The Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better - Page 3

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 10:00am

I think Elaine Stritch would've been a better Anne. Ramona Mallory didn't set the bar very high.

[2blocksfrombway]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 2:47pm

I saw MARY POPPINS this past Sunday and the "George Banks" understudy, Tom Souhrada was on. He was the best actor I've seen play the role.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 4:17pm

I had the pleasure of seeing Cicily Daniels as Ursula in The Little Mermaid; she was fantastic!

I later went back and saw Sherie... there's a reason I'm posting in this thread.

[MadonnaMusical]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 4:34pm

Jonathan Rua was actually better than Lin Manuel.... Wayyyy better, actually had emotion when abuela died,and a wonderful singing voice....

a lot of the understudies were better in that show though... Gabriel Ruiz was soooo much better than Marcy as Vanessa.. ugh... and Krysta Rodriguez was sooo much better than Mandy Gonzales....

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 6:45pm

Gavin Lodge as Tick/Mitzi in Priscilla. He just had this energy about him that Will didnt have. Will is loveable and wonderful but Gavin just had something about him that made the role more lively and up. He was fantastic and I would love to see him again.


This is exactly what I was going to say.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 8:47pm

Not on broadway but on the (original tour) Emily Rozek make one hell of a better Glinda than Kendra Kassebaum.

[Robbie]

Posted: 8/9/11 at 9:20pm

Look for Tricks The Devil Taught Me.
Updated On: 8/11/11 at 09:20 PM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/11/11 at 3:36am

Maybe this point should go in the "unpopular opinions" thread, but I saw the original "Chicago" many times and was a devoted Chita Rivera fan. I still think the woman walks on water.

But I thought the show as a whole worked better when Lenora Nemetz stepped in for her. Rivera was almost TOO good and the entire show seemed so dark and cynical when she was on. (Of course, nowadays we've all caught up and we're all just as cynical as Bob Fosse.)

But in the mid-1970s, I thought Nemetz' slightly more hopeful Velma made the overall tone of the show seem tolerable.

(Edited to correct the spelling of Nemetz. Unforgiveable error, I realize.)

Updated On: 8/12/11 at 03:36 AM

[Zingingtobway]

Posted: 8/11/11 at 6:44am

Hmmm There a quite a few that come to mind.

Most recently I saw Felecia Boswell in Memphis she was in the lead role of Felecia and he Acting and Vocal performance was outstanding she had me on the edge of the seat. I felt things that I didn't feel when I saw the original player.

Meridith Patterson was a much stronger Peggy Sawyer than Kate Levering in the 42nd Street Revival. Meridith displayed a great singing voice, solid acting chops and fancy feet.


The Color Purple- Jeannette Bayardelle was a great understudy and awesome in the role of Celie.. She eventually took over the role.

Updated On: 8/11/11 at 06:44 AM

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 8/11/11 at 7:06am

In Wicked in London I thought Sarah Earnshaw was MILES above Dianne Pilkington.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 8/11/11 at 6:22pm

Both Stephanie Torns and Carla Stickler are better than most lead Elphabas I have seen.

[misto625]

Posted: 8/12/11 at 1:34am

I saw Josh Franklin play Billy Crocker in Anything Goes and I prefer him to Colin Donnell.

Also, I have to mention Linda Mugleston in Wonderful Town.

[darreyl102]

Posted: 8/12/11 at 5:49am

Saw Gretchen Bieber on a few Nights as Velma Von Tussle in 'Hairspray'. She was Understuding Michele Pawk and was WAY better vocally and acting wise.

I Third Gavin Lodge in Priscilla. He was incredible and much better then Will. Not only was he better acting wise- he actually looked kinda looked like Hugo Weaving.

[provocation]

Posted: 8/12/11 at 7:19pm

All of Idina Menzel's understudies sang circles around her. Shoshana Bean stated on Seth's Broadway Chatterbox years ago that she felt the score was a breeze once she got all of the staging down. I wonder how her voice could handle the score now, though. Eden Espinosa tossed in her signature sass after a performance or two, and Kristy Cates was just effing phenomenal. What an incredible group of performers!

On a similar note, Megan Hilty was a much better G(a)linda than Chenoweth.

Jessica Phillips was far superior, at least vocally, than both Mazzie and Ripley in Next to Normal.

Haven Burton was a stronger Fiona than Sutton Foster in Shrek. (She has one of the strongest mixes, ever.)

Loni Ackerman puts Lupone to shame with her powerhouse vocals from Evita.

Jay Armstrong Johnson was an incredibly strong Claude in Hair with vocals that rivaled Creel's, but I don't know if either one of them is "better" than the other.

I guess I have an understudy fetish?

[broadway guy]

Posted: 8/12/11 at 7:43pm

national tour of beauty and the beast. saw it twice.and the the cogsworth we saw...his character totally fell flat. the second time we saw it ( this is like a month apart) we saw his understudie who was ALOT better.

[broadwaygirl99]

Posted: 8/13/11 at 1:20am

Both Liz Pierce and Jayne Patterson were far superior to Haydne Gwyne(spelling?) as Mrs. Wilkinson in Billy Elliot.

Matt Loehr was a wonderful Bert when he understudied Christian Borle

Matthew Hydzik was so good as both Danny and Kenickie in Grease

David Larsen performed circles around Will Chase as Tony in Billy Elliot

Christophe Callebero (spelling again?) was much better than Robin DeJesus but Robin did grow on me after a while but the first time I saw him I was hoping for me. I was a tad disappointed.