Understudies You Liked Better Than the Person Playing the Role

[justafan2]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 7:10am

It wasn't a huge difference---but I actually enjoyed Eden Espinosa a little better in Wicked.
Updated On: 2/26/08 at 07:10 AM

[Justin D]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 7:30am

I'd seen Kendra in Wicked on tour, and although her acting is great, I really didnt like her vocals. But saw her standby (Ali Mauzy sp)and thought she was excellent.

and way way back in London I saw Sarah Ryan's Christine in Phantom, I thought she was way better than Jill Washington who by then was really too old for the role.

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 8:40am

I won't go dissing the people who normally play these roles, but I prefer Van Hughes as Link and Hayley Podschun as Penny in Hairspray, Jesse Swenson and Alexandra Socha as Melchior and Wendla (and Jesse Swenson as Hanschen) in Spring Awakening, and Becky Gulsvig as Elle in Legally Blonde. Most of the other understudies I've seen are great too.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 8:52am

I had the great fortune of seeing the RAISIN IN THE SUN revival on a night that Sean Combs called in sick, so I was able to see a production filled with top of the line theatre actors across the board.

Billy Eugene Jones gave a powerful, multi-dimensional performance as Walter Lee.

Imagine:

A rap star making his stage debut getting cast in this classic role, while his understudy was a recent NYU MFA graduate.

What does that say about the state of Broadway?

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:01am

Maybe I'm lucky, but I can honestly say with all the shows I have seen over all the years, I have never disliked an understudy I have seen. I have been disappointed by not seeing So-and-So in the role, but I have never been let down by an understudy.

Can't say as I have seen many, though. Especially in lead roles. The most was MOVIN' OUT the second time I saw it on Broadway. Eddie, Brenda and Judy were all the understudies. They impressed me by being just as good with enough of a "newness" to make their characters different.

Again, maybe I'm just lucky

Updated On: 2/27/08 at 09:01 AM

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:16am

I loved Matt Farnsworth as Aaron Fox in CURTAINS, Alexandra Socha as Wendla, both Jesse Swenson and Matt Doyle as Melchior, and Matt Doyle as Otto in SPRING AWAKENING, and Van Hughes as Link in HAIRSPRAY.

I also liked Gerard Canonico as Moritz just as much as I liked John Gallagher, if that counts.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:20am

Lyndy Franklin as Bebe in A Chorus Line. She's was better than Alison Porter, Krysta Rodriquez & Dena DiGiancinto. (Although Dena comes a close second.)

[fosca3]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 9:39am

Rob Evan in Jekyll & Hyde (understudy for Robert Cuccioli)

(I believe Rob did all the matinees -- does that make him an 'alternate'?)

And Tom Zemon, who was Chris Innvar's understudy for Javert in Les Mis

One Saturday I had a matinee ticket for 'Barrymore' at the Music Box -- I checked the Les Mis understudy board when I got to the city, saw Tom was going on, and bought a Les Mis ticket and skipped Barrymore

Tom Zemon was a wonderful Grantaire, but he was a great Javert too

I was always a little sad I didn't see Barrymore, but I think it was worth it

Updated On: 2/26/08 at 09:39 AM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:09am

Becky Gulsvig as Elle Woods - Legally Blonde
Andy Karl as Emmett/Callahan - Legally Blonde
Nadine Isenegger as Cassie - A Chorus Line
Josh Henry as Benny - In the Heights
Krysta Rodriguez as Wendla - Spring Awakening

[bwaygal1]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:11am

Alexandra Socha as Wendla-Spring Awakening

[logan0215]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:16am

Maureen Moore > Bernadette Peters - GYPSY

[rosekwbp]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:31am

Maureen Moore for Christine Ebersole-Grey Gardens

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:33am

Matt Doyle as Melchior in SA
Travis Cloer over Michael Longoria as Frankie Valli in JB.
Updated On: 2/26/08 at 10:33 AM

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:46am

ironically its the same understudy in 2 roles but

emily rozek over susan egan as millie in thoroughly modern millie
emily rozek over kendra kassebaum as glinda in wicked

[PUPPETMAN]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 10:51am

Not an understudy, but an alternate:
Patti Cohenhour for Sarah Brightman in PHANTOM
Updated On: 2/26/08 at 10:51 AM

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 11:16am

Matt Doyle as Melchior.
Eryn Murman as Ilse.

[PottstownTeacher]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 11:32am

I guess I have been really, REALLY lucky but I have been seeing shows since I was 6 years old (I am 34 now) and I have only seen 2 understudies for leading roles - Ellinore O'Connell went on for Ann Crumb in ASPECTS OF LOVE (She was absolutely phenomenal and sang "Anything But Lonely" better than anyone I have ever heard before or since). I also saw Blake Hammond go on for John Pinnette (sp?) in HAIRSPRAY and he really left something to be desired. Of course I had not seen the show since I had seen the original cast in 2003 and I guess I was comparing.
Updated On: 2/26/08 at 11:32 AM

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 11:41am

Anne Runolfsson as Victoria in VICTOR VICTORIA

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 12:09pm

Matt Doyle as pretty much everything in SPRING AWAKENING...ditto with Gerard Canonico.

And Karmine Alers is the best Mimi and Maureen currently at RENT.

[Tom148502]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 12:26pm

I've been lucky to have seen few understudies and, for the most part, the disappointment of the star's absence didn't help with my impression of the understudy. Julie Andrews was out for both THE BOY FRIEND and MY FAIR LADY, with Helen Clayton taking over as Polly Browne and Lola Fisher appeared as Eliza Doolittle. My biggest disappointment was Thelma Ritter being out the night I saw NEW GIRL IN TOWN. There was no one quite like Ritter and her udnerstudy Jean Handzlik didn't come across well at all. The night I saw WILDCAT was one of the many nights that Lucille Ball decided not to come to the theatre. Her replacement, Betty Jane Watson, was marvelous, and the show seemed better than it probably was because everything was not focused on a star.

[jedigurl527]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 12:53pm

Matt doyle on with alexandra socha is great. while lea and jonathan's voices and chemistry are unbelievable, the two of them make for more believable teenagers. alexandra was already my favorite wendla, but matt was brilliant.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 12:56pm

Has anyone ever seen an understudy that you liked better than the actual person playing the role?

Steven Goldsmith as Frankie Valli

Randal Keith as Jean Valjean (before he was promoted, of course )

Nicole Riding as Eponine

Joseph Dellger as the Phantom

Jessica Henson as Christine Daae

Christopher Lee Michaels as Chris (whatever happened to him?!)

[kikki327]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 3:11pm

Nadine Issenger as Cassie in ACL....she was fantastic!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 3:15pm

I feel like I'm the only one who didn't like Nadine Issenegger as Cassie.

Maureen Moore in Grey Gardens
Lyndy Franklin as Maggie in A Chorus Line

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 2/26/08 at 3:30pm

I didn't like Nadine as Cassie either, but the truth is Charlotte isn't much better.

I will also add to my list Travis Cloer over Michael Longoria in JERSEY BOYS.