Which Broadway Actor/Actress do you think can best act different types of characters...? — Page 3

ana gasteyer (counting in her snl work)
norbert and raul for the 80,000th time
gary beach

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As much as I adore Audra to the end of the earth and around 600 times, I think she still needs work on creating specific characters. She's excellent at pretty much playing herself, which unfortunatly is stronger than a lot of actors but I have yet to see her engulf herself completely in a role.

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If you want to talk an amazing change, give kudos to Mr. Matt Morrison! From Link to Fabrizio?! Wtf?

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I think Idina Menzel is a lot more versatile than Kristin Chenoweth, although both are great performers. I still agree with Bernadette Peters and definitely Donna Murphy. What about Brooke Shields, I know she is mostly known as a TV star but anyone that can do Sally Bowles, Ruth Sherwood, and Roxie Hart must be a versatile actress.
Joel Grey is also one of the best actors on Broadway!

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Audra pretty much plays herself?

Audra was a fiesty early 1900's girl from the North East who falls in love and almost looses a loser named Mr Snow?
Wow.
She sassed Maria Calllas?
Oh my.
She burried her child in the ground because her man left her in Reconstruction 1900?
Hmph.
She considered abortion because her husband may not love her enough/ have enough money to raise a child?
Interesting.

Not to mention a passionate jealous lover, a crazed beggar woman, Dot (and all the complexities that go along with that), and ALL of the different characters she plays when she sings ANY song.

Versalitily? I think so.

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I have yet to see her entirely transform herself. She does perform her songs, true and changes herself a little for each. I love her for that. But I still haven't seen or heard a performance of hers (I didn't see her Dot though) where she has yet completely. I've loved her in everything I've seen or heard her do, but part of that is because she's such an excellent performer. Right now she seems more of an ingenue though, not a character actress. I think the same of Bernadette Peters who has also done many many different roles and was enjoyable in each but not quite a complete transformation (the closest I've seen is her Marie) . I did not mean to imply that Audra is not versatile. She is. Much more than say, Chenoweth is, but what I mean is that she is not yet created a character that is entirely distinct in all aspects from another she has played. I'd place Audra much higher than the majority of broadway actors, yes, but I think she is far from THE MOST versatile. As an actress I don't think Audra is up to Donna's level yet.

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Updated On: 8/7/05 at 11:51 PM

'"Elphaba and Maureen are two completely different characters."

On paper? Yes, I guess if you want to be kind and call Elphaba a character. But be serious, almost any actress who has played Maureen could concievably play Elphaba and visa-versa. Changing your own mood to suit a character isn't acting. Idina Menzel is not a great actress, give it up."

What? Menzel completely changed her physical movement and the way she talked for these roles. That's just a cler thing you can see from watching her play each role. In her performance, there is MUCH more than a "change in mood," she is absolutely a whole nother character. And there is great depth to both characters.

Not every actress who plays Maureen could play Elphaba, most of them can hardly play Maureen to begin with.


And Angela Lansbury? Totally agree.

I have to go with those of you who said Anthony Rapp. Why? Because I adore the man and think he can (and should) play absolutely anything. I never get tired of seeing him in the roles he chooses. If you hated him in RENT and/or YAGMCB, then surely the longevity of his career and the versatility in both his film and theater roles should convince you. Anthony Rapp is magnificent and can play any role (anyone else here having a Sunset Boulevard moment?). Even, as Kevin Smith once put it, "the shark in Jaws."

* And though this really is my honest opinion, it is very obviously a bit tongue in cheek.

I don't agree with Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.

Kristin, as mentioned before, always plays the ditzy blond, and I don't think that Idina has been in enough roles to classify her as a versitile actress.

I'm going to throw in Patti LuPone:
Concert Version of Sweeny Todd,
Anything Goes
The Cradle will Rock,
Oliver,
Evita,
Les Miserables,
Sunset Boulevard.

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I will agree to Patti Lupone. She went from Reno Sweeney to Fantine. Major transformation.

And for the record, by no means do I mean that Idina Menzel is the most versatile actress. Heavens no. I just meant she's played different roles. But no more of that.

to the above... EXACTLY what I want is the rarity.

I wanted this post to have people say who they thought were the latter of your statement, who can transform themselves into a role and when they play that part, they aren't themselves and you don't think of their name, but just the character they are acting. Even though... it doesn't look or feel like acting, it's as if they are themselves.

I am really glad a lot of people posted here and there are dozens of different names flying about, and many I agree with, however, many seem to just be naming people who have acted different roles... and when looking at past work have a lot of different stuff under their belt, however, that doesn't really mean much.

Sure, an actor and play different roles and some be complete opposites, however, many tiems you watch them and it's still just them, acting a role. You know what they are trying to get at and what they want the character to be like, but they aren't that character... off the first few words they say, you already are watching them as themselves playing a character, and not that character and the story.

It's hard to find an actor or actress who truly engulfs themselves in a character and transforms themselves, but that is what acting is about and what I would hope EVERYONE who acts strives for.

So on this last page I've seen a few posts noting this (the one above, buffysomethinsomething, and maybe another) and to those people, I agree with you guys, 100%.

So just letting everyone know this and think about it before posting who you think can best portray differently roles.

I used believably, but that isn't even strong enough of a word to describe what an amazing actor can do. It's more than being convincing and believable in a role... they shouldn't even seem like they are acting a role, it should just be another version of themselves.

Anywayz, enough of that, just felt the need to post my thoughts about this. Sorry it was a bit long.

Continue with the replies...

Anthony Rapp.
Hedwig AND Charlie Brown? Wow.


And Raul, definately.

And Norbert! Cabaret, Wicked, and now DRS? Wow to that too.

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