Dolly, Millie, Evita—sometimes a character is so singular they can define a show. Can you name the 35 actors who originated these title roles on Broadway?
Evita Playbill - Opening Night, Sept 1979
Patti Lupone
Aida Playbill - Opening Night
Heather Headley in Aida
Joan Marcus
Kiss Me, Kate Playbill - Jan 1949
Patricia Morison
Carrie
Linzi Hateley
Peter Cunningham
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical Playbill - Opening Night
Adrienne Warren and cast of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Manuel Harlan
Purlie Playbill - Aug 1970
Cleavon Little
Annie Playbill - May 1982
Andrea McArdle
Photo by Martha Swope
The Unsinkable Molly Brown Playbill - April 1961
Tammy Grimes
Mary Poppins Playbill - Opening Night
Ashley Brown, Katherine Leigh Doherty, Alexander Scheitinger and Gavin Lee lead the ensemble in Mary Poppins.
Joan Marcus
Carmen Jones
Muriel Rahn
Thoroughly Modern Millie Playbill - Opening Night
Sutton Foster in Thoroughly Modern Millie
Joan Marcus
Aladdin Playbill - April 2018
Adam Jacobs
Caroline or Change Playbill - Opening Night, April 2004
Tonya Pinkins
Michal Daniel
Hello, Dolly! Playbill - Nov 1964
Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly!
Martha Swope / The New York Public Library
Yentl
Tovah Feldshuh
Gypsy Playbill - Feb 1960
Sandra Church, Ethel Merman, and Jack Klugman in Gypsy
Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts
Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Josh Groban and Denée Benton
Chad Batka
Porgy and Bess
Todd Duncan and Anne Brown
Gigi Playbill - Dec 1951
Audrey Hepburn
Man of La Mancha
Richard Kiley
The Wiz Playbill - July 1977
Andre De Shields
©NYPL for the Performing Arts
Doctor Zhivago Playbill - Opening Night
Tam Mutu
Pal Joey
Vivienne Segal and Gene Kelly in Pal Joey.
Vandamm Studio / The New York Public Library
Phantom of the Opera
Michael Crawford in The Phantom of the Opera.
Joan Marcus
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Playbill - Opening Night, Oct 1984
Theresa Merritt
Pirate Queen Playbill - Opening Night
Stephanie J. Block and Marcus Chait
Hamilton Playbill - January 2018
Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Joan Marcus
Annie Get Your Gun Playbill - Aug 1946
Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun
Vandamm Studio / The New York Public Library
Dear Evan Hansen Playbill - Opening Night
Ben Platt
Matthew Murphy
Pippin Playbill - Nov 1972
John Rubinstein
Photo by Martha Swope
Sweet Charity Playbill - May 1967
Gwen Verdon
Friedman-Abeles / The New York Public Library
Young Frankenstein Playbill - Opening Night
Roger Bart
Tarzan
Josh Strickland
Stage Entertainment/Morris Mac Matzen
Anastasia Playbill - Opening Night
Christy Altomare
Matthew Murphy
Mame Playbill - October 1966
Angela Lansbury
