New In The Heights Cast and Understudy #'s

[SeanInTheSpotlight]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 3:22pm

I was looking on the In The Heights tour website and I noticed that cast had some new replacements; Chris Chatman as Sonny, Lexi Lawson as Vanessa, Joseph Morales as Usnavi (Is this temporay?) . As of right now the tour has 2 understudies for Nina, Vanessa, Carla, and Benny; and only 1 understudy for Usnavi and no one is covering Sonny. There are 4 understudies for Usnavi on Broadway and on 1 on tour...

Thoughts on the new cast and the Understudy #'s...

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 3:34pm

I would add Tour into the thread title somewhere, because you got my hopes up that Marcy was leaving!

[SeanInTheSpotlight]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 4:47pm

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 4:51pm

I would add Tour into the thread title somewhere, because you got my hopes up that Marcy was leaving!

Why would you want Marcy to leave?

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 5:22pm

Because courtney Reed is miles better, and deserves to take on the role full time.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 5:26pm

I agree with you about Courtney Reed. She was wonderful when I saw her last month.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 6:00pm

The website isn't really a reliable source. They don't really update it much, as both productions are missing some company members on the site.

Also, in terms of broadway understudies for ITH, for anyone who has been recently and obtained a playbill, was Alica Taylor Tomasko or something like that a permanent ensemble member and u/s for Vanessa? Or just vacation swing or something?

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:26pm

I haven't seen Courtney in the part. I'll just have to take your word for it. Harrell is good. She has definitely the voice for it I just personally feel she's too old for the role and I don't mean that in a disrespectful way. I don't exactly buy into the idea of Harrell and Bleu as a couple because she looks and comes off more as his older sister.

Corbin is very young to begin with, even younger than Miranda but Harrell was already in place when Bleu took over. They are both good in their roles and ultimately it really isn't that important it's a stage show, not a film so they can essentially get away with it.

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:32pm

Have we seen the same Marcy Harriell? I don't think she has the singing chops at all. She definitely can hit the high notes and they sound good, but her normal singing of the low notes isn't. I personally think they need to find a new Vanessa.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:33pm

Marcy needs to go. Such a boring and lifeless performance.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:34pm

If it's the same Marcy Harriell that was once "Mimi" in RENT, then yes, we have seen the same Marcy Harriell.

She's fine in my book. I have no problem with her singing at all.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:37pm

Marcy needs to go. Such a boring and lifeless performance.

And here come ljay889 with another negative and unproductive 2 cents.

Why don't you make yourself useful run over and protect your precious ALNM?

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:38pm

ljay knows a lot more than you'll ever know.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 7:40pm

I seriously doubt that. Updated On: 8/4/10 at 07:40 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 8:17pm

CarlosAlberto, I've seen both Marcy and Courtney as Vanessa. Although I didn't mind Marcy in the role, Courtney is a better fit (IMO). Great vocals and more age appropriate.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 9:03pm

I saw for the show for my first time recently and I thought Marcy was a fine Vanessa. Granted, she did lack that special something everyone told me about, but she's fine.

EDIT: Also, concerning the original question, the theatres are a little bit sloppy with keeping up to date as well. In my Playbill, there was a Joining The Cast slip for Alicia Taylor Tomasko and she said on her Facebook that she's not with the show (right now.) I don't know if she's coming back. There was also a slip for Michael Fielder, but he's currently with the tour. Updated On: 8/4/10 at 09:03 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 9:07pm

CarlosAlberto aka Marquise is another nasty middle aged gay man on here. He's just like the rest of them.
Many people dislike Marcy's performance here. I think she's a talented woman, but her Vanessa is really not up to par.
Updated On: 8/4/10 at 09:07 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 10:40pm

I'm a nasty middle-aged gay man?

Correction: I'm a HOT middle-aged man...get it right.

You know what? I'm going to take the high road on this one and no stoop down to your level.

And who exactly are "the rest of them"? The people who actually like Marcy Harriel or the people who dare criticize any aspect of the current revival of "A Little Night Music" you have appointed yourself to defend?

Never mind, either way I don't give a sh!t.

Updated On: 8/4/10 at 10:40 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 10:44pm

I also found Marcy Harriell to be a complete and utter disaster in this role. Her singing was bland and her acting made no impact.

And for what its worth, I had never seen her perform before, so I had bias either way going in. I also don't love or hate In the Heights- I find it to have an excellent score and an awful book/ story.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 10:54pm

I have to agree with ljay, Adam Greer and company...when I saw Marcy as Vanessa she was nothing other than bland. It was my first time seeing In The Heights and her interpretation made me feel as though Vanessa was an insignificant character rather than a featured role in the show. Her performances lacks dimension and "that special something".

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 10:59pm

People have a right to their opinions. It's all good. I don't have a problem with her performance but when those of you come on here and make idiotic proclamations like "Marcy Harriel has to go" as if YOUR opinion is the only valid one so YOU must be right then I have a problem with that. She's still there so y'all need to just get over it until she decides to leave and someone else takes it over.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 11:05pm

Harrell is good. She has definitely the voice for it

Funny, Marquise! Just a month ago you wrote how you didn't like Marcy as Vanessa.

I like Marcy Harriell just not as "Vanessa" in IN THE HEIGHTS. I personally think she's a little long in the tooth for that role and she comes off as older opposite Corbin Bleu, which doesn't work in her favor. She just doesn't have that *it* factor that Karen Olivo has.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1018870#4042367

Hilarious. At least we both love Karen Olivo. Although I believe you were one of the ones who gave me crap for endlessly defending her during WSS.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/4/10 at 11:12pm

And since I wrote that I saw the show 3 additional times and she's grown on me. Is that so unusual? Have you ever seen a performance, didn't like it the first time and then re-thought it when you got a second or even third chance to see it and re-evaluate it? No, she still doesn't have the "it" factor like Karen did and I'm not saying Marcy is the best damned Vanessa on the planet either.

As far as Karen in WSS goes, I didn't care for her dancing in it. I loved her in ITH but not so much in WSS, although her acting is good her dancing in it left a lot to be desired. I'm a big WSS fan and I resented the fact that they had to "dumb down" Robbins' original choreography because she couldn't necessarily handle it but I don't hate the woman.



Updated On: 8/4/10 at 11:12 PM

[Radioactiveduck]

Posted: 8/5/10 at 6:24am

To the OP

Lexi was good. Having not seen the show before, I have no one to compare her to. She didn't blow me away though.

Chris is excellent, but...like I said...I can't compare him to anyone.