Have Broadway actors ever returned to a role after leaving?

John Lloyd Young, Jersey Boys.

mormonsandglindas said: "Title says it all. Do you know of any Broadway actors /actresses who left a show or role once but then returned to it later on? "

Yes, I do.

Oh, to answer what you actually wanted to know: I feel like half of the people who've played a lead in any long-running Broadway show have returned to the same role at some point.

Lea Salonga returned to Kim in Miss Saigon on Broadway several years after her first run in it.

Terrence Mann originated Javert in Les Miserables on Broadway in 1987 and then came back to play it again in 2003 right before the original production closed.

Kelsey grammer went back to finding neverland, Christine Dwyer has been back at the Gershwin a plethora amount of times.

Mandy Patinkin returned to the cast of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in August 1985 for the final few months of the run leading up to the taping for the PBS American Playhouse series.

Ethel Merman toured in CALL ME MADAM in the 1960s. But she also revived ANNIE GET YOUR GUN on Broadway, which is a better example, I think.

If you count tours, the list will be almost endless. Before theaters were air conditioned, it was quite common to take the Broadway company on tour for the summer and then return to Broadway in the fall.

To take a different type of example, George Lee Andrews understudied Len Cariou in the original A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Then George took over the role permanently in the national tour. Assuming he went on for Carious at least once, then he "returned" to the role on tour.

Meanwhile Hermoine Gingold played Madame Armfeldt on Broadway, gave way to Margaret Hamilton for the national tour, but took the role back for the last three weeks in Fort Lauderdale. She did so to brush up before her appearance in the London production which followed the tour. (Trivia: Miss Hamilton sent the company the most gracious good luck note, despite having been left behind in Boston!)

For all these reasons, I think we might restrict ourselves to "returns" on Broadway.

Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick in The Producers
Constantine Maroulis in Rock of Ages
Andrea Martin in Pippin
Kelli O'Hara in South Pacific
Bryce Pinkham in A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder

Ken Watanabe from King and I

non-stop26 said: "Jonathan Groff, Hamilton"

Well, this is just patently false (at least at this moment in time).

If I'm not mistaken, Donna McKechnie came back to play Cassie in ACL later in the initial Broadway run.

non-stop26 said: "Jonathan Groff, Hamilton"

Well, this is just patently false (at least at this moment in time).

I assume they're referring to when he left to film the Looking movie and then returned.

The first two I thought of... Lea Salonga in Miss Saigon and Savion Glover in Noise/Funk.

JCM returned to Hedwig.