Understudies Who Should Become Stars

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 7:52am

Whenever an understudy goes on as a certain role at a specific performance of any show, audiences are usually bummed that they're not seeing the performer who has been playing the role full time (especially if the performer in question is a star and/or giving a much buzzed about performance). Although as Seth Rudetsky said on SiriusXM On Broadway, we should never be disappointed that we're seeing an understudy. Whenever we do see one, we should save our playbills with the sheets that says "At this performance, the role of _____ will be played by...". That way if one takes a look back at those specific memories later on, they may notice that they got to see a future star go on in a big role before they became anyone. Examples Seth cited were Bebe Neuwirth going on for Debbie Allen as Charity Hope Valentine in the 1986 revival of Sweet Charity, Victoria Clark going on for Faith Prince as Adelaide in the 1992 revival of Guys & Dolls, and Megan Mullally going on for Rosie O'Donnell as Rizzo in the 1994 revival of Grease.

Another big example I can think of is Shirley MacLaine. Long before she became a much lauded film actress, she appeared in the original Broadway cast of The Pajama Game, understudying the role of Gladys. Of course, there have also been instances where a performer was originally involved with a show as the understudy, yet later ended up opening the Broadway production in the starring role (see Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Patina Miller in Sister Act). To make a long story short, some of the biggest Broadway stars of today started out as understudies.

Now onto the question I wanted to ask with this thread. Are there any understudies you've seen on stage that you would personally love to see given an opportunity to become a star? If so, which one(s)? Your answer doesn't need to be a performer who went on for someone else at a specific performance. It can also be someone who usually works on Broadway as an understudy that you got to see play a principal role in a touring and/or regional production somewhere.

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 8:10am

Colton Ryan. He was my understudy Connor Murphy when I saw Dear Evan Hansen in 2017 and now he’s in the (albeit really crappy) film adaptation. I feel like he has great potential to do some good work - I’m bummed I’ll miss him in GFTNC

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 8:11am

Bebe won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for the 1986 Broadway revival of SWEET CHARITY. It’s tradition for actresses playing Nickie to understudy Charity. Helen Gallagher did so in the original 1966 Broadway production. Her performance as Nickie is what brought her to the attention of the producers of CHEERS. It had zero to do with her understudying Charity.

I love Seth but he is a mish-mosh with his facts quite often. My favorite was watching him argue with the cast of ONE DAY AT A TIME over Bonnie Franklin winning a Tony Award for APPLAUSE. She didn’t win though she was nominated. They corrected him and he would not have any of it - he claimed she won it. Oh, Seth. STFU.

[Nolan LuPone]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 8:40am

T. Oliver Reid (saw him as Hermes) and Jimmie Jeter (saw him as Lafayette/Jefferson)

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 8:56am

Such stars …

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 8:57am

Stephanie Torns. She was one of the best actresses to portray Jenna in Waitress and did a turn at Elphaba also.

[bway0]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 9:02am

I 100% agree about T. Oliver Reid. I’ve seen him as Hermès in Hadestown and Papa Ge in Once On This Island and both times enjoyed it more than the principal.

I actually plan most of my Broadway shows around the principals being out. I normally do not see a show for a specific person but I did want to see Hailey Kilgore to round out seeing each of the four Ti Mounes (and it took 6 trips to the island to finally see her.. and this was after her return from she her leg injury).

Majority of my Hadestown shows were when Amber was out and when Afra and Kimberly were on. I went to see them purposely to support the understudies. I’m holding out for my next trip to Hadestown when Jewelle takes on Persephone to see and support her. Side note- Kimberly is taking the role of Persephone on tour and I recommend you seeing her if you can. She loves the role and get so excited to be Persephone. So please go see her. You will not be disappointed!

[steven22]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 9:06am

KathyNYC2 said: "Stephanie Torns. She was one of the best actresses to portray Jenna in Waitress and did a turn at Elphaba also. "

Yes! She was the first person I thought of when I opened this thread. 

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 10/4/21 at 9:50am

I’ve always adored Haven Burton and thought she should have lead more Broadway shows. The videos of her understudying Elle in Legally Blonde and Fiona in Shrek are incredible. She’s got such a voice on her!
I know she went on to lead the tour of Shrek as Fiona but I’d have liked her to do more leading roles on Broadway.

