Who was the best Velma Kelly?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 11:09am

Since there's a Roxie thread, might as well do a Velma thread.

1. Ute Lemper

2. Deidre Goodwin

3. Terra C. MacLeod

4. Lana Gordon

5. Donna Marie Asbury

6. Mamie Duncan-Gibbs

7. Brenda Braxton

8. Amra Faye Wright

[HogansHero]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 11:14am

What is Bebe? Sliced bread? LOL @ these lists. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 11:20am

HogansHero said: "What is Bebe? Sliced bread? LOL @ these lists."

 

Never got to see Bebe in the role.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 11:55am

She don't look like a Kelly, but Chita Rivera.  I saw her Velma three times in New York and on the road.  No one comes close.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 11:58am

Ute Lemper and Caroline O’Connor were the best in my opinion. They projected a harshness and a world weariness that would imbue a tough broad like Velma. It transcended caricature.

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 1:05pm

My mind immediately jumped to Linda Cardellini, but she was a different Velma. Still, she’s always the best part of anything she’s in, so if she ever does Chicago I’m sure she’ll be great. Maybe.

[DAME]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 1:47pm

Well of course.. Chita in the original.  But in the current production Ute is untouchable.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 3:09pm

1. Bebe Neuwirth

2. Chita Rivera

3. Ute Lemper


A lot of other excellent ones, but for me, these three stood above the crowd by a significant margin.

[fosterfan2]

Posted: 2/21/21 at 5:41pm

Bebe Neuwirth.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/22/21 at 8:56am

Of the ones that I've seen:

1. Bebe Neuwirth

2. Caroline O'Connor

3. Deidre Goodwin

4.Carly Hughes

5. Brenda Braxton

6. Lana Gordon

7. Nikka Graff Lanzarone

8. Ruthie Henshall

9. Terra MacLeod

10. Leigh Zimmerman

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 2/22/21 at 9:25pm

Terra C, Leigh Zimmerman and Lana Gordon (in no particular order)

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 2/22/21 at 11:14pm

I’ve only ever gotten to see Amra-Faye Wright, who was fine. I’m curious how people think Catherine Zeta-Jones stacked up against stage Velmas. I know it’s a different medium and she didn’t have the same choreography and the role was more supporting in the film, but I’m just curious

[rougeduck]

Posted: 2/23/21 at 1:36am

Reva Rice was my first and fav!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/23/21 at 5:13am

NOWaWarning said: "I’ve only ever gotten to see Amra-Faye Wright, who was fine. I’m curious how people think Catherine Zeta-Jones stacked up against stage Velmas. I know it’s a different medium and she didn’t have the same choreography and the role was more supporting in the film, but I’m just curious"

I thought Catherine Zeta-Jones was absolutely spectacular as Velma and embodied the role perfectly. Favorite stage Velma (out of the ones I have seen) would have to be Terra C. MacLeod.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 2/23/21 at 7:47pm

NOWaWarning said: "I’ve only ever gotten to see Amra-Faye Wright, who was fine. I’m curious how people think Catherine Zeta-Jones stacked up against stage Velmas. I know it’s a different medium and she didn’t have the same choreography and the role was more supporting in the film, but I’m just curious"

I thought that she was great; however, it ia difficult to compare her dancing, since she benefitted from constant film editing.  Whether she could have given anywhere near the ongoing performances given by all of the ladies previously mentioned is something we will never know; but, in the movie, she was terrific.

[Templeton33]

Posted: 2/24/21 at 1:55pm

Bebe Neuwirth.  Also really enjoyed Donna Marie Asbury, Brenda Braxton and Ruthie Henshall.  Wish I had gotten the chance to see Ute Lemper (but Bebe had come back!), Vicki Lewis (she was out that performance) and Pia Douwes.