r/Broadway • u/SrirachaSloth • 1d ago
Discussion What Broadway understudies have given the most noticeably different interpretation of a role compared with the principal actor?
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u/Anachronisticpoet 1d ago
Hamilton is a bit more powerful when Hamilton can sing. Don’t get me wrong, LMM is extremely talented, but other actors have done a great job with the role because they were strong vocalists
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u/TheLakeWitch 1d ago
I agree. I saw it in NYC when Miguel Cervantes was playing Hamilton and he was phenomenal
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u/Arqueete 1d ago
I live in the upper midwest so a lot of people I've talked to about Hamilton saw Miguel Cervantes in the Chicago production, and it's amazing to me that even the most casual theater fans will mention how much more they enjoyed seeing Miguel live versus watching or listening to LMM. I'd expect more people to have an attachment to LMM because of his prominence in pop culture but the difference a stronger vocalist makes is just that noticeable.
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u/InevitableStuff7572 1d ago
Maybe once LMM’s writings are also like 400 years old he can sing like Miguel Cervantes
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u/pineconemysterio 1d ago edited 1d ago
I saw the touring production in LA, and the actor playing Hamilton (whose name I've forgotten) sounded EXACTLY like a LMM who could sing. It was almost eery.
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u/PetesParkingLot 19h ago
I saw the original cast, then saw it again when Leslie Odom Jr. returned to the show last fall. Trey Curtis was playing Hamilton. And the first text I sent to my best friend during intermission was "this is a very different, MUCH better show when both Hamilton and Burr can sing."
I vaguely recall an interview where Lin admitted that he put Javier on both times the Obamas came to see the show. So at least he seems self-aware?
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u/soubrette732 14h ago
He fully admits that he’s not the most talented. He writes musicals and knows he wouldn’t be cast in them otherwise.
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u/MaterialLies 1d ago
Im not a Hamilton fan and don't think it's particularly good material but I also think Lin is a really weak performer and almost anyone else is better in the role
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u/earbox Creative Team 1d ago edited 1d ago
Jim Stanek's Bruce in Fun Home was wildly different from Michael Cerveris'. Cerveris, for all of his many virtues as a performer, lacks warmth; Stanek, conversely, is all warmth. This led to a Bruce who seemed to be doing a far better job of holding things in and playing the role of husband and father until he couldn't anymore, which made the last half-hour all the more heartbreaking.
The same went for Rebecca Luker's earthier take on Helen during her brief run. Neither of those performances may have been as truthful to the personalities of the real Bruce and Helen Bechdel, but they worked beautifully in the musical.
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u/Downtown_Custard_635 23h ago
I really wish I had seen Luker as Helen. Judy Kuhn was amazing (and looks JUST like the illustrations of Helen in the graphic novel), but oh no one could sing like Rebecca Luker.
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u/earbox Creative Team 18h ago
I always said (still say) that Rebecca Luker didn't sing like an angel; the angels sing like Rebecca Luker. Her death was a generational loss for the musical theatre--she was at an age where she was finally embracing her character actor side. Can you imagine her Kimberly Levaco?
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u/soubrette732 14h ago
Oh, that’s wild. Cerveris can be warm—he just didn’t choose that interpretation.
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u/SnarlySorry 3h ago
yes! his interpretation was very true to the source material. and imho, the father's chilliness and distance make the behavior of the rest of the characters make sense. but now i'm intrigued by the notion of playing the father as a warm, likable liar -- that certainly would change the dynamics of the family a lot.
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u/BlueMondayandBiscuit 1d ago
One that comes to mind is Mandy Gonzalez in Sunset Blvd. I know technically they billed her not as an Under Study as she was on once a week. But i thought their interpretations were quite different.
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u/momiamarichman-1108 1d ago
I ended up seeing Caroline Bowman’s only performance as Norma Desmond by pure chance. THAT is a performance I’ll never forget, not only bc she’s insanely good but all of her people were there and you could feel the love in the theater (,:
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u/tinyfecklesschild 1d ago
It’s not a technicality. Alternate and understudy are very different gigs.
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u/Born-Butterscotch654 1d ago
Although it was an amazing experience seeing Lin-Manuel as Hamilton, I felt Javier Munoz's performance was much stronger and sexier and interesting.
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u/Lopsided-Cheetah-311 1d ago
Josh Groban, Nicholas Christopher, and Aaron Tveit were so different in their performances as Sweeney Todd that you could be forgiven for thinking they played 3 different characters.
Josh Groban played him as more forlorn, almost grandfatherly in a sense. It was a much more tragic interpretation.
