Clark's Scheduling Conflict?

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:04pm

Could Victoria Clark's reason for dropping out of Iphigenia 2.0 be Follies in the Fall?

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:06pm

I don't know... but glad to see they got Kate Mulgrew to replace her!

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:08pm

Wow. *trying not to get excited. really trying.*

[philcrosby]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:08pm

"Scheduling conflict" is usually a nice way to say ... "hmmm, this idea didn't work out." Clark probably didn't have the acting chops needed (hence being replaced with someone like Mulgrew).

No offense to Ms. Clark intended -- not all actors are suited to every role or acting challenge.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:09pm

^ It really MAY be a scheduling conflict. It's no secret Clark and Murphy agreed to reprise their roles in FOLLIES if it transferred in the fall.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:17pm

"Creative Differences" is what they usually say if the actor couldn't handle the role or something like that.

Scheduling conflict usually means scheduling conflict, or they would have cited another reason.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:20pm

ljay, that's not exactly true.

While Victoria Clark was more than willing to reprise her role if the show transfered to Broadway, Donna Murphy was much more hesitant to commit to anything after Encores! (which is the specific reason the plans have yet to be finalized.)

The last I heard several weeks ago, the plan was to go back to Murphy after the closing of "LoveMusik" to see if she'd be interested in commiting to a transfer now that she was free, but the outlook didn't seem entirely optimistic from the point of view of the person I spoke to.

Even if Murphy did agree to come on board, the plan was (and always has been) to bring it to Broadway for a limited run in the spring (most likely at The St. James,) so I can assure you that Clark's departure from this particular project is probably non-"Follies" related.

Here's hoping that the show will make it back to the Great White Way in the near future at some point.

Updated On: 7/9/07 at 03:20 PM

[Kringas]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:22pm

If Murphy won't do it (which would suck), they should try to woo Michelle Pfeiffer.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:25pm

I really think they will just scrap the plans if Murphy won't do it. Because isn't Victor Garber hesitant about reprising the role also? That would be 2 major leads to recast. Also Stella would have to be recast if Worley is still in DROWSY. And we all know recasting Carlotta would be a major possibility.
Updated On: 7/9/07 at 03:25 PM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:27pm

I want all of you to see everyone you want in every role you want to see them in, but this is TOO SOON FOR ANOTHER REVIVAL!

It's like Grease!

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:31pm

Someone on ATC said she's doing "The New Faces of 1952"

don't know how accurate that is.
Updated On: 7/9/07 at 03:31 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:32pm

Garber's already out (he made it well known when he signed on that he wasn't interested in commiting to a Broadway run of anything anytime in the future,) and with the reception Christine Baranski got as Carlotta, it's safe to say won't be doing the show again either.

The prioroty of wanting the entire Encores! cast back for a transfer was to minimialize rehearsel time and get the show up quick after the run at City Center. When Murphy stalled and the plans to quickly bring it to Broadway went on the shelf, the need to have the entire company back was also kind of thrown out.

With so many of the cast members already doing other things (like Curtis Holbrook, Jenny Powers, Joanne Worley, etc.,) they'll likely just retain who they can get and do as much re-casting as needed if they're able to get a transfer together.

The only "must have" people in the eyes of the producers are Murphy and Clark. With them it's a go, but without them, it's not happening.

Updated On: 7/9/07 at 03:32 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:35pm

Somethingwicked, that's interesting, I always thought Murphy was actually willing to do a Broadway transfer, especially after the raves she received (including that Reidel column where he said that even if she showed up twice a week, he'd vote for her to win a Tony for Phyllis).
I assume Murphy has just become quite weary about signing on for a long run, especially if it is indeed the Weisslers bringing back the show.
With Worley, Anne Rogers, Curtis Holbrook, Jenny Powers, and Victor Garber committed to other projects I have become quite pessimistic about the idea of the transfer though I must admit that the second I read that Clark wouldn't be doing this project, FOLLIES was the first thought that entered my mind.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:42pm

Having heard from Murphy, I'd say she didn't seem very optimistic or enthusiastic about a transfer. I believe "eh, it's all rumors," were her exact words.

