Miscast features Broadway's finest performers singing some of Broadway's most popular musical songs. The catch: The songs are from roles in which they would never be cast.
Kristin Chenoweth (You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), Raul Esparza (Cabaret), Norbert Leo Butz (The Last Five Years), Karen Ziemba (Contact), Amy Spanger (Kiss Me, Kate), Kerry Butler (Hairspray), Emily Skinner (Side Show), Louise Pitre (Mamma Mia!), Lillias White (Once on This Island), David Miller (La Bohème), Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray) and Saturday Night Live's Ana Gasteyer (The Rocky Horror Show) were on hand this year to lend their voices. Kathleen Chalfant and Martha Plimpton, as well as Benjamin Bratt and Julianna Marguiles (of MCC's upcoming Intrigue with Faye), helped with introductions. Phil Reno served as musical director.
The program was as follows:
"All I Need Is the Girl" from Gypsy - sung by Karen Ziemba
"The Worst Pies in London" from Sweeney Todd - Raul Esparza
"Little Girls" from Annie - Norbert Leo Butz
"Real Live Girl" from Little Me - Ana Gasteyer
"I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story - David Miller
"I Believe in You" from How to Succeed... - Lillias White
"I'm Still Here" from Follies - Jackie Hoffman
"Big Black Man" from The Full Monty - Emily Skinner
"I Got Love" from Purlie - Kerry Butler
"Old Man River" from Showboat - Amy Spanger
"Home" from The Wiz - Norbert Leo Butz
"Defying Gravity" from Wicked - Raul Esparza
"If" from Two on the Aisle - Kristin Chenoweth
"The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha - Louise Pitre
Previous events saw Patti LuPone singing "Trouble (Right Here in River City)" from The Music Man, Peter Gallagher crooning "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" from Evita, Kristin Chenoweth and Hairspray's Harvey Fierstein playing husband and wife, respectively, in the duet "Do You Love Me?" from Fiddler on the Roof, Rent's Jesse L. Martin performing the My Fair Lady classic "On The Street Where You Live" and Aida star Adam Pascal taking on A Chorus Line's "What I Did for Love." Proceeds from the benefit go towards MCC's Playwright's Coalition (for new and emerging writers) and Education and Community Outreach programs. For more information on MCC, visit www.mcctheater.com.
