreamgirls.

[best12bars]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #86

Posted: 4/11/12 at 7:44am

Phylicia was also the original understudy for Glinda in the OBC of "The Wiz."

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

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blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

[goldenboy]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #87

Posted: 4/11/12 at 12:40pm

Okay > I love this one.

Louise Lasser understudied Barbra STreisand in I can get it for you wholesale.

[NoHSMisNotAMusical]

re: Famous Standbys-Understudies, etc. #88

Posted: 4/11/12 at 5:57pm

Merle Louise understudied for Carole Shelley in Billy Elliot. Victoria Clark also understudied for Agatha in addition to Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.