Understudies You Liked Better Than the Person Playing the Role — Page 2

Sarah Lawrence as Christine Daae.

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I saw Alli Mauzey for Kendra this summer. I was so upset about that, but when she came out in her bubble, and said her first line, and when she opened her mouth to sing her first note....I knew it was going to be alright!

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When did Jeff McCarthy play Valjean?!

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I second Jay Douglas. If I couldn't have Bob Martin, I would rather have had Jay Douglas.

I got to see Kristy Cates's second performance ever as Elphaba and she was amazing ~ more than made up for Idina being out.

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I never saw the actress originally in the role, but Leslie Hendrix was amazingly hilarious as Mayor Shinn's wife in MUSIC MAN when she went on. I saw the show a year later; the woman who played the part then (whose name I do know but won't say) wasn't nearly as good. It was a great show, and Hendrix sticks out as one of the best in a great cast.
Broadway Blog: Broadway Star Bingo V

A few months ago...

Jonathan Root for Howie Michael Smith in Avenue Q.

Loved NLB in Rent much better than Adam Pascal and more recently, I'd have to go along with all of the Legally Blonde understudies Fishergirl mentioned.

Defanetly agreed with COLEEN SEXTON in Wicked! She's fantastic.

Also, I still believe Eden Espinosa is a better Elphaba.

I third Jay Douglas as Man in the Chair. I saw him the second time I saw the show and I thought he had a really fun and different take compared to Bob Martin. Was disappointed at first, but then realized I didn't really know who Johnathon Crombie was anyway, so it didn't matter.

Brad Bass as Fiyero in WICKED was better than anyone else I've seen.
Andy Karl in LEGALLY BLONDE
Hazel Anne Raymundo in AVENUE Q as Christmas Eve

I saw KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN twice on Broadway. The first time Chita Rivera was out, and Carole Lawrence was her understudy--she walked through it, making no impression. The second time Vanessa Williams was out, and Nancy Hess gave a passionate, sizzling performance (with what is, after all, a very brief role), making every line and lyric count. I always remembered this because, as usual, the tourists were grumbling and bitching in the lobby about Vanessa being out. At the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS speech after the curtain calls, Nancy Hess informed the audience of the various merchandise available for purchase, which included show posters signed by each member of the cast, "including Vanessa Williams, so it won't be a total loss for all of you." I wanted to hug her.

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1. I want to see Brad Bass and Jonathan Root in those respective roles so badly! Brad's solo show is amazing.
2. Forgot to mention that Kyle Post as Mark was by far the best part of the show when I saw RENT a few weeks ago (though I haven't seen Harley Jay, so).

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