Question about Larry Kert and the original Company

Larry Kert was nominated for the Tony, but the album of the OBC has Dean Jones. I am sure this was discussed somewhere in the history of this board, but can someone explain how this happened?



Also, are there other instances of someone getting nominated for a Tony but not being on the recording?

Also, are there other instances of someone getting nominated for a Tony but not being on the recording?"
Judy Kuhn was nominated for a Tony for the 1993 revival of She Loves Me, but Diane Fratantoni sang the role in the cast recording. But this was the opposite case of what happened with Company, since they recorded the album many months into the run and Kuhn had already left.

But Larry Kert remains the only person nominated for a Tony in a role they didn't perform on opening night

The revival of She Loves Me originally opened at the Roundabout/Criterion for a limited engagement. It was so successful that it was decided to move it to a Broadway theatre for an open-ended run. I believe that Judy Kuhn's pregnancy made it impossible for her to continue beyond the original closing date. Members of the nominating committee had seen her performance although she had left before the cast album was recorded.

There is only one other Tony nominee I can think of who did not record his role for the show's Original Cast Recording, David Carroll of Grand Hotel. He left the show shortly into its run because he had AIDS and died just as the album was about to be recorded two years later. The recording delay stemmed from copyright issues as some of the score had been written by Wright and Forrest for an earlier incarnation of the show. A real shame on several levels; Carroll was glorious in the role.

There are two other instances I can think of in which an original cast member is not on the Original Cast recording, but neither of them were Tony nominees: Howard da Sylva on 1776 (I believe he had a heart attack and recuperated during the first month of the show's run), and Christopher Innvar on A New Brain (I believe vocal difficulties forced him to leave the cast and his role was recorded by his replacement, Norm Lewis).

Updated On: 1/21/22 at 07:07 AM

JasonC3 said: "NativeNYer2 said: "Does anyone know why Dean Jones left?"

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=why+did+dean+jon+es+leave+company"

Shortly after opening night, he withdrew from the show, due to stress that he was undergoing from ongoing divorce proceedings.

imeldasturn said: "Also, are there other instances of someone getting nominated for a Tony but not being on the recording?"
Judy Kuhn was nominated for a Tony for the 1993 revival of She Loves Me, but Diane Fratantoni sang the role in the cast recording. But this was the opposite case of what happened with Company, since they recorded the album many months into the run and Kuhn had already left.

But Larry Kert remains the only person nominated for a Tony in a role they didn't perform on opening night"

Exactly. Although the next closest example I could think of is the original ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. While Madeline Kahn was nominated for the Tony Award and recorded the OCR, she left the show 9 weeks after opening alleging “vocal issues”. Judy Kaye, her understudy, ended up being the nominee for the Drama Desk Award that year and not Kahn

iluvtheatertrash said: "JasonC3 said: "NativeNYer2 said: "Does anyone know why Dean Jones left?"

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=why+did+dean+jon+es+leave+company"

Unnecessary. No one made you come to this thread."

I get what you seem to have assumed, but you're off base.

It was 7 a.m. and I had just come off a redeye cross-country flight. I guess I could have typed the same response you get from that Google link ... which is where I went to confirm my recollection of the reason was correct.

I posted a link with an answer to the question being posed. There was no snarky comment attached to doing so.

Updated On: 1/21/22 at 11:29 AM

I am fairly certain that the reason Judy Kuhn didn't continue with SHE LOVES ME in its transfer is because she was already committed to doing SUNSET BOULEVARD in Los Angeles. The reason she didn't go to Broadway with SUNSET is because of her pregnancy.

While these two examples have nothing to do with the Tonys, remember Mary Sue Berry subbing on the CAMELOT recording for an indisposed Marjorie Smith's Nimue and, of course, Stephen Sondheim's "You ain't getting eighty-eight cents from ME, Rose" for an unnotified Erv Harmon on the GYPSY recording (he had no vocals, and was not on Columbia's call sheet for the recording).

Also, it's my blurry memory reminding me that Larry Kert's involvement as stand-by was from the get-go (probably for an eventual tour). A lucky call for everyone involved. It was, no doubt, Hal Prince who made possible Kert's Tony nomination and the subsequent "London Cast" album. Remember, Larry Kert had just wound up his Broadway engagement of CABARET for Prince.

What happens if an understudy for Joaquina Kalukango or Noah Reid (or anyone) performs on Opening Night and/or press performances due to Covid? Is the understudy considered the lead of the show for awards purposes since they technically performed on Opening Night? Is there a policy in place, or will the League have to make clarifications this spring?

(Obviously if the sick person in question is Billy Crystal or Daniel Craig, they just cancel the show; but if the actor isn't selling tickets and they have a half-rehearsed understudy, then the show must go on)

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "What happens if an understudy for Joaquina Kalukango or Noah Reid (or anyone) performs on Opening Night and/or press performances due to Covid? Is the understudy considered the lead of the show for awards purposes since they technically performedonOpening Night? Is there a policy in place, or will the League have to make clarifications this spring?

(Obviously if the sick person in question is Billy Crystal or Daniel Craig, they just cancel the show; but if the actor isn't selling tickets and they have a half-rehearsed understudy, then the show must go on)"

I would assume the nominating committee would either take it upon themselves to state that the actual performer is eligible and not the understudy, or the producers would file a petition and the committee would grant it without hesitating. Of course, if I'm not mistaken, most of the rule language centers around what the billing is on the title page of the Playbill as of opening night, in which case the main performer is still billed there, even if an understudy happens to go on for opening night, so it may not be an issue at all.

Back to the question, though she wasn't nominated for a Tony, Joan Jett does not appear on the recording of the Rocky Horror revival due to contractual issues between her record label at the time and the company (RCA, I think?) that was producing the cast recording.

On The Secret Garden cast recording, there are two actors singing Colin's songs. John Babcock, who opened the show, does all of the "book" tracks, as well as "Round Shouldered Man," but his understudy, Joel E. Chaiken, sings "Come to My Garden/Lift Me Up" with Rebecca Luker. I have heard it was because by the time they recorded it John Babcock's voice was already beginning to change and had either already left the show, or would be leaving it soon, and they felt that it would be better to have Joel sing "Lift Me Up" since that had a higher range than "Round Shouldered Man."

The Other One said: "...Christopher Innvar on A New Brain (I believe vocal difficulties forced him to leave the cast and his role was recorded by his replacement, Norm Lewis)."

Wasn't there something weird with Songs For a New World, too? Something about Billy Porter not being able to do the album.

HeyMrMusic said: "On the Beauty and the Beastcast recording,Barbara Marineau is Madame de la Grande Bouche instead of Eleanor Glockner, who originated the role. I don’t know the story there.
."

BatB in previews was the very first show I saw on Broadway. I remember buying a cast recording and program.
maybe cause the cast recording was recorded between the tryout and Broadway why the different la Grande?