[WestEndGal]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 11:53am

KathyNYC2 said: "Stephanie Torns. She was one of the best actresses to portray Jenna in Waitress and did a turn at Elphaba also. "

She’s played Jenna over 255 times which is crazy when you think about it! I think only Jessie Mueller and Kat McPhee have done more shows as Jenna?! I was at the first Waitress finale when Kat pulled Stephanie over to share her bow with her and it was so great to see that acknowledgement of how important she was/is to the show. I’d love to see her take a lead in a future show, she’s super talented <3 

[soulmistin]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 4:24pm

Jessie Shelton and Khaila Wilcoxon. Two very different choices as Jessie has more critically success and experience than Khaila, but both are amazing talents who are rarely seen as Eurydice because of Eva Noblezada's consistent attendance

[Scott Stephen]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 4:52pm

Brittney Johnson, Wicked’s current Glinda standby is an absolute force and I would love to see her become of one of Broadway’s most successful leading ladies.

[bway0]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 4:54pm

Aisha Jackson. Loved, loved, loved her as Anna and what the sweetest human being she was at the stage door. I wish I could have seen her one more time as Anna (even if that meant sitting through Frozen again).

[Sytwix]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 6:58pm

Agree about Stephanie Torns - the fiirst name that came to mind. She was the understudy when Nicolette Robinson was out sick. I was disappointed at first but she really wowed me. I’ve seen Waitress with Jesse Mueller, Nicolette Robinson and Shoshona Bean. Stephanie Torns was my favorite.

[RainyAgwe]

Posted: 10/5/21 at 7:51pm

I have never felt more passionate about an answer before, but John Cardoza should 1000% be a star. When I went to go see JLP I was hoping to see Antonio Cipriano, but instead he was on… and my mind blown by how talented he is. Do yourself a favor and listen to his YouTube channel (I really love his Caught in the Storm performance!) and you’ll get what I mean.

He is such a singular talent, I knew the moment I saw him he had “it”. I can’t wait to see where his career goes, and I know for a fact if he’s in anything I’ll try my best to see it.

[theatrekid3302]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 12:30am

Natalia Vivino, the Elphaba Standby on Tour is phenomenal. 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 2:21am

The first name that came to mind was Donald Webber Jr, who understudied multiple roles in Hamilton Broadway and is currently the principal Aaron Burr in another production. I was disappointed to not see Javier Munoz as Hamilton, but Donald absolutely blew me away as Alexander. Of the many Alexanders I’ve seen, he was by far the best and I hope to see him in future roles.

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 8:21am

Jeremy Stolle should've been given a run in the title role of Phantom a long time ago. He's a swing and covers the lead and numerous other male tracks, but he's one of the best Phantoms I've ever seen (and I've seen many).

Updated On: 10/7/21 at 08:21 AM

[Rainah]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 11:47am

Scott Stephen said: "Brittney Johnson, Wicked’s current Glinda standby is an absolute force and I would love to see her become of one of Broadway’s most successful leading ladies."

This is a comment I've seen a lot. A huge swath of Wicked fans are very impressed with, and excited to see, Brittney as Glinda. It's remarkable the amount of people I've talked to that know her name and want to see her, those that normally wouldn't know the names of understudies/standbys/alts in a longrunning show.

There's a ton of footage of her on youtube in the role I found just googling "Wicked Brittney" but for official stuff, here's her singing popular. Perfect mix of adorable and silly without turning it into a caricature. 

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 10/6/21 at 12:13pm

Here’s the thing I think some people miss about this conversation. A person can be a great technician or have a fabulous voice or sense of the part, but there can lack that spark that truly makes a star. I liked Stephanie Torns as Jenna, she sounds great, she acted it well, but that spark was missing for me to make her truly a star- a good word for spark may be charisma- it’s hard to put into words when you see it, but you can feel it. Another good example, though she only has one Broadway credit, is Leona Lewis, phenomenal voice, but there’s nothing interesting beyond the voice which is also why I think her career has stalled a bit. I’ve thought a lot about this, the only performance in recent years from an unknown at the time that I truly walked out of the theatre and was like, I witnessed a star being born, was Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple- those are the performances that come along so infrequently and transcend what those on here tend to jump on as someone who can just sing higher or stronger or louder- all those things are thrilling, but that doesn’t make someone a star.