"To the parade of great actors who've appeared on Broadway in the last few years -- Patrick Stewart, Frank Langella, Richard Griffiths, Geoffrey Rush -- we may soon, if we're lucky, be able to add . . . Ashton Kutcher!
Mr. Demi Moore, I'm told, is considering an offer to star in Neil LaBute's 'Fat Pig.'
In 'Fat Pig,' Kutcher would play Tom, a nice-looking guy who dates the sweet but heavyset Helen.
When Tom's friends find out about the romance, they tease him mercilessly.
'Fat Pig' played off-Broadway five years ago. It starred Jeremy Piven, whose mercury levels back in those days were within the normal range.
The reviews were decent but, for various reasons, the production never transferred to Broadway.
Fran and Barry Weissler produced the play in London last year. The production, which LaBute directed, received glowing reviews, with some critics calling it his best play yet.
LaBute will direct the Broadway version as well..."
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
I'm not a fan of his, particularly but why did you say that about Reidel?
He says: "IF we're lucky" we'll get Kutcher. Doesn't sound sour to me.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
This is wonderful news for the theater community. I guess it also explains why Kutcher had to back out of his commitment to appear in a revival of "Golda's Balcony".
"I don't know where I got this idea, but I suspect that Riedel isn't overly impressed with Mr. Kutcher. Just a suspicion."
The sarcasm was dripping - especially the "great actor" comment. You can say a lot about Ashton kutcher but "great actor" is not one of them, unless you are being sarcastic.
Well I wouldnt mind seeing this. Would it be considered original or revival though?
<------ Me and my friends with patti Lupone at my friends afterparty for her concert with audra mcdonald during the summer of 2007.
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
The question is - after the unfortunate flopping of REASONS, why would producers take a Broadway chance on LaBute? Is Kutcher that much of a draw? He's certainly a greater draw than Sadoski.
That said, I see Kutcher more as Carter, the LaButian douchebag friend (Andrew McCarthy's role).
In fact, the original cast - Piven included - was pretttty perfect. One would hope Ashley Atkinson is asked back. Helen is really HER role.
And for the record - Piven did leave this production a few weeks early. Replaced by Stephen Pasquale. As Pasquale said in an interview, "That was the first time he quit. He's embarrassed all of us by his behavior. I hope he never sets foot on a New York stage again. He's not welcome."
This play is appalling, so don't get excited. We had an amazing cast of young, hip comedy actors in London but the play was flat and predictable with absolutely no wit at all. I'm surprised it's getting another go.
As much as I would hope to see Ashley Atkinson (who was absolutely brilliant) given the opportunity to reprise her role for this production, considering the Weisslers are the lead producers, expect someone of the Nikki Blonsky variety as a more likely option.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
I happen to think its a wonderful play- his best in my opinion.
I do, however, think it would be a tremendous mistake to play this as too much of a comedy, because there is a tremendous undercurrent of sadness in this play.
And yeah- Ashton Kutcher would make a great Carter, but not sure about Tom.
He has a weird "everyman" quality about it, so I can see why he's being sought after for Tom, but I think most audiences would want to see him as Carter.
And yeah, I think a lot of LaBute's plays are hard to peg as "comedies." Like, "reasons...." is more of a dramatic comedy than anything. I remember at the Tony Awards when Pasquale was introducing the clip and he was reading from the prompter and said "Ha, Comedy? Um.." and then kept going. It's obviously a good mix of both.
Oh, please. He needs to go to London and do this in one of those theaters the size of a dinner table where the starstruck critics will fawn over him.
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
To call Reidel's article snarky is to be kind. Snotty and envious came to mind as if Mister Reidel could do a better job if only he were asked.
Whether Fat Pig ought to be on Broadway at all is another question entirely. Reidel is trying to kill Kutcher before rehearsals start and that sort of bitchy tone is what I expect from the Post as well as room full of eighth graders.
"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable."
--Carrie Fisher
Yes, this play is LaBute's best. It's one of my very favorite contemporary plays. But, if Kutcher has to be in it, then I don't want it revived. And, Nikki Blonsky? She's way too young for Helen. The interesting thing is that there isn't really a big name actress of that size and age.
This has got be a joke, but if Kutcher showed up in anything on Broadway, all he'd have to do is twitter his about 2 million followers, and the run of the show would be sold out in an hour.
I have only seen him in the film The Butterfly Effect, in which he was quite good, and one episode of Punk'd, in which his role wasn't really an acting role.
What I'm wondering is, could he resist twittering onstage?
I personally think it's a wonderful play. Just reading the script made me cry. A lot.
A theatre company I've done shows for here is planning to do it next season and I may or may not be playing Helen, we'll see. I'd feel incredibly honored if I do.