Saw Here Lies Love for the 3rd time tonight. Saw original with Ruthie Ann at the Public. Saw the very first preview on Broadway this year with Ariel. And tonight I saw Jaygee as the alternate and she utterly demolished the role. Run, don’t walk on a Thursday night to see her. You would never know she’s an alternate - it really felt like she’s done the role nightly for years, knowing it inside and out. Her vocals are clear and powerful and have a strong resemblance to Ruthie Ann (in a very good way). She didn’t come across as cartoonishly evil as Ariel. I found instead that she played up the delusion in a really captivating way, especially in “Please Don’t” and “Why Don’t You Love Me.” (Her acting on that line alone really drove the delusion home).

I’m curious to go back and see how Ariel has grown since the first preview, but in the meantime, seeing Jaygee reminded me how stellar understudies and alternates are. Try not to be like some audience members who demanded refunds when they heard Lea was out tonight. Her understudy (Reanne Acasio, who plays the role before and after Lea’s limited run) was enthralling. Nobody could take their eyes off her. I struggle to imagine how anyone (even Lea) could do this song any better.