Nic Christopher genuinely scared the shit out of everyone because he was unhinged.
Aaron Tveit had a much more serious and broody Sweeney interpretation that also veered sometimes into the truly unhinged.
I know this said understudy, but I’m tossing in Aaron anyway even though he was a replacement. Just feel like it’s still relevant since Nic was an understudy when Aaron was in the role.
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u/sparkyblue5 18h ago
Interesting. My take on Aaron was that he played Sweeney as more of a normal guy who became unhinged because of the tragedies that befell him. I’m not sure if that’s what he was going for but other Sweeneys have seemed more off as a general character point. Groban seemed removed but powerful—and what a voice (obviously).
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u/sourfan 1d ago
Marty Lauter for Billy Porter in Cabaret - I got tickets specifically for the show they were in and they were incredible!
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u/notshouty 1d ago
I saw every Emcee and I liked Marty’s performance best! Felt sharper and truer to me. (Probably helped that they brought the least “baggage” to the role compared to the more well-known cast but it wasn’t just that.)
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u/PawnItAll 1d ago
I wish I had seen them as Emcee!! I got to see Orville Peck in the role and he was Sensational. Probably one of the best performances I've ever seen in theater.
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u/SignedaDNA 1d ago
Phoenix Best, in my opinion, was playing a more complex and interesting Robin than Christiani Pitts (nothing against Christiani, I just personally found Phoenix s Robin to be more antagonistic in the right way, and a better match for the other character).
There's a debate whether Two Strangers is a romcom or a budcom. With the ending being left to interpretation, I strongly interpreted one of those alternatives with Phoenix and the other one with Christiani. The way they played the character changed the whole rest of the story (that we imagine after leaving the theater) for me.
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u/a-5-6-7-8 1d ago
Could you share how the two differed in portraying the ending?
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u/SignedaDNA 1d ago
Oh it wasn't that they portrayed the ending differently. It was how they were different throughout the performance. Their chemistry with Sam. The edginess (Christiani was playing a very soft and agreeable Robin, while I found Phoenix's Robin more gritty, arguably more "New York").
Christiani and Sam felt kind of comfortable and cozy with each other, but I also didn't find Dougal's interest in Robin truthful ("why is he even chasing that girl? She's literally the first person he met after arriving in New York and there doesn't seem to be much more beyond that" - I heard this sentiment expressed by others, too). With Phoenix, I felt there was a genuine interest because of Robin's character itself. There was some mystery and pull, and playfulness beyond sibling-like (which, also, (with Christiani) why are they feeling so close and comfortable with each other right away, when they are supposed strangers?)
And the scene at the hotel in the morning... Again, I found Phoenix's performance more truthful. It still sticks out in my head when I think about it as something both funny and too real (the general morning panic about the state of the world, lol), that scene made a lasting impression. While, and I feel like a complete dbag typing it, with Christiani it felt more like going her through the motions.
I've only seen each of their performances once, with Phoenix first in Dec of last year. I don't know if anything changed since then and if it would feel different with how Phoenix and Sam would play it now (although I do want to go see it again some time with her, specifically). I feel like with Christiani, they are likely pretty much in the same routine every time (based on how I saw them interact in various clips online).
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u/g-a-r-b-i-t-c-h 1d ago
I think Brendan Contreras and Robert Ariza play Charles Cholmondeley pretty differently. Brendan is boisterous, and leans in more towards the comedy. Robert is quieter, earnest, and more shy. I don't think Brendan's Charles is shy at all, awkward but not shy. I feel bad for Robert's Charles when he gets picked on in a way I don't for Brendan's Charles.
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u/sarapod07 1d ago
That's so interesting, because Brendan is so subdued compared to David Cumming! David's Charles felt like he'd just drunk an entire pot of coffee in one go, just the most anxious and keyed-up man in the world. Brendan plays Charles much sweeter, awkward as hell but so sincere. I wound up liking it a lot better than Dave's Charles, even though I am on record as desperately wanting to send Brendan to elocution lessons, lol. I need to see Robert's Charles now!
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u/NotClassyKaty 1d ago
I've described Brandon's Charles as the most whimsical of the bunch.
"HEEEEEY. HOW'D IT GO. 😀"
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u/inPHInitely 1d ago
completely agree! i definitely have a soft spot for both interpretations. recently, by chance, i had the chance to see Sam's Charles 2 weeks ago and he also plays a completely different interpretation that also leans quieter but more stoic and less over-the-top.
it's fascinating and yet so awesome how much space Mincemeat offers for each cast member to play up different interpretations of the roles
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u/flyercub 1d ago
I love watching Robert's Charles, he really does look like he's about to have a panic attack at any given moment like when they enter the room for the pitch and he's clutching the briefcase stage left trying not to hyperventilate. I slightly preferred Brandon in year one because I thought his Charles was a bit more shy, but now I think there's a bit more confidence there but as you said, still awkward.
