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Strange understudy role pairings

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#1

Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 8:57pm

i was just reading on ibdb.com that one of the (female) understudies for the original production of chicago covered for mama morton and MARY SUNSHINE. I found that to be kinda weird since it must have really screwed up billy flynn's closing arguement. So the end of this long winded post is;

Is there any understudy role pairings that you have found to be strange or rather suprising? (i.e. Shoshana Bean covering Tracy and Velma in hairspray)

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#2

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:04pm

Owen Johnston II covering Roger and Angel in Rent on Broadway.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#3

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:18pm

When I just saw Chicago, Colleen Sexton was the understudy for Mama. Now granted she woul have be awsome vocally and belted the hell outta that number, but she's this tiny thing with a gorgeous body. Doesn't really work. I could see her as Roxy.

#4

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:23pm

Although she was wonderful in the part (as she always is), I always found Emily Skinner as Linda Eder's understudy in "Jekyll and Hyde" to be a somewhat odd pairing.

#5

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:23pm

Glenn Close, at the age of 28, understudied the role of Frankie, age 12, in a Broadway revival of Member of the Wedding. (Of course, Julie Harris was about 25 when she played the role). Weren't there any teenage actors in those days?

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#6

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:43pm

Back in the day, in Les Mis, the same actress(es) would cover both Eponine and Cosette, which was weird since one's a high soprano and one's a belt alto.

"Men should be like kleenex: soft, strong, and disposable."~Clue

#7

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 9:45pm

Yeah, they did that regularly up until about 1999. Dana Meller was the last actress to understudy both Cosette and Eponine.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#8

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 10:35pm

It's amazing how many people have played both those roles. Granted the gal currently playing Cosette in London played Eponine originally. She was awsome as Cosette, but could barely hit the high note at the end of A Heart Full of Love.

#9

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 10:39pm

I don't think it's that odd for people to cover both Eponine and Cosette. I mean, I don't think it was uncommon.

"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife

#10

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/24/05 at 10:46pm

A saw the latest tour of Fiddler (non-Equity), and there were understudies listed for every named character. Seriously, Shaindel had an understudy.

#11

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 1:19am

When I saw "Peter Pan" w/ Cathy Rigby, the actress playing Tootles (the film "Annie", Aileen Quinn) understudied Wendy, while the actress playing Wendy udnerstudied Tootles. I've looked at the Playbill many times, and I still haven't figured it out.

#12

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 1:23am

That's what I was thinking. It drove me nuts!

PS - Love your avatar.

Updated On: 3/25/05 at 01:23 AM

#13

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 12:32pm

another I thought of-when i saw millie on b'way it listed the woman playing miss flannery (the one from taboo, now of mamma mia) as covering muzzy and meers. meers i could see, but wouldn't a white muzzy ruin the joke/ suprise at the end?

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#14

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 12:49pm

In the "Into The Woods" revival, Linda Mugleston covered The Witch, The Baker's Wife, Jack's Mother, Cinderella's Stepmother, and Granny!
It's a wonder she wasn't a Prince!

"Which way do you want these pleats turned?" "Toward Mecca."

#15

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 1:15pm

I believe that one of the understudies for Bun Foo in the Equity national tour of "Millie" is a woman.

Hamlet's father.

#16

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 1:30pm

the first time I saw the original CHICAGO on Broadway, M O'Haughey was out. Mary Sunshine was played by a female and as a female throughout...........When the part came where Billy Flynn says something to the effect of "things aren't always what they seem to be," a guy in drag simply walked from the wings right over to Billy Flynn and Jerry Orbach (Flynn) proceeded to open the drag queen's coat, showing the dragqueen was a man. The drag queen made a shocked like looking face and quickly exited.

It was pretty lame. Actually, I always thought the whole Mary Sunshine thing in CHICAGO pretty lame and "her song," A Little Bit Of Good, clearly the weakest in the score. I also thought it was pretty awful and very "high school," the lame "man of a thousand faces" as the whole jury. Maybe it plays better now, but it was always pretty dorky in the otherwise, dazzling original Broadway production.

I love the fact that in the original BYE BYE BIRDIE, Gene Rayburn understudied Dick Van Dyke as Albert and Charles Nelson Reilly understudied Paul Lynde as Mr. MCAfee.....and of course years later Rayburn and Reilly were together on the revised "celebrity version" of THE MATCH GAME.

"Blow out the candles Robert and make a wish. Want something, want SOMETHING."

#17

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 3:21pm

"I believe that one of the understudies for Bun Foo in the Equity national tour of "Millie" is a woman."

It was like that in La Jolla, too. When she went on, the brothers were just changed to brother and sister.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#18

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 3:53pm

Vasthy Mompoint, who according to ibdb.com is a male covers "Bikini Girl" in Good Vibrations

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#19

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 4:02pm

tommar wilson and territe reed understudy the dynamites in hairspray. one is well a guy and the other well has really big boobs and i dont think they would be able to fit in the poster with 2 other girls. and im not joking or trying to be mean. also when brooke tansley was in the cast she understudied a dynamite and well shes white.

"gimme a bottle of bourbon and half a chicken and i'll conquer the world!"

#20

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 4:39pm

Vasthy's a black female, I guess ibdb got it messed up

"And suddenly I'm flying flying like a bird, like electricity, electricity, sparks inside of me, and I'm free, I'm free" -Billy Elliot

#21

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 4:48pm

Wish. That Mary Sunshine story is quite interesting. In the Revival, the jury is still played by one man. Have you seen the Revival?

#22

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 8:00pm

LesMizazz- thanks for clearing that up... thats a big ass oops on ibdb's part

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#23

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 8:50pm

ljay889, I have not seen the revival.

"Blow out the candles Robert and make a wish. Want something, want SOMETHING."

#24

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 8:54pm

In the original 1966 MAME, the role of Ito was covered by a caucasian woman, Eleanor Treiber.

#25

re: Strange understudy role pairings

Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:53pm

Joann Hunter (looka lika woman)covering for Bun foo in TMM.

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