I subscribe to the theory that if it works, then it's not stunt-casting. It's star-casting. I know these terms are massively open to interpretation, but as far as my brain is concerned, stunt-casting is called that and remains as such because it categorically does NOT work.
Reba McEntire in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN Brooke Shields in CABARET and WONDERFUL TOWN Gina Gershon in CABARET Marie Osmond in THE KING & I Donny Osmond in BEAUTY & THE BEAST Vanessa Williams in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
Donny in BATB was really a shock, I thought he was wonderful in the role. And going with the stunt casting in that show, I was VERY impressed with Anneliese van der Pol as Belle. I really want her to come back to Broadway she has a gorgeous, rich voice!
Oh a big one that comes to mind that you might not technically equate with stunt casting because he originated the role on Broadway but Hugh Jackman in The Boy From Oz, which was just an amazing performance!
Anneliese is coming back to Broadway, she is going to be in "Vanities". I saw her as Belle, I also saw Christy Carson Romano (which I thought was a casting move), I like Christy a little better, Anneliese's voice was a little TOO over powering for the role, but both were amazing!
I was surprisingly BLOWN AWAY with Fantasia in The Color Purple. I thought her acting was surprisingly phenomenal. And her singing was also very good. She fit the part very well.
I was surprisingly BLOWN AWAY with Fantasia in The Color Purple. I thought her acting was surprisingly phenomenal. And her singing was also very good. She fit the part very well.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
Well, I saw Fantasia in The Color Purple and it was not good at all.
Maybe I saw her on an off night plus it sounds like she may have had some health problems. She missed so many shows. Do they not have doctors to check out the main actors?
"I never had theatre producers run after me. Some people want to make more Broadway shows out of movies. But Elliot and I aren't going to do Batman: The Musical." - Julie Taymor 1999
Though he wasn't as popular as others, I found Bob Saget a great addition to the cast, and in a way was perfectly fitted for the role... even if he closed the show.
The threeexamples of "stunt casting" that worked were Reba in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, Brooke Shields in WONDERFUL TOWN, and Fantasia in THE COLOR PURPLE.
Shows were near-closing, and the three single-handedly saved them for another year.
Bob Saget and Tony Danza were solid; Melanie Griffith was a train-wreck, most of the other Roxie/Billy/Mama/Velma and Sally/Emcee combos were solid, if unremarkable.
Julia Roberts wasn't stunt-casting, it was a money-making scheme. And her show did make money. It was an artistic disaster, but who cares about art?