U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

#1

U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:34pm

I was listening to the OLC of Miss Saigon this morning when I realized that Ruthie Henshall(U/S for Ellen) became more famous than Claire Moore (First Ellen). So I was trying to think of other examples where someone's understudy became more famous over time:

The obvious one is Shirley MacLaine and Carol Haney in The Pajama Game.

I remember when Marc Kudisch was Robert Torti's u/s for Pharaoh when Joseph opened on Broadway.

There's the sort of example of Sutton Foster/Erin Dilly in TMM.

#2

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:39pm

Yeah, I was about to say - Sutton Foster and Erin Dilly. Although Erin Dilly is hardly an unknown, I think Sutton's 'popularity' is stronger, though she may not necessarily be more famous.

Although I don't think any are MORE famous than Idina, her Wicked understudies and standby's are pretty abnormally popular - Stephanie J. Block, Eden Espinosa, Shoshana Bean...heck, even most fans of Broadway know who Kristy Cates and Saycon are now.

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Updated On: 7/12/05 at 02:39 PM

#3

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:49pm

"heck, even most fans of Broadway know who Kristy Cates and Saycon are now."


Mark me down as one person who doesn't know who they are and I couldn't pick them out of a line-up if I had to. I couldn't tell you what shows they're in or what they've done and only have even heard their names because people on this board bring them up sometimes. Is this a Wicked thing or something?

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#4

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:52pm

Heaven forbid one doesn't recognize a name of someone in Wicked!!

#5

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:53pm

It's that "Wicked" thing...
I hate to burst the bubble, but Idina Menzel is far from "famous."
She's the only one I could recognize, but then I've actually seen her on stage. The others...PULEEZE

Updated On: 7/12/05 at 02:53 PM

#6

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:53pm

I don't mean to be a jerk but-Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, and Stephanie Block are hardly stars.

#7

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 2:56pm

Don't know about "more famous," but I think Karen Ziemba (replacement) was INFINTELY more appropriate in CRAZY FOR YOU than Jodi Benson.

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#8

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:08pm

Shirley McClaine is the ONLY person to become more famous than her counterpart, Carol Haney.

All of these Wicked folks are known in YOUR circles and are not consisdered famous.

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"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

#9

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:09pm

Appropriate because Jodi Benson and other actors are like a garment?

#10

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:13pm

While a replacement rather than an understudy, Bebe Neuwirth became more famous than her counterparts in "A Chorus Line" and "Dancin'"

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#11

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:13pm

I wouldn't say Lanie Kazan is more famous than Babs, but she certainly is famous.

#12

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:14pm

Not until after those shows closed and for different reasons...

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"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>> “I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>> -whatever2

#13

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 3:53pm

Taye Diggs had a small role and understudy duties for Carousel at Lincoln Center. He has (and is) becoming more famous than Fisher Stevens.

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#14

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:01pm

How about Brittney Spears for Laura Bell Bundy in "Ruthless".

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#15

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:31pm

What the heck are you talking about?

#16

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:34pm

Ummmm Fisher Stevens was pretty well known, if not for being married to Michelle Pfeiffer, and the Short Circuit films.

#17

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:44pm

I seriously doubt Shirley MacLaine is the only u/s to ever become more famous than the person they covered a role for her. I still say more people know Sutton Foster, Ruthie Henshall and Marc Kudisch than Erin Dilly, Claire Moore or Robert Torti. Remeber the key word is "more" famous, not necessarily famous to the world.

#18

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:45pm

More famous on Broadway?

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#19

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:45pm

Good one, Dottie. Didn't Natalie Portman u/s the role too? Or maybe she was a replacement...

#20

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:46pm

I'm not too sure about Natalie in that show. I saw it early in the run.

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Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#21

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 5:55pm

I looked it up.

Natalie Portman
1993 Stage debut as an understudy in the off-broadway musical "Ruthless;" Britney Spears was also in this play (date approximate).

#22

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 6:11pm

Diane Keaton was Lynn Kellogg's understudy as Sheila in the OBC of Hair, before later taking over the role. Keith Carradine and Ben Vereen were also members of the tribe who acted as understudies for the lead roles (played by performers who are now less famous than they are).

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"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

#23

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 6:24pm

Idena and Taye are featured on today's "page 6" of The NY Post, in bathing suits, so there's no question of their fame.

Getting back to Millie, how about Cheyenne Jackson, USing Mark Kudich and Gavin Creel?

#24

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 6:29pm

Idina is quite famous. And I believe she deserves it. She has worked her butt off for where she is today. And she has a pretty well know husband.

As far as Shoshana, Steph, and Eden not being "stars", sure not as many people know them as they do Idina, Marissa, etc., but they are still pretty well known on Broadway. I would say Steph is the least known out of that group, though.

#25

re: U/S who became more famous than the actor they covered!

Posted: 7/12/05 at 6:32pm

I would still guess that more than 95% of Americans Have NO idea who Idina Menzel is. Broadway is a very small world. (In the recent Harris poll, over 50% did not know who the vice-president is...)