POTO legends: the ballerina edition
(a most random selection, and in no particular order)
Claire Tilling: A long-serving member of the Corps de Ballet in West End, where she spent some 17 years in total. Some of these she served as the dance captain. She also starred as principal Meg Giry in 2004.
Jee Hyun Noh: She started out in the Corps de Ballet in West End in the 1990s. She then continued as principal Meg Giry in Seoul 2001-2002, and in the World Tour 2004-2006. She’s furthermore understudied Meg for many years (2012-2020?), as well as serving as the dance captain in the World Tour. She was assistant choreographer in the Stockholm revival.
Polly Baird: She was principal in the US Tour 2007-2008, on Broadway 2008-2009, 2012, and 2014-2015. She’s also understudied the role for many years, as well as serving as the dance captain on Broadway.
Fiona Morley: She’s been in the Corps de Ballet in West End since… the mid 1990s, I wanna say? She’s also served as the dance captain for long periods, and covered heaps of different roles.
Kara Klein: She joined the US Tour around 2002, and stayed with it for 2,5 years. She then joined the Broadway production in 2005, as a member of the Corps de Ballet but also doing a run as principal Meg. She seems to have switched back and forth a big, playing Meg and being in the Corps de Ballet, but some years ago she listed a total of 3,800 performances, and 2,400 of them as Meg.
Catherine Leppingwell: She started as a member of the Corps de Ballet in Hamburg in 1999. She then joined the Copenhagen production 2000-2003, and was also there for the 2009 revival and the 2018-2019 revival. In between she’s appeared in the World Tour (ca. 2007-2009, 2014-2015) and in the Stockholm revival (2016-2017). In the original Copenhagen production she understudied the role of Meg Giry, while she in her latest run in Stockholm and Copenhagen served as a swing.
Rachel Horn: She was in the Corps de Ballet in Essen (2005-2007), also understudying the role of Meg Giry. She joined the Copenhagen revival in 2009, understudying Meg there too. In 2013-2016 she was in the World Tour.
Dodie Pettit: She started as a member of the Corps de Ballet in the original Broadway production in 1988, after having nearly landed the role of Meg Giry. It was however a role she understudied. In 1991 she joined the US Tour, but this time as the Christine understudy, thus making her one of very few to do both roles. She stayed with the tour until 1993, when her partner Kevin Gray (playing the Phantom) left the production.
Liesl Dowsett: She started in the Corps de Ballet in the UK Tour 1993-1995, and in the West End production 2008-2012, where she also understudied the role of Meg. She appeared as a ballerina in the 2004 movie, and in the RAH concert in 2011. She then appeared in the Restaged UK Tour 2012-2013 as the dance captain.
Hayley Franks: She started in the Corps de Ballet in Basel (1995-1997), and after that the UK Tour. In 2000 she was a part of the original Corps de Ballet in Copenhagen, where she remained until 2003, with an additional run in 2009. She had a double role as dance captain and swing. In the 2018-2019 revival she was also involved, but I think mostly as the resident director.
Kate Wray: She started out in the Corps de Ballet in Basel (1995-1997). The next cast list I have with her features her as principal Meg Giry in the US Tour 2003-2007. She also appeared in the Hamburg production in 2013-2014, understudying Meg.
COULD ALSO HAVE INCLUDED: Heather McFadden (US Tour, Broadway), Jessica Erlich Bishop (US Tour, Broadway), Victoria Paine (World Tour, Stockholm, Copenhagen), Joelle Gates (US Tour, Broadway, Oberhausen), Heidi Ann O’Brien (West End), Sara Brenner (Canadian Tour, Toronto), Caroline Scott (Copenhagen, World Tour), Mio Ogawa (Japan), Cat Lane (South Africa, World Tour, West End)
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