Original stars who could never be topped

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:13pm

What actors in which roles do you think could never be replaced by anyone after they have left the show in the original run (Im going with original Broadway run. I realize some have been performed in the west end before )

For me its

Alice ripley in next two normal
Barbra is funny girl
Idina and Kristin in wicked
Colm Wilkinson in les mis
Patti lupone in evita

I want to say micheal Crawford and Sarah brightman even though its more for nostalgia.

Updated On: 3/30/19 at 11:13 PM

[musicals1989]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:18pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "
Alice ripley in next two normal
Barbra is funny girl
Idina and Kristin in wicked
Colm Wilkinson in les mis
Patti lupone in evita"

 

what.....

 

Marin replaced Alice and was STUNNING. 

There have been MANY replacements in Wicked that were BETTER than Idina and Kristin. 

this thread is a joke. 

 

[Clyde15]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:20pm

I would also say Idina Menzel in If/Then. That was her show and they were right to close up shop when her contract was done. I doubt we will ever see regional productions because I can’t imagine anyone ever playing that part (and it’s a mediocre show)

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:22pm

never saw him live but based on video Stanley Holloway as Doolitle in MFL. I've seen several Doolitles since and not one has come close to the humor and joie de vivre that Holloway exuded.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:24pm

I don't really get the question... all were replaced, and there have since been countless successful productions around the world. (Though Funny Girl is the show most associated with its original star.)

There have been some literal "can't replace them so we're closing" situations: The Evita revival was courting people like Lea Michele and Antonio Banderas before it shuttered after 9 months. Nobody wanted to replace Douglas Hodge in La Cage, so they begged Harvey Fierstein to do it (and then it closed). And no actor in their right mind would replace Bryan Cranston in Network or Glenda Jackson in Lear.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:55pm

poisonivy2 said: "never saw him live but based on video Stanley Holloway as Doolitle in MFL. I've seen several Doolitles since and not one has come close to thehumorand joie de vivre that Holloway exuded."

 

George Rose did , in fact, he did it better.

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/28/19 at 11:59pm

musicals1989 said: "Theatrefanboy1 said: "
Alice ripley in next two normal
Barbra is funny girl
Idina and Kristin in wicked
Colm Wilkinson in les mis
Patti lupone in evita"



what.....



Marin replaced Alice and was STUNNING.

There have been MANY replacements in Wicked that were BETTER than Idina and Kristin.

this thread is a joke.

"

Indeed. Mimi Hines starred in FUNNY GIRL on Broadway after Streisand left and ran the show for another 18 months or more. Hell, I've seen at least two HIGH SCHOOL productions where the Fannie Brices knocked it out of the park, acting the title role with more spontaneity.

And as good as Miss LuPone was, I found the show as a whole worked better with Marti Webb, the London matinee Eva, whom I saw two months later when I couldn't get tix to see Elaine Paige.

I think the most we can say is certain actors SEEM irreplaceable at the time we see them. I have trouble imagining anyone other than B.D. Wong as Song in M. BUTTERFLY, but that may well be only because I haven't seen anybody else play the role. Or I have to admit I have trouble seeing anyone but Michael Rupert play Marvin in FALSETTOS (or either of the latter Marvin plays), but though I have seen other competent Marvins, including Christian Borle on PBS, none has played the role nearly as fiercely.

 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 12:07am

Imagine a world with Idina and Kristin are still starring in Wicked LOL

This definitely takes the cake for dumbest thread on BWW.

Or maybe this person is like nine years old and we are just getting old.

[Lauren2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 12:09am

I would say Anthony Boyle in Cursed Child. I know others have come in and taken over the role and people like it but Anthony’s performance was phenomenal and no one will play it like he did.

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:43am

n2nbaby said: "This definitely takes the cake for dumbest thread on BWW."

...and yet 9 posts in less than an hour's time. Not too bad a response. 

Although... I would say that replacing Micheal Crawford and Sarah Brightman made the score much more enjoyable.

