Profile for ray-andallthatjazz86

I had no idea the recording is no longer in print. It’s such a gorgeous cast album. How I wish I could’ve seen Audra McDonald and Donna Murphy in their respective Tony winning roles that season. I’m so glad that YouTube clip exists. I never imagined that’s how “Mister Snow” was staged from listening to the album. Audra McDonald sings it with such energy and ferocity and humor and precision (without ever sounding anything less than spontaneous), I figured she would be running all around the st...

Welcome to BWW, where cis het white men’s understanding of power dynamics is so f-ed up that they feel entitled enough to say that they are disenfranchised in the theater. I miss the days this board wasn’t a complete disaster.

I’m in the Donna Murphy or bust camp (not really, but sort of). She’s just ideal for the role, and she has such a knack for comedy, especially the kind of comedy that Streep refined so perfectly when she played the role. Ebersole was so incredible in GREY GARDENS, and yet I can’t see her pulling off the type of out-of-the-world genius turn that could turn this into an iconic performance. Christine Baranski would be perfect, but I doubt her GOOD FIGHT schedule would fit with a musical Broadway...

Yeah... I’m sure audiences around the country will be upset to see Lin-Manuel Miranda as opposed to a no-name actor in the role. He was such an (unsurprisingly on this board) underrated electrifying presence in Rob Marshall’s MARY POPPINS. He was a star as Usnavi, it’ll be great to see him play a smaller but key role in this film.

Brantley’s review for the Broadway production was bizarre. It is just such a brilliant show, and the cast of that production was so special. It’s a shame the NYT was so strange about it. I just want to see this show back on Broadway. Get Audra, get Jane Krakowski, just make it happen. I think it’s one of the greatest musicals ever written.

A Director said: "GavestonPS said: "I support differently gendered people (though I'm suspicious that "non-binary identified" is anything but a fad with a very short shelf life)."WOW! A fad? How conservative of you! Your comment comes close to, "I love gay people; just hate the sin!" There are people who believe being gay is a choice or just a fad!"Ha! I love the idea that non-binary folk are “a fad” as if they just randomly showed up yesterday. Just because we now have a language to understa...

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Sex/gender only matters when you are looking to make babies or are receiving medical care. Otherwise it’s irrelevant and should not be given so much thought."Ah, yes, I bet if you are a straight cis dude this comment makes a lot of sense. For the rest of us... not so much. But I’m glad you’ve established sex/gender only matters when it comes to breeding and doctors. Is this really how low the bar is set for so-called allies? Give me a break, dude.

The casting is simply inspired all around. Yeun and Feldstein are particularly exciting choices. I loved this play on Broadway. It doesn’t immediately scream film (an HBO adaptation in the style of DINNER WITH FRIENDS or WIT seems more apt), but I’m excited for everyone involved. Oh, and it makes complete sense that Jenkins is in this, the better known names in the cast are probably the only reason they were able to keep Houdyshell. Jenkins might not sell tickets, but he’s an awards magnet, w...

The indispensable Rob Marshalls direction, Emily Blunts stunning and sublime interpretation of Mary Poppins, her chemistry with Lin, the pitch-perfect casting and performances of every single role, the songs, the choreography (hey, Fosse/CHICAGO homage!), the costumes, the story... pure unadulterated joy for a full 2 hours and 12 minutes. What a treat Rob Marshall has given us.

BrodyFosse123 said: "Super excited to see Michelle Williams (as Gwen) and Bianca Marroquin (as Chita) in the section focusing on the rehearsals of the original 1975 Broadway production of CHICAGO which was a pivotal time for Bob Fosse as he suffered his first heart attack during that period which shutdown rehearsals while he recouperated."Brody, I’m really excited about that section too, especially with Williams and Marroquin (wonder who will play Jerry Orbach). I love the way Fosse portrayed...

Yeah, I read the Steve McQueen headline and thought of this, but the actual quote makes it sound like he wants to do musical comedy. Maybe he can direct that GUYS & DOLLS remake that’s been stuck in development purgatory for over a decade. I wouldn’t be surprised if this project came together more quickly than people expect. The time seems right for it, and the revival injected a new life into the property (many of my college students saw it or are familiar with it—and I don’t teach in a thea...

I’m sorry but what was bitchy about what she said about Glenn Close. She’s been very open about Close apologizing to her recently. The anecdote she shared was clearly in good fun even if the journalists decided to paint it as something else. As to the pearl-clutching that’s going on in this thread, I continue to be surprised by the board’s tendency to stand up for people who really don’t need it (what in the world does it matter if she speaks her mind about super rich, acclaimed, stuck up fol...

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "If you ask me, Moulin Rouge! shouldn't be coming to Broadway at all because that film was nothing but a MIGRAINE from beginning to end!"I certainly don’t remember asking you, especially since your understanding of most things seem to be so far off anything that’s actually real. Remember when you petulantly insisted that there was no way Leslie Odom Jr. would get a nomination for HAMILTON? And then when he did, you kept selling us this bogous theory that Burstein wou...

Are they bringing the entire cast over from across the pond?

If it does happen, I hope it's not with Michelle Dockery, who couldn't be more miscast in the Faye Dunaway role. I'd love to see Cranston as Howard Beale, though.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that people’s first reaction is to assume that Olivo “needs to go” because apparently it’s her fault that she was cast opposite an actor who’s struggled to come across as anything but a boy (and not a particularly interesting one at that) in every major role he’s had. Why any creatives or producers thought to cast one of the most beautiful women to grace the stage opposite a not-that-talented kid (he’s older than me but still a kid in my eyes) is beyond me? I ...

I thought Susan Brown’s accent as Hannah Pitt in ANGEL was so awful and distracting. It was the only flaw I found in an otherwise brilliant production.

PalJoey, forgive them for they know not what they do. They are too young, I suppose, to remember the days when we could have pages upon pages discussing your memories of working with Bernstein and his notes to you (or was it Robbins?), your devastating experience seeing so many of the dancers in the 1980s WEST SIDE STORY revival, and, of course, all things FOLLIES.I miss the days the board looked like that, but those days are long over. All things beautiful must die, indeed.

She also is a regular fixture on M. Night Shyamalam’s films. And as Brody and others pointed out, she’s not based in NY. I do wonder which roles she could have legitimately played in Broadway productions over the past few years. I’d certainly love to hear her sing “Pink” at some point. And I’ve only listened to her performance in GREY GARDENS, but based on that and the reviews she’s gotten for it, it’d be incredible if she played the role in NY (not necessarily on Broadway).

Tag said: "^You're never going to see another A-list celeb tackling this role(they wouldn't touch it, it's Meryl's role). So it won't be Zeta-Jones, or anyone of that stature. You'll get an A-list Broadway star."That makes sense, Tag, and I agree. I’d actually prefer an A-list Broadway star, but I wish more movie stars were willing to support brand new musicals.