It's Official! Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch to Star in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Starting 7/13- Page 4

[hannah_bway]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:25pm

I didn't want to see this with Catharine Zeta-Jones (but wound up going with some family members anyway), but would absolutely go out of my way to see it with Bernadette Peters. Love her.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 6/7/10 at 11:39pm

I too can't wait to see what Stritch does. It's definitely not the first person who comes to mind for the role, but that makes it all the merrier.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 8:40am

Point taken regarding stunt casting. I do like the term event casting better.

I stand by my original assessment. While both are superb actresses, they are not right for these roles.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 9:08am

I am going to see Lansbury & CZJ on their closing, but I will definitely make it back to see Stritch & Peters. Those who only see Stritch as playing Stritch might be in for a surprise. I tbink she's actually a very interesting choice for the role, and there's potential for a very special performance.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 9:12am

I'll bet we hear a lot of bitching about how Stritch WASN'T Stritch when they see her in this role.

She can definitely dial it down and play against her own type. She did it beautifully as Parthy in Show Boat.

But fans LIKE her as "Stritch," and that's one of the reasons they are excited to see her on stage. So it's a double-edged sword.

I hope she's true to the character, as I'm sure she will be, but leaves just enough Stritchy-bitchy to please the folks.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 9:40am

Roscoe - your comment complaining about Ramona Mallory actually qualifies exactly why her performance DOES work. Anne is and should be a young, immature, tactless and yes annoying character. The point of Frederick's folly is despite all of that, he desires her. He can't help himself and he says so much in his speech to Desiree. If Anne isn't somewhat unlikable it plays against the very conceipt of the story which is that we as an audience are supposed to be rooting for Frederick to leave his wife and return to Desiree.

[isntitromantic]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:06am

They should have cast Donna McKechnie and Merle Louise who have both done the part and are far better actors that Peters or Stritch.
As a woman who has numbered kings among her lovers, Mme. Armfeldt should at least have some charisma. Updated On: 6/8/10 at 10:06 AM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:09am

"She can definitely dial it down and play against her own type. She did it beautifully as Parthy in Show Boat."

No she didn't, she was a loud mouthed shrew in Show Boat.

I don't deny that she's a great actress. She was excellent in "A Delicate Balance" and I felt that should have been her Tony. There's a certain sense of demure about Mme. Armfeldt that I don't think Stritch can reach. She's a bit too "fish wife" for the role.

[isntitromantic]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:21am

Precisely: fishwife.

Years ago, I spliced Stritchie singing "Why Do I Love You" together with her "Shuuuutuuuuuup!" from the Company documentary for my answering machine. A little faggy, but a friend in Showboat got her to call just to hear it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:40am

Goth, we CLEARLY didn't see the same production or performance of "Show Boat" on Broadway. She was prim, priggish, puritanical, staunch, and severe, sure.

But NOT a "loud-mouthed shrew" by any stretch of the imagination. She was quite reserved and composed (not timid or pliable, but controlled---and, certainly, by comparison to her normal "Stritch" persona).

I completely disagree with your opinion.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:41am

I can't wait to see how they do.

How common is it for a Broadway show to close for three weeks and then reopen like this? Is it better from a financial standpoint to close the show 'till new stars come in rather than bring in other replacements and keep running?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:45am

Well, you could have 2 weeks of half-empty houses (la, la, la) while the understudies go on, or you could go on a 2-week vacation, have everyone rest up, and be on the top of their game for the relaunch.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:47am

I'm sure there are other instances, but the only time I can think of was when "Hello, Dolly!" closed for a few weeks and then reopened with an all-black cast headed by Pearl Bailey.

There was a big argument whether or not it constituted a revival, but even more so, whether or not they could keep on counting total performances in the final number of the "original run."

EDIT: Just thought of another ... "Best Little Whorehouse..." took a few weeks off when they switched theatres during its initial run.

Updated On: 6/8/10 at 10:47 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 10:59am

I think the 'two weeks off' is actually more a logistical solution to meet the scheduling conflicts for both Peters and Stritch during the week of the 22nd and also to allow a rehearsal process with Trevor Nunn. Given that, actually, I doubt the cast will get two weeks off - I imagine they will get a few days off and will spend most of that hiatus back in the rehearsal room. From that individual standpoint, it actually is cheaper to go on hiatus, because the cast would likely go into overtime to do rehearsal while performing.

Updated On: 6/8/10 at 10:59 AM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:10am

Am I the only person that thinks Desiree is going to become the queen of Cougar Town next to Aaron Lazaar?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:18am

I actually don't think Desiree being something of a 'cougar' is a bad directorial choice. It could create a nice counter-part to the folly of Frerdick's relationship with the much younger Anne

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:20am

And it's Bernadette Peters, who, no matter what anyone says, can still easily pass for 45, tops.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:27am

"your comment complaining about Ramona Mallory actually qualifies exactly why her performance DOES work."

I thought Ramona Mallory's performance was one of the most exciting, dangerous and fearless performances of the show. She let the audience hate her. As the character. I appreciated it greatly...as I did the entire production. The only time I missed the large orchestrations was during WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY.

What Auggie said earlier re: Send In the Clowns is very true. But I thought the construction of Zeta-Jones' performance allowed for a very affecting Clowns. Instead of an older woman, we were given a woman who has been hardened by being a touring actress...a woman who always made the choice to continue that life. She left her daughter in the care of her mother to do so. And finally...after all those years, she realized how tiring and embittering that kind of life can be. And so, she at last reaches out to the man that could give her what she desperately needs, only to be rejected. I found it heartbreaking.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:30am

Will they serve english muffins at intermission now?

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:18pm

"Instead of an older woman, we were given a woman who has been hardened by being a touring actress...a woman who always made the choice to continue that life. She left her daughter in the care of her mother to do so. And finally...after all those years, she realized how tiring and embittering that kind of life can be. And so, she at last reaches out to the man that could give her what she desperately needs, only to be rejected. I found it heartbreaking."

Yes! The stakes were almost higher because everyone is still of an age when they can have a real life together as a family. She's made the decision to settle down, a little late, but while she still has time to correct her life, and she's rejected. You can say whatever you want about Zeta-Jones's performance, but when she sang "Send in the Clowns" last Saturday, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:26pm

I found the melting of her actress persona in the scene and song one of the most persuasive interpretations of the role. That whole scene is really on par with the bench scene from Carousel as the perfect uniting of song and book. And this production delivered it beautifully.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:09pm

Do you guys think they will invite the critics back to see the show? I can't imagine they would want Brantley reviewing it again.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:12pm

I think they'd want fresh quotes pertaining to Stritch and/or Peters for signage and advertising, so yes, I think they'll invite critics back.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:12pm

I asked a friend that same question, ljay. I'm positive the critics will be back again for this. It's not like Chicago with a new "name" going in every five minutes. These are two of the biggest musical theater stars ever which I think deserves to be reviewed again.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:17pm

But why would they want to risk the chance of Brantley SH*Tting on it for a second time? Could they just not invite the Times?
Updated On: 6/8/10 at 01:17 PM