Sutton Foster, Frances Ruffelle, or Lea Salonga; Who is THE Eponine?- Page 2
Sutton Foster, Frances Ruffelle, or Lea Salonga; Who is THE Eponine?
jynni
Understudy Joined: 1/8/05
#25re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:29pm
Sutton Foster is the only one of the three that I've seen live and Lea Salonga I've only ever seen on the 10th Anniversary DVD.
Frances Ruffelle's voice is a little too little girlish for my taste.
Of the other two, I like Sutton the best. She was fabulous.
#26re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:42pmSutton all the way.
WhatDoINeedWithLove?
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/11/03
#27re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 2:47pmSutton's "On My Own" gave me chills and her "A Little Fall of Rain" made me cry like a school girl!
#28re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 3:29pm
I wonder if she ever played Kim on Miss Saigon.
Obviously not, but she (and Linzi Hateley) did play Kim on the demo.
#29re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 3:36pmI find Ruffelle's voice to be achingly annoying... not having seen her or Lea Salonga, but just hearing the recordings (and the 10th anniversary DVD) there is no doubt, for me, that Lea Salonga is the better Eponine
#30re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 3:54pmI love Kaho Shamida on the CSR.
#31re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 4:31pmI'm not a huge fan of Frances and I've never heard Sutton as Eponine so def Lea Salonga she was awesome!
#32re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 4:32pm
I love Kaho Shamida on the CSR.
But apparently not enough to get her name right.
jacco
Stand-by Joined: 7/29/05
#33re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 5:02pm
Rufelle live was AMAZING (that whole cast was amazing.....)
Linzi Hately was pretty good too.
Those are the only two I've seen (and in London obviously....)
#34re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 5:13pm
Having never seen any live...
Lea Salonga is exceedingly awesome. However Frances Ruffelle owns that role.
apdarcey
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/10/04
#36re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:00pmugh. i hate kaho's voice.
COOOOLkid
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/15/05
#37re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:01pmI don't know, but I just love Kaho Shimada's voice...
lfae
Leading Actor Joined: 7/27/05
#38re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 6:33pm
Silvie Paladino 
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#39re: Sutton Foster, Frances Rufelle, or Lea Salonga; Who is THE Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 7:00pmLea and Sutton's renditions of "On My Own" are on YouTube. Don't know what the links are but you could search them if you like..
#40re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 7:01pmFrances Ruffelle.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#41re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:07pm
oh my Good lord...i have seen SOO many Eponine's over the years...
here are my faves! in order
1) Sarah Berry
2) Diana Kaarina
3) Sutton Foster
4) Andrea McArdle
5) Dana Meller (she was a really aweome understudy!)
natalie toro and lea make the honorable mention list.
#42re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:14pmLea Salonga. I liked her darker portrayal of the character, which reflected the book more.
#43re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:25pmadore sutton, don't know frances, but Lea was FANTASTIC in the 10th anniversary video. the perfect eponine.
#44re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 8:52pmI'm sorry, for some reason Frances Ruffelle looks Asian to me, that's why I wondered if she had played Kim in London. I think she brings a lot to the role of Eponine, love her so much. On the Tony clip audiences really seemed to love her and the reviews of Les Miserables that I've read (Especially the New York Times) singled her out. I know she's played Roxie Hart twice in London, I hope she comes do the role on Broadway.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#45re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 9:05pm
I'm personally a Lea advocate, but I've been in love with her since I was four-years-old. I'm loyal to Princess Jasmine. 
I like her strong, angry portrayal of Eponine. I'm more inclined to believe that someone like that could survive all of the crap she has thrown at her than say Sutton or Frances. Frances grew on me after a little while, but our Eponine (I was in the school edition last year) tried to emulate her-- and it was absolutely terrible. Only Frances can sing the way that she sings and make it sound good.
#46re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 9:16pmHands down, Sutton
artist_in_waiting
Understudy Joined: 12/27/05
#47re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/9/06 at 11:20pm
In my humble opinion, Lea totally owned Eponine. She was the only one who was able to project an Eponine who was feisty yet vulnerable at the same time. There must be a reason as to why she was the one who was invited to perform at the 10th Anniversary and not the others. But then again, it's just my opinion so don't hate.
Updated On: 1/9/06 at 11:20 PM
#48re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/10/06 at 12:50amLea Salonga
#49re: Sutton Foster vs. Lea Salonga; Who was the better Eponine?
Posted: 1/10/06 at 10:53pmOut of the two I prefer Sutton, but my hands-down pick for best Eponine is Mindy Smoot, who understudied on the tour. Absolutely INCREDIBLE vocals.
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