Joey Fatone IS in Little shop- Page 2

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 6:05pm

Maybe it's just me but there's nothing "hungry" looking about Fatone and the roles he gets seem like they should be played by men not quite so ahem, Zaftig, or well fed, shall we say?

[wickedrawbrt]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 6:18pm

Wow...that was harsh, and yet so very true. Can men be Zaftig? I have only heard that term used to describe women, like Rubenesque.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 6:44pm

Most of the people in this thread are doing exactly what they shouldn't be doing---judging a performance before the actors joined the show. No one can be sure he's stunt casting, or he's going to be so bad until they see him. I don't think he has a good voice, but Seymour isn't THAT hard, and he may just pull it off. If he sucks in the role, than you can say all you want, but out of respect for anyone who has the guts to get up on a Broadway stage, don't judge and mock him when he hasn't began performances.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 7:26pm

I thought Hunter would have stayed a little longer in Little Shop. I saw Joey Fatone in Rent and thought he was quite good. Enough with the zoftig jokes. Give the guy a chance. And by the way, what is wrong with Zoftig? Hunter did not look that slim im Little Shop.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 7:31pm

I HATE STUNT-CASTING.

I had heard about this a while ago, and was REALLY hoping it wasn't true. Ugh... why?!?!

So that no one gets me for judging Joey without seeing him in the role - which I realize I'm doing - I did see him in RENT. Granted, different role, but he was my first Mark. That time, I hated Mark. (My second time I saw Chad Richardson, and I liked Mark's character A LOT better.) I felt like he had no personality. Joey could sing just fine, but his acting was abysmal. I'm kind of thinking that unless he's invested in some serious acting lessons between his RENT run and now, this is going to be the same thing.

[NYCbabe3789]

Posted: 5/13/04 at 7:53pm

ARGH. Stunt casting stunt casting stunt casting...what is Broadway coming to??

[crp2000]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 8:57am

I've heard people say that Hunter is the best thing about little shop - i seriously don't think so. If it weren't for The Urchins, The Dentist, & The Plant - the show would be pretty boring.
I personally am kind of excited about Joey.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:04am

if i remember correctly, Joey Fatone, among other boy band alumni, had a start in theater... i wonder what would happen if, say, michael cerveris were to suddenly hit it big in the pop world, and then several years down the line, came back to theater in a prominent role... would that be stunt casting?

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:10am

Why do you all assume that Hunter did not choose to leave this show on his own accord? He's done it for a long time, it was not the smash hit everyone thought it would be and he's probably ready for something new and challenging. You all make it sound as if the producers are making a huge mistake by letting him go. Maybe they didn't have a say in it, and Joey was their idea of a good replacement to help them regain some losses.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:24am

When Joey Fatone (or as a friend of mine always pronounces his last name - Fat One!)...was hosting that awful talent show last year - he was so UN-Charismatic - boring, always messing up his lines and obviously reading cue cards the entire time - I kept thinking: What does this kid have to offer the entertainment community?

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:38am

I think it is a mistake, from the video clips I have seen of Joey Fatone playing Mark, I thought his singing was terrible. Mark and Seymore are somewhat the same, both sort of dorky. But I don't see him playing Seymore well. Why not let Foster's stand-by take over rather than letting big names fill boards attracting nothing but tourists.

[TheBalladeer]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:45am

Well,

Anth, I couldn't agree with you more on all of your points.

I for one am excited that Joey is going to be joining the cast of Little Shop, I too didn't think that Hunter was anything much to write home about as Seymour. I LOVED him in Urinetown, but found his interpretation of Seymour lacking, and too one-note. It was hard for me to sympathize with his Seymour. Maybe that's just me. I found Kerry Butler's interpretation of Audrey more interesting and fresh than Hunter's Seymour. (And I know that I am in the vast minority here.)

Al Dente, where does it say that Seymour has to be waifish and hungry looking? As I remember, Lee Wilkof originated the role Off-Off Broadway, and he didn't look anywhere NEAR starving then! I honestly can see almost about any type playing Seymour, as long as they can come across as a victim. Actually in the script there is no reference to being of a certain type for Seymour. Mark, that might be a different matter - but then again, where did it say that Mark was starving to death?

Just my 2 cents.


Cheers,
The Balladeer

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:50am

"Why not let Foster's stand-by take over rather than letting big names fill boards attracting nothing but tourists. "

You answered your own question.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:52am

Casting of Joey Fatone in Little Shop does not upset me. This guy has a genuine love for live theatre and at least we know he can sing. It's much better than casting say Justin Timberlake (gag me) for instance or talent free, flash in the pan, Lance Bass.

[BroadwayBound06]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 9:54am

Good point. And about looking starving and scrawny. Everyone in RENT is starving.

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 10:37am

Damn, this pisses me off. I am getting fed up with this ridiculous, money hungry casting! The show will be gone by July.

[StraightToHeaven]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 10:55am

I've heard Joey Fatone in Rent. Various promotional clips and what not. I wasn't impressed but hopefully Rent helped him improve as a performer and he is hopefully more used to doing 8 shows a week. It is kinda of weird to picture him and Kerry Butler as a couple though...

[magic8ball]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 11:31am

Poor Douglas Sills. How degrading.

[Ilive4nyc]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 2:29pm

Ok everyone, get ready for all the teenage girls and barricades to be at the stage door. I feel bad for everyone else in the show who will do much better performing their jobs. They will kind of be put on the back burner now. Makes me wonder if Doug and Kerry are leaving soon too. I've seen the show twice and loved Hunter in that role, I felt it was perfect for him. But I know actors must move on and expand their horizons. Don't think I'll be going back to LSOH anytime soon.

[bwaybabe85]

Posted: 5/14/04 at 6:03pm

There have always been barricades at LSOH, so that won't be new. lol. And I know Doug is leaving in June as well, but I have no clue about Kerry.

[jezzebelle]

Posted: 5/15/04 at 8:14am

personally, I thought he was terrible in RENT, but hey, who knows, maybe he'll surprise me in LSOH. I still hate stunt casting, though.

-Jess

[Jamie Hat]

Posted: 5/15/04 at 10:12am

So sad. I wonder how long they are going to drag LSOH out. It's really not worth it. Joey will give them a few more months of teenage girls I suppose.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/15/04 at 2:37pm

I didn't say it was the gospel according to Al, I just find Fatone to be a bit healthy looking. That's all. Both roles seem to me to call for someone with a bit more desperation to their appearance. To me, that spells a bit less beefy. Lee Wilkoff was NOT beefy.

[Broadway724]

Posted: 5/15/04 at 2:38pm

the most exciting thing about this is getting to see jonathan rayson do the role for this 2 weeks or so.

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 5/15/04 at 2:51pm

grrr...stunt casting. Happy for Hunter and going into The Producers. Sad for LSoH that he is leaving. Ill post my comments about Mr. Fatone after he starts.