MOST OVERRATED AND UNDERRATED BROADWAY STARS — Page 5

Overrated
Idina Menzel- yes, the fangirls are irritating but I didn't like her even before Wicked. I just don't like her voice- I don't find it aesthetically pleasing. It's sujective but it's my opinion. It doesn't sound healthy to me and I think her belting can often sound as if she's yelling

Patti LuPone- Another performer who's tone I dislike. I'm aware that she's originated a lot of great roles and I give her credit for that, but I feel like she's more about being the center of attention than serving the character best

Mandy Patinkin- I often feel like he's going through the motions with little/no emotional connection or resonance. I also don't like his nasal sound

Linda Eder- It's not that I dislike her voice per se, but she seems to be a one trick pony- she always does the same things

Christine Andreas- I've never liked her (even back in her Scarlet Pimpernal days) but I'm a bit bitter at the moment because of her taking on the role of Margaret in Piazza. From Vicki to this...

Sutton Forster- It almost breaks my heart to but her on here because she's got as great voice and I like listening to her. She also has a great stage presence. But there's nothing behind that: no feeling or connection to a character.

Underrated

Kristin Chenoweth- A year ago I'd have said she was overrated based on Wicked. The I saw her in Candide and bought her album. The woman is incredable and it's sad that her versitility isn't acknowledged. Yes, she does the perky Glinda thing, but she can also do a gorgeous colortura

Celia Keenan Bolger- Yes she has her fans, and she deserves to be more well known. She's a great actress on a dramatic level (she gave Spelling Bee an emotional core) and her voice is extremely versitile. She pulls off belty stuff like Eponine in Les Mis as well as soprano roles like Johanna in Sweeney Todd and Clara in The Light in the Piazza

Kelli O'Hara- Yes, she's getting some long deserved recognition but she needs a Tony already! I really think she's one of the most exciting talents to come along in years. For a long time she was trapped in flops and bad shows (Dracula, The Sweet Smell of Success) but with Piazza she finally gained some of the attention she deserves and then she showed a whole nother side of her talent in The Pajama Game- she deserves to be a household name

Aaron Lazar- Another actor who deserves all the sucess that is finally coming his way and more. I hope he's consider for some of the great roles in the future

Laura Benanti- She's gotten a bad reputation for missing shows due to health problems, but she deserves great roles worthy of her talent in the future

David Burnham- Another person I'd like to hear more of

Christine Andraes didn't "take the role from Vicky". If Vicky had wanted to tour with the show I'm sure they would have let her. I happen to think Andreas is extremely underrated. She has an incredible, powerful and warm voice, great intrepretive skills and is a very good actress. I thought she was quite good and very different in the roll in Piazza.

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Well, lostgirl, you are certainly entitled to your opinion but I think it once again illustrates what's wrong with this thread. You don't like her--is that the same as her being overrated. Since I haven't seen a whole lot of adulatory articles about her, the reviews, while good, didn't overpraise her, I think you're confusing "I don't like her" with her being overrated.

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Danielm-I have seen several reviews of Piazza that praised Christine Andreas' performance. I disagree with those reviewers and therefore consider the performance overrated. I also disagree with the positive reviews that she recieved for The Scarlet Pimpernal- She's gotten a lot of positive recognition in her career and I feel that at least some of it is unwarrented

we do have a problem with this overrated/underrated thing - people say that you can't judge a legend, that's its all about their influence etc. but also people complain there are too many contemporary artists. so we can't win on that count, can we?
i think the best way really is to say who, in your own humble humble opinion, doesn't live up to the hype that they seem to get, and who hasn't been recognised for their fab talent.
i have a problem in that I'm in the Uk, so i'm gonna have to go off recordings, but those who have disappointed, or those who couldn't possibly live up to their god-like status (IMHO):

patti lupone
barbara streisand
idina menzel (the only one i've actually seen on stage so far, and although she was damn fine, like others have said - she is not invincible!)
from a UK pov (sorry) Paul Nicholas (get the man off the stage) Elaine Paige, Michael Crawford


as for underrated, i suppose the people who i feel should be more famous are:
shoshana bean
michael berresse
and, off topic but i don't care, alan tudyk - i love him. ooh, and bradley whitford.

"I mean, what's with all the wicked bashing? I'm not really trying to defend it, but it is your username... "

I've explained my screen name quite a few times. I'm not doing it again. I'm not doing any Wicked bashing here.


First you said this:
"first of all- Noone here has the right to claim any one person overrated or underrated-it's sheer opinion."

Then this:
"Elphaba3-AMY SPANGER OVERRATED?! WHAAAT? please explain."

You just contradicted yourself in the same post.




yah
so
uhm
how am i to know what your usernam means
i hardly read these threads
and i said you were doing wicked bashing because you were saying that she was incapable of making othese decisions because all of the preformers were in wwicked.
misconception? whatever

then
i did not contradict myself
i asked how she is overrated
i didnt say she is over or underrated
i didnt say that they should have made that judgement
i just asked them to defend it
kthnx

oh and i like your icon =]

Overrated: Idina Menzel

...aaaaand thats about all I got.

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As for Marin Mazzie, her voice is absolutely painful to me. Hell I could sing better than her and my singing voice is crap. As for Amy Spanger, I just don't think she's as amazing as everyone makes her out to be. I thought of some more underrated people:

Tammy Blanchard, Laura Bell Bundy, Kerry Butler, Erin Dilly, Jenna Leigh Green, Lorna Luft, Marni Nixon, Kate Reinders, Angie Schworer, Carole Shelley

Good choices with the exception of Chita Rivera. She is a Broadway legend...and she's flawless. You forget one person that is underrated- Ann Reinking. Always has been, until the Chicago revival.

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Underrated: Sherie Rene Scott, Lisa Howard, and Erin Davie - everytime I see any of the performances I am blown away!

I hate to say someone is overrated, and doesn't give the performance you expect. Unlike many people on here everytime I went to see Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, or SWIWS), I was blown away and the fact that 2/3 shows she has done have been "cult" shows that attract incredibly young fanbases should not be held against her. Which I believe is the case on these boards - she has had incredible success being attached to 2 of the biggest shows broadway has ever seen. And if you saw her performance in SWIWS, you understand what I mean - she is a fierce talent (Sorry, I love saying fierce ever since I saw Title Of Show). Just an opinion.

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I hate to say someone is overrated, and doesn't give the performance you expect. Unlike many people on here everytime I went to see Idina Menzel (Wicked, Rent, or SWIWS), I was blown away and the fact that 2/3 shows she has done have been "cult" shows that attract incredibly young fanbases should not be held against her. Which I believe is the case on these boards - she has had incredible success being attached to 2 of the biggest shows broadway has ever seen. And if you saw her performance in SWIWS, you understand what I mean - she is a fierce talent (Sorry, I love saying fierce ever since I saw Title Of Show). Just an opinion.

thank you

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Kristin Chenoweth and Amy Spanger are both underrated. No one could ever give them the amount of credit for their talents that they deserve!