Okay... sorry if this is a dumb question, but can someone explain to me exactly what this is going to be?? Is it a concert version? or is it going to be filmed live almost like a "remake" of the movie?? With sets, acting, costumes, etc...
Great casting all around! Though it seems silly to put two women who are far more suited for Maria (particularly Benanti) in supporting roles next to Carrie Underwood who is so terribly miscast, but I won't complain. I'm especially looking forward to Benanti and Borle singing Max and Elsa's duets.
I'd love for perfectlymarvelous to answer JC's question... Because I, personally, don't know how one could judge a performance if it hasn't happened yet. And not sure what constitutes it as being "miscast" aside from the fact that she's a country singer (Oh, for shame! How could they?!)
Yes, I would think that charges of "miscasting" can be leveled after the show airs, but not really before. Doubts are definitely understandable, but nobody can say for sure that someone will be bad in a role until they see her play it. Pleasant surprises can and do happen. I can't say Underwood will be great, and casting a country singer with little acting experience does sound questionable, but I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. I hope she does well.
I love the supporting cast! This makes me want to see the show even more!
My impression is that on social networking, the same people who always complain that performers are always the same in absolutely everything they do are the same people who are so quick to complain that, based exclusively on what they've seen a performer do (or on how they have seen someone else play a role that performer is about to play), that performer is hopelessly miscast and should not be given the chance to show what he or she can do with something so different from his or her established typecasting... and that the person who should be playing the role is the person whose previous work has been closest to what they think is required for it.
I also can't wait for the SOM live. I hope it's the stage version rather than the film. The film omitted "How Can Love Survive" and "No Way To Stop It" blaming this on Eleanor Parkers' lack of singing ability yet they dubbed several others for the film, including Miss Wood. Gone will be the extravagant scenery, of course, but the story and songs will be enough!
I'm assuming it will be the stage version (at least to a greater degree) since they cast Benanti and Borle as the Baroness and Uncle Max. There would be no reason to have singers in those roles otherwise.
As for "blaming it on Eleanor Parker," she was cast as the Baroness after the screenplay had been written. I know other non-singing actresses who were up for the part as well. It was never going to be a singing role in the film.
Despite having a beautiful melody (which they kept as underscoring), How Can Love Survive isn't necessary to the plot or to character development. It was an easy cut, in my opinion, and since they were expanding other moments in the story (such as the chase scenes getting away from the Nazis toward the end), it made sense to remove a song that is pretty much superfluous.
I've seen The Sound of Music several times on stage, and "How Can Love Survive?" and "No Way to Stop It" add nothing to the overall show that we don't already know or come to learn about these characters and their situations. If anything, it makes them a bit more evil, shallow, and calculating. We get enough of that in the plot without overemphasizing the point. I think it makes the story more powerful if we don't completely hate the Baroness. She tried her best, and lost. She doesn't even lie to Maria. She merely exposes her love for the Captain and his love for her, and that's enough to drive Maria away. And Maria asks her not to mention a word of it to the Captain. While she certainly plotted and schemed, she also maintained a definite about of dignity while trying to "keep her man." And her scene with the Captain when he tells her "It's no use," is very touching in the film. That's why I think the film is a definite improvement over the stage show.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Underwood will get an Emmy for this. She is one of those performers who gets praised for whatever they do, regardless. I don't think she will be a disaster.
Not contributing anything to this conversation, but whenever I read "Underwood" I think Blair. Now that would be some brilliant casting.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
"Didn't Benanti get a bit of press last year when this project was announced for bemoaning Carrie's casting on Twitter? Oopsies."
That's what I said earlier. If she is still disappointed about not playing Maria, then she will enjoying pretending to be unkind to Underwood. LOL.
And who would not blame her? She, a Broadway TONY-WINNER FOR A BEST FEATURED ACTRESS IN THE MUSICAL, lost the part to a COUNTRY singer with little acting experience! I'd be peeved too!