"Originating" a Broadway Role — Page 2

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#26

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 1:42pm

And on the London side of things... didn't Elaine Paige come in during previews on the original CATS and replace Judi Dench who had fallen and broken both her legs?

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#27

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 2:06pm

Colm Wilkinson was the original Phantom, or at least he was the first to sing the songs with ALW and all that. It was his voice that was used to make the original Phantom... and then he had the choice between Jean Valjean or Phantom and he went with Les Mis (forget why).

Well, and now he's just the original Jean Valjean (I like him there better anyway).

But yea, he was the origin of the role, but wasn't the first to play it on Broadway obviously. He was the original for the Toronto production though.

#28

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 2:07pm

In terms of Millie, Chenoweth was originally going to play Miss Dorothy,(and may have done a reading), but after Charlie Brown was bumped up to Millie(in the workshop with Bea Arthur as Meers).

I, too, thought that Dunaway was supposed to replace Close in L.A.'s Sunset, but because she was not up to the demands, the show closed.

Everyone talks about Bernadette replacing Buckley in Woods, but I don't think Buckely ever got past talks to do the show. (I once heard a rumore that she did a reading at some point) But Bernadette definitely replaced Foley who was in the California pre-Broadway run.(it was a very different show. It definitely needed a major overhaul)

Brian D'Arcy James did a workshop of DRS, I believe, but I think it was duiring the time that Butz was out of Wicked for back injuries(or maybe it was around the time that he was out of town with Wicked...?)

#29

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 3:29pm

I'd always heard that Faye was set to replace Glenn when Glenn was going to replace Patti in NY.

Kathleen Turner was also offered Norma in LA, but had the good sense to know her limitations...

#30

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 3:36pm

I always thought that Betty was already in rehearsals when she was replaced with Bernie. I'll make a phone call this evening and find out for certain.

"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds." ~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns

#31

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 3:38pm

Barbara Cook was in Carrie in London - but replaced by Betty Buckley on Broadway.

But before that, there was Maureen McGovern.

#32

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 4:08pm

I think the thing that kept La Chanze out of the Toronto RAGTIME was the fact that Audra McDonald won a second Tony Award for MASTER CLASS. Indeed, the role of Sarah was made larger for Audra.

#33

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 4:12pm

Re Sunset Boulevard~~~

Patti did the show in London and was supposed to do it in New York City.
Glenn Close did it in Los Angeles and then that version would come to New York City with Patti LuPone.
Andrew likes Glenn better then Patti and decided to pay off Patti and bring Glenn into the New York Production.
When Glenn was to leave the Los Angeles production ALW decided to bring in Faye Dunnaway.
Faye was horrid and they closed it before she even opened.

(another thing from the show.... Judy Kuhn was replaced by Alice Ripley before the show opened in New York... well she was not asked to come to NY.)

#34

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 4:44pm

Judy Kuhn didn't come to NYC with SUNSET BOULEVARD because she got pregnant. It had nothing to do with her performance. She was far superior to Alice Ripley in the role, actually.

#35

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 5:15pm

Then we have one of the more recent cases: Light in the Piazza (Kelli O'Hara being bumped up to Clara, formerly Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Matt Morrison replacing the original Fabrizio).

#36

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 5:40pm

Thanks for all the "Sunset" recaps! It's all coming back to me now.

I do remember (having seen this show in L.A. prior to it coming to Broadway) that its closing was abrupt and the cast was told they would now be the "Broadway cast." All but Judy Kuhn (who was already scheduled to leave the show when she found out she was pregnant) went to NYC. Judy's understudy in L.A., Alice Ripley, took over the part for NYC. And, YES... I remember that ALW decided to close the L.A. show, rather than having Ms. Dunnaway assume the role!

Such drama... befitting of this show!

The cast recording was made prior to Judy Kuhn's leaving, so she sings the role on the CDs. And Michael, you're right---she was terrific in the part. This was just as Disney's "Pocahontas" was coming out in movie theatres, and Judy was getting a lot of good press at the time for both (as I recall).

Thanks to all who are weighing in!

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 9/23/05 at 05:40 PM

#37

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 6:14pm

My Bad. I totally got the Judy Kuhn thing wrong. MY BAD!

You can all spank me later.

