Karen Murphy in ALNM

[shrekster224]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 2:56pm

Karen Murphy was always listed as a swing, but only covered Mme. Armfeldt. Did she also cover the quintet? Wouldn't that classify her then as the Mme. Armfedlt s/b or u/s?

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 3:10pm

Yes, she had gone for the quintet females a few times. She was definitely a swing.
Updated On: 1/12/11 at 03:10 PM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 3:28pm

I saw her go on in the quintet, awkward costume and all.

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 3:56pm

I saw her go on in the quintet at Bernadette and Elaine's first performance. She was a good 10-15 years older than the rest of the liebs, and that made it really awkward.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:11pm

I dont understand why thats awkward.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:12pm

It did look kind of strange. She is the right age for the liebs in most productions. But Nunn had cast them significantly younger in London and on Broadway, mainly for understudy purposes.
Updated On: 1/12/11 at 04:12 PM

[shrekster224]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:21pm

That's why I assumed she didn't, I guess. They did always have Erin Stewart and Heather Ayes as vacation swing, so I was just curious.

Apparently at one point their was a second Henrik understudy other than Kevin David Thomas. Is this true?

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:25pm

Yes. Matt Dengler was a temporary swing/Henrik cover. But when Kevin Vortmann (the male swing) left the production, he was replaced by Justin Patterson.

The great Alma Cuervo was also a vacation cover for Madame Armfeldt during Lansbury's two week vacation.
Updated On: 1/12/11 at 04:25 PM

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:27pm

I dont understand why thats awkward.

Because it looked like four people singing with their grandmother. And, like LJAY noted, it was out of step with Nunn's concept.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:47pm

Poor thing, to say that her costume was awkward and hideous for the quintet is an understatement. I wish that Alma Cuervo had been the full-time cover for Mme. Armfeldlt.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:50pm

That costume looked so awful on her. She just didn't wear the lab coat very well. And yeah, given how much older she was than everyone, it was an incredibly awkward performance.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 4:54pm

I nearly did a spit-take on my computer screen after your comment, AC126748.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 5:04pm

Did Alma Cuervo ever go on? And apparently Betsy Morgan covered Desiree near the end of her run?

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 5:15pm

Betsy Morgan started understudying Desiree in the spring, I believe.
And I don't believe Cuervo had ever gone on.

[bluetuna]

Posted: 1/12/11 at 5:18pm

^Alma Cuervo didn't, and I don't believe Betsy Morgan ever did.

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/17/11 at 1:14pm

Betsy Morgan went on for Erin Davie several times. Did anyone see her as Charlotte?

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 1/17/11 at 1:37pm

I saw Betsy Morgan go on as Charlotte. I never saw Davie in the role, but I had heard on here that she played it very emotional. Morgan was all dry wit, which the audience didn't really respond to at first, but eventually really gave her a lot of laughs in the second act.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 1/17/11 at 1:38pm

Karen definitely looked out of place for the quintet. That said, I saw her go on for Angela Lansbury (who I never saw) and thought Karen's performance was a pleasant surprise.