Legally Blonde understudies- Page 3

[jess20882]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 2:25pm

i know tracy jai is no longer an understudy as she's doing serena these days. but i saw her as serena in last night's performance and i was NOT impressed. yes, she improved over the course of the show, but her voice was off - especially in 'omigod you guys' - and she didn't get nearly the amount of laughs that leslie kritzer got.
does anyone know if tracy jai is serena from now on or if this is only temporary until they get someone new...?
*on a side note - i was siting next to a very pretty blonde young woman who was taking notes on margot throughout the show - she apparently has an audition coming up very soon. she looked really familiar but i couldn't place her...(i didn't catch her name either)*

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 2:28pm

Tracy Jai actually still understudies Vivienne.

She is full-time Serena and will continue to do the role. I think she's amazing. She was funny when she understudies it and has continually improved. I love her take on it. She isn't Kritzer, but she doesn't try to be and I like that.

As for Jason Gillman, he is the singular understudy that I missed, Anakela, but I heard from a friend that he was very good and funny in his own right, although he did not look the part like Richard does.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 2:37pm

I saw Jason Gillman when he was on for Warner and I really enjoyed him. Though he doesn't have the typical "jerk boyfriend" look that Richard Blake does, he had some HILARIOUS line readings ("Emmett nailed the pool boy" being my favorite) and his voice was wonderful. I thought he was a very good Warner, and would not mind seeing him again.

Though when I think of Legally Blonde understudies the two that stand out most in my mind are Andy Karl as Callahan or Emmett, both are FABULOUS, though I think his Callahan is my favorite, and Becky Gulsvig as Elle. She was fantastic, brought new life to the role, and has an incredible voice.

[b0b3rt831]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 3:15pm

I saw Tracy as Amber first as well and have hated Ambers since then... Our got to meet her afterwards and she was a real sweetheart! Jenn Gambatese had just become Penny and Shoshana was on for Tracy that day, it was awesome!

[b0b3rt831]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 3:16pm

I'd like to see Michael's understudy... I think he has a very good voice, but after seeing the show last weekend I decided that Michael is a very boring performer. He just stood there and delivered lines... I guess when you have a Tony you can do that! :-P

[zepka102]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 4:40pm

b0b3rt831, I saw his understudy too... he's just as good as Michael.

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 4:54pm

Kelly2- thanks for the Jason report!

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 5:05pm

Yes, I would agree with Kelly. My favorite understudies so far would be Becky as Elle and Andy as Callahan, with Andy as Emmett a close third. Becky was phenomenal as Elle.

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 6:53pm

random: so Kritzer's name is still on the cast list in front of the Palace...isn't there some sort of rule that covers when/how quickly they have to change that when someone leaves? Maybe there isn't, and I'm just totally making that up, but I just thought it was weird that over two weeks after she's left the show her name is still up there.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 7:03pm

Andy Karl as Callahan was the most inspired performance by an understudy yet. Just my 3 cents.

[yankees1253]

Posted: 8/27/07 at 9:40pm

all i can say nobody cant be like brooke wyndam like nikki snelson....shes hard to beat

[TheBlonde]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 2:41am

Andy Karl as Callahan was the most inspired performance by an understudy yet. Just my 3 cents.

Agreed, 100%. And his Emmett is a very close second.

[fishergirl819]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 11:29am

I'm going to just chime in and echo ruprecht and TheBlonde. Andy Karl as Callahan = brilliant. Followed very closely by his Ememtt...

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 12:19pm

I agree with Ruprecht (did that just happen? :-P)...and everyone else. Seriously, it was SO good.

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 2:03pm

Y'all are making me very excited to check out Andy's Emmett, which I will hopefully be doing this weekend...but yeah, to second or fourth or whatnot what's already been said, Andy's Callahan seriously is just that awesome.

[ruprecht]

Posted: 8/28/07 at 7:05pm

It takes Andy Karl to bring us all together. He's not only a completely amazing actor but a beacon of peace :)

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 10/12/07 at 6:43pm

I saw it laborday weekend and Andy was Emmit. Though I love christians voic eon the recording Andy was great and I enjoyed the performance very much. But the UPS GUY understudy stole the show.

[carymetorent2]

Posted: 10/13/07 at 12:02am

I am sad that most of this thread is gone And the Andy Karl tattoo thread.

Regardless...Cara COoper is Serena all weekend. She was fabulous in Wedding Singer and I hear she is great as Serena, so if you get a chance, go check it out!

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/13/07 at 12:17am

Hopefully the six weeks worth of missing posts will eventually return here, although in the meantime here is my CliffsNotes list of the discussions/posts/understudy happenings that are missing (no, not from memory- as pulled from my blog :)):

- Becky Gulsvig as Elle with Andy Karl as Emmett
- Annaleigh Ashford as Elle with Noah Weisberg as Emmett *and* Kevin Pariseau as Callahan and Becky Gulsvig as Margot
- Noah Weisberg as Emmett (with the Andy Karl castnoah.com tattoo appearance :))
- Becky Gulsvig as Elle
- Gaelen Gilliland as Enid
- Michelle Kittrell as Pilar

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 6:20pm

bumping...Heard that Becky might be going on as Elle at the matinee today, did she, anyone here see her?


I really enjoyed Cara Cooper's Serena- she has a great voice.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 8:45pm

Becky was on for the matinee (only the matinee, Laura Bell was back at night) and she was fantastic, as she always is. She's a brilliant Elle, and a great actress, it's always a treat to see her on. Cara Cooper as Serena is good as well, though I think I do prefer Tracy Jai overall. She's a lot more dry and sarcastic, closer to Leslie. Though I will say she looks FANTASTIC in the costumes, she's gorgeous.

And it's very sad that all the posts are on. Let me just reiterate that my favorite understudy performance was Andy Karl as Professor Callahan. He was absolutely BRILLIANT. Second place is his Emmett. He's a tremendous actor, and his voice is just gorgeous. Also, it's pretty funny when Elle introduces Paulette (Orfeh) and Emmett (Andy)...when they're....married. Seeing him opposite Becky as Elle was my favorite ever.

And Michelle Kittrell as Pilar is very very good.

Updated On: 10/14/07 at 08:45 PM

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 10/14/07 at 8:51pm

I loved Becky as Elle. Such a... smart performance. She's amazing.

Cara was very good on Saturday, I enjoyed her a lot.

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 5:12pm

I am waiting for the Becky!Elle, Noah!Emmett, Andy!Callahan understudy triple night, and then my life will be complete. Hey, it could happen! :)


I'm going thru Google cache and I just found page 6 of the old thread, so here's some of September, for anyone who might want to take a read...
"Legally Blonde understudies"- Google cache page 6

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/15/07 at 5:18pm

"Legally Blonde understudies"- Google cache page 3 (the old page 3)

[Anakela]

Posted: 10/17/07 at 11:10am

fyi-

-- 10.17.07: LAST MINUTE NOTICE! Becky Gulsvig will be playing the role of Elle today at LEGALLY BLONDE, both shows.


broadwayunderstudies.com