Ariana Maddix. Whitney Leavitt. Reece Weaver. Charli D’amelio. Mackenzie Ziegler. I could go on! (Oh, and Megan Thee Stallion! Okay, I’m done…) All of these women have gone from the screen to the stage in varying roles. But why does this happen? And why does it always cause such a stir in Broadway circles? More than that, who’s getting it right?
So, what is a stunt cast, anyway?
Stunt casting is the practice of casting a well-known actor in a Broadway show, with varying degrees of theatrical experience. It’s been done forever, and it’s mostly done to drive sales to the show. It’s effective, but highly contentious in the Broadway community, especially recently. This year alone, I’ve heard about at least 20 stunt casts (but that’d be a much longer article, so I’ll keep it to around seven).
Okay or not?
You might be asking, why would something that brings more people to the theatre be a bad thing? I mostly agree with you, but to consider the other perspective is to consider all the people who are already drawn to theatre (a group I’m a part of, obviously). To them, this is just another reason talented people aren’t getting their chance onstage. Actors with established careers, often with no theatrical experience, getting roles some people train their entire lives for can be frustrating.
This is not to say these people are untalented, but Broadway is eight shows a week, singing, dancing, and acting clearly enough to be seen all the way in the back of the theatre. For screen actors, that’s a big change. Especially for those who just aren’t singers. (I literally beg you not to look up a video of Cameron Dallas in Mean Girls.)
I’m not denying that there can definitely be good stunt casts, too! Some of my recent favorites are Joshua Colley, Lola Tung and Carlos Valdesin in Hadestown (which has had its fair share of very successful stunt casts — at the time of this article, Yellowjackets’ Jasmin Savoy Brown is killing it as Eurydice!). But it’s not a coincidence that those are usually people who have experience singing and acting for the stage.
It feels like a slippery slope between driving people to the theatre and alienating the people already there, so I figured I’d discuss some current stunt casts, and why they do or don’t work.
‘Who’s Sorry Now?’: Just in Time’s Connie Francis
Just in Time is a jukebox bio-musical about the life of 50s singer Bobby Darin. (A jukebox musical is a musical where all the songs are preexisting: think how Mamma Mia is composed of ABBA songs, or how Moulin Rouge is a mix of 2000s-2010s pop.) In just a year after its opening, Just in Time has used the role of Connie Francis to bring in some big names outside of the Broadway community.
This is a slightly more contentious stunt cast, as Connie is a very vocally demanding role. A lot of her songs sit right where the average female singer would break, and they’re very dependent on belting. Connie’s solo, “Who’s Sorry Now?” is both of these things, and it comes at a very emotional moment for the character. Not to mention, the show’s curtain call (the part audiences are legally allowed to record and post, after the show’s over and before the bows), is very tricky. Connie has some high notes, and they can make or break the number.
It’s been done very well in the past! Isa Briones of The Pitt had a short but incredible run as Connie (though, as a theater fan first and foremost, I feel compelled to say Isa’s been a big name in my more niche circles since her Eurydice days … theater had her first, okay?). Olivia Holt did not disappoint, either.
However, it can be a bit more of a learning curve for people with less experience. Vanderpump and Love Island’s Ariana Maddix is Broadway’s current Connie, and though this isn’t her theatrical debut (more on that later), it’s definitely more challenging than what we’ve seen her take on before. After Ariana, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Whitney Leavitt is slated to fill Connie’s stilettos. Whitney’s had some Broadway experience before, and her highly praised Dancing with the Stars run lends her a little more credibility, but the true test of time is going to be seeing that curtain call.
It also helps that the cast is able to compliment every newcomer insanely well: Carrie St. Louis (playing Sandra Dee) has had to sing the same songs with more than three different Connies and dominates the lower harmony. Even when the stunt cast is still settling in, she’s got someone to ground her performance. And, of course, Jeremy Jordan stuns as Bobby Darin(but his last performance is soon, making it likely Whitney will star opposite the returning Matthew Morrison).
It’s definitely tough to settle into a role like Connie, especially with minimal experience singing as high and powerfully as her track requires. Still, Just in Time is a relatively new show, and it’s still in the phase where new shows typically have trouble staying open. With big names like, well … every Connie they’ve had so far, the show’s getting traction in a major way.
The Many Roxies of Chicago
Chicago is the longest running revival on Broadway EVER, so it would be tough to find something it’s not doing right. Something that contributes to this long run is, you guessed it, stunt casts.
Remember when I brought up Ariana and Whitney’s past experience on Broadway? Yep, they’re both Chicago alums, as is Olivia Holt! Chicago’s stunt cast usually takes the role of Roxie Hart, the charming leading lady of the show. Though she is the lead, the antihero is a less vocally challenging part than Connie Francis , making it an easier role for a celebrity to start off with.
Some other famous Roxies? Brandy, Mel B, Pamela Anderson, Brooke Shields … the list really goes on and on!
It’s no coincidence that three of our Connies started off as Roxies: Chicago is dance heavy, and a very good foray into the rhythm of a Broadway gig: it’s a lot of work, but the singing is manageable enough that it makes a Broadway debut go a lot smoother. Roxie is also incredibly charismatic, lending well to the fact that many Roxies are reality TV personalities: they get to be playful about Roxie’s lust for fame!
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reece Weaver debuted as Roxie last month, and really shows off what makes it such a good role: Reece gets to show off a new side of herself (her great singing voice), and gets to dance her heart out at the Ambassador Theatre eight shows a week! As far as stunt casting goes, especially for such charismatic personalities, Roxie is a pretty safe bet.
A Different Approach: & Juliet
This one is kind of what inspired my whole article. & Juliet is another jukebox musical, following a fictionalized Juliet Capulet, one who doesn’t die at the end of Romeo and Juliet. It’s a pretty fun show, all things considered, and I’m so sad I won’t be able to catch it before its newly announced closing.
What do I think it does really well? It revolutionizes the stunt cast.
You may have seen Charli D’amelio making her Broadway debut and wondered what that was all about. Well, I think it’s one of the most inspired ways to stunt cast yet. D’Amelio joined, not as a main character, but as a member of the show’s (killer) ensemble. For two hours, she dances her heart out and has a blast with the rest of the cast. Mackenzie Ziegler followed in her footsteps this September, currently tearing up the stage right where D’Amelio did.
Why is this so brilliant? It accomplishes the thing a stunt cast is meant to do, bringing people to the theatre that wouldn’t otherwise be interested, while also still focusing on trained singers and actors to fill the main roles. Basically, everyone’s happy!
Now, don’t mistake my description of the “main” roles to mean that the ensemble is unimportant in any way: these people are the backbone of the show! In fact, this adds another layer to & Juliet’s brilliant strategy: seeing a familiar face in the ensemble highlights the rest of its members, bringing light to just how hard these people work to make the show run smoothly. The ensemble is full of incredibly talented dancers, which makes it easy to understand why known dancers like D’amelio and Ziegler shine in their roles.
Stunt Casts: The Final Verdict
At the end of the day, Broadway is a struggling industry, especially nowadays. While a lot of that is due to inaccessibility (not all of us can afford the pricier tickets, as much as we would love to show up and show our love), it’s important that we find ways to keep it alive.
And stunt casting works. Clearly, seeing as Chicago’s been running forever, and publicity for a show goes up by miles when a prominent star is in it. Even after the show’s run, interviewers will ask about the stars’ experiences, making the conversation a continuous one. So, to stunt casts: I give you all of my love.