Doyle's Company to transfer to Broadway!- Page 5

[Princeton78]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:00pm

Music Box?
Belasco?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:02pm

The Belasco would have been an interesting choice for SWEENEY but it seems a little gothic for the ultra modern New York look of this production of COMPANY. Plus nobody wants the Belasco - it attracts zero tourists because its so off the beaten path.

Music Box would work. I still think it will just go into the O'Neil - its the same producers as SWEENEY.

[RYANWOODS]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:10pm

hmm...although that would make sense - i cant help but think if they find someone good replace Patti then they will continue to run the show - its making good money and has a healthy capacity rate - given its stats at the moment i cannot see why they pull the plug on the show just because another Sondheim show is coming in - obviously it depends how Sweeney is doing in a few months time but i think it would great to have Sweeney and Company running at the same time

Id love to see Company go into the Music Box.

Given the success Mack and Mabel in London is doing i would be suprised if we see that transfer in 2007 - that could replace Sweeney ! Or have Three Doyle shows running!!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:14pm

The more I think about this, the more I realize that they'd be wise to replace Barbara Walsh. Her performance feels too stand-alone and isolated from the rest of the piece, for some reason, I think. Plus the fact that she's *all* deadpan does nothing to compliment Raul's deadpan approach to Bobby, because they sort of clash; think two like-charged magnets. They don't seem to connect when you watch them.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:16pm

I think it's possible RYAN if they were able to find some really fine replacements, but the logistics of casting would indicate to me that this SWEENEY just has a limited lifespan for a Broadway run.

Surely a lot of this cast will want to move on after their one year contract is up, and unless they can somehow find replacements who play the exact same instruments, the entire show is going to have to be reorchestrated for a new company of performers....Given that - I say six more months seems to me to be a good bet. I think everyone will look at the hassle and just be happy that the show has turned a sizable profit.

I think that Doyle would be subject to some serious backlash if he tried to run three shows of his "genre" on Broadway at once, but yeah it would be nice if MACK AND MABEL could come in eventually - Jerry Herman has so wanted to see a Broadway revival.

P.S. -- Like I mentioned earlier, Em - I'm sure Sondheim will have some requests for changes for a Broadway transfer - and I bet that will include one or two casting changes. And he is VERY partial to LuPone at this point in his/her career, and she adores John Doyle - so it still feels like her doing Joanne is a real possibility unless she just wants a break.
Updated On: 4/7/06 at 07:16 PM

[Princeton78]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:26pm

You need a very strong Joanne, and though I love Barbara Walsh, if she ain't working out, then she needs to go.

I'm trying to think of someone who would be perfect....
Give me a few minutes..

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:29pm

Walsh is alright. The casting could just be better. Granted, I liked her at the time, but as I've thought about the production in many aspects, my opinions have changed -- not about it as a whole but about little things.

I think the men are kind of expendable, acting-wise, for the most part (Esparza not included), but what's going to keep them is probably their instrumentation. The women playing the wives/girlfiends are good assets, though. I hope they stay.

Updated On: 4/7/06 at 07:29 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:31pm

And Joanne in this production only plays the triangle, right?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:31pm

I believe so.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:37pm

Just as long as they dont bring back Debra Monk, I'll be happy.

There are lots of interesting people who could do it though:

Blythe Danner
Donna Murphy
Stockard Channing
Jane Summerhayes
Kathleen Turner
Kelly Bishop
Leslie Ann Warren

[Princeton78]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 7:46pm

I'd wet my pants if Blythe did it.
She'd finally be the triumph she deserved to be in Follies.
Brilliant MB, BRILLIANT!

Donna would be great casting. It'd be nice to see Linda Muggleston back on the stage again.

Stockard....dunno if she's got the regality required...

Jane Summerhays...who? Ok, I know who she is, but does anyone else?

Kathleen Turner....see my thoughts on Stockard.

Kelly Bishop...nice choice.

Leslie Ann Warren....I don't see it, but hey ya never know.

I could see:
Randy Graff
Faith Prince
Pamela Meyers

Updated On: 4/7/06 at 07:46 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:03pm

Faith is awfully perky but who knows, maybe she'd do great with the challange. I actually think Pam Meyers would read as too old at this point. Graff could do it.

Tovah Feldshuh might be interesting. Natasha Richardson is still a little young - but would probably be brilliant. Sigourney Weaver would be fascinating.

So many interesting possibilities. They definitely don't need to stick with Walsh if she's not great.

