Who was the best understudy you have ever seen!- Page 5
Who was the best understudy you have ever seen!
nasty_khakis
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
#100Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/4/17 at 12:49pm
Theatregeek6, I know it was decades ago, but is the story there was no advertisement and the audience had no idea until the precurtain announcement?
#101Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/4/17 at 12:52pm
Absolutely - well at lest we did not know. We walked into the lobby and there was a replacement 'poster' (it seemed like 4 feet tall by 2 feet wide Saying the part of "Roxy Hart will be played at this performance by Liza Minnelli"
After her 2nd or 3rd show they announced she would be stepping in for a few weeks.
It was, to say the least, an experience! Liza and Chita!
I wish I had a camera
yankeefan7
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/14/12
#102Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/4/17 at 6:17pm
"yankeefan7: Glad to see you mentioned Robert Evans. Before the show opened on Broadway, a very different version played Seattle with the same cast that would eventually transfer to NY. At the performance I attended Evans went on for Cuccioli and did a wonderful job. What I truly enjoyed was his curtain call. He took his bow to thunderous applause and with the back of his right hand wiped his forehead as if to say, "Phew! I made it threw it." It was really sweet to see since this apparently was the first time he played the role. "
Wow, that is a neat story. Thanks for sharing.
NJGUY
Understudy Joined: 10/31/11
#103Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/4/17 at 9:20pm
Kelly Bishop for Stockard Channing in 6 Degrees. Have seen Stockard many times and to have Kelly do the role was sublime. She nailed it. Though I have always been a fan of KB since A Chorus line
#104Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/4/17 at 10:56pm
So some these are going to show my age, but I can still remember the performances and have the understudy slips as a great memory.
Lisa Ann Grant as Eponine (on for Debbie Gibson)
Sarah Litzsinger as Eponine (on for Lea Salonga)
Shayna Steel as Mary in JCS (on for Maya Days)
Yassmin Alers on for ANY role in RENT
Orfeh on as Rusty in Footloose (on for Stacey Francis)
Angela Pupello as Stephanie in Saturday Night Fever (on for Paige Price)
Laura Bell Bundy as Glinda (on for Kristen C)
Lauren Kennedy as Daisy (on so many times for Emily Skinner)
#105Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:26am
nasty_khakis said: "Theatregeek6, I know it was decades ago, but is the story there was no advertisement and the audience had no idea until the precurtain announcement?
"
As I recall, you are correct that the substitution wasn't advertised but it was well discussed as industry gossip. I knew about it in advance and I lived in Miami Beach at the time. (No, I didn't see it. Alas, I was working.) So I assume some people in the audience knew and some, maybe most, did not.
#106Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:38am
Despo for a vacationing Lotte Lenya in CABARET in August, 1968. She did not disappoint.
Well-well-well-what-do-you-think-of-that-I-have-nothing-here-to-pay-my-train-fare-with-only-large-bills-fives-and-sevens....
#107Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:40am
1. As long as we're doing honorable mentions, I actually thought CHICAGO was a better show when Lenora Nemetz went on for Chita Rivera. Heresy, I am aware.
It wasn't that Nemetz was more skilled in any way (though she was certainly skilled), but she was sunnier and not so thoroughly "hard-bitten" as Rivera. I liked the original production well enough to see it multiple times, but it was tough to take in that not-so-cynical decade. (Obviously, the culture and O.J. Simpson had better prepared us by the time of the revival.) Both ladies played the material they were given, but Nemetz added a spoonful of sugar. Nowadays, I might fault her for it, but in 1976...
2. I can't recall whether Brent Barrett was an understudy or just the replacement Whizzer for MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS off-Broadway, but he was not just excellent, he was cute as hell! I didn't see Stephen Bogardus in the part until FALSETTOS toured, and of course he was also excellent, but I've never found him as attractive as Whizzer is said to be in the text.
#108Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:44am
I'm not sure, but this might fall into the Liza-CHICAGO league. When Kurt Peterson left FOLLIES for ON THE TOWN, he was replaced by John Johann. Mr. Johann was fine- I saw him do the role three times. The fourth time I saw the show was closing night. The house was buzzing in any case, but as the house lights dimmed and the announcement was made that the role of Young Ben was being performed by Mr. Kurt Peterson, there was this massive intake of breath, and then one the loudest, cheering, whooping, hollering ovations ever heard. And the show hadn't even started. My favorite night in the theatre.
Well-well-well-what-do-you-think-of-that-I-have-nothing-here-to-pay-my-train-fare-with-only-large-bills-fives-and-sevens....
Updated On: 5/5/17 at 01:44 AM
#109Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 1:51am
justoldbill said: "Which of these people mentioned were the understudies?
"
[As justoldbill notes in the next post, my post here is no longer relevant. Thanks to bill for the courtesy of not leaving me hanging.]
#110Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 2:07am
(Gaveston is responding to a deleted message that I have replaced.)
Well-well-well-what-do-you-think-of-that-I-have-nothing-here-to-pay-my-train-fare-with-only-large-bills-fives-and-sevens....
10086Sundays
Broadway Star Joined: 5/5/17
#111Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 2:31am
Jevon McFerrin as Hamilton. I've seen Javier and Donald as well, but Jevon was incredible. His youthfulness and resemblance to Lin probably helped, but I really liked his take on the character. He portrayed Hamilton's brashness, energy, and passion in ways the other two didn't. I hope I can see him in the role again.
Side note: I saw it recently with James Iglehart Layette/Jefferson and he was basically a non-entity, fading into the background. I don't think he has found his footing yet, especially with "Guns and Ships," he struggled with the rapping.
#112Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/5/17 at 12:31pm
GavestonPS said: "nasty_khakis said: "Theatregeek6, I know it was decades ago, but is the story there was no advertisement and the audience had no idea until the precurtain announcement?
"
As I recall, you are correct that the substitution wasn't advertised but it was well discussed as industry gossip. I knew about it in advance and I lived in Miami Beach at the time. (No, I didn't see it. Alas, I was working.) So I assume some people in the audience knew and some, maybe most, did not.
"
That seems very viable. I know there was a good amount of gasping in the lobby upon seeing the sign, but I can certainly imagine others knew about it in advance (or suspected).
Sondheim_Disney1595
Understudy Joined: 1/18/15
#114Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/12/17 at 9:29pm
John Rapson in the recent Les Mis revival. I was really upset to not see Will Swenson, but John was incredible, especially his acting.
#115Who was the best understudy you have ever seen?
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:51pm
I've probably said this before, Rory O'Malley as Leaf Coneybear!! He made the role super exciting.
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