#38

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 6:40pm

Alice actually wasn't Kuhn's understudy. She wasn't in the cast in Los Angeles. She was a virtual unknown in the chorus of TOMMY, and was completely shocked when she got the role. She talks about this in several interviews. The entire experience came at a time when she was about ready to leave the business because nobody would hire her. One of those, "I'll go on one last audition" breakout stories.

#39

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 6:56pm

At the time in L.A. (1994), I remember hearing stories about Judy's understudy taking over her part since she was leaving... but it was nothing more than hearsay from other performers not directly involved...

...and besides, I like your story better!

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#40

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 7:12pm

Judy's understudy in L.A. was Lauren Kennedy...She remained Ripley's understudy in NYC.

#41

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 7:45pm

I'm speculating here... but it would be strange if Lauren Kennedy WAS slated to take over the part in NYC (as I had heard back then through the grapevine, aka. the "Judy's understudy" news)... until an unknown Alice Ripley auditioned back in NY and nabbed the part! Or it could have been just grapevine misinformation, since Alice never was the understudy to begin with. Or maybe I'm prematurely senile.

Who knows? But I love the Alice story of "one last audition" before throwing in the towel. I'm glad the "gods" were smiling on her that day.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#42

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:10pm

I thought LaChanze didn't end up doing Ragtime because she got pregnant. And that's why Audra ended up with it. Originally the music was meant for LaChanze but when she couldn't do it they tweaked the music for Audra's voice. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It's the story I got.

Be the change you want in the world....

#43

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:24pm

Well this is speculation too, but Lauren was very young when was in the ensemble of SUNSET BOULVARD and about twenty five pounds heavier then. She was very voluptious, not really the ideal for Betty Shaeffer. That could have cost her the role on Broadway: the irony is that she slimmed down big time once the show hit NYC.

#44

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:32pm

What was he name of the Original "Millie" in the out of town San Dego engagement?

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

#45

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:34pm

Erin Dilly?

#46

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:40pm

If you guys visit Sondheim's official site there's an interview with Betty Buckley in which she actually says that she was supposed to play the Witch, and that Sondheim wrote many of the Witch's songs-she mentions the Witch's Rap in specific-and I think there was some controversy and Bernadette Peters found out that the role was available and called Sondheim to ask him about it. Then, I think Sondheim decided to give the Witch more songs or adjust some songs for Bernadette Peters' voice. I'm soooooo glad she ended up playing the Witch, I could just watch her performance every day and find something new!
Also,Judi Dench was indeed supposed to play Grizabella in Cats, what a pity , she sooo should've nailed the role. You can all kill me but I don't like Elaine Paige,doesn't have to do with her voice,I just think she is a snobby bitch!

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#47

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:44pm

Yes, as someone mentioned earlier in the thread... Millie was Miss "Truly Scruptious" herself, Erin Dilly. I had forgotten that!

re: LaChanze in Ragtime. I had always heard the role was written for her (same songwriters as "Once On This Island," so it makes sense). I had heard that she dropped out over either the size of the part or the money she was being offered. Both of those reasons don't sound like LaChanze to me... so I'm hoping it was because she was pregnant instead! I had also heard that the role was expanded when Audra came on board, but that could have been part of the natural development of the show. I can only tell you that I had the opportunity to see LaChanze in the role 4 times in Los Angeles. She got better every time I saw her, both in acting and singing. I've only seen clips of Audra and while I love her as a performer, LaChanze seemed better suited for the "earthy" part of Sarah. She was radiant, simple, and tragic in the part. (I know I'm going off subject here!)

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#48

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:48pm

I read somewhere, I think in the booklet of the Ragtime OBCR, that when Audra McDonald stepped in the composers realized they had a relative small part for a two-time Tony Award winning actress so they expanded the role for her.

#49

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:56pm

Also in Wicked: Kirk McDonald was Boq in the San Fran previews, and was replaced my Christopher Fitzgerald on Broadway. Dr Dillamond was also the same case, as was the Wizard.

#50

re: 'Originating' a Broadway Role

Posted: 9/23/05 at 8:56pm

Well, not to be a bitch but....

LaChanze famously almost didn't do the cast recording of COMPANY, because she wanted too much money for it. She held out until the last minute, thinking the producers would give in, but when she discovered that her understudy, Colleen Fitzpatrick was being prepped to sing Marta in her place, La Chanze gave in.

So, the question of her holding out on RAGTIME because she didn't feel she was making enough is VERY possible.

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