I think Stockard and Turner are probably the closest fits actually, Princeton. Joanne isn't "regal" - she's a Park Avenue bitch. Slight difference


Updated On: 4/7/06 at 08:03 PM

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:17pm

Do you feel Joanne is a role that someone like Kathleen Turner or Stockard Channing would take? She has almost as many solos as Bobby but I've always felt this is a featured role that a star of the size of Kathleen Turner might not take. It's just a question though, I don't know how coveted this role is among Broadway stars.
I agree that Faith Prince is too perky for Joanne, I'm too used to her Adelaide-self to picture her in this role, but the best actresses are those who surprise. Murphy would probably provide the dry humor necessary for Joanne, but unfortunately I'm not sure she would be hired for a production that relies so heavily in its main cast after her reputation was damaged because of her attendance records in Wonderful Town (it is extremely unfair to judge Murphy, one of the best performers in the past two decades, given she was going through issues during the run, but this is show business), I imagine that Company--just like Sweeney--can't rely heavily in the use of understudies.
I believe Joanne is Sheila 20 years later, so I would love to see Kelly Bishop perform this role.
What about Bebe Neuwirth? Again, she probably would like to return to Broadway headlining a show.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:39pm

Well, it's true that Joanne isn't the first role you think of when you imagine a star returning to Broadway: but, I think the fact that it's a Sondheim piece, John Doyle, and a production that already received raves out of town would be a nice incentive. It's also a role that could easily score a Tony for an actress who knows what she's doing with it.

I don't really think any of the actors mentioned are really "above" doing the role - even Turner, who seems to have pretty much turned away from film/tv and is only doing theatre at the moment.

And Joanne isn't nearly as demanding as Ruth or Fosca, so it might actually be the perfect thing for Murphy to return to Broadway in.

That said. I bet it will still be Patti, if Barbara is replaced.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 8:43pm

oooh. Natasha Richardson WOULD be good.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 9:35pm

She's probably too young, but Meghan Mulally would be great. (sp?)

For the record, if she'd show up, I'd love to see Murphy do it. I think she'd easily win her 3rd Tony.

Also a question....was Debra Monk that bad? I did not see her live, but I think she sounds great on the '95 cast recording.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 9:37pm

Yes, Debra Monk was painful to watch, IMO.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 9:38pm

I'm not saying she wasn't...If you say so, I believe you.
But I still think she sounds great on the recording.

I do love the orchestrations of the 95 revival.

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 9:40pm

I agree that Walsh will probably be replaced. Her performance grew on me throughout the night, but most of the time she just seemed so intent on being Elaine Stritch. I only started to really like her halfway through "The Ladies Who Lunch," and that's way too late in the game. She was fine, but I would imagine that she could definitely be replaced with someone truly stunning. She wasn't particularly singled out for praise in reviews, that I recall. And since Joanne only plays the triangle, that's the part that's the least difficult to recast.

I doubt that very many other parts will be recast. It seems so difficult to find actors who play the same instruments as the ones they have now, and I doubt that they want to totally rework the orchestrations.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 10:34pm

I respect everyone's opinion, but Debra Monk was a disastrous Joanne both on stage and on the recording. I believe she is a great actress but this role didn't fit her in any way, I don't see how Sondheim let her play Joanne, her rendition of "The Ladies Who Lunch" was played with no subtext, she seemed slightly vulgar, and she just never delivered.
I really would love Donna Murphy as Joanne, that'd just be too good.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 10:41pm

I really like Debra Monk's "Ladies Who Lunch" - I find it very powerful, especially towards the end.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:03pm

The only down side is that Company will have to compete with A Chorus Line for Best Revival. Unless ACL is a bomb, I think it'll definitly win. With those two, along with The Wiz scheduled to open in the Fall, the Best Revival category will be very tight.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:07pm

I actually don't think ACL will win revival if there is strong competition because it's going to be more or less an exact copy of the original production. Kind of like the Les Miz revival...

Hard to pit that against a revival that actually succeeds in completely rethinking the material.

And is the WIZ even definite for Broadway? Last I heard it was just being done at La Jolla. Even if its a hit there, no guarantee it will open next season in NYC.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:15pm

A Chorus Line is one of my favorite musicals, it is almost flawless in its direction, it has a brilliant structure, and it's one of the best conceived shows. I have only watched a regional production of this musical (supervised by Bayork Lee) so I can only imagine how magnificent and breath-taking the Broadway production will be. Having said this, the show already won all the awards it needed to win when it opened in the 70s; from what I understand, the revival will be a homage to Michael Bennett and it will replicate his staging of the show from start to finish, therefore, I believe it's only fair that Company with its innovative staging wins the Tony for best revival...It's a bit too early to worry about this though, hehe. Don't forget 110 in the Shade will also be part of the Best Revival competition.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/7/06 at 11:24pm

Yeah there are a lot of variables up in the air, I think with A CHORUS LINE - it could either be a huge, sensational hit all over again, or be compared unfavorably to the first production. A lot will depend on the cast and whether Avian can make the show "feel" fresh again - it is awfully dated on paper.

It's actually kind of rare in this day and age to see revivals that are recreations of the original Broadway stagings.And this year we are getting two! ACL and LES MIZ. Only two such revivals have won the Revival Tony - SWEET CHARITY and the 1991 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.

So, we'll see how the press responds to it.


Updated On: 4/7/06 at 11:24 PM