Ripley's Little Shop

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 4:00am

After listening to Alice Ripley sing "Somewhere That's Green", I have to ask: what happened? I know a read a while ago on here that she was supposed to play Audrey, but was apparently replaced by Kerry Butler. Yet there was already (awesome) promotional stuff WITH Ripley, especially the poster with her and Foster, which is great. Anyway, I'm curious as to what happened here. Why did they think Butler would be better for the role, as opposed to someone with more credentials and a Best Actress Tony Co-Nomination? I just don't get it. Also, I am very curious as to whether or not any demo tracks were recorded of that version. I adore Ripley's voice for Audrey and would love to hear more of it, if at all possible.

Thanks in advance!

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 4:20am

The whole Florida production was scrapped. The Broadway revival was a new version of the show with some of the same elements. I think Ripley chose not to continue because she was forced to do an Ellen Greene impression.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 11:01am

Yes, the producers wanted a more "movie" feel to the show and while Ripley played Audrey very well and fresh, it was not the copycat of Greene that they wanted. Butler, on the other hand, was more willing to transport the role from screen to stage; a more recognizable Audrey for the audience to identify.


edit:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/79855-Little_Shop_of_Horrors_Cancels_Broadway_Engagement Updated On: 6/28/09 at 11:01 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 12:05pm

Exactly. Ripley DID play Audrey for the revival's out-of-town tryout at the Actor's Playhouse in Coral Gables, Florida... and yes, I saw her in this. Yes, she was basically attempting to emulate Ellen Greene's original Audrey, which dampened the production since there was nothing 'original' about her Audrey. Vocally she knocked it out, but in her scenes, she was basically imitating Greene. Disappointing.

Kerry Butler was given the opportunity to flesh-out a brand-new Audrey interpretation (she chose to go the Brooklyn-ese, route... which worked for her) thanks mostly in part to the switch of directors. The Broadway incarnation's director was Jerry Zaks. The out-of-town tryout's director was Connie Grappo, who was the assistant to Howard Ashman during the original production and basically wanted to recreate the original production in every aspect. Bad, bad, bad idea.

The pre-Broadway poster art:

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 1:58pm

I saw Ripley in this, and I don't think she was trying to imitate Ellen Greene, if she would have been, maybe she would have been better. Hunter Foster and most of the cast were fantastic though.

[AC126748]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 3:20pm

Ripley did not choose to leave the production; she was, in no uncertain terms, fired. She's said so herself in numerous interviews. With the exception of Hunter Foster, the entire Florida cast (which included Lee Wilkof--the original Seymour--as Mr Mushnick, Reg Rogers as Orin, and Billy Porter as the voice of Audrey II) was fired and replaced, as was Connie Grappo, the original director.

I've heard Ripley's Audrey and vocally it's very impressive. She sang the hell out of those songs. But the producers, for whatever reason, decided to go in a different direction.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 3:29pm

Oh god, now I feel old. I remember all of this when I was 13 years old! In the "Show Biz" magazine and everything. From what I remember, the director of the out-of-town tryouts was fired along with Alice Ripley and most of the cast. Hunter Foster was asked to come back though from the new director. I also remember Felicia Finley being amongst the final potential Audreys before they chose Kerry Butler.

[Jesus]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 3:54pm

"The out-of-town tryout's director was Connie Grappo, who was the assistant to Howard Ashman during the original production and basically wanted to recreate the original production in every aspect. Bad, bad, bad idea. "

Which is why casting Billy Porter as the voice of the plant makes sense right?

For those of you who saw the production, how was Porter, what did he do with the role...I've always though he would make an incredible Audrey II. Excuse the threadjack...

[Pgenre]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 5:14pm

Ripley was FIERCE.

Porter has been better but was electric when he wanted to be.

I don't think it was really reminiscent of the original at all. If anything, the Zaks revival was more like the original in look and movie in tone. I guess the more "downtown" noir-ish elements were what made the FL version most different from what Zaks came up with and may be what some feel is more akin to the "downtown" original, but, really, the SOURCE is a mean, trashy little b-movie so its betraying the source to play it as a fuzzy comedy as Zaks directed. That's one of many reasons the Zaks revival was weak and misrepresentative of the material.

P

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 5:39pm

I, and I never thought I'd say this, am siding with Brody.

Ripley is doing a lot of very Greene-esque things, which you didn't find in Butler's performance.

As to Porter, meh...not a tremendous fan. His Audrey II is rather...homosexual as well.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 6/28/09 at 6:48pm

Was the set design in Miami different from the set design on Broadway?

ETA: I LOL-ed when I saw this thread title because for a minute a literally thought this would be a thread about Alice Ripley opening up a store.

Updated On: 6/28/09 at 06:48 PM