Broadway Star Joined: 3/18/05
Megan Hilty has 9 to 5.
"I actually dislike the idea of Peters as Brenda, especially when she would be perfect as Elise--the aging actress who gets cast as Monique's mother, not an ex pop-idol."
That's the way the character was in the film. In that format yes, Peters would have been perfect, but they're changing Elise to a former singing sensation for the stage adaptation. Peters voice would never be believable as that of a mainstream pop star.
Megan Hilty has 9 to 5.
There are three leading female roles in 9 to 5. Unless Hilty is playing all three, it could be totally plausible that Prince would be a part of this. Personally, I could see her as a possible replacement for Debra Monk, provided that Curtains runs long enough to have replacements. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that no one had mentioned that yet.
Hilty, Alice Ripley, and Tracy Ullman played the three leads at the first workshop for "Nine to Five." Whether they'll continue on with it remains to be seen.
yeah i would say 9-5 or yf, except she wouldn't play frau blucher because they already cast that part.
Somethingwicked, what I meant was that Peters would have been great playing Elise the way it was portrayed in the film. I'm just lamenting the fact that we won't get to see her doing that kind of role in the musical. Obviously, now that changes have been made (which I think is great, I don't like musical adaptations that are carbon copies of the movie), Peters would indeed be more appropriate for Brenda even if I'm not a fan of the idea (this is all based on the way she is portrayed in the film since I haven't read the book).
I agree Ray. I too saw her as more of an Elise, but the changes mean Brenda is really the only role of the three she's suited for.
Well, last night Faith decided to let the cat out of the bag. The show bringing her back to Broadway is A CATERED AFFAIR, the new show written by Harvey Fierstein!
Ms. Prince's show could not have been better, and she couldn't have been more gracious during her stay here, so here's wishing her much success with her upcoming shows!!
Thanks, PeterJ. Now that casting makes a lot of sense!
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/8/07
Harvery Fierstein and Faith Prince in the same show spells success!
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
I had a feeling it was that.
Regarding 9-to-5, I believe Hilty did the reading and only the reading. There's a casting notice around for the 2nd reading, this coming summer.
SomethingWicked,
I somewhat disagree with your statement that Peters does not have the appropriate voice to be believed as a former mainstream pop star. Bernadette actually did have a career as a teenage recording artist and cut several records. While she didn't have a great deal of success in that area of the music business, she did find some success - one of her songs hit number one on a regional chart. If you have ever had a chance to hear any of her recordings from these years, you'll definitely hear that whomever was managing her at the time was really trying to turn her into the next Leslie Gore. Her redition of "Let's Start the Party Again" particularly shows this and is really an excellent display of her talents. Though she sounds well beyond the 16 or 17 years she is at the time of the recording. So assuming the Elise character is a former pop sensation from the 60s, Bernadette's voice could definitely work. They could maybe even some how work in using her actual records from her teenage years.
moljul, I was told that the creative team chose to change the character of Elise to a former pop star in hopes of widening the potential casting appeal for the role (they're actually warming up to the idea of casting someone who is more of a singer than an actress in hopes of getting a recognizably mainstream performer.)
Elise's material is being written specifically for a pop voice, and I don't think Bernadette would be ideal for something they seem to be adapting to a certain type of persona she doesn't exactly fit.
Brenda remains the role I consistently hear tagged onto her name (though I still don't quite see it.)
Thanks for the clarification.
I hear she's taking over for Laura Belle Bundy in Legally Blonde.
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