Former Broadway Co-Stars Who Should Reunite on the Tonys

[Jeffrey Kare Joined: Jan 23rd, 2013 Topics: 148 Posts: 6584 View Predictions]

#1204909417

Since this year will mark the 75th annual Tony Awards, I think it would be really cool if they end up getting former co-stars from different Broadway classics to present and/or perform together. In my most recent piece for Gold Derby, I created a poll asking readers who they’d most love to see reunite on the Tonys. Among the options are…

Len Cariou & Angela Lansbury – Sweeney Todd
Michael Crawford & Sarah Brightman – The Phantom of the Opera
Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph, & Loretta Devine – Dreamgirls
Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick – The Producers
Mandy Patinkin & Bernadette Peters – Sunday in the Park with George
Dick Van Dyke & Chita Rivera – Bye Bye Birdie
Colm Wilkinson & Frances Ruffelle – Les Misérables
Marissa Jaret Winokur & Harvey Fierstein – Hairspray

Which classic Broadway casts should reunite for landmark 75th Annual Tony Awards? [POLL]

Of course, there are countless other options. Like if this year’s Tonys were to do a Stephen Sondheim tribute, they could also get Chip Zien & Joanna Gleason or Carol Lawrence & Chita Rivera to participate. The former pair would also be appropriate because this November will mark the 35th anniversary of the original Broadway production of Into the Woods. The latter pair would also be appropriate because this September will mark the 65th anniversary of the original Broadway production of West Side Story. Although I think it would also be really cool to see Chita appear alongside both Oscar-winning Anitas, Rita Moreno and Ariana DeBose.

So which former Broadway co-stars would you most love to see reunite during this year’s Tony Awards telecast?

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[Rachel615 Joined: Sep 20th, 2018 Topics: 6 Posts: 2490 View Predictions]

#1204910845

I’d like to see Denzel Washington and Viola Davis present together after both winning Tony’s for the 2010 revival of Fences.

I’d also like to see Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons present together— they both won lead acting Tonys for their roles in the original 1984 Broadway production of The Real Thing. Perhaps they could be joined by Christine Baranski who won the Best Featured Actress Tony for her role in the same production.

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[Jeffrey Kare Joined: Jan 23rd, 2013 Topics: 148 Posts: 6584 View Predictions]

#1204911763

Rachel615 wrote:

I’d like to see Denzel Washington and Viola Davis present together after both winning Tonys for the 2010 revival of Fences.

They could also have James Earl Jones, Mary Alice, and Courtney B. Vance reunite from the 1987 original Broadway production to present together.

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[vinny Joined: May 20th, 2011 Topics: 27 Posts: 23085 View Predictions]

#1204912920

I actually would love to see James earl jones and Denzel present together. Not a reunion but they did play the same role

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[Awardsfan1990 Joined: Mar 28th, 2015 Topics: 114 Posts: 6479 View Predictions]

#1204913380

I’d love to see an Into The Woods reunion with Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason and Bernadette Peters.

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[Jeffrey Kare Joined: Jan 23rd, 2013 Topics: 148 Posts: 6584 View Predictions]

#1204914946

vinny wrote:

I actually would love to see James Earl Jones and Denzel present together. Not a reunion but they did play the same role.

Kind of similar to how I think it would be cool to see Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, and Ariana DeBose present together (which I previously mentioned in this thread). In fact, for The Music Man‘s performance on this year’s telecast, they should get each of the following former Harold Hills to introduce it. Dick Van Dyke (who starred in the 1980 Broadway revival), Craig Bierko (who opened the 2000 revival), and Matthew Broderick (who starred in the 2003 TV movie adaptation).

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[Jeffrey Kare Joined: Jan 23rd, 2013 Topics: 148 Posts: 6584 View Predictions]

#1205018396

This may be a month late, but one thing I especially enjoyed about this year’s telecast was all the presenters who happen to be reuniting with co-stars from previous Broadway gigs. None of them were included in my poll, but it was still cool how they highlighted any main stem production in general. Among them were….

