Broadway Legend Joined: 1/29/06
Never thought I would say this...
Ashlee Simpson- Chicago
Understudy Joined: 8/4/04
Karen Ziemba in CRAZY FOR YOU was a fantastic replacement -- she blew me away and I had also seen Jodie Benson in the role. Karen should have originated it but with LITTLE MERMAID so popular at the time....
- Lea Salonga, who replaced Daphne in Les Miz is simply luminous and top rate performance.
- Will Chase in Miss Saigon & Aida.
- Greg Stone as Chris in Miss Saigon Tour.
- Megan Hilty in Wicked.
Understudy Joined: 5/2/06
Mary Faber in Avenue Q
I really enjoyed Deborah Cox in Aida, I distinctly remember being surprised how much I liked her.
Lea Salonga in Les Miserables (Fantine and Eponine)
Will Chase in Miss Saigon
Megan Hilty in Wicked
Shoshana Bean in Wicked
Josh Tower in Lion King
Aaron Lazar in The LIght in the Piazza
I join the chorus saluting Brooke Shields.
And I'd like to mention Carole King, in BLOOD BROTHERS.
I thought the point of this post was "star" replacements , meaning people who were stars before they took over a role. With the exception of Wicked freaks, who knew who Ana Gastyer, Megan Hilty or Shoshana Bean were? They were , outside Broadway insiders, nobodies, not stars.
Updated On: 5/13/07 at 01:52 PM
Ana Gasteyer would most certainly be a star replacement.
SNL, anyone?
"Sandy Duncan was one of the best Roxie replacements...nailed pretty much everything about the character..."
If you go to "that site" you can find clips of her "Roxie" monologue and she is fantastic! It practically turns into a piece of stand up comedy.
Leslie Uggams in Millie was fantastic!
Yeah, what do we mean "star replacements". I love all (if not, most) of the replacements people are mentioning, but I thought stars meant relatively well-known celebrities?
I'm gonna go ahead and add love for Reba though. I always hated country music, so when I started hearing things about Reba and musicals I was like "Are people completely insane?" but then I started watching her sitcom and listening to her performances of the shows and I fell in love with her. We are now best friends. Yes we are.
So get back to me on the whole "well-known celebtiry versus..you know, whoever we think is a Broadway star" thing because I have a lot of favorites for replacements but I wouldn't quite call them well-known star replacements who surprised everyone by being really good.
Brooke Shields was a spectacular Roxie.
Ana Gasteyer was an amazing Elphaba.
Haylie Duff was... her Amber was... well, she didn't suck.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
I love how people are naming actors like Megan Hilty, Josh Tower, Greg Stone. Nobodies, the lot of them.
Ana Gasteyer, on the other hand, is a star. Of both stage and screen.
Melanie Griffth in Chicago.
At least, according to Ben Brantley.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/9/05
South FL Marc: It's a signature on a broadway message board for gosh sakes. Have your political views, plug them if you must, but that's longer than the majority of posts you'll ever make.
I'm sorry but Brooke Shields sucked a$$ as Roxie.... at least in London!
Kevin Richardson as Billy Flynn blew me away!
And.. not musical, but Sienna Miller in As You Like It... 2nd preview... even 1-2 pro actors forgotten their lines! She did the role... more than perfect! Middle of the run she even rtook over Helen McCory within 3-4 hrs' notice!!! INCREDIBLE actress!... sorry... just realised she wasn't actually a replacement! SORRY!
I enjoyed Huey Lewis as Billy Flynn in Chicago.
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