Wayman_Wong said: "I disagree. I like British performers to get a chance to play Broadway, and American ones to get a chance to play the West End. Sharon D. Clarke got to reprise her Olivier Award-winning performance in ''Caroline, or Change,'' and Sutton Foster got to reprise her Tony-winning role in ''Anything Goes'' in London. ...
And while we're on the topic, Olly Dobson created the role of Marty McFly in ''Back to the Future: The Musical'' and got an Olivier nomination for it. But for the Broadway production, I'm disappointed they plan to recast it with an American.
It's an honor for actors to originate a role, and they deserve credit and kudos."
Fair enough, but I think it's not the best idea to compare revivals to new musicals. With revivals, the familiarity of the material makes it easier to use "star turns" as the main selling point. With new musicals - even commercially minded ones like & Juliet and BTAF that are based on well-established music and films - the focus is on ensuring a degree of longevity. Sadly, that means the leads often tend to be the most expandable element - After all, you will probably be aiming to replace them after a year or so...
Both Teak-Lee and Dobson are excellent, but it would be great if they were able to enjoy success outside the musicals they are currently in, and I wonder if doing them on Broadway would make this harder...