Javier Muñoz - the most famous replacement actor in Broadway history

[binau]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 5:59am

According to Playbill, when Miranda left a few days ago Javier became "the most famous replacement actor in Broadway history."

I'm putting this claim up there with that ridiculous idea that Hamilton is the only good musical in the last 50 years.

Will journalists say anything to get attention and cash in on the Hamilton hype? In decades to come people will roll their eyes at this claim. Well, maybe they'll say "Javier who", first.

It's a nice story, otherwise.

http://www.playbill.com/article/why-the-new-full-time-hamilton-almost-left-the-business

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 05:59 AM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:09am

Yeah, I don't get their thinking on this.

Probably the most "famous" replacement on Broadway was Ethel Merman as the final Dolly (a role that was written for her to begin with). Alfred Drake was a replacement king in The King and I.  Barbara Cook replaced Sandy Dennis in the play Any Wednesday.  Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch replacing Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury in A Little Night Music. Those 5 were all big stars when they were replacements (and all but Drake had Tonys at the time). Javier Muñoz, while surely a talented actor, isn't anywhere near on the level of the performers I mentioned and countless others.

Maybe they meant that it's big deal because of who he is replacing, not that he's doing the replacing.

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 06:09 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:12am

It's just a silly bit of hyperbole.

 

Obviously it's not true.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 6:34am

gypsy101 said: "Probably the most "famous" replacement on Broadway was Ethel Merman as the final Dolly (a role that was written for her to begin with). Alfred Drake was a replacement king in The King and I.  Barbara Cook replaced Sandy Dennis in the play Any Wednesday.  Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch replacing Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury in A Little Night Music.

"

Angela Lansbury in The King and I, Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard, Celeste Holm and Ann Miller in Mame, Mandy Patinkin in Falsettos, Harvey Fierstein in Fiddler on The Roof, Vanessa Williams in Spider Woman, Dorothy Loudon in Sweeney Todd...

[The Other One]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 7:15am

David Bowie in The Elephant Man and Richard Burton in Equus come to mind.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 8:23am

 

Someone should tell Robert Simonson at Playbill that his article boasts the stupidest headline in Broadway history.

 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 9:06am

I wouldn't exactly call the writers at PLAYBILL "journalists".    

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 9:11am

Reba McEntire (among others) likely would have something to say about this!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:03am

tazber said: "It's just a silly bit of hyperbole."
 

 

...and Playbill is ON IT!

 

[AnnieBlack]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:08am

They gotta do what they gotta do to help move the huge amount of resale tickets that are available for Hamilton right now ! 

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:12am

"This is the most, best, fantastic, wonderful, famous thing in the last five seconds!"

---PLAYBILL Mag.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:12am

Ok guys, there are TONS more examples of famous people going in as replacements. You'll go crazy if you start trying to name them all.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:16am

CHICAGO!

though I sort of get it. Like he has the same amount of fans as anyone else in the cast. It's like everyone in Hamilton now has pull. 

[mikem]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:18am

The breathless hyperbole in the article is really funny.  Muñoz playing Hamilton at Obama's first viewing was "the first moment that most people in the world learned Muñoz’s name"?  Actually, 99.999% of people in the world were completely uninterested in who was playing Hamilton at Obama's performance.

 

That being said, Muñoz probably is the most famous replacement actor in Broadway history who is only known for being a replacement actor (ie, who wasn't already a name before replacing).  Although the article didn't put that qualifier on it.

[dissimilate]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 10:46am

mikem said: "The breathless hyperbole in the article is really funny.  Muñoz playing Hamilton at Obama's first viewing was "the first moment that most people in the world learned Muñoz’s name"?  Actually, 99.999% of people in the world were completely uninterested in who was playing Hamilton at Obama's performance.

 

That being said, Muñoz probably is the most famous replacement actor in Broadway history who is only known for being a replacement actor (ie, who wasn't already a name before replacing).  Although the article didn't put that qualifier on it.

 

"

Another qualifier: famous to a general audience. Broadway has seen this before (no-name replacement making it big): Sutton Foster, among others.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:10pm

I still don't know Muñoz's name.

Here's the harsh truth. The only "name" that people will remember associated with "Hamilton" is Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Just ask the cast of "A Chorus Line."

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:12pm

best12bars said: "Here's the harsh truth. The only "name" that people will remember associated with "Hamilton" is Lin-Manuel Miranda."

Thanks!

 

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:15pm

Liza, going on for Gwen Verdon in CHICAGO, was pretty special...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:17pm

But not Javiton special.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:22pm

I agree that the article is complete hyperbole but I don't think the writer meant that Javier is the most famous replacement because he's well known. I think he mean that Javier is the most famous replacement because of the amount of attention it has been getting.

 

Updated On: 7/15/16 at 12:22 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:27pm

BUT. IT'S. JAVITON.

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:29pm

Hi Jordan!

I think you mean JAVILTON! Lol!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:32pm

You know what? I did mean that. But just the very thought of the most famous (and important) replacement in the history of the American Musical Theater has made me just lose track of everything. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:39pm

Jordan Catalano said: "the most famous (and important) replacement in the history of the American Musical Theater "

No one said that. They said in Broadway musical theatre history. Of course there are more famous replacements in some productions at AMAS and the York. 

[Theater_Nerd]

Posted: 7/15/16 at 12:58pm

Jordan Catalano said: "You know what? I did mean that. But just the very thought of the most famous (and important) replacement in the history of the American Musical Theater has made me just lose track of everything. 

 

Hey Jordan, have you ever considered a career in comedy? You have a sharp, quick wit! You're funny!