Jennifer Holliday to join THE COLOR PURPLE - Page 4

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 10/3/16 at 9:05pm

While not to the extremes Ms Hollliday has taken, Ms Headley has been guilty of vocal theatrics in the past, and she gave a stunningly subtle and nuanced performance as Shug. Maybe Doyle will be able to get Holliday to pull it back. She is more than capable. She just needs a firm hand to tell her to pull it back. And then pull it back some more.  I hope that picture isn't a sign of things to come  

  

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/3/16 at 10:02pm

Apart from extraordinary airbrushing going on in that picture, it does truly capture the essence of "Push Da Button". Count me amongst the ones who're very interested and "intrigued" to see Ms Holliday's take on the role.

Also, Jordan said it best - "oh please. you queens would be lining up see this."

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/3/16 at 10:11pm

Updated On: 10/3/16 at 10:11 PM

[little_sally]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 9:23am

The more I think about it, the more I just realize the picture is terrible. She looked great when I saw her at the flea market last week.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 9:28am

Is John Doyle even still involved? I wouldn't bank on him being at the show at this point in time.

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 9:32am

even if Mr Doyle isn't physically present at the Bernard B Jacobs theatre I'm sure he has assistant directors

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:17am

...yes, thank you Captain Obvious. That's not what I asked.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:20am

That is actually what you asked. You asked if Doyle was "still involved". Having Assistant Directors is being involved. They are his surrogates who know and understand his vision and apply it.

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:25am

Valentina3 said: "That is actually what you asked. You asked if Doyle was "still involved". Having Assistant Directors is being involved. They are his surrogates who know and understand his vision and apply it.

 

"

exactly.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:26am

I know how the process works. I wanted to know if Doyle himself is involved, since everybody keeps saying Doyle will be able to get a good performance out of Jennifer Holliday. A surrogate is different than the actual John Doyle. Unless of course they have a hologram.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 10:34am

Again, not what you asked. I'm sorry broadwayguy91 or myself didn't know what you "meant" when you asked something else.


I have a question though - why wouldn't you bank on director being at the show at this point? It's still his name on the program which is eventually at stake if the show is going to shambles. A person who hasn't seen the show in its first year of running doesn't care about how it was when it originally opened (which wasn't even very long long). Directors, choreographers, costume/ lightning / set designers will always have to be involved continuously, directly or through assistants/ managers. I know Joe Mantello and Hal Prince still drop by Wicked and Phantom from time to time to give notes to various people. 

Updated On: 10/4/16 at 10:34 AM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 11:34am

Actually going to side with neon here, which I don't always do.  A surrogate is very different from John Doyle himself.  The surrogates weren't hired to direct the musical. Doyle was.  They lack certain skills and experiences he does.  Otherwise they would have serious careers as directors themselves. A director does so much more than just execute a vision, which obviously a surrogate can replicate.  A director is responsible for making the actors feel comfortable in their roles but also laying down the hammer when push (da button) comes to shove.  I have no doubt in my mind that a diva like Holliday would be able to walk all over one of the surrogates at The Color Purple.  Someone with the esteem of John Doyle, however... now that's a different story.  So no, that's not AT ALL what neon asked.

[AC126748]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 11:41am

The very specific question asked was: Is John Doyle working with Jennifer Holliday? Not his proxies, not a stage director. Doyle just took over the artistic directorship of a major Off-Broadway company and is in rehearsals for their season-opening production. Chances are he's quite busy. I would not take it on faith that he's spending a lot of time at the Jacobs.

[Maxim DeWinter]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 11:43am

Per a friend who works on the production, Jennifer Holliday auditioned for John Doyle and is being put into the show by John Doyle. And, yes, I'm going to night because I literally cannot help myself.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 11:47am

I'm guessing he had a drink or lunch with her to discuss the role a while ago, before or after she was cast. Music Directors and proxies taught her the bones/staging. Doyle likely was at one afternoon rehearsal of just Shug scenes and maybe the put in and gave notes. 

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 1:21pm

Thanks for the backup AC and bjh. And the answer, Maxim DeWinter. Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

Updated On: 10/4/16 at 01:21 PM

[Sunny11]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 1:31pm

Isn't it appropriate to wait until Holliday has actually started performing before judging her ? 

I though that this place prided itself on having good theather criticism. jumping to the conclusion that this women is going to suck before even seeing her  is not  that!

[HBP]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:16pm

She looks ok in this video! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrpnIQfAWKY

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:22pm

HBP said: "She looks ok in this video! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrpnIQfAWKY

 

"

She looks terrible in that video.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:24pm

I have trust in Doyle. He reinvented this show and gave us one of the most beautiful productions of a musical as a result. He is responsible for Jennifer Hudson's only good performance after Dreamgirls, and he gave us the magic of Heather Headley. I trust he knows what he is doing with Ms. Holliday, whom I think has the potential to do some great work here. If he can get her to actually listen to Ms. Erivo's Celie and Mr. Johnson's Mister and be present in the moment, the performance could actually work really well.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 2:27pm

Sunny11 said: "Isn't it appropriate to wait until Holliday has actually started performing before judging her ? "

Not around here!

 

1.  These are opinions based on who she is, what she's already done.

2. MANY of the folks here WILL go see her, and be honest should she get the job done.  It's happened before....my favorite example was when Corbin Bleu took over in In the Heights, he was well trashed, and nearly everyone that saw him took back their statements, as he was pretty wonderful.

3.  We're tough and opinionated, but we truly check things out.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 3:51pm

This is a much better picture, without excessive photoshopping. Really looking forward to hearing reviews.

 

[Sunny11]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 4:10pm

dramamama611 said: "Sunny11 said: "Isn't it appropriate to wait until Holliday has actually started performing before judging her ? "

Not around here!

1.  These are opinions based on who she is, what she's already done.

She won pretty much every award available for Dreamgirls. Wouldn't logic mean that a positive outlook should prevail? 


2. MANY of the folks here WILL go see her, and be honest should she get the job done.  It's happened before....my favorite example was when Corbin Bleu took over in In the Heights, he was well trashed, and nearly everyone that saw him took back their statements, as he was pretty wonderful.

Why was he trashed in the first place. High School Musical was a hit and he was great in it. 

3.  We're tough and opinionated, but we truly check things out.

Not allways.

I have seen too many instances of " I knew they where going to suck, my fear has been realised" from people simply reading snark and who clearly hadn't watched them themselves. 

 

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 7:29pm

really curious to hear how Holliday is. Anyone seeing the show soon?

[quizking101]

Posted: 10/4/16 at 9:43pm

Any intermission reports?