Understudies that never had there chance in the spotlight- Page 3
Understudies that never had there chance in the spotlight
DefyGravity777
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/28/08
#50re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:04pm
"None of the Margot covers for Elle ever got to go on more than two times."
Kate Rockwell did.
#51re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:05pmRockwell went on 6 times, all right in a row, the weekend Bailey was ill (the only performances Bailey missed).
#52re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:08pmI knew she went on a few times, but I fell out of the Legally Blonde loop when Bailey took over, so I'm not surprised I didn't recall that fact.
#53re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:08pm
how many times did kate rockwell go on?
the person playing margot is just the 2. u/s.
first u/s of elle is the ensemble track that was played by becky gulsvig and then autumn hulbert. but i guess autumn wasn't ready to go on so they had kate go on instead. that is probably why autumn never got to go on.
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#54re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 10:39pm
Paul Castree as Frederick Frankenstein in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. He might've gone on once, but I'm pretty sure I never saw him.
There are tons of people that are so amazingly talented I love but just haven't hit the right show yet to fully shine.
theatregirl2
Swing Joined: 10/3/06
#55re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/10/09 at 11:52pmI saw LBB go on as Glinda and was not impressed by her singing. Not sure if she was under the weather or if it had just been a while since performing the role, but she was flat for most of the first act. By the time act 2 came around, she seemed to have finally found her voice and finished strongly. Her acting was fine and she seemed to have fun with the role. But it was very disappointing when Glinda ascends in the bubble and then sings flat. I am a classically trained singer, so it really stood out to me, especially when I was expecting to see Kristin Chenoweth! After seeing her in LB, I felt that her forte is more pop than classical. Still wasn't impressed with her in LB, but it seemed more up her alley.
#56re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/12/09 at 2:45am
Julie Reiber = former stand-by's stand-by? She never stood-by for anyone who stood-by for her because she was never full time Elphaba in the first place. There was Caissie Levy who understudied on Broadway then got promoted to full-time in LA where Julie would have remained as stand-by, if that's what you're getting at.
I saw Julie as Elphaba and was extremely underwhelmed. Caissie was intoxicating to watch. Amazing.
bubbleblonde
Understudy Joined: 7/9/08
#57re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/15/09 at 3:00pmI can't believe Julie Reiber wasn't lead either. What kind of casting director doesn't want a one dimensional actress with a dime-a-dozen voice to be the lead in the Broadway production of their show? Outrageous.
#58re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/15/09 at 3:28pm
To the poster who mentioned the idea of Ann Harada replacing Allison Janney, I'm now a little obsessed with that idea. Is she an understudy for the role? Partly, I just love Ann and would love to see her tackle the part. But also, I think it would be entertaining to see how different the show would read visually since she sooooo petite and Allison Janney is soooooo tall.
Also a little unrelated, I'm not sure whether this has happened yet, but I'd love to see Jackie Burns go on as Sheila in Hair. There's something about her that really pops in the ensemble, and I'd be curious to see her get to tackle a bigger role.
JoeGillis
Understudy Joined: 3/28/05
#59re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/15/09 at 3:42pm
"but speaking of rent: shayna steele as anything."
Actually Shayna went on for Mimi quite a few times. I saw her as mimi the night of Gwen's first show as Joanne. I also think she went on as maureen a few times but not sure.
#60re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 5/15/09 at 6:16pmLOLZ @ bubbleblonde.
#61re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/30/10 at 9:47pm
Eryn Murman
should have been full time Wendla after Lea left Spring Awakening
#62re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/30/10 at 10:30pmDid Adam Lambert go on often as Fiyero in L.A.? I saw him and Julie. Hands down best Fiyero and second-best Elphie (after Eden in 2004 and before Stephanie J. Block in 2005) I've seen.
#63re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/31/10 at 9:42ami loved eryn's wendla! was lucky enough to see her the first time i went. she was amazing.
#64re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:25amIsn't Lenora Nemetz sort of the trope-namer here? She's become a cult figure as the greatest understudy of all time.
tamra2
Stand-by Joined: 1/9/07
#65re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/31/10 at 10:41amKyle Dean Massey as Sonny in Xanadu... that would have been awesome!
chewy5000
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/1/09
#66re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 3/31/10 at 8:44pm
Elaine Stritch when she understudied Ethel Mermnan
"Merman was never off, so I was never on"
#67re: Understudies that never had their chance in the spotlight
Posted: 4/1/10 at 1:02am
I'm pretty certain Paul Castree was the Dr. Frankenstein that I saw. Not sure why Roger was out as the regular cast was all there.
Whoever was Brad Oscar's understudy of Max Bialystock during The Producer's run was quite good. I think his regular role of Franz and his understudy was also very good. I am blanking on names here.
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