Kelli O’Hara & Ruthie Ann Miles – The King & I (2015)
Sarah Paulson & Josh Lucas – The Glass Menagerie (2005)
Phillipa Soo & Renée Elise Goldsberry – Hamilton (2015)
Andrew Garfield & Nathan Lane – Angels in America (2018)
Bryan Cranston & Tony Goldwyn – Network (2018)
Tony Shalhoub & Danny Burstein – Golden Boy (2012)
Cynthia Erivo & Danielle Brooks – The Color Purple (2015)*

*The two of them even ended up presenting Best Lead Actress in a Musical to Joaquina Kalukango, who was also in that production.

This got me thinking about other on-stage reunion pairings that would be cool to see in future telecasts.

Antonio Banderas & Jane Krakowski – Nine (2003)
Michael Cerveris & Patti LuPone – Sweeney Todd (2005)
Kristin Chenoweth & Peter Gallagher – On the Twentieth Century (2015)
Harry Connick, Jr. & Kelli O’Hara – The Pajama Game (2006)
Sutton Foster & Gavin Creel – Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002)
Kelsey Grammer & Douglas Hodge – La Cage aux Folles (2010)
Josh Groban & Denée Benton – Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 (2016)
Jake Gyllenhaal & Annaleigh Ashford – Sunday in the Park with George (2017)
Neil Patrick Harris & Lena Hall – Hedwig & the Angry Inch (2014)
Hugh Jackman & Stephanie J. Block – The Boy From Oz (2004)
Steve Kazee & Cristin Milioti – Once (2012)
Zachary Levi & Laura Benanti – She Loves Me (2016)
Norm Lewis & Audra McDonald – Porgy & Bess (2012)
Laura Linney & Cynthia Nixon – The Little Foxes (2017)
John Lithgow & Norbert Leo Butz – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005)
Bette Midler & David Hyde Pierce – Hello, Dolly! (2017)
Tonya Pinkins & Anika Noni Rose – Caroline, or Change (2004)
Ben Platt & Rachel Bay Jones – Dear Evan Hansen (2016)
Daniel Radcliffe & John Larroquette – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2011)
Andrew Rannells & Josh Gad – The Book of Mormon (2011)
Lea Salonga & Jonathan Pryce – Miss Saigon (1991)
Stark Sands & Billy Porter – Kinky Boots (2013)
Tony Shalhoub & Katrina Lenk – The Band’s Visit (2018)
John Lloyd Young & Christian Hoff – Jersey Boys (2005)

Although if the revivals of 1776, Camelot, and Into the Woods perform on next year’s Tony Awards, here are some ideas I have of who I think should introduce them:

1776 – Original cast members William Daniels & Betty Buckley
Camelot – Original cast members Julie Andrews & John Cullum
Into the Woods – Original cast members Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, & Bernadette Peters

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[Jeffrey Kare Joined: Jan 23rd, 2013 Topics: 148 Posts: 6584 View Predictions]

#1205419758

Jeffrey Kare wrote:

Although if the revivals of 1776, Camelot, and Into the Woods perform on next year’s Tony Awards, here are some ideas I have of who I think should introduce them:

1776 – Original cast members William Daniels & Betty Buckley
Camelot – Original cast members Julie Andrews & John Cullum
Into the Woods – Original cast members Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, & Bernadette Peters

Now that the nominees for Best Revival of a Musical have been revealed, I’ve got more ideas to chime in with regarding reunion pairings to introduce their performances on the telecast. I standby my suggestions for Camelot and Into the Woods. As for the other two…

Parade – Original cast members Carolee Carmello & Christy Carlson Romano
Sweeney Todd – Original cast members Len Cariou & Victor Garber

Although I also actually have ideas for a couple of this year’s Best Musical nominees:

& Juliet – Carol Lawrence & Chita Rivera (two surviving original cast members of West Side Story, which was inspired by Romeo & Juliet)

Some Like It Hot – Marissa Jaret Winokur & Harvey Fierstein (Tony winners for Hairspray, both musicals have scores by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman).

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