So I'm really interested in this - for instance. Lots of Elphabas have played "Maureen" in Rent. In fact - all of the LA Elphies, minus Teal (Eden, Julie, Courtney and Caissie) have all played Maureen. In addition, Kendra Kasssebaum and Idina Menzel.

Any other roles you can think of?

ETA: I'm gonna make a list:

Maureen (Rent) - Eden Espinosa, Idina Menzel, Julie Reiber, Courtney Corey, Kendra Kassebaum, Caissie Levy
Mark (Rent) - Norbert Leo Butz, Kristoffer Cusick, Aaron Tveit, Dougal Irvine, DJ Gregory
Roger (Rent) - Norbert Leo Butz, Sebastian Arcelus, Aaron Tveit, DJ Gregory
Angel (Rent) - Kristoffer Cusick, Telly Leung

Fantine (Les Mis) - Kerry Ellis, Carmen Cusack, Elinor Collett, Jill Hayman, Dianne Pilkington
Eponine (Les Mis) - Christina DeCicco, Christeena Michelle Riggs, Shona White
Cosette (Les Mis) - Annalene Beechey, Christeena Michelle Riggs (Donna Vivino was the Original YOUNG Cosette on B'way)

Christine (POTO) - Carmen Cusack, Annalene Beechey, Sara Jean Ford, Kristin Chenoweth

Shelley, Tracy u/s (Hairspray) - Shoshana Bean, Donna Vivino
Link Larkin (Hairspray) - Aaron Tveit, Bryan West, Adam Fleming
Penny Pingleton (Hairspray) - Caissie Levy, Elinor Collett
Amber von Tussle (Hairspray) - Laura Bell Bundy, Kate Loprest, Caissie Levy, Marcie Dodd, Nicky Griffiths, Kate Fahrner

Eva Peron (Evita) - Lisa Brescia, Julia Murney, Victoria Matlock, Maria Eberline

Florence (Chessa) - Idina Menzel, Julia Murney
Svetlana (Chess) - Carmen Cusack, Kerry Ellis, Julia Murney

Amneris (Aida) - Idina Menzel, Julie Reiber, Chelsea Krombach, Lisa Brescia, Kristen Oei

Hope Cladwell (Urinetown) - Jennifer Laura Thompson, Christina DeCicco, Katie Adams, Stacie Morgain Lewis

Belle (BatB) - Annalene Beechey, Dianne Pilkington, Katie Rowley Jones, Christina DeCicco, Heidi Kettenring

Audrey (Little Shop) - Kate Fahrner, Dee Roscioli

Scaramouche (WWRY) - Willemijn Verkaik, Marcie Dodd, Jennifer DiNoia, Amanda Harrison
Pop (WWRY) - Nigel Planer, Haydn Oakley

Grizabella (Cats) - Victoria Matlock, Dee Roscioli, Dianne Pilkington

Queenie (The Wild Party) - Julia Murney, Megan Hilty, Chelsea Krombach

Kim (Taboo) - Ashleigh Gray, Dianne Pilkington
Marilyn (Taboo) - James Gillan, Gary Amers, Alexander Quiroga

Maria (Sound of Music) - Lindsay K. Northen, Victoria Matlock

Elle Woods (Legally Blonde) - Laura Bell Bundy, Annaleigh Ashford

Ariel (Footloose) - Jennifer Laura Thompson, Julie Reiber

Brooklyn (BKLYN) - Eden Espinosa, Julie Reiber

Mary Magdalene (Jesus Christ Superstar) - Brandi Chavonne Massey, Eden Espinosa, Kerry Ellis, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Victoria Matlock

