Your post reminded me of a bizarre casting switch back in the day. The summer "Music Fair" circuit on the East Coast often included a mix of original stars and others in recent and not so recent musicals. I specifically recall Swen Swenson coming through as the lead in Pal Joey. (I believe Vera was played by Dorothy Lamour). What was odd was that when Little Me came through in 1964 (I can't recall if it was the same season or not), Swen Swenson's part was played by Harold Lang, who of course had played Joey in the Broadway revival.
