All Entries in the "Rachel de Benedet" Category

Rachel de Benedet, Terrence Mann Cast In NAMT Musicals

Rachel de Benedet

I was excited to read the casting announcement for NAMT’s Festival of New Musicals, which will be presented in Manhattan this October, for not only does it include two of our own Addams Family members, but also one of my favorite performers, Christian Hoff.

 

Christian Hoff

Terrence Mann

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre presents the annual festival for industry members, which showcases eight new musicals in 45-minute staged readings. A host of Broadway veterans populate the presentations that will be offered Oct. 21-22.  For more information, and complete casting, visit NAMT.

Rachel de Benedet Takes The Stage as Morticia

Rachel de Benedet, understudy for Morticia

Some Broadway shows go an entire run without ever having to make use of the understudies. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for the Addams Family Musical in Chicago.  Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Nathan Lane took ill and was replaced (superbly, I hear) by his understudy Merwin Foard (Nathan Lane Out Sick Thanksgiving Weekend). On the weekend of the new year, Bebe Neuwirth apparently suffered from tendonitis, giving her understudy, Rachel de Benedet, the chance to show off her Morticia.  And show off she did … a few comments I’ve seen floating around …

…”Rachel de Benedet was a terrific Morticia.  (She) and Nathan Lane had really good chemistry, for her being an understudy…”

 …”(de Benedet) was absolutely stunning as Morticia and her voice was clear and gorgeous…”

…”I can’t believe Bebe Neuwirth was sick.  The understudy was great though.”

Ms. de Benedet is no stranger to Chicago.  In September of ‘08 she could be seen performing with Rachel York and Jeff Daniels in the Goodman Theatre’s world premiere musical Turn of the Century, which was directed by Tommy Tune, with the book penned by none other than Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice.

Most recently, Rachel co-starred with Norbert Leo Butz, Aaron Tveit, Tom Wopat, Kerry Butler and many more in the world premiere of Catch Me If You Can in Seattle last summer.  It will be interesting to see what happens when/if that show comes to Broadway in the Fall.

Congratulations to Rachel on her most successful “fill-in”.  And we wish Ms. Neuwirth a very speedy recovery!