The Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better — Page 3

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#51

The Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#52

The Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

#53

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

Formerly: WishingOnlyWounds2 - Broadway Legend - Joined: 9/25/08

#54

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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....

#55

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!) I chose, and my world was shaken- So what?
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda "And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler

#56

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

"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

#57

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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

Look for Tricks The Devil Taught Me.

Updated On: 8/11/11 at 09:20 PM

#58

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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

#59

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

There is nothing in the world better than Live Theater.

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

#60

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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

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

''With the number of people I ignore, I'm lucky I work at all in this town'' - Helena Bonham Carter

#61

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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

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

Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!

#62

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

Dean: Can I tell you something? Lorraine: That depends on what it is. Dean: I think you're really really pretty. Lorraine: (after a pause) Ok, you can tell me that.

#63

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

Darreyl with an L!

#64

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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?

I know, right?

#65

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

#66

That Awkward Moment when the Understudy is better

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.

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