Downton Abbey: The Musical- Page 2

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 3:10pm

That's my thinking too.

Who can we ugly down to play Edith? Poor, unfortunate Edith.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 4:01pm

I say cast a Hollywood *star* as Edith. It will help her image to have to play someone so, well, less than beautiful. Julia Roberts?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 4:34pm

Edith is not "ugly" in the musical. She's just "funny."

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 4:48pm

I didn't say Edith was ugly, but her makeup and costumes don't really make her pretty.

This is her on a red carpet, somewhere.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 4:54pm

No, in reality she's quite pretty, I think. And I think she would be seen as so, it's just the show that drives the message in that she's the ugly daughter.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 5:00pm

As a potential investor in this project I want to see it find an international audience and add much needed $ and £ to Scrippsy's pension pot.

So I am pleased, nay, amazed to have won the British director concession.

But who to suggest? Nunn would have the abbey either levitate or collapse. Daldry would turn the show into socialist propaganda. Hytner would make it worthy-but-dull. Mendes wouldn't pick up the 'phone. Boyle is too eclectic and Doyle just plain wrong.

So I guess I'll just have to step up to the mark (with no experience whatsoever) myself.

Mrs Crawley's number definitely gets reinstated. I see it as the communist equivalent of Springtime for Hitler: a big production number with Isobel hoofing away alongside Marx, Lenin, Stalin and Trotsky.

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 05:00 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 5:31pm

There will be no Lenin or Stalin or Marx in this musical.

Trotsky, maybe. But no Lenin or Stalin or Marx.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 5:35pm

I could always call Matthew Warchus?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 5:54pm

Scripps--what about Hytner? He seems to be one Brit that Americans like, and he certainly would get the issues of class.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 6:24pm

Under the Hytner regime, so much at the National has been like having an edition of The Guardian read to you from the stage.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 6:46pm

I grew up with a family who had a subscription to The Guardian--which I used to slodge through to try to keep liberal minded, so that's a visceral image. Though I'm not sure it's one I'd agree with in terms of shows I've seen of Hytner (granted, they were two--Carousel on tour and Miss Saigon in London.)

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 7:25pm

Laura Osnes as Lady Mary?

She was rather ethereal in Sound of Music at Carnegie Hall...

She and Ben Davis would be gorgeous together - but is she too young?





EDIT: I no longer nominate her for Lady Mary. I nominate her for Lavinia. (More age-appropriate with other cast suggestions...)

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 07:25 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 7:42pm

Aaron Tveit as Tom Branson (the chauffeur)?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 7:45pm

Celia Keenan-Bolger as Anna Bates?

She could belt out a song in support of her husband who is unfairly jailed!

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 07:45 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 7:52pm

New suggestion: Laura Benanti as Lady Mary?

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 07:52 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 8:06pm

hmmm..... Cassie Levy as Edith?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 8:38pm

List of the all the cast suggestions made in this thread:

(once final picks are made, the other selections will be deleted for the final cast list)


Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham: Angela Lansbury or Rob Maitner

Angela Lansbury


or

Rob Maitner



Lord Grantham: Victor Garber or Michael Crawford

Victor Garber


or

Michael Crawford



Cora, Countess of Grantham: Gillian Anderson or Rebecca Luker

Gillian Anderson


or

Rebecca Luker



Lady Mary: Laura Benanti




Lady Edith: Sutton Foster or Cassie Levy

Sutton Foster


or

Cassie Levy



Lady Sybil aka Sybil Branson: Scarlett Johansson




Matthew Crawley: Ben Davis




Mrs. Isobel Crawley: Julie Walters




Tom Branson: Aaron Tveit




Lavinia Swire: Laura Osnes




Mr. John Bates: Michael Cumpsty




Mrs. Anna Bates: Celia Keenan-Bolger




Mrs. Patmore: Maureen McGovern or Jayne Houdyshell (also suggested for Mrs. Hughes)

Maureen McGovern


or

Jayne Houdyshell



Miss O'Brien: Donna Murphy




Vera Bates: Maria Doyle Kennedy




Daisy: Cristin Milioti




Mr. Pamuk: Ramin Karimloo




Mrs. Hughes: Jayne Houdyshell or Dana Ivey or Mary Beth Peil

Dana Ivey


or

Mary Beth Peil



Thomas: Andy Karl




William Mason: Bobby Steggert





Characters still to be cast:

Lady Rosamund

Mr. Carson

Sir Richard Carlisle

Sir Anthony Strallan

Possible other characters to be included:

Ethel Parks

Patrick Gordon

Dr. Richard Clarkson


And, finally, if I missed any of your suggestions in this thread, I apologize! Let me know and I'll add them!

Updated On: 12/1/12 at 08:38 PM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 9:28pm

I think Violet should be played by a man.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 9:31pm

Maureen McGovern as Mrs.Patmore?

Donna Murphy as Miss O'Brien?

Maria Doyle Kennedy has a great singing voice, so perhaps she could reprise her role as Vera Bates?

With all of these star turns, this is going to be a long show - perhaps three acts, one for each season.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 9:40pm

If Violet is played by a man, I think we have to cast the one and only...







(Cast list is updated with your suggestions!)

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 09:40 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 10:45pm

LOVING your casting ideas, Addy. You may have missed your calling.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 11:43pm

I do agree there's only one performer to play the Dowager Countess and that's the Dowager Maitner.

Updated On: 11/30/12 at 11:43 PM

[NYadgal]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 11:52pm

Perfect.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/30/12 at 11:55pm

Jayne Houdyshell for Mrs. Hughes, please.

Though really, she is capable of playing any of the downstairs women (Hughes, Patmore, or O'Brien).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 12/1/12 at 12:01am

I'd much rather have La Houdyshell as Mrs. Patmore.

Mrs. Hughes needs to have more of a radiant warmth.