Shows where the writers/composers were in the cast...

[jasobres]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:13pm

...are very rare nowadays. But I do remember that Gerome Ragni and James Rado were cast members and lyricists/writers of Hair. Betty Comden & Adolph Green were in the cast of and the lyricists of On the Town. Any others?

[HoshiForever]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:14pm

Would JRB recently being in L5Y count?

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:15pm

I would love to see Marc and Scott as Edna and Wilbur Turnblad, respectively, in Hairspray!

Akiva
Updated On: 2/16/06 at 03:15 PM

[philcrosby]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:18pm

Betty Comden also replaced Imogene Coca during her vacation from ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (though rumor has it she kept forgetting the lyrics - which she wrote!)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:23pm

Tennessee Williams did a few performances of one of his plays. I can't remember which one, but it had a bunch of people sitting at a bar.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:49pm

Larry Shue was in the original cast of the Foriegner.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:50pm

William Finn played Marvin in the first production of IN TROUSERS.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:53pm

In Christopher Durang's new musical play "Adrift in Macao", Michael Rupert was sick for one show, so Durang stepped in for him.

[slimandslam]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:05pm

...and speaking of Michael Rupert, he wrote the music for, and starred in, Mail on Broadway in 1988.

For that matter, he also wrote the music for Three Guys Naked from the Waist Down off-Broadway in 1985, and I saw him sub for a missing performer (Scott Bakula, maybe) one evening. How poetic that Durang later subbed for him...

[joniray]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:06pm

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned Paul Scott Goodman in Bright Lights, Big City. Boy was that a big miscalculation.

[AuditioningWaitress]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:14pm

Peter Allen in LEGS DIAMOND

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:15pm

Woody Allen wrote and starred in Play it Again Sam.

Charles Ludlam wrote and starred in most of his 37 (?) plays.

Charles Busch starred in most of his plays

Athol Fugard acted in several of his plays in South Africa and later here. He also co-wrote The Island and Sizwe Banzi Is Dead with the actors who played the roles in South Africa and won the Tony for their performances on Broadway -- Winston Ntosha and John Kani.

Ntosake Shange co-starred in her play For Colored Girls...."

Harvey Fierstein wrote and starred in Torch Song Trilogy

Claudia Shear starred and wrote Dirty Blonde

I believe Sam Shepard acted in many of his early plays at La Mama and Cafe Cino

Lots of solo performers like Anna Deveare Smith, John Leguizamo, Whoopi, Dame Edna, etc.... write and star in their shows

[NCGuy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:20pm

Mort Shuman wrote the English lyrics (with Eric Blau) and appeared in the original production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well…

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:24pm

There are many exceptions (Margo has listed some of the great ones), but I would argue (especially for new writers) that writers should NEVER direct, perform, and/or play their new work. They need to be in the audience assessing things--particularly that last component added to the show: the audience.

Once a show is established, it can be thrilling seeing a writer take the reigns or step onto the stage. It was fascinating seeing Albee's direction of The Zoo Story and The American Dream at the Alley Theatre a few years back. However, his directing the premiere of The Play About The Baby was not successful.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:24pm

The authors of BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR.



Allison MacKenzie
Peyton Place, New Hampshire

[WOSQ]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:27pm

Danny Apolinar in Your Own Thing

Gretchen Cryer-book and lyrics- (replaced eventually by composer Nancy Ford) in I'm Getting My Act Together...

Cryer also starred under a pseudonym in Now is the Time For All Good Men in the mid 60s. I think she called herself Sally Niven. Again she did the book and lyrics. (Cryer's son is actor Jon Cryer.) Both of these shows ran off Broadway. The former was a substantial hit, and the latter was more a success d'estime, a nice calling card.

And never forget Noel Coward.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:30pm

Oh and how could I forget Noel Coward? Many of his best plays were written as vehicles for himself and often Gertrude Lawrence (Design For Living, Private Lives, Tonight at 8:30, Present Laughter, Nude with Violin). He also directed himself in most of those plays.

Also, currently the writer-composers of [Title of Show] -- Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell -- are starring in their show off-Broadway at the Vineyard.

And I totally agree with Jerby. 9 times out of ten, it's a bad idea for the writer to star or direct his own work when it is still in development. It can end up undermining the creative process if the writer is too preoccupied with his other demands. There are, of course those rare exceptions that have been named in this thread, who are somehow capable of wearing multiple hats all at once.

[Edit -- WOSQ beat me mentioning Coward]

Updated On: 2/16/06 at 04:30 PM

[WOSQ]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:36pm

George S. Kaufman appeared in Once in a Lifetime in a juicy but definitely secondary role.

For that matter, speaking of another Once in a Lifetime, Anthony Newley appeared in three musicals he co-authored, the last of which closed on the road. He did write Chaplin, did he not?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:39pm

I believe he did write Chaplin. He's another rare one who wrote book, music and lyrics, directed and starred in his own shows.

George M Cohan was another.

And Joe Brooks (except for the acting part)

Updated On: 2/16/06 at 04:39 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:48pm

Also John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask for Hedwig

[sanda]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:50pm

Claude-Mitchell Shonberg appeared as Couferrac in Les Miz French concept recording

[umgeoboy]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:52pm

David Greenspan in She Stoops To Comedy
JRB played piano in Urban Cowboy which he wrote part of the score.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 5:00pm

Well, Stephen Sondheim is on the original cast recording of Gypsy... :P

"You're not getting 88 cents from me, Rose!"

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 5:08pm

Rob Becker "Defending the Caveman"

[jasobres]

Posted: 2/16/06 at 5:13pm

Well, Stephen Sondheim is on the original cast recording of Gypsy... :P

"You're not getting 88 cents from me, Rose!"

Seriously? There's a piece of trivia that I never knew.

Incidentally, I heard that for a time, Thorton Wilder played the Stage Manager in Our Town.

Updated On: 2/16/06 at 05:13 PM