Great casting replacements

[BroadMagTech]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:22am

Who are some people you think did a great job of succeeding an original cast member or any actor for that matter. What did you like about their peformance?

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:51am

• Laura Osnes in "South Pacific": She played Nellie so much younger, and it added something so much more green and inexperienced about her, as Nellie should be. Plus, she sounded so lovely, especially for her first (professional) R&H score. She played Nellie so much more youthful and free. Of course, I loved Kelli, too.
• Annaleigh Ashford in "Wicked": When seeing Annaleigh, I easily made a connection between the 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" Glinda created by Billie Burke, and Annaleigh's Glinda, which really solidified the piece for me overall. It felt more balanced than usual, for whatever reason. I also think she has one of (if not the) best Popular. It's such a boring song to see performed once you've heard it as much as one does in this business, but she made it thrilling and funny again, which was a huge treat for me.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 12:57am

Gabby Pizzolo at Fun Home...and also at Matilda now that I think of it. She is just an excellent all around performer (and looked younger and therefore more age appropriate for the part of Small Alison that the fabulous Sydney was already growing out of)

Ripley Sobo as Matilda.. just awesome. I don't mean to only pick kids but Eli Tokash as Peter in Neverland.

Christopher Sieber (Matilda)and Alison Luff (Matilda & Les Mis),  Kyle Taylor Parker as Lola in Kinky Boots. 

I was also going to say Annaleigh Ashford as well as Jackie Burns in Wicked..

From way back when, Larry Kert for Dean Jones in Company.

Updated On: 4/23/16 at 12:57 AM

[binau]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:04am

Marin Mazzie in next to normal and and Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music. Two performances I rank among my favourites to this day.

I wrote about them here:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/egypt/board/readmessage.php?thread=1037213&boardname=&dt=17

 

 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:20am

Looking back on my theatre experiences, I realized I've seen surprisingly few replacements compared to originals. But here are some of my favorites:

 

-Emma Stone (Cabaret)

-John Stamos (The Best Man)

-Sting (The Last Ship)

-Roger Rees (The Addams Family)

-Rachel Potter (The Addams Family)

-Faith Prince (Annie)

-Sadie Sink (Annie)

-Alfie Boe (Les Mis)

 

Honorable mentions (i.e - I was happy to see their take on the role, but didn't like them as much as the originals):

-Jonathan Groff (Hamilton) - I saw BDJ my 1st time

-Bob Saget (Hand to God)

-Jeff Goldblum (Seminar)

[Jshan05]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:40am

Most recently I can think of Rebecca Luker replacing Judy Kuhn in Fun Hone temporarily and Marin Mazzie stepping in for The King And I! Both inspired choices!

[helvizz]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 2:36am

Completely agree regarding Emma Stone (Cabaret), Rachel Potter (The Addams Family) and Marin Mazzie (next to normal) having been great replacements.

I also think Stephanie J. Block was marvelous in Anything Goes, and Harvey Fierstein and Chris Sieber were wonderful in La Cage Aux Folles.

Other great replacements include:

Hugh Panaro as the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera

Jeremy Jordan as Tony in West Side Story 

All of the Hedwigs except for the Taye Diggs: John Cameron Mitchell , Andrew Rannells, Michael C Hall and Darren Criss.  Not sure if you consider John Cameron Mitchell a replacement since he originated the role off-broadway, but the times I saw Hedwig with him rank amongst the best theatrical experiences of my life. I also thought Darren Criss would be a terrible Hedwig, specially after being spoiled by JCM, but I had the time of my life watching him. Maybe because I had very low expectations, but it was a great night and I was just happy he was playing the role well.

Arielle Jacobs as Nina in In the Heights

Antonique Smith and Renee Elise Goldsberry as Mimi in RENT

Carolee Carmello as Donna in Mamma Mia

 

 

Updated On: 4/23/16 at 02:36 AM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 5:09am

Judy Kaye in On the 20th Century, Bernadette in A Little Night Music, Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard, Marin Mazzie in N2N, Imelda Staunton taking Miss Adelaide over Julia McKenzie in Guys and Dolls, Bebe Neuwirth in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Anna Francolini in Assassins, Michele Pawk in Cabaret, Florence Lacey in Evita, Mandy Patinkin in Falsettos, Eartha Kitt in Follies, Katie Rose Clarke in The Light in the Piazza, Maria Friedman in Chicago.

