Gypsy, The Wiz and Phylisha Rashad

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:11pm

I heard that Phylisha Rashad replaced Bernadette Peters in Gypsy. Is this true?

Also Phylisha Rashad was in the original The Wiz, was she an ensemble? Did anyone see her?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:14pm

Rashad replaced Peters as the Witch in "Into The Woods" not "Gypsy" (Rashad doesn't have the voice to ever do Rose).

I was a wee child, but I saw her as munchkin in the Wiz. She was a Glinda understudy, but she was just an ensemble member the night I saw her.

I also saw her in the ensemble of "Dreamgirls" (she was a Deena understudy, but didn't go on too often).

Updated On: 5/16/05 at 09:14 PM

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:16pm

OOO thats right. Thanks M.C

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:19pm

Margo, you were just a child?????? Don't take this the wrong way, but I had thought you were older......I guess your post are just very wise, knowledgeble, and mature!!!!!!

[BwayLeadman]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:20pm

I love Margo

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:23pm

me too
Also, I just thought of this, but I guess at one time, Debbie Allen was more popular/sucessful that Phylisha......What happened to Debbie's career after Sweet Charity??????

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:29pm

Remember the Oscars? Allen choreographed the Oscars for about a decade. Between the Oscars, tv specials and Fame, she was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards for choreography and acting, winning three times.

That's not to say all of her work was acclaimed mind you, but she was quite busy after 1986 -- notably she choreographed the legendary Broadway flop "Carrie" in 1988.

Updated On: 5/16/05 at 09:29 PM

Posted: 5/16/05 at 10:00pm

Margo, she was also instrumental in getting the movie Amistad peoduced.

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 10:10pm

Rashad was a great follower of Swami Muktananda.
When Gurumaiya Chidvilasananda spoke at the Manhattan Center in the early 80s Rashad gave the introduction speech. She was wonderful. I wonder if she is still a devoted follower.

Updated On: 5/17/05 at 10:10 PM

[perfusion]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 10:29pm

I saw her in The Wiz when I was 10.
Of course I didn't know who she was at the time but I do remember her as a munchkin. If you listen to the OBCR you can clearly hear her doing backup for Addapearl on He's The Wizard.
And you can hear her on Everybody Rejoice.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 12:40am

Rashad totally has the vocal chops to sing Mama Rose. It's actually not that high. There's just a lot of it. Dreamgirls is actually vocally more intense.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 1:22am

>>>Dreamgirls is actually vocally more intense.>>>>

But have you heard her sing Dreamgirls?


Also, for the rest of this topic, let's get the spelling right. It's "Phylicia"

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 1:26am

The point was that she did it. She sang Dreamgirls in the original company and I'd love to see her do Mama Rose

[Thetruth]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 1:28am

If you heard her, I think you would agree with Margo.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 1:33am

You heard her do Deena?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 4:41am

It's not so much about range and the fact that Rashad has little chest voice and no belt -- you CAN'T sing Rose if you can't belt chest and she can't.

She finessed her way through Deena on head voice the few times she went on, but could barely handle that (in fact, her voice was so weak, Bennett wouldn't let her take over the role when Ralph went on vacation for a week, so she quit the show). And she awkwardly crooned her way through the witch. She's really not much of a singer. Very good actress, though.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 8:38am

Debbie Allen also did a lot of TV sitcom directing, including a long run of "A Different World."

I saw Phylishia perform the Witch right after she started the run. Though it didn't have the full-throttle belt range of Bernadette, it was a convincing performance and she made the role her own. Updated On: 5/17/05 at 08:38 AM

[magruder]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:05am

Temporary threadjack -

If ever there is an African American version of Gypsy, I vote for Tonya Pinkins or Yvette Cason as Rose. Thank you.

Threadjack over.

[perfusion]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:19am

Ooh, I love Yvette Cason. I saw her understudy Effie (for Sharon Brown) in Dreamgirls way back in the shows 1987 return to Broadway.She was great.Does anyone know what she been up to lately?

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:23am

I loved the 87 revival. Of course I loved the original Broadway production as well, but when I saw the 87 revival I could swear I saw Lilias White as Effie. No? I wish I still had my program from that revival which I saw twice.

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:25am

I've always been curious about the Dreamgirls revival and why it was revived so quickly
Was it a sit down of the tour?
How was it different from the original production?

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:35am

Glebb, according to ibdb, Lillias White was indeed Effie in the 87 revival.

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:37am

Thanks PCB!
I loved her in the role and can still picture her bow.
Huge eyes.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:49am

Lillias White was Effie in the original tour, and indeed played her again during the revival, which was great! She also worked with Debbie Allen (choreog) in Carrie, where she understudied Miss Gardner, the gym teacher for Darlene Love.

On Phylicia, she was more suited for Deena even with a thin voice, which is correct casting as Deena isnt supposed to be the best singer, but the most bankable. Being beautiful is more important for that role. Have to agree w/ Margo, etc. that she doesnt have the voice for Mama Rose. She is a wonderful actress tho.

[Glebb]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 10:04am

And it was a pleasure to see Lillias in H2$.
I finally saw the OBC in DREAMGIRLS in what was Jennifer Holliday's last week with the show. It was such a cool experience. The audience rose to it's feet several times per song, for Jennifer. :)
I loved Rashad as Mrs. Huxtable. She was such a great mom. Wise, fair, hypnotic and real too. I alas never saw her on Broadway. I did get to see her speak at the Manhattan Center, introducing Gurumaiya Chidvilasananda. She's a great speaker.