I think Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock comes close to being truly irreplaceable. And on a technicality (and just for grins), I'd say Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking was absolutely irreplaceable, as was Elaine Stritch in ...At Liberty.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:47am

John Mulaney and nick kroll in oh, hello

[devonian.t]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 2:50am

Stew seemed integral to PASSING STRANGE.

Nobody tried to replace Hugh Jackman in THE BOY FROM OZ

 

[BalconyClub]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 7:18am

Lillias White in THE LIFE.

Updated On: 3/29/19 at 07:18 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 9:29am

Nobody tried to replace Hugh Jackman in THE BOY FROM OZ.

At the time, there was heavy buzz about Ricky Martin replacing Hugh Jackman so it wasn’t like nobody tried.  The producers just chose to close the show with its original Broadway cast.   

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 9:37am

The sun.

[John Adams]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 9:40am

haterobics said: "The sun."

...and we have A WINNER!

[Lot666]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 10:09am

Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen. I've subsequently seen the show with four other actors and none could replicate the effect of Mr. Platt on that stage.

There was a time when I couldn't imagine anyone exceeding Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in Phantom of the Opera, but then I experienced the talents of Ben Crawford and Sierra Boggess.

[JennH]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 10:58am

John Adams said: "haterobics said: "The sun."

...and we have A WINNER!"

I'm quite literally trying to keep from cackling super loudly as my roomie is still asleep, OMG I"M DEAD!!! 

[Rainah]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 12:51pm

I've yet to see a trio of scuyler sisters who had the same mezzo/soprano/alto mix as the original three. Not necessarily any of them in particular who are irreplaceable (I loved Carleigh as Eliza, Elizabeth Judd as Angelica, and Alysha as Peggy/Maria) but I have yet to see a trio of voices work as well. Each voice was so different and it lended a really cool blend when they harmonized.

Another recently one but Anatole in GC. To sing that absurdly high, and project that level of charisma, and play the violin on top of that (his understudies did not play the violin for sure). How they would replace him was definately a topic of discussion at the time.

And Patrick Page will be quite the act to follow :)

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:15pm

Ethan Slater in SpongeBob. I don't think anyone will ever completely embody that character the way he did. 

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:37pm

I don't know if anyone could truly match Katrina Lenk in THE BAND'S VISIT.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 1:53pm

It would've been hard to replace Bruce Springsteen.

But all kidding aside, unless the person is playing themselves (e.g. Elaine Stritch in At Liberty), EVERY star is "replaceable".

 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 2:05pm

I think the problem is with the title...how about we change it to 'never be topped'.

In my mind, none of the following can be topped (and I have seen many people in most of the roles):

-- Nathan Lane in The Producers

-- Barbara Harris in The Apple Tree

-- Lotte Lenya in Cabaret

-- Angela Lansbury and Beatrice Arthur in Mame

-- Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz

-- Zoe Caldwell in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

-- Colleen Dewhurst in A Moon for the Misbegotten

-- Jim Dale in Scapino

 

This is an interesting topic, actually, because 25 years ago, I would have said Joel Grey in Cabaret; I don't know that Alan Cumming ' topped him', but it's a pretty moot discussion...both gave legendary performances.   Nevertheless, I can't imagine that anyone will ever be able to top the performances above.  

 

[Kitsune]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 2:12pm

Maybe not *impossible* to replace, but it certainly would be difficult to replace the original cast of Ghost Quartet (Dave Malloy, Brent Arnold, Gelsey Bell, and Brittain Ashford). Not only do they have to sing and act, but depending on the role they have to be able to play the harp, cello, and a variety of other instruments!

That being said, I love Ghost Quartet and would love to see other productions of it. It's just that the production requires a unique skill set!

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 3/29/19 at 2:20pm

Patrick page is hadestown(or anything he’s in) is another. Are there even anymore bass’ left on broadway besides him? His voice is like a character on its own.