[madbrian]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 7:04am

Jonathan Pryce and Rachel York in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Reba in Annie Get Your Gun

Betty Buckley in Sunset Boulevard

Aaron Lazar in Light in the Piazza

[The Other One]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 7:48am

Agree about John Stamos in THE BEST MAN, and will add Kristin Davis to the list for the same show.  Also, Polly Bergen in CABARET, Jonathan Pryce in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, Michael Urie and Adam Driver in Signature's ANGELS IN AMERICA and, going back a long ways, David Dukes in M. BUTTERFLY.  

 
Adding to this list, and it really was a surprise, Anne Heche in PROOF.

Updated On: 4/23/16 at 07:48 AM

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:18am

I really enjoyed Andrew Rannells in Hamilton.

Gabby in Fun Home.

Michael C Hall and Darren Criss in Hedwig (JCM doesn't count).

Emma Stone in Cabaret.

Many of the Rent replacements were fantastic as well.

[bfreak]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:28am

Rory O'Malley is doing a standout job in Hamilton right now! Really terrific performance. Like others have said, Emma Stone was phenomenal in Cabaret.

[Drewski Vanderbilt]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:26am

Will Chase as Chris Scott in Miss Saigon (both the final months on Broadway and Manila with Lea Salonga) he was perfect for the role.

[The Other One]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:38am

Will Chase was also excellent in BILLY ELLIOTT.  He replaced Santino Fontana.

[Crazy NooNooHead]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 10:17am

The first replacement that comes to my mind is Andrew Rannells in Hedwig. I also saw NPH in the role and thought they were both great, but to me, Neil was angrier and made me want to find the people who hurt him and drop anvils on their heads, while Andrew was more hurt and made me want to run onto the stage and give him a hug. It made the show a completely different experience and I thought both portrayals were effective.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 10:27am

Allison case as miss honey

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 11:25am

Groff in Hamilton. Need I say more?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 11:31am

Michael C Hall as the Emcee

Gavin Creel as Elder Price

Ben Platt as Elder Cunningham

Jennifer Laura Thompson as Glinda

 

[steven22]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:02pm

Marin Mazzie in NEXT TO NORMAL for sure. Jackie Burns and Ana Gasteyer in WICKED as well. 

[adamgreer]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 1:28pm

If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list. 

 

However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances. 

Updated On: 4/23/16 at 01:28 PM

[binau]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:42pm

Also, Vanessa Williams in Kiss of the Spider Woman!

Updated On: 4/23/16 at 08:42 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 8:58pm

adamgreer said: "If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list. 

 

However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances. "

Are you from 20 years in the future?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:03pm

Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller and Ethyl Merman in HELLO DOLLY!

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 9:39pm

Emma Stone in Cabaret was sensational. I wish she'd opened the show. She's certainly have a Tony. Just the right mix of humor and pathos. 

Bernadette Peters in A Little Night Music was probably the best role she's had in years. A much better fit for her than Rose or Sally. She was stunning, incredibly funny, sexy, and moving. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 4/23/16 at 11:03pm

Call_me_jorge said: "adamgreer said: "If we're talking historically, then certainly performances like Liza in Chicago, Pearl Bailey in Hello Dolly, and Reba in Annie Get Your Gun are at the top of the list. 

 

However effective they may have been, 20 years from now people will not be discussing Rory O'Malley in Hamilton or Christine Dwyer in Wicked the way they discuss the aforementioned performances. "

Are you from 20 years in the future?"

 

You don't need to be 20 years from the future just to look at the historical trend. The performances by replacements that tend to become considered legendary are almost always the ones where the replacement is a star replacing another star (as in those examples mentioned by adamgreer).