Ragtime Lachanze vs Audra McDonald

[ceeejaye]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 6:43pm

I just found out Lachanze was in Ragtime... did Audra McDonald take on the role after coming to Broadway??? Does anyone know the history of the role.

THanks

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 6:46pm

Audra originated the role (and even won the Tony for it, if I'm not wrong)... La Chanze was a replacement, but to be honest, who can come after Audra McDonald?

[blaxx]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 6:46pm

Audra originated the role (and even won the Tony for it, if I'm not wrong)... La Chanze was a replacement, but to be honest, who can come after Audra McDonald?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 7:06pm

Audra originated the role in Toronto. When the show moved to L.A., prior to Broadway, Lachanze took over, I believe, although I don't remember why, then Audra came back for the move to NY. And yes, Audra won the Tony for best Featured Actress. Lachanze was a replacement in the Broadway production.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 7:29pm

There have been other threads about this already, but here's the fast scoop:

LaChanze originated the role of Sarah in the first workshop and readings of "Ragtime." The role was initially written with her in mind, and she was offered the part first. She refused it... and there are several "rumors" as to why, and I have no idea which (if any) are true. I've heard she turned it down because the part was too small or the money wasn't good enough.

Regardless, she dropped out of the show, and that's when Audra came on board. They were very excited to have her involved and worked to expand the part.

Audra opened the show in Toronto with the cast that moved to Broadway. While the show was in Toronto, the "American Premier" cast opened in Los Angeles... with LaChanze, who had apparently had a change of heart (for whatever reason) as Sarah. She later went on to replace Audra in the Broadway production.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 9:14pm

Keep in mind that You're Daddy's Son wasn't as it is. Actually I remember them saying that Sarah was supposed to be mute the whole show. They then changed it and added Sarah Brown Eyes after the Toronto workshop before the production. I dunno that i'd want to take the role of a mute. Betty Buckley didn't take the witch in Into the Woods because it was much smaller. I think LaChanze had a change of heart once she read the changes.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 10:04pm

I had heard that Heather Headley was supposed to be the original Broadway Sarah, but she took Lion King instead.

And I also heard that Betty Buckley was fired from Into the Woods because she didn't get along with Sondheim, which is why Bernadette was brought in last minute and didn't stay in the show very long.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 10:16pm

Audra can do no wrong.

Even if Sarah was a mute the whole show, she would have still won the Tony.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 10:28pm

I remember reading a direct quote from Buckley about Into the Woods and how her part was so small because Sondheim was taking so long to write her music, and how she wished she had gotten to do it because eventually the character had great songs.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 11:08pm

I don't think the Betty Buckley rumor is true. I think she left because the part wasn't big enough. She has since sung on several of his tributes. I think she recorded some of his music.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 3/6/06 at 11:29pm

lachanze left after the readings due to her first pregnancy. then she did the show in la, the tour, then broadway when audra left.

the role was actually written for lachanze, and audra took over for her. however, sarah brown eyes was added extremely late in the game specifically to bring back audra in the second act, not the character.

[stage_door76]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 1:04am

Thesbijean -

"Audra can do no wrong.

Even if Sarah was a mute the whole show, she would have still won the Tony. "

That was the funniest thing I've heard all day! :)

[Urban]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 7:05am

Funny. But so damn true. She just needs to raise an eyebrow and Tonys will be throwing themselves at her.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 7:50am

Because usually that eyebrow expresses more about the character she plays than any song ever could. That is the beauty of Audra.

[Urban]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 8:00am

*sigh*

So true.

[Amber_C2003]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 8:19am

If I'm not mistaken, Heather Headley was in the understudy during Toronto. During Ragtime, she was offered the Lion King.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 9:24am

LaChanze never performed in the tour. She went on to the Chicago production.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:19am

I saw LaChanze in the "American Premier" of Ragtime in Los Angeles four times. She was fantastic in the part, and as I've said in other threads... she was better suited and more effective in the role of Sarah than Audra McDonald, who I also saw on Broadway.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:25am

Ahrens and Flaherty stated that they wrote "Your Daddy's Hands" for Audra after she took the part.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:39am

Do you mean "Your Father's Son"?
Also, I have the concept album from 1996 and its recorded on there. SO, if A&F wrote this song specifically for Audra then LaChanze dropped out very very early. Maybe there are inconsistencies in the order of written material?

Updated On: 3/7/06 at 10:39 AM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 10:54am

Sorry...we're both incorrect with the title...it is "Your Daddy's Son" and it states on A&F's website that they wrote it for Audra...I remember reading it elsewhere...perhaps in the liner notes?

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 12:07pm

Betty was fired from INTO THE WOODS somewhere on it's journey to Broadway -- for chronic lateness among other things. She turned it down in her dreams. I love Betty, but you have to face the facts, girl.

[best12bars]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 12:20pm

The "chronic lateness" for Buckley was also a big deal with Edwin Drood. I heard horror stories of her showing up at the theatre at 8:10 PM on a show night (and she was in the opening number with the full company). This comes from someone else who was in that production. She was pretty much a mess by all accounts back in mid '80s.

[robbiej]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 12:24pm

I love the euphamism 'chronic lateness'.

I used to do 'chronic lateness' in the bathroom at Xth Ave. Lounge a couple of years ago.

As for LaChanze, I thought she was quite good...but not great. That's kind of how I felt about RAGTIME in general (I didn't see much of the original cast). Can't remember who played Coalhouse, but he was a major liability to the production.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 3/7/06 at 12:25pm

I saw both performers in the role and preferred Audra's take, though LaChanze was very effective as well. As many of you have already said, Audra could have walked across the stage with that messy hair (best Forbidden Broadway lyric EVER) and won a Tony for it. She is pure magic.