MOST OVERRATED AND UNDERRATED BROADWAY STARS

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:47pm

who in your opinion are the most overrated and underrated broadway stars?

OVERrated:
idina menzel, chita rivera, stephanie j block, ana gasteyer, victoria matlock, sutton foster, kristen chenoweth, celia keenan bloger, adam lazaar, bob martin, charlotte d'amboisse(sp?)

UNDERrated:
shoshana bean( that girl can sing!), eden espinosa( same as sho), brandy masey(SP?), megan hilty, adam jacobs, beth leavel

what do you guys think?!?

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:48pm

I noticed over half of the people you listed have been in Wicked.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:49pm

and your point beingg....

[blueflame]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:50pm

Chita Rivera cannot be overrated. How old are you? 16?

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:52pm

"How old are you? 16?"

I was thinking way younger. You certainly haven't seen or heard many performers if all you listed was almost Wicked people. Chita Rivera is NOT overrated. She has been performing since the original WSS. She would not have lasted this long if she was "overrated."

Updated On: 12/26/06 at 02:52 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:53pm

Chita? OVERrated? I cannot believe that. She is one of the most talented women to ever do Broadway. Get the video of her doing "Fastrada" or just watch one of her performances on "Broadway's Lost Treasures." I know that they at least have her in "Spider Woman." She owns a stage. I saw her last February. Could not, literally, COULD NOT take my eyes off of her.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:55pm

What they said.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:56pm

As my music director once put it, "You don't ever come between a theatre boy and his Chita."

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:57pm

Kristin Chenoweth is not overrated in my opinion. Many people just think she is because of Wicked. She has near perfect pitch and is one of the most gifted comedians on Broadway(trying to say say it like they say for female comedian's).

Updated On: 12/26/06 at 02:57 PM

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:57pm

Those are great words of wisdom!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:58pm

Ditto what Rath said.

[blueflame]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 2:59pm

Maybe because you are so young, you cannot know what Chita Rivera has meant to stage performers as an artist and as a human being. She is among the most gracious and inspiring professionals ever to step onstage. She has set the standard with the scope of her artistry and her professionalism. Hers is the career against which all future generations of dancers will be judged.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:00pm

She really is one of the most gracious people. My friends and I (see my little picture) were all screaming theatre geeks and she was so sweet to us and really talked with us, not just laugh, sign, smile, and move on.

[madbrian]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:00pm

I expect a lot of grief on this, but what the heck...

Overrated: Nathan Lane, Patti Lupone

Underrated: Roger Bart, Brian D'Arcy James, Rachel York

[blueflame]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:02pm

Nathan Lane has pissed away his talent.

[Julian2]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:02pm

I don't see how some of the people on your overrated list can be so. (Chita?!?) Quite a few of those people haven't even been in but one or two shows (Ana, Bob Martin), so I don't see how they can be overrated already.

But back on the topic, I think Rachel York is underrated.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:03pm

Blueflame...it's not so much youth as it is ignorance...I am 16, and try my best to understand theatrical history and its important performers/creatives...

Chita's career, from what I've learned, was unique...she has been involved in building the triple threat from its roots...in no way does she deserve to be called overrated! She has set standards for the triple threat, if not defining it.

Updated On: 12/26/06 at 03:03 PM

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:03pm

I agree with the Rachel York comments. I love that voice and she was hilarious in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels."

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:03pm

Ms. York is very underrated.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:05pm

York is an amazing talent, sorely underused and unrecognized in NYC.

[Danielm]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:05pm

What a sad, petty, thing this is. Chita and Kristin need no defense, their exemplary work stands up for itself. You don't have to build up your Wicked replacements by tearing down other talents.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:06pm

sorry for my ignorance on the whole chita topic; i just heard her sing a few songs and they didn't seem that appealing to me.

another overrated: patti luppone

[actor]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:07pm

Overrated: Shoshana Bean - Wicked, Patti Lupone - Les Mis

Underrated: Kerry Ellis - Les Mis/Wicked, Carolee Carmello - Mamma Mia Updated On: 12/26/06 at 03:07 PM

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:09pm

kristen isn't. Idina is. Chita isn't overated, she is a theatre goddess

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 12/26/06 at 3:09pm

actor...

there is no way sho is overrated; people on this board make fun of her for her riffs and not enough people can appreciate all of her talent and repetoire.