Liza Minnelli originally supposed to be Roxie in the Chicago City Center Concert?

[moym471]

Posted: 2/19/12 at 9:04pm

Out of retirement

In a way, Reinking herself was trapped into performing in "Chicago." When Walter Bobbie, the revival's director, approached her about playing Roxie, she was semi-retired and focusing on choreography -- a task she had delightedly assumed on "Chicago."

"I didn't want to do it," she says without hesitation. "Now I'm glad I did, but I was not performing any more. There was no choice. The person who was supposed to do it couldn't do it. It was at the last minute. I said, 'Look, if you can't find somebody, I don't want to leave you in the lurch, but you have to know that if I do it, I haven't sung for 4 1/2 years. I haven't danced for 4 1/2 . I'm a little overweight. Anything could happen. I could get injured.' " (The actress who withdrew was reportedly Liza Minnelli.)
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-04-13/news/1997103199_1_bob-fosse-ann-reinking-clump/2

Can anybody else imagine what would have happened if Liza played Roxie instead of Ann? It would have been one hell of a different production..

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/19/12 at 10:59pm

Loretta Swit

[moym471]

Posted: 2/19/12 at 11:30pm

^What is actresses who are no longer relevant.
Did I win?

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 12:32am

I was very good friends with one of the original ensemble members of this revival and he told me that Vanessa Williams was originally supposed to play Roxie at City Center and was in talks at one point to replace Ann when she left the Broadway company. I don't know why that never worked out, I think she could've been wonderful. Much as I loved Marilu Henner I do think Williams would've been better.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 1:09am

^ Hmmm. To me, everything about Vanessa Williams SCREAMS Velma.

[brettarnett]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 1:25am

That's interesting since Liza was a replacement Roxie in the original production. Wait didn't Reinking play Roxie in the original production too?

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 1:29am

^ Yes, she replaced Verdon.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 3:57pm

Liza Minnelli was NEVER a replacement Roxie Hart in the original Broadway production of CHICAGO. She filled-in for Gwen Verdon when she left the show for a few weeks to have throat surgery.

Ann Reinking replaced Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart and played the role until the show closed on Broadway in August 1977. Lenora Nemetz played Velma Kelly opposite her Roxie Hart.

[best12bars]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 4:44pm

Can anybody else imagine what would have happened if Liza played Roxie instead of Ann? It would have been one hell of a different production.

Yeah, it's too bad it was such a flop and didn't win any awards.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 5:46pm

Liza most definitely would have been a replacement, in the same way Stephanie J. Block was a replacement for Sutton Foster. She did not originate the role, therefore she is a replacement, no matter how temporary.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 5:51pm

Liza most definitely would have been a replacement, in the same way Stephanie J. Block was a replacement for Sutton Foster. She did not originate the role, therefore she is a replacement, no matter how temporary.

No, they were just filling in for their short absence. A replacement is the performer that takes over for good when the performer with the role leaves the production.

Block did not replace Foster, she just helped fill in the role for a few performances until she came back.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 5:57pm

If that were the case, then Taye Diggs would have been a fill-in for Norbert Leo Butz, Susan Lucci for Bernadette Peters, and numerous others who covered vacations/illness. The fact of the matter is, if you go to IBDB, PlaybillVault, Ovrtur or any other theatre database they are going to be listed as a replacement not a fill-in.

I'd also be willing to bet their contracts state the same thing.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 6:05pm

But they were fill-ins, regardless how the information is archived.

The truth is that pincipal's contract was not over, they were just on a leave of absence. Someone came to cover for them for that period of time, but not to take over the role permanently.

If I take a month-long leave of absence at work, someone covers for me - they don't replace me. They don't terminate my contract, then make a new one once I'm back.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 6:12pm

And Minnelli expressly demanded that for the weeks she stepped into the show there be no special publicity or even a new playbill issued. At least in her mind she was only helping out her friends who were in a bind soon after opening- not replacing Gwen.

[moym471]

Posted: 2/20/12 at 7:04pm

Yeah, it's too bad it was such a flop and didn't win any awards.

Sarcasm aside, I don't think the revival would be as successful if Liza originated Roxie.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 2/21/12 at 8:40am

i actually saw LIZA perform in CHICAGO during the time Gwen Verdon was out for those 6 weeks or so, back in 1976...i had bought tickets in advance and had no idea that i would end up see LIZA as Roxie when i bought those tix...and it turned out to be one of the most thrilling nights in a broadway theatre for me...LIZA and CHTIA together...i was in gay musical heaven...and many years later while working as a Concierge at a hotel LIZA was staying in, i got the chance to tell her i actually saw her perform Roxie...Liza was quite charmed that i told her i saw her perfomance...she then gave me the biggest smile and thank me sweetly for telling her...

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/23/12 at 7:36pm

Roundabout Theatre Company announced tonight that Stephanie J. Block will return as “Reno Sweeney” to the 2011 Tony® Award winning musical comedy Anything Goes on March 15, 2012, replacing Sutton Foster in the iconic role.

Sutton Foster will depart March 11th to begin filming ABC Family’s new drama series “Bunheads.” (She was previously announced to perform through April 29th.) Tony® and Academy® Award winner Joel Grey will continue to perform the role of “Moonface Martin” through April 29th. Tickets are on-sale through Sunday, September 9th, 2012. Block recently covered the role of Reno for three weeks in November of 2011

Good example. Replacing / covering.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/24/12 at 8:39am

Blaxx, please just chill out.