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Post by Michael on Aug 21, 2016 16:57:27 GMT
A discussion in the Jersey Boys thread about its long-time cast members Ben Wheeler and Mark Isherwood (both in their 9th year) made me think about other actors who have been in the same show for several years.
Hannah Toy must be in Wicked similarly long, but she's not "only" a Swing but also UK Resident Dance Supervisor.
And while ensemble members are more likely to stay in the same show for several years than featured or leading actors, both Ryan Molloy and Jarrod Spector played Frankie Valli for (I think) six years.
So are there any other long-time (let's say at least five years) ensemble members or featured or leading actors you know of? Both in London and on Broadway? Phantom and Les Mis seem to be prime candidates.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2016 16:59:57 GMT
What first springs to mind is George Asprey who plays Scar in The Lion King. He's been in it for as long as I can remember!!
Also Peter Lockyear for Les Mis?
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Post by jgblunners on Aug 21, 2016 17:00:39 GMT
Philip Griffiths, Auctioneer/Monsieur Reyer in Phantom, recently broke the record for being the longest-serving member of a West End cast. He's been there for just over 25 years!
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Post by theatremadness on Aug 21, 2016 17:01:36 GMT
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Post by Steffi on Aug 21, 2016 17:01:51 GMT
The actress who plays Francine in the Broadway production of Jersey Boys has been with the show from the start. I think it might be the same for the actor playing Bob Crewe. Not 100% sure though.
Ryan Molloy did indeed play Frankie in London for 6 years. He returned to the role for a 3 months run on Broadway shortly after.
Jon Boydon did (I think) 6 years as Tommy DeVito in the London production.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2016 17:13:53 GMT
Steven Wayne was in Cats for 19½ years. The show had a policy of only allowing people to stay for two years but he predated that policy and managed nearly two decades.
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Post by Michael on Aug 21, 2016 17:18:37 GMT
Philip Griffiths, Auctioneer/Monsieur Reyer in Phantom, recently broke the record for being the longest-serving member of a West End cast. He's been there for just over 25 years! 25 years is hugely impressive. Ryan Molloy did indeed play Frankie in London for 6 years. He returned to the role for a 3 months run on Broadway shortly after. Jarrod Spector's six years were in several different productions: Broadway, Chicago and (I think) North American tour. So in terms of consecutivity (does this word actually exist?), Ryan Molloy wins. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2016 17:26:57 GMT
Lon Satton was in Starlight Express from 1984- 1997...
Mike Molloy played Judas in JSC Palace Theatre for what seems like years and years...
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Post by Michael on Aug 21, 2016 17:33:46 GMT
Anyone knows for how long has John Owen-Jones played the Phantom and Valjean? I think Tour, West End and Broadway add up to quite some years.
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Post by Raven on Aug 21, 2016 18:00:50 GMT
Katie Rowley Jones in Wicked. She was the original Nessarose and had her first contact 2006-2008 and then she returned in 2012 and is due to continue as Nessarose until January 2017.
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Post by indis on Aug 21, 2016 18:09:35 GMT
Scott Davies in Phantom? How long is he already there?
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Post by jgblunners on Aug 21, 2016 18:36:46 GMT
Anyone knows for how long has John Owen-Jones played the Phantom and Valjean? I think Tour, West End and Broadway add up to quite some years. His original run as Phantom was 3.5 years, then he did another year after a stint in Les Mis, plus a few more months at the end of 2015 and most of the 25th Anniversary tour, so that probably adds up to around 5 or 6 years. Jean Valjean must be similar, as he did 2 years over here then a year on Broadway, around a year on the 25th anniversary tour and then his current run on Broadway. *all this was compiled from his wikipedia page so citation needed! |
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Post by theatremiss on Aug 21, 2016 18:40:31 GMT
Scott Davies in Phantom? How long is he already there? Amazed he lasted so long |
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Post by greeny11 on Aug 21, 2016 18:50:50 GMT
Stephen Ashfield's run of 3.5 years in Book of Mormon was pretty impressive (and is about to start his run on Broadway). I recall Mazz Murray was in We Will Rock You for ages.
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Post by Raven on Aug 21, 2016 19:09:52 GMT
Brown Lindiwe Mkhize has been playing Rafiki in The Lion King for years! I'm pretty sure she was Rafiki when I saw the show back in 2008 so that would be 8 years, if so.
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Post by Seriously on Aug 21, 2016 19:31:38 GMT
Some members of the Blood Brothers tour seem to have been there for ages! And Henry Metcalfe has been on the Joseph Tour since before Jesus!
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Post by Michael on Aug 21, 2016 19:44:40 GMT
Let's not forget Ann Emery who was Billy Elliot's Grandma for 8 (?) years.
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Post by longinthetooth on Aug 21, 2016 20:04:58 GMT
What first springs to mind is George Asprey who plays Scar in The Lion King. He's been in it for as long as I can remember!! Also Peter Lockyear for Les Mis? Peter Lockyer hasn't been there that long (third year?) - it just seems like forever! |
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Post by shady23 on Aug 21, 2016 20:15:50 GMT
I am not sure how long it's been going but every time I see touring Blood Brothers it seems to be made up of lots of the same cast members.
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Post by herrstiefel on Aug 21, 2016 20:22:41 GMT
Let's not forget Ann Emery who was Billy Elliot's Grandma for 8 (?) years. ...or Mike Scott who was in the ensemble for the whole run of the show. David Bardsley joined as Alternate Dad after the first year and also remained with the cast until the very end. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2016 20:57:23 GMT
I don't know if this counts, but Carol Channing has played Dolly in Hello Dolly since the dawn of time:
1964 Broadway
1978 Broadway
1979 West End
1995 Broadway
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Post by mallardo on Aug 21, 2016 22:53:26 GMT
On Broadway, George Lee Andrews played M. Andre (and, I think, also M. Firmin) in Phantom for 23 years. He finally left the show in 2011.
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Post by westendwendy on Aug 22, 2016 3:43:57 GMT
Dawn Leigh Woods has been Joule in Starlight Express in Bochum Germany for over 20 years.
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Post by chrisorsomething on Aug 22, 2016 3:55:47 GMT
Mark Hutchinson, Tim Churchill and others spring to mind from Blood Brothers. Natalie Edmund was in Chicago for an age.
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Post by danb on Aug 22, 2016 7:24:22 GMT
I remember a 'Scar' who stayed on for ages about 10 years ago...Rob someone. It was such a lazy performance that really impacted on the whole piece. The energy just dropped when he was onstage; I seem to remember it being quite a hot topic at the time. You would hope that the producers would learn from their mistakes. Sure, make him languid and louche and all those other laid back words, but the sense of danger needs to come from more than just the lighting state when he is on stage!
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