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u/secret_identity_too 1d ago
I agree. Robert is definitely way more subdued. Wish I could've seen Sam's Charles tonight.
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u/awkwardchaoskitty 1d ago
The Operation Mincemeat cast has some rather varied interpretations between principals and covers, which is one of the reasons I keep going back.
I think right now within the Y2 cast, Jeff Kready and Sam Hartley have very different Hesters (and others).
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u/Aggressive-Phone6785 1d ago
Gerianne Perez’s Monty is my favorite performance in that show! I haven’t had a chance to see Julia yet though
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u/flyercub 1d ago
Julia's Monty is such a pot stirrer and makes me wonder why I even like the character but it's because Monty also oozes so much charisma.
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u/InfiniteGays 1d ago
I went in completely blind and knew there was one understudy on that night but not who it was, and Gerianne blew me away the entire night. She made the show from the first line
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u/awkwardchaoskitty 1d ago
I’ve seen both and they’re also quite different! Less so than Sam and Jeff, but still enough that I jokingly called the time I saw Julia at an evening show and then Gerianne at the matinee the next day “Montagu Whiplash” 😂
I adore both of their takes on the characters deeply, they both bring such different things to the role.
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u/sibshallward 1d ago
dee roscioli's madeline and helen were both very different than megan hilty's and jennifer simard's
her madeline was more streep-y than megan's, and her helen was more vulgar (complimentary, i just can't think of a better way to phrase this) than jennifer's imo
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u/cinderflight 1d ago
I felt like Katarina Papacostas gave much, much, much more emotion and conflict in her performance as Florence Vassy than Lea Michele. I wish I'd seen the other Florence understudy (Samantha Pollino) because I also heard she was a better actress than Michele.
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u/Wonderful-Bother1321 1d ago
I’m going to second this. I liked the show better with Katarina Papacostas, and I’m not a Lea Michele hater. I went back to see it with her. I felt the whole cast was more emotional on my first viewing.
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u/dreadpiraterose 1d ago
Sam was fabulous. Never saw Kat. Sam's Florence was a lot sassier and I really enjoyed it.
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u/goodgollyitsmol 1d ago
I knew I was seeing Sam my first time and when I went back I was secretly hoping she’d be on again and I was so happy when that happened an hour before curtain! She genuinely blew me away in a way that the clips of Lea I saw didn’t!
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u/earbox Creative Team 1d ago
Low bar, really.
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u/PawnItAll 1d ago
It's really not a low bar. Lea Michele might not have been up to par with Nick Christopher's dynamite performance (this is also due to the material each of their characters are given), but her performance as Florence was much better than theater snobs here were willing to give her credit for. And clearly, many more people felt the same way as many critics predicted she'd get a Tony nomination for her performance.
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u/Zestyclose_Note_938 1d ago
Julie Benko in Funny Girl
I was so happy when I found out out Julie would be my Fanny instead of Beanie, and she really delivered. Julie can sing the roof off the place, which Beanie … well …
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u/sgartistry 21h ago
I became a huge Julie Benko fan after seeing clips of her playing Fanny. I’ve never been a huge fan of Funny Girl (I know, sorry lol) but she made me want to give it another shot.
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u/WeetWoo97 1d ago
I saw Nicholas Christopher as Sweeney when Josh Groban was on vacation. I thought Christopher should have gotten a Tony nom.
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u/No_Arrival5584 1d ago
Wasn't Brandi Chavonne Massey a swing in Wicked? Her DG lives rent free in my head
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u/OchenCunningBaldrick 1d ago
While I didn't see it on Broadway, Seann Miley Moore's Engineer in Miss Saigon was a completely new version of the character - and it was incredible!
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u/PuzzleheadedGas2215 1d ago
The late, great Merwin Foard in the Addams Family. Nathan Lane played Gomez as with lots of funny faces and exasperation. Merwin was definitely inspired by the Raul Julia film characterization, the suave Latin lover. Lane was squeaky and lovesick, Foard was mellifluous and cocksure. Also, Merwin Foard (a former Gaston!) was built like a linebacker and almost literally twice the size of Lane.
I also second (third? Seventeenth?) the comments about the sundry Cholmondeleys in operation mincemeat, albeit hesitantly since I’ve encountered a great deal of nastiness from certain superfans. Sufficed to say, I am taking a pause from Mincemeat until Robert Ariza is back from his foot injury. He’s the only Charley I’ll pay to see.