Nala (Lion King) - Brand Chavonne Massey, Alexia Khadime, Dan'yelle Williamson

Mark (A Chorus Line) - David Hull, Spencer Jones

Patty Simcox (Grease) - Meggie Cansler, Lauren Masiello

Sophie (Mamma Mia!) - Vicki Noon, Kristine Reese, Lucy Durack

Chris (Miss Saigon) - Cliffton Hall, Christopher Russo

Eliza (My Fair Lady) - Kerry Ellis, Natalie Daradich

Kendra is Glinda not Elphaba

Several of the women in Wicked have also played one at least of the 3 leading female roles in Les Mis. Off the top of my head:

Fantine - Kerry Ellis, Carmen Cusack, Elinor Collett, Dianne Pilkington
Eponine - Christina DeCicco, Christeena Michelle Riggs, Shona White
Cosette - Annalene Beechey, Christeena Michelle Riggs

Christine in Phantom: Carmen Cusack, Annalene Beechey, Sara Jean Ford

Tracy in Hairspray: Shoshana Bean, Donna Vivino

I'm sure there must be more. In fact I'd be surprised if there weren't as I'd expect the Elphabas & the Glindas to have roles in common as the actresses should be a similar fach.

I'm pretty sure Dianne played Fantine...

The character of Florence in Chess: Julia Murney, Carmen Cusack, and Idina Menzel.

And Eva Peron in Evita: Julia Murney, Lisa Brescia.

Also, I'm pretty sure that Kristin Chenoweth also played Christine in Phantom, once upon a time.

Yes, according to the wickedsite Dianne Pilkington 'understudied and played Fantine and Cosette in Les Misérables'

Yeh, she did.

five words.

I know...that's why I said in addition.

Penny Pingleton - Elinor Collett, Caissie Levy

Shelley (Hairspray) - Shoshana Bean, Donna Vivino (basically what Catalys said)

Mark/Roger (Rent) - Norbert Leo Butz (u/s Mark/Roger, then played Roger), Kristoffer Cusick (he understudied Mark), Aaron Tveit (Mark/Roger u/s), Sebastian Arcelus (Roger)

Kristoffer was also an Angel understudy for the early tour, if I remember correctly.

I commented on some of these in the "Musical Actors Trivia" thread - another show they share would be 'Aida' - Idina Menzel and Lisa Brescia have both played Amneris, while I believe Saycon Sengbloh played Aida.

Kerry Ellis and Julia Murney have both played/performed as Svetlana in 'Chess'.

Yep! Saycon did play Aida, and Julie Reiber was Amneris in a regional production, Chelsea Krombach played Amneris too (not sure if it was in College or Regional)

ETA: Amber von Tussle - Laura Bell Bundy, Kate Loprest, Caissie Levy, Marcie Dodd
Sketch (Hairspray): Adam Fleming, Bryan West

ETA2: Hope Cladwell (Urinetown) - Jennifer Laura Thompson, Christina DeCicco, Katie Adams

Actually, Julia played Florence, opposite Sutton Foster as Svetlana.

In 2001, Julia played Svetlana opposite Lauren Kennedy.

Edited. I must have been getting the Les Mis roles muddled up, I thought I'd read she did Eponine.

Another one, Belle in BatB: Dianne Pilkington, Annalene Beechey, Katie Rowley Jones, Christina DeCicco

She did play Eponine at some concert version or other - I have a recording knocking about somewhere.

Kerry Ellis and Willemijn Verkaik were both in We Will Rock You. Kerry was Meat and Willemijn played the Killer Queen.

Bahaha Kris as Angel?? That would be pretty....interesting.

Telly understudied Angel as well, and is in RENT after being Boq in Chicago.

Didn't Dee and Kate F. both play Audrey in Little Shop? I know that Kate did it in CO after Wicked, and Dee may have done it in college or something?

Kerry was a Scaramouche u/s as was Willemijn I think

Yeah. Dee's was while she was in college, I believe. There's an article about it floating around somewhere.

Both Dee Roscioli and Victoria Matlock have played Grizabella in CATS.

I think I've read on the Melbourne board that Amanda Harrison understudied Scaramouche & played Meat so that's another for WWRY.

