Yeah, crossover is nothing new. In the '40s, '50s, and '60s a lot of people who appeared on Broadway at one time or another had careers at the Met or City Opera. Some of them had big careers, others had smaller ones. Some played major roles at the Met, others just played smaller roles. People like Brian Sullivan, Polyna Stoska, William Olvis, Irra Petinna, Brenda Lewis, and others.
And big stars, as well as smaller names, often did musicals in stock. Jerome Hines had a huge Met career, and he also toured in stock in Man of La Mancha and
South Pacific. Patrice Munsel did lots of musicals in stock. Lots of other examples.
The original cast of
The Sound of Music had Tatiana Troyanos, later a big international opera star, and Patricia Brooks, later a leading City Opera soprano, in the nuns chorus.
James McCracken, later a big opera star, appeared in a couple of Broadway choruses and small roles in the early '50s.
Updated On: 6/11/06 at 03:38 PM