Roles that significantly changed when their originators moved on?- Page 2

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 12:23am

carousel94 said: "Mario Lopez getting the star treatment in A Chorus Line when he played Zach, being made the head of the pyramid formation when that track belongs to Paul… and the costume change from a sweater to a polo to show off his arms ?"

And don't forget that when his costume was changed from a sweater to a polo, they also added a hoodie for Larry (Nick Adams at the time). According to the rumor mill it was because Mario wanted to show off his arms, and also make sure that Nick's arms weren't competing with his.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 8:15am

Plannietink08 said: "With all due respect I wholeheartedly disagree with this. I think Wicked’s main flaw is that virtually every Elphaba and Glinda is a cookie cutter version of what Idina and Kristin did."

Just out of curiosity- who have you seen that was cookie-cutter to Idina and Kristin? I’ve seen several pairings and while they were playing the same characters…nobody is is doing what they did.

Especially because the direction of the show is very different from what it was 2003-05/06. The show is skewed towards younger audiences now that the last time I saw it, it was as if everyone was playing it up for the kids. The original first rounds of casting were much more natural. 

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 10:25am

I saw Mario from standing room and he was...all over the place. He just paced the entire back of the theatre, did push ups and sit ups, or was on his cell phone, stepping outside to make calls constantly. He never missed a Zach cue, I'll give him that, but it was still distracting and unprofessional. 

[Ke3]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 1:17pm

I'd love to know how many Black actresses played Mama Morton before VS after the film version of Chicago. I'm not sure if that counts since it's not always cast that way, and it hasn't become textual. I've just noticed over the years that's the Chicago track I see Black women slotted into the most.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 2:33pm

That’s an interesting question. I remember Bebe Neuwirth and Sophia Vergara both played the role a few years after the movie came out. I too just auto-associate it with a black actress.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 2:40pm

The role of Sug in The Color Purple revival varied wildly between the three women who played her during the run. Jennifer Hudson, Heather Headley, and Jennifer Holliday. I don't think I've ever seen a role change so much from performer to performer as it did here.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 6:37pm

bwayphreak234 said: "The role of Sug in The Color Purple revival varied wildly between the three women who played her during the run. Jennifer Hudson, Heather Headley, andJennifer Holliday. I don't think I've ever seen a role change so much from performer to performer as it did here."

I remember they altered the choreography and slightly altered the costumes when Holliday came in. Was anything changed between JHud and Heather Headley?

 

[Hamilfan2]

Posted: 10/11/21 at 6:51pm

Someone mentioned Wicked but surprised no one brought up Fiyero. After Norbert Leo Butz they started casting pretty-boys in the role and leaned into that aspect of the character. As much as I love him, Norbert was not that and 2003 Norbert would never get the role today.

[Nolan LuPone]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 9:50am

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Plannietink08 said: "Just out of curiosity- who have you seen that was cookie-cutter to Idina and Kristin? I’ve seen several pairings and while they were playing the same characters…nobody is is doing what they did."

When I most recently saw Wicked (2018), Amanda Jane Cooper was playing the role of Glinda. Don't get me wrong, I loved Amanda in the role, but I thought she acted very similar to Kristin. She even looked like her.

[MrsSallyAdams]

Posted: 10/12/21 at 10:07am

Book of Mormon’s Elder Cunningham made a change when Ben Platt took the role.

[edmundog2]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 12:32pm

When Joan Jett was replaced with Ana Gastyer in Rocky Horror, they traded the leather-and-chains costume for a loud and colorful teal outfit, and the character got a lot loopier in general. And they traded the guitar solo (which itself replaced Little Nell's tap) with a kickass electric violin solo.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 10:25pm

Hamilfan2 said: "Someone mentioned Wicked but surprised no one brought up Fiyero. After Norbert Leo Butz they started casting pretty-boys in the role and leaned into that aspect of the character. As much as I love him, Norbert was not that and 2003 Norbert would never get the role today."

Indeed Norbert was 36 and wore a wig, the current Fiyero is 25/26. The OBC leads were all technically a bit of a stretch to play college freshmen. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 10:42pm

But they're college freshmen for a short period of time. I don't think ages really matter in Wicked. It's a flashback story. 

I always loved that Norbert was the first because he's so out of that realm and as a character actor, I love that he originated a "pretty boy" role. I kind of wish they'd have leaned into more of his character/party boy attitude as he's now just a pretty thankless boring role. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 10/13/21 at 11:23pm

Yeah, the mystery of Wicked’s chronology has always been a bit confusing. The show simultaneously implies almost no time has passed between the acts, and that many years have passed.

But this is a good, less-noticed choice for this category. The role that all but exemplifies pretty boy meets outright twink, but was originated by an actor who has made a career almost entirely around disreputable schlubs. It’s like young Mark Hamill versus character actor Mark Hamill.