You've Seen 'Em Here First!

[broadway1564]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:18pm

So have you guys ever seen an "up and coming" perform ... OK, actually I mean ... Have you ever seen someone perform (either as an understudy ... in the chorus ... etc.) and now they have hit the "big time" on Broadway?

As for me ... I can't say that I've seen anyone that's really hit the "big time" ... But I am sure you guys have some great stories to share.

[gherbert]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:23pm

You mean REALLY big time because I saw Sara Gettelfinger as a stand-out as Maria, a bit role, in Nine and she subsequently went on to become a lead in that show.

I also saw Christian Borle in Just So at the North Shore Music Theatre. She played a stove. That right, a stove! Anyway, he stole the show and I didn't make the connection until a couple months ago when I was rummaging through some old Playbills!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:29pm

I saw an unknown named Heather Headley in a production of Dreamgirls at the Marriot Lincolnshire, for one.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:33pm

I remember seeing Susan Egan at the Sacrmento Light Opera and Music Circus... she came up in the ranks and now she is a star! Well per Broadway standards.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:38pm

Hunter Foster was in the chorus when I saw Footloose... and I think Marissa Jaret Winokur was in Grease. Oh, and Jai from Queer Eye as Angel in Rent.

Updated On: 1/22/04 at 06:38 PM

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:41pm

Lots of people start at CLO and Music Circus!

Updated On: 1/21/04 at 06:41 PM

[Albin]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 6:54pm

Bebe Neuwirth as Cassie in a touring production of "A Chorus Line."

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 7:51pm

Kelsey Grammer on Broadway in "Othello"
Faith Prince off-Broadway in "Falsettoland"

[BroadwayKate]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 8:21pm

Sutton Foster as the "Star to Be" in Annie...ironic huh?

kate

Updated On: 1/21/04 at 08:21 PM

[emmamia]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 8:36pm

sutton foster in grease
hunter foster in grease
marissa jaret winokur in grease
... wow i feel repetitive but grease is the word :)

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 8:38pm

hunter foster in grease.sutton foster as somone in annie

Updated On: 1/21/04 at 08:38 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 8:52pm

Sara Jessica Parker, ANNIE
John Travolta, OVER HERE
Treat Williams, OVER HEAR
Richard Gere, HABEAS CORPUS
Meryl Streep, TRELAWNY OF THE WELLS
Kevin Kline, THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM
PATTI LUPONE, THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM

Are those that come to mind.

My best friend stood many a night outside the Improv with Bette Midler while they each waited their turn to go.

And that's life in the the-ate-uh.

Bulldog

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/21/04 at 9:11pm

Georgia Engel as Minnie Fay in TWHM (Merman company)

John Travolta in OVER HERE!

David Hartman as Rudolph in TWHM (TGC company)

TSMrW in TENDERLOIN at City Center

David Hyde Pierce in THE HEIDI CHRONICLES

Bonnie Franklin in APPLAUSE

Dixie Carter in PAL JOEY at Circle in the Square

Donna Murphy in SONG OF SINGAPORE (off-bwy)

[A_Boy_From_Oz]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 9:33am

A couple years a go a saw Joshua Kobak as an understudy for Roger in a touring production of RENT. I know he still isn't a huge star yet, but he has come a long way.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 9:39am

I've been a friend of Kristin Chenoweth's since 1991, long before her success.

[DefyingGravity2]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:05pm

Sutton Foster in Scarlet Pimpernel and Les Mis.

I think thats it. thats pretty cool that your friends w/ Kristen.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:07pm

I saw rebecca Luker go on as Chrisitne for Brightman in Phantom.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:48pm

Bebe Neuwirth in the B&T of A CHORUS LINE
Alyson Reed in the self-same B&T of A CHORUS LINE
Marin Mazzie in BIG RIVER -- she played one of those sisters

[Karma76]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:57pm

GREASE

Hunter Foster
Megan Mullally

Tommy

Michael Cerveris
Jonathan Dokuchitz
Alice Ripley
Sherie Rene Scott
Michael McElroy
Few others I am forgetting now

(what was cool is Maggie (Pam Klinger)from chorus line the movie was in that cast)

I willl have to think of a few more, i know there are tons

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 1:58pm

I've seen both the Foster siblings in ensemble roles and a couple of leads in Annie, Les Mis, Grease, and Footloose (yuck)

I've also seen Kerry Butler in Beauty and the Beast and in Bat Boy.

Cheers,
The Balladeer

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 2:07pm

Taye Diggs in a college production of THE ME NOBODY KNOWS.

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 3:18pm

I met Boyd Gaines while he was performing in Baltimore before "The Heidi Chronicles" and "One Day at a Time"

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 3:59pm

robbiej, did you go to S.U.?

Not a huge broadway star... but she moved to Hollywood and got bigger:
I saw Neve Campbell in the ballet chorus of the Toronto POTO. She covered the role of Meg Giry as well.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 5:01pm

I've seen:

Kristen Chenoweth - Steel Pier/A New Brain/Epic Proportions/Charlie Brown
Faith Prince - Nick and Nora
Heather Headley - Dreamgirls/...and the World Goes Round (Marriott Lincolnshire)
Raul Esparza - Evita National Tour
Mary Testa - The Rink (as Liza's understudy)
Mark Kudisch and Susan Egan - Bye Bye Birdie National Tour

Many others, but those are some of the interesting ones.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/22/04 at 5:14pm

ckeaton,

Why yes I did!