Perfect Original Casts- Page 2

Posted: 11/24/08 at 12:33pm

Company and A Chorus Line

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 12:45pm

I believe NINE has one of the most perfect original casts of a Broadway show, starting with the brilliant Raul Julia, and well, the women are just out of the world and each of them fit their roles to a point that maybe no one will be able to: Anita Morris, Liliane Montevecci, Kathi Moss, Karen Akers, Shelly Burch, Taine Elg, Camille Saviola, Stephanie Cotsirilos...pure brilliance, all of them!

Others in my list:
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (I mean Tonya Pinkins, Anika Noni Rose, Chandra Wilson, Veanne Cox, and that's not even all of them)
GRAND HOTEL (Jane Krakowski, David Carroll, Michael Jeter, Liliane Montevecchi, Kathi Moss)
FOLLIES (Almost too perfect for its own good)
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE
PASSION
CHICAGO
A CHORUS LINE
SWEET CHARITY
SONG & DANCE

Updated On: 11/24/08 at 12:45 PM

[practically_perfect]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:09pm

Definitely RENT and Piazza

[thejoeyOshow]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:15pm

Im suprised no one has mentioned Hairspray. I personally think it was all BRILLANTLY selected.

[mywonderwa11]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:23pm

I totally disagree with The Light In the Piazza...Matthew Morrison is a horrible actor. If you replace Matthew Morrison with Aaron Lazar THEN you'd have the perfect opening night cast.

I totally agree with Caroline, Or Change though!

The revival of A Chorus Line could've been a perfect cast if you removed Charlotte D.

And while I enjoyed The Drowsy Chaperone I didn't LOVE it, but it was a pretty great opening night cast.

The original cast of Parade was pretty near to perfect along with the original cast of Promises, Promises.

[sparrman]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:44pm

"The men's room attendant was more appropriate for that role than de Guzman was."

Well, I didn't think she was THAT bad, hence my "sort of". But she was noticeably out of her league amongst Lane, Prince, and Gallagher.

[Mamie]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:53pm

Sorry madbrian, but while I loved Jonathan too, I thought John was just perfect. That voice and accent he put on while talking to his various 'victims' had me on the floor laughing!


I also want to add the Broadway cast of Billy Elliot. There isn't a weak or out of place performance in the bunch. FABULOUS!

Updated On: 11/24/08 at 01:53 PM

[devonian.t]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 1:57pm

The original Rent cast were so tied to the creation of the show, they must be considered ideal fits. Likewise, of course, A Chorus Line.

Apart from that, the first UK Les Miserables cast was pretty awesome.

[madbrian]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 2:03pm

I will also respectfully disagree with Hairspray, which I loved. However, Shannon Durig was a better Tracy than MJW.

Also have to agree with the comment that Lazar was better than Morrison.

[Madcap Maisie]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 2:04pm

RENT
Hello Dolly

Im gonna throw in wicked too, just cause no one has surpassed the OBC so far

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 2:05pm

Um, HELLO!!!! Is anyone out there???

The correct answer to the question is the original "South Pacific," still the only show to win all four performing Tony Awards.

And a close second would be "Grand Hotel," IMHO.

As for Josie de Guzman, her presence or absence in "Nick and Nora" made not one hill of beans of difference. She was a sacrificial lamb. And in "Guys and Dolls," remember that Sarah is supposed to be pretty but repressed, making her unfolding with Sky so remarkable. It's hard to be realistically boring without actually being boring. I thought she was fine.

Didn't see her Maria.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 2:07pm

[title of show]
:)

~Steven

[blondebaby589]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 2:10pm

Ragtime
Kiss of the Spiderwoman
A Chorus Line
State Fair

[dg22894]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 5:30pm

Rent
Spring Awakening
Producers
Hairspray

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 5:40pm

i really loved the cast of the comapny '06 revival (i think it was '06 whatever the newest cast). they were brilliant in each role especially amy and bobby.

i would have said legally blonde but i can't see how the original serena and pilar fit into each role. They looked a lot older than college sorority girls

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 5:57pm

Ray, While I agree with Grand Hotel, Chip Zien was not a member of the OBC. He was a replacement for Otto. But I agree the cast is perfect.

Other perfect OBC
Sweeney Todd
Parade
Ragtime

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 6:09pm

Rent
Spring Awakening
Sweeney Todd (EVERY broadway production)
Chicago OBRC

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 6:48pm

Grey Gardens
Sweeney Todd Revival
Spelling Bee

Posted: 11/24/08 at 6:48pm

I can't believe someone said the '95 Company... Great talented cast but much of it miscast--though some of that blame is on the milquetoast direction I think.

The OBC of Company--I've hear dall the probs of Dean Jones, and then I know many didn't think larry Kert was quite perfect as a replacement--but all the supporting roles were dead on for sure.
Updated On: 11/24/08 at 06:48 PM

[Hank]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 7:04pm

Thoroughly Modern Millie!
Sutton Foster, Gavin Creel!
Also Anne L Nathan, Marc Kudich, and just about the best ensemble I've ever seen!
A silly show, yes, but I loved it. And the cast made it special.

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 7:09pm

Les Miserables
[title of show]
The New Brain
W;t
Company
Sweeney Todd
A Chorus Line
Cabaret
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Xanadu
Spelling Bee
Grey Gardens
Chicago 95 Rev

[jv92]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 7:21pm

She Loves Me
Follies
A Chorus Line
Grey Gardens

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 7:22pm

TheatreBoy49, you are right about Chip Zien and GRAND HOTEL, oops. I fixed that, thanks for noting.

I can't believe someone mentioned the '95 COMPANY either. I mean, beginning with Debra Monk's extremely miscast Joanne to LaChanze's dull "Another Hundred People," this was far from a perfect original cast.

Posted: 11/24/08 at 7:32pm

Yep, and I love LaChanze (why was she directed to sing that song with a huge grin plastered on her face??)

I think "Perfect" casts for me are ones that I don't think have ever been topped. That's why I might not put, as good as they were, Ragtime's cast here--I saw the Vancouver/LA cast (with LaChanze! lol) and thought in most ways they were as strong as the first cast. That can't be said, for example, about any production of Follies except the original though.

[philly03]

Posted: 11/24/08 at 8:57pm

Although sometimes disputed, I'm still with Jekyll & HYDE's opening Broadway cast as one of the best out there. Linda Eder, Robert Cucioli & Christiane Noll; not to mention the slew of other great talented ensemble and featured members of the cast.

Recently: A Tale of Two Cities. One of the best casts/people I shall ever to see on a stage.