Piazza's Ideal Cast- Page 2

Posted: 12/29/05 at 1:48pm

I am, obviously, going to go with the OBC for the ideal cast. I just think they had incredible chemistry. They exceeded my expectations when I first saw the show, and I feel like no one comes close to their caliber. The show won't especially quite be the same without the Piazza triumvirate.



I agree, sometimes the replacement is better than the original... but not in this case. The OBC is magnificent. Together and apart, I will remember this musical as the musical where I fell in love with the entire original cast. It was hard to see the original cast fade away, as members of it started leaving... the music will never be quite the same, but I still am a strong enLIGHTist, and I will be regardless of the cast members. I will, of course, remain fans of the Piazza triumvirate members as well for the rest of my life.

<3 JKor

[kyle.]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 2:11pm

the producers let celia go after the chicago run. i was told they wanted to try a new 'look'. and suddenly in the new york production, clara is seen only in a night gown and fabrizio takes his shirt off in say it somehow. both did not happen in the chicago production.

it had nothing to do with age. she looked 26.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 2:41pm

Kyle, thanks for posting those wonderful photos. Who played Fabrizio during that run?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 2:43pm

awesome pics!!! and by the way...i think the Original Cast was ideal...but some of the originals are gone and probably won't come back...i was just saying who i would like to see if the show extends its run(again).

[Barihunk]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:06pm

I would love to see Victoria Clark see the run through to July, but I've said it before and I'll say it again, I would love to see Bernadette Peters tackle Margaret Johnson. While vocally it wouldn't be as glorious as Clark, she could more than get through it and dramatically she would be top notch. Not to mention she would look spectacular in those costumes...

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:10pm

Bernie can't sing high. She would never get that part...EVER!!! but your probably right about her acting skills.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:13pm

anyone has pics of another Clara??? Jennifer or Katie or whoever replaced her??? i think Sarah Uriarte also understudied Clara...correcT?

[Barihunk]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:25pm

"Bernie can't sing high."

Huh. Have you heard her in "Sunday in the Park with George"? "Song and Dance"? I haven't seen a full score for "Piazza" but my guess is Margaret rarely ventures above a G above the staff which "Bernie" could more than handle. And if entire operatic arias can be transposed for Pavarotti and Domingo, I'm sure they could transpose sections for her if need be (which I still maintain, they don't need to). Peters has a lovely head voice, we just haven't heard it in quite a while...

[zelda]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:30pm

Bernadette would be a wonderful choice after Victoria i agree her acting is tremednous. they could always lower the songs if they need to. i think this score would lend it self quite nicely to her talent

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:32pm

I heard her at the opening of the Tonys and i wish i had missed it!!! but it's just my taste...so it's just 1 opion..take it easy. Anyhow...get the Piazza cd so you will hear that she could never sing like Victoria Clark.

[Amy3]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:47pm

Hes' not too old and he is way more sexy. I sat in great seats for WIW and he can't be more then 25-26. Give him a hair cut and i'm all over that. I'm with you Muscle23ftl.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 3:53pm

The costumes are so beautiful in all of the productions.

[BillFinn]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 4:06pm

From what I gathered from my source, the role of Clara Johnson was changing in a lot of different ways from the Chicago production. They didn't want her disorder to be so bluntly acted out the way Celia portrayed it. They wanted Clara to be a little less absent-minded and a little more "youthful" (like what I've been hearing Katie Clarke brings to the role).

Reason being, the audience could relate more and you could really buy into the idea that "At first, the Naccarellis dont see anything wrong with Clara. They just think she's a stereotypical YOUNG, American, endearing, silly girl."

I saw Patti in the role of Margaret. She was different, but I liked her better as Signora Naccarelli. I found her Margaret to be more motherly and maternal than Vicki's. She was a lot more cliche' "affectionate, suburban, overly protective". I liked that a lot about her performance. It was something I wouldn't have expected from Margaret, but ended up enjoying.

[Doogie]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 4:37pm

O'hara never u/sed Clara. She was either just Franca or just Clara.

Berry could NEVER do Clara now. her voice is too mature and heavy, and she and clark would look like sisters.

[Doogie]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 4:39pm

Also, I LOVE Celia, but she couldn't sing that score like O'Hara. (I LOVE Celia's belt)

also, Bolger is a VERY pretty girl.

O'Hara looks like a model.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 4:55pm

A supermodel.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 5:18pm

Is that a tear in Celia's eye?

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 7:23pm

And yet, I would have still liked to have heard Celia sing the role.

[kyle.]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 9:03pm

that IS a tear in celias eye. lol. ill post a high res version of the photo if you want to see it better. lol.

wayne wilcox (of gilmore girls and rent the movie "fame") played fabrizio in the chicago production of piazza. he and celia were wonderful together. you truly believed it was the first time the two of them had fallen in love and that they meant the world to each other.

i know i always go on and on about the chicago production of the show and people are probably tired of it, but it was literally flawless. the most beautiful piece of theatre i have ever seen. while the new york production is great, i was truly disappointed and let down.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 12/29/05 at 9:21pm

I never got to see the OBC, so I can't rightfully say that I would choose them, even though I would based on the cast recording.

The cast I saw yestreday was pretty ideal, IMO. While Katie Clarke's voice isn't as powerful as Kelli's, it's still beautiful, and she captures Clara's childlike innocence very well.

Posted: 12/30/05 at 12:08am

did anyone have the pleasure of seeing steven pasquale as fabrizio?
and yeah, WHY didn't Celia stay with the show? what happened there? inquiring minds want to know...

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 12:26am

I honestly don't doubt that Vicki will stay with Piazza through the end of the run. Vicki has a history of sticking with her shows for the long run. She was Alice Beane in Titanic's full 2 year run--from opening night to closing day. She also remained with How to Succeed for its entire year and a half run. She certainly isn't going to leave her breakthrough Tony-winning role part-way through. She knows how special what she has is and I can't see her passing the torch onto another actress unless it's for a very good reason. She will always be THE Margaret Johnson. No comparisons to replacements. She is the heart of Piazza and she'll be there through to the end.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 12:31am

The OBC is unbeatable, IMO. Perfect in every aspect.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 12:39am

Of the men who have played Fabrizio on Broadway, I think David Burnham is the best, followed by Lazar, then Morrison (who I never really "bought" in the role, though he was certainly more than adequate). Burnham is so darned good looking that he sticks out even in the ensemble. However, I saw Pasquale in Seattle and he sang that score like it was nobody's business. I really wish he had made it onto the OCR.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 12/30/05 at 12:47am

Anyone know of specific dates (or weeks) when Burnham will definitely be performing? I'd love to see him.

Updated On: 12/30/05 at 12:47 AM