Sunday In The Park With George: Patinkin/Plunkett

The original Broadway production of Sunday starring Tony Award winners Maryann Plunkett and Mandy Patinkin. Maryanne is such a fabulous Dot and I wanted to share this video with the theatre community since she seems to be forgotten in the show's history. Recently she starred in the musical version of The Notebook as Allie Calhoun, again giving us another fabulous and heartbreaking performance.
Cast:
Mandy Patinkin (Georges Seurat / George)
Maryann Plunkett (Dot / Marie)
Barbara Bryne (Old Lady)
Judith Moore (Nurse)
John Cunningham (Jules)
Pamela Burrell (Yvonne)
Melanie Vaughan (Celeste #1)
Betsy Joslyn (Celeste #2)
Bruce Adler (Franz)
Nancy Opel (Frieda / Betty)
William Parry (Boatman)Jeff Keller (Alex)
T.J. Meyers (Billy Webster)
Frank Kopyc (Lee Randolph)
Sherri Lynn Leidy (Blair Daniels)

[@AdventuresAwait123]

I like that she's taking queues from Peters. Seems appropriate since it's the same run

[@bernieappugliese2029]

Thank you so much for this!!

[@andreschavez8733]

Did Plunkett replace bernadette peters in the later run, or was Plunkett an understudy?

[@SheLooksForMe]

Plunkett was not an understudy and actually was a replacement for Betsy Joslyn. Betsy was the original understudy and replaced Bernie first.

[@andreschavez8733]

​@SheLooksForMe Thanks for explaining it to me, since I thought she was another swing or an understudy for Bernadette during the run, Thanks for explaining it more👍

[@SheLooksForMe]

@@andreschavez8733 It's no problem. Harry Groener, one of the replacement Georges, also auditioned and got the part and played opposite Maryann for a time. Those were the only 2 replacements that weren't understudies previously.

[@smurf902]

​@@SheLooksForMeBetsy wasn't in the cast ever before she replaced Bernie. Joanna Glushak was the understudy and then Mary D'Arcy became the understudy later (both in the actual cast). Betsy was a replacement and then Maryann. But Bernadette came back into the role at some point and Joanna took over when Bernadette was on vacation once but never officially became a replacement. Just going off IBDB. Seems there never were "standbys" for any of the principals, which is weird because George and Dot are such enormous roles.

[@AKoooooooo]

@@smurf902 it looks like Betsy Joslyn is credited as Celeste #2 here too. is this correct? and if so, how curious for an actor to shift from a larger role to a supporting (so soon, at least - not the Bebe Neuwirth every-10-years thing).

[@smurf902]

I want to like Plunkett do badly, but she goes so flat whenever she sustained any note. You never worried about this with Bernadette. Even Betsy tended to get flat on those higher belted/mixed top notes that are sustained, but it's a much more pleasant tone. M.P. is not pleasant to listen to. Im sorry

[@CheshireGaming]

While her technique is highly refined, I think there are times that Bernadette's sharpness gets in the way of her performance's underlying humanity- she often gives in to "preening" during big notes instead of remaining locked in to her character.
Meanwhile Plunkett has a consistent focus on character- perhaps to a fault at times, but she's acting when she's singing and her character work is impeccable. I believe that Maryann Plunkett is a defining Dot performance, and based on his teachings I'd be willing to bet money that Sondheim would agree.