Both Marcie Dodd and Jennifer DiNoia also understudied Scaramouche in WWRY

Julia Murney, Chelsea Krombach and Megan Hilty all played Queenie in The Wild Party (Lippa's version)

Heidi Kettenring understudied bell in the national tour

As did Dianne if I remember correctly...?

Yep, Dianne did. I'm sure of it

Ah, how could I have forgotten Dianne was in Cats - I saw her live for goodness sake!

She deffo went on as Meat, she's a gorgous Meat! Also Your fiyero Kerry wasn't Scara u/s, everyone just assumes it because most Meat's cover scara.and in addition to who said about Mark in RENT earlier Dougal Irvine can be added to that.

Also Ashleigh Gray and Dianne Pilkington have both played Kim in taboo and Gary Amers and James Gillan have both played Marilyn in Taboo.
Ooh and Nicky Griffiths and Laura Bell Bunday as Amber in hairspray.
and Haydn Oakley and Nigel Planner have both played Pop in WWRY

Dan'yelle Williamson, Brandi Chavonne Massey and Alexia Khadime have all played Nala in Lion King.
Donna Vivino was Cosette in the OBC of Les Mis.
Brandi Chavonne Massey and Kerry Ellis have played Mary Magdelene in Jesus Christ Superstar (albeit, Kerry starred in a concert version).

Young Cosette surely, she's not nearly old enough to have played an adult in the 80s!


Jennifer Laura Thompson has played Mary Magdalene too.

Never mind. Already been said.

Yeah, Donna was young Cosette.
Also, Eden played Mary Magdalene.

Victoria has also played Eva twice - in college, as well as covering the role in the tour. Pluuuus she also played Mary Magdelene quite recently. Victoria, Brandi, Coleen Sexton, Maria Eberline and I'm sure I'm missing someone else, have all played or covered Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde.

Partly, I think that there's something to be said in the fact that a lot of the most recurring common roles are Telsey shows. Plus, I do remember reading an interview with Bernard Telsey where he was speaking about Wicked; and was saying that - particularly in the role of Maureen - they've gotten accustomed to calling in actresses who've played certain roles, in knowing that they have potential.

EDIT: Maria Eberline also covered Eva on the European Tour a few years back. If I'm not mistaken, she was in the same track that Victoria did on the US tour.

^Omg if you look at the Telsey recycling, it's ridiculous. I was going to start a thread on it the other day, but got sidetracked lol.

Haha. To be honest, I think that what it comes down to is that these actresses have found their type - I mean, there are certain shows there, like Rent, where Telsey has said that casting very deliberately have chased up Maureens in knowing that they have the voice needed for the role.

I think that, really, what it comes down to is that most of the Elphie girls are/were in their twenties or thirties and are belters. It's not like they've had huge careers spanning decades, where they'd have a variety of credits - there are only a limited number of shows on Broadway or touring or whatever else, and - likewise - there are only a limited number of mezzo roles within those shows. Roles like Mary Magdelene are pretty standard musical theatre roles for mezzos; so I'm not sure how much can be read into the fact that a fair few of those actresses have played the role before.

All of my favorite Glindas share one other role: Hope Cladwell. (Jennifer Laura Thompson, Christina DeCicco, Stacie Morgain Lewis, and Katie Adams)

Eponine (Les Mis) – Lucy Scherer (Glinda Stuttgart)
Cosette (Les Mis) – Valerie Link (u/s Glinda Stuttgart)
Meat (WWRY) – Willemijn Verkaik (Elphie Stuttgart), Kerry Ellis (Current B'way Elphie)
Sophie (Mamma Mia) – Valerie Link (u/s Glinda Stuttgart)

ahahaha
oh man I literally cannot picture kris as ANGEL!
I would've loved to have seen that live.

when did he do that?

Lucy Durack also played Sophie in the Aussie tour of Mamma Mia.