Roles that steal entire Broadway shows

I know a few that are remarked about a lot like

Anita in West Side Story

The Baker's Wife in Into the Woods



I was interested to know what are others and why do we deem them as "stealing the show" ?

I think it’s usually an actor’s specific performance that makes the difference and not necessarily the way a role is written. A few examples that come to mind would be Kristen Chenoweth in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Rachel Bay Jones in “Pippin,” and Michael Jeter in “Grand Hotel.” The roles may not have been written to steal the show, but the actors’ performances did, at least in my opinion. I’m sure there will be those who may disagree, but “stealing the show” doesn’t have to be universally agreed upon. I can also recall a production of “Death of a Salesman” where Biff seemed to be the central character and the actor crushed everyone else on stage, and in the National Theatre’s “A Little Night Music,” starring Judi Dench, I recall Brendan O’Hea’s performance as Henrik practically stealing the show.

Richard Henry Lee in 1776

bwayphreak234 said: "Marge in Promises, Promises - Katie Finneran walked away with that revival."

And she only appears in Act 2!

Mare Winningham as Elizabeth Laine in GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY.

Though her behaviors, speech, and tics are part of the character’s early onset dementia, there are quite a few moments where those little idiosyncrasies made the audience laugh or clap - mainly when she told the preacher to f*** off. She was certainly a big standout in a tight ensemble piece

Daveed Diggs as Lafayette/Jefferson in Hamilton

And because it’s fresh in my mind, having seen a local production last weekend, the actors who play the Count and Countess in A Little Night Music

Grizabella in Cats.

Lauren Patten as Jo in Jagged Little Pill is an obvious one

Any role Gavin Lee plays

Sandy in Tootsie

Brad Oscar in Something Rotten!.

BrodyFosse123 said: "bwayphreak234 said: "Marge in Promises, Promises - Katie Finneran walked away with that revival."

And she only appears in Act 2!

Not only that. The original Marge, Marian Mercer, won the first Tony for that role. Saw both and Finneran could not compare to Mercer.

Alice Playten stole Henry, Sweet Henry 50 years ago, but she lost her Tony nomination to Lillian Heyman, who stole Hallelujah, Baby, with a great show-stopping number. Leslie Uggams was great, but Heyman got the biggest applause at the curtain call.

I don't know if then unknown Joel Grey should count. Four people took their curtain call after him in the original production of Cabaret and their applause were tepid after his. I remember feeling sorry for Lotte Lenya having to come out right after him, because the applause were well down and no bravos. In those days, you would occasionally hear bravos, and Joel got a basketful.

One could argue that Bonnie Franklin in Applause fits the bill. Her two numbers both got the most applause the entire evening, and she received more applause at the curtain call than anyone but Lauren Bacall.

I don't know if Richard Henry Lee stole the show, but he had one hell of a rousing number that did stop the show.

To me, Daveed Diggs was the star of Hamilton; with a cast and roles like that one had, I am not sure he stole the show, great as he was.

Another example that I will put out and am not sure is really valid. Angela Lansbury in a large supporting role stole the show out from all the other members of the Blithe Spirit cast. I have never seen a show in which the audience applauded every single time that she came on stage, but they did for this one. Clearly, they were seeing a theatre legend who they loved; but the show was markedly more entertaining every time she was on stage.

A Thousand years ago, Maureen Stapleton, in a tiny role in a show that ran less than a week, stole the show uttering a single line, 'Norman, is that You'. The show was lousy, but it was heaven for the 5 minutes or so she was on stage.

Angel in RENT