Of course, that was at the closing of LoveMusik. Anything could have changed between now and then. As SomethingWicked said, the entire cast has taken on different projects, so a replica staging is, well, nothing short of impossible.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:50pm

To me the fact that Worley is no longer available is quite a disappointment since I thought she was the best of the supporting cast.
Then there's Anne Rogers in a very small role and yet she managed to leave an impression on me. Her chemistry with Fitch on their two moments in the spotlight blew me away and she shared one of the most stirring moments in the show for me when during the Bolero they switch partners and dance with the younger versions of the other. She'll be missed.
Baranski's "I'm Still Here" was a train-wreck, not so much because it was bad but because the production around her was so fantastic that she seemed out of place (I didn't appreciate the fact that her eyes were glued to the script in both performances I saw).
Ohh, how I'd love for this show to transfer, but oh well.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 3:53pm

Stranger things have happened.

The Imperial's open for a limited run...Follies...Gypsy...a Streisand concert I've heard bizarre rumors about...

[TapTapTapioca]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 7:05pm

Why won't Anne Rogers be available to do it?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 7:08pm

She's playing the Georgia Engel role in the West End DROWSY CHAPERONE, but as I'm typing this I just realized that it will be closing anyways so I guess she will be available indeed.

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 8:16pm

I really think they'd transfer the production with just Murphy, even though I really hope Victoria Clark also goes.

I'm too much of a pessimist to believe any positive rumors about that cast, though.

[JB Fan]

Posted: 7/9/07 at 9:37pm

philcrosby wrote:" 'Scheduling conflict' is usually a nice way to say ...
"hmmm, this idea didn't work out." Clark probably didn't have the acting chops
needed (hence being replaced with someone like Mulgrew)."

That is not the case when the rehearsals don't start until July 10th, which
is tomorrow...the only way to discover if someone doesn't have the acting
chops is to actually have a few rehearsals...

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 12:07am

Did anyone get to see the show yet? How is Kate Mulgrew?

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 8:55am

Just in case folks missed the news, Victoria Clark is in the new Shyamalan horror movie - Happening. That's why she's not doing this play.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 9:36am

I saw the first preview on Tuesday night and it was a mess. I wouldn't even call it a "play" in the traditional sense; at least half of the show is made up of ill-conceived calisthenics and kitschy, over-the-top incidental music. There wasn't even a kiss of the play (IPHIGENIA IN AULIS by Euripides) that Mee was trying to replicate anywhere in the proceedings. The dialogue sounded like it was ripped from a second-rate PoliSci textbook.

Kate Mulgrew was the only performer who seemed to know what was going on. Clytemnestra is supposed to be over the top, and she nails it. (One can only hope that Lady Macbeth is in her future). The rest of the ensemble was too histrionic--especially Louisa Krause's Iphigenia. She SHOULD be completely level-headed, but she ended up the craziest of all.

However, I'm probably in the minority here. The audience at the performance I saw went nuts at the curtain call. They had to drop the lights and bring the cast back for a second company bow because the audience wouldn't stop applauding. You'd think they were reacting to some great diva who had just finished her final Tosca. Still, I couldn't stand it...if I had had an aisle seat, I probably would have fled.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 7:19pm

Thanks for the review AC12748, Glad to hear Kate Mulgrew was top notch! I might just see this because of her! (I really hope she plays lady macbeth in the future...or any major role for that matter!)

[BillFinn]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 11:37pm

Vicki Clark and her assistant were seen at "Grey Gardens" one Sunday matinee taking notes. Vicki was highly considering taking on the role for the tour, but then opted out because she'd rather be at home raising her son (who has always been her first priority).

This Fall, she'll be working on her new album with PS Classics. I've heard a rumor she'd doing JUNO at City Centers. But from the people I know who know Vicki, if she says she has a scheduling conflict, she most likely really does. She's not one to be flakey or diva-ish.