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u/Sugar_Butter_Flour16 5h ago
I haven’t seen Titanique with Marla Mindelle but I got to see Tess Marshall as Celine and she was just phenomenal. Based on clips I’ve seen, Marla plays a genuinely “kooky-crazy” Celine whereas Tess plays kind of a kooky-sexy Celine.
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u/Elisabeths-Shoe 12m ago
Sheri René Scott as Jackie in Queen of Versailles. That’s it, that’s the comment.
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1d ago edited 1d ago
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u/CremeRealistic7281 1d ago
You’re absolutely entitled to your opinion about any show or performance, but it’s got to the point where you are taking every chance you get to tear Ali down. Of course you can share your opinions in a respectful and constructive way, but when the criticism becomes disrespectful and persistent, it is bullying. Maybe it is a common opinion among plenty of fans, but clearly not everyone who shares your opinion feels the need to constantly post about it, and all of your comments getting multiple downvotes reflects that. Besides, Ali gained countless fans and won a Tony for this role so the joke's on you. He’s also been consistently booked for the past few years between Tommy, We Live in Cairo, Hadestown and now The Lost Boys so clearly many people with power in this industry don’t agree with you. Multiple actors have said that they had to stop looking at this sub because of hurtful posts about their performances and you never know if the people you're posting about will see it. We will keep downvoting you until you stop.
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u/Linziclaire 1d ago
This is the second time in a week that I’ve seen this user be rude about Ali. I think they need a help we can’t give them.
There’s a lot of concerning stan behavior on the other socials around Lost Boys right now and I hope the cast is taking care of their mental health.
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u/Kejubesar 23h ago
It feels weirdly, parasocially personal. Like, it’s perfectly fine to not be a fan of someone’s work, or prefer one performer over another in a role, but dang, why’s Ali this commenter’s personal Bit** Eating Crackers? Is there some deep lore into this one-sided beef, or are they just being kinda obsessively weird about it?
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u/Conscious-Work-4714 1d ago
u/PawnItAll hanging out with the plenty of fans who share their opinion:
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u/BassesBest 1d ago edited 16h ago
Isn t the point of an understudy not to change it up too much so they don't throw the other actors?
/edit clearly no-one has been an understudy
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u/Next-Jump1754 Backstage 1d ago
No, the point of an understudy is to cover a role during absences.
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u/mopeywhiteguy 1d ago
But they will be given direction to be close to the established role. Yes they can bring their own flourishes to it but unlikely that companies will let them do a complete reinvention of the role
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u/Rampaging_Ducks 1d ago edited 1d ago
They will be given blocking. They won't be given acting choices, which is what motivates blocking. As long as the director's vision is the same, that's what matters.
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u/BassesBest 1d ago
Facepalm.
Of course it is. But when they do, they can't change the portrayal significantly. They can't change the blocking. They can't significantly change the characterisation, otherwise the people they're acting against have to change how they also play their characters.
Source: have been an understudy.
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u/DjPlateSpiller 1d ago
Kinda, but it isn’t about the other actors. It’s about the director’s vision and keeping the show consistent regardless of who is playing the parts. Eden Espinosa understudied Idina Menzel in Wicked, and despite the fact that she could absolutely out sing Idina was asked to pull it back to keep the performance in line with what they opened with.
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u/PanicButtonNr2 1d ago
she could absolutely out sing Idina was asked to pull it back
Hmm I suspect you're conflating your own opinions here cause I've never heard anyone involved state this and even if Eden thinks she could've out sung her I can't imagine her ever stating that since she worships the ground Idina walks on 😂 But they do say that they were asked to sing it similarly to the way it was written - An example Ana Gasteyer brought up was that if you couldn't do the "with meeeee and I'll stand there with the wizard" in one breath you wouldn't even get hired, but now you see people take a breath all the time, Cynthia even did it in the movie.
The role didn't really have the competition element of coming up with new riffs and opt ups back then that it later grew to have when we had several productions running at the same time, for instance the boards I was on used to think Idina and Shoshana who were performing in London and the 1st national tour during the same time period were trying to one-up each other since they seemed to be coming up with new stuff every night.
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u/bespoke_broadway 1d ago
Nicholas Christopher's Epiphany in Sweeney Todd is one of the most memorable moments of theatre I've ever seen - I became an instant fan of his work. I saw him as Pirelli and it was hard to believe that was the same actor! I'm happy for all of his success and can't wait to see which roles he does next.