The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four- Page 59

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 11:08pm

Oh my God, yes, she MUST be thinking about casting him. Hollywood bankability be damned!



Of course I think he will be considered. He carried the most recent major production. They can't exactly ignore him as a possibility. But seriously considered? I'm not sure if I'm being cynical, or just realistic. I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, she hasn't been "sitting on" it. There's been a lot of turmoil regarding the film rights to the play. Maybe now the circumstances are finally such that she CAN do it, and not so much "Gee, I guess now sounds good."

[misschung]

Posted: 12/6/08 at 11:17pm

I just read this far too quickly, and thought wonkit called her "Barbie"...

[Hest882]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 2:16pm

Yeah, although it would be super sweet to have Raul cast in the film, the odds are super slim. You know they're going to go for a name star. Even if he gets serious consideration I suspect by the time the movie gets made they may consider him too old for the part!

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 4:48pm

Ah, life's imitating SPEED-THE-PLOW.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 7:38pm

Or, you know, Speed-the-Plow is actually just an accurate condemnation.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 7:51pm

I forget the details, but Streisand had the rights to the screenplay for years, but she and Larry Kramer argued terribly over some changes she wanted to make. I think the rights eventually sort of reverted to Kramer. Or something. I'm not sure where it stands now, but since they never patched up their argument, I think there'd be additional difficulties in getting it made while he's still alive. Apparently she's still interested in making it, but I'm really curious as to why she mentioned it, now, seemingly out of the blue?

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 8:30pm

emcee - exactly.

I just saw a piece on 60 MINUTES about Julian Schnabel. Now there's the man to direct the radiation movie.

I got a letter from the Philharmonic, hitting me up for money for a Marvin Hamlisch gala in the spring. I feel like writing back and saying, "It's Esparza, dummies (and Cheno)!"

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 9:23pm

I remember reading that the issue was Kramer somehow rescinding the rights to adapt the play to film. She probably mentioned it now because she's enough in the spotlight at the moment (more than she usually is, I mean, this is a huge deal) to really, really get it out there. And if she's serious about it, that's a good strategy; and frankly, only logical, not so eyebrow-raising at all. If she was calculating when to be vocal about this desire, then I think she's being very smart about it. But who knows, maybe something has gone on behind the scenes that has made it plausible again. If it happens, I can only hope it lives up to how stunning that play is on stage. More than I hope for some sort of miracle and Raul to be cast, I hope for it to be everything it CAN be. People always look at me funny when I say it's one of my favorite plays. If not my favorite. And in a lot of cases, I think that's because they've never seen it performed.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 10:33pm

According to “The Barbara Streisand Scrapbook”:

In 1986 Streisand acquired the rights to playwright Larry Kramer’s controversial AIDS drama The Normal Heart for Barwood Films, with the intention of bringing the ground-breaking story to the big screen. On April 11, 1996, after nearly ten years of on-again, off-again squabbles over the script approval, casting, and lukewarm studio support, Barbra withdrew from the project. A major factor in her decision was Kramer’s failing health and his bitterness about the problems getting the film made. “I am painfully aware of the ticking clock,” Barbra said, referring to Kramer’s HIV status. “Therefore, I will no longer be involved with the project. I wish Larry only success in getting The Normal Heart made.” Kramer responded diplomatically: “I’ll always love [Barbra], but now I must thank her for allowing me to go forward without her, but with her blessing. Now it’s time for a no-holds-barred blockbuster that has the courage to tell the truth about AIDS.” Kramer hoped to have The Normal Heart made more quickly without Barbra, but – to date – that hasn’t happened.

--------------------------------------------------------------

OK, that’s all well and good, but what happened between 1996 and now that Streisand (seemingly) got the rights back? Kramer is still alive, and while he may have mellowed a bit as he’s gotten older, I don’t think he’s lost that….curmudgeonly spirit. I don't think the issues that doomed the original project have been resolved.

And surely TNH isn’t the only project Streisand is interested in making. All of which makes me wonder even more – why THIS film, and why now? Why is it suddenly in the forefront of her interest when it’s been absent for over 10 years? (questions are purely rhetorical – they are offered up more for discussion/speculation purposes than finding an actual answer)

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 10:45pm

Of course it's not the ONLY film she's interested in making. But she's made quite clear over time that she has been very passionate about this project for a long, long time. Why the need to question it like there's some sort of... something weird at play? Yes, it's important to ask those questions of "Why this story now?" -- and they are interesting ones in the case of TNH -- but so WHAT if this is what she's chosen to focus her energies on? Why can't we just enjoy how GREAT that is? Of all the films she could possibly choose to be passionate about, it's this story. It's a story that needs to be told. Why do we need to sit here and pick and the ins and outs of what might have happened that, quite frankly, we will probably never know? Maybe they haven't been resolved -- maybe she's just simply stating that she would like to do it, and it's no more than talk. I would hope that's not the case, but we could speculate ourselves in circles.

Trust me, I have wanted to see this story on film since the first time I experienced it. And I don't feel that way about a lot of things -- usually I'm very shy of and skeptical about film adaptations. But something about this story feels like it could be so, so effective on film, in the right hands. Frankly, passionate as she is about it, I'm not sure hers are the right hands. But that's another issue. Still, yes, we're curious, but what's the point, really, of sitting here insistently prodding for information that we'll only, at least for now, be able to take completely blind guesses at? None of us knows, and we're all just guessing.

Updated On: 12/7/08 at 10:45 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/8/08 at 12:18am

Why is it suddenly in the forefront of her interest when it’s been absent for over 10 years?

The interviewer is the Washington Post's theatre critic- they probably talked shop during the interview and that came up.

Still. Why are you reading so much into it?

Updated On: 12/8/08 at 12:18 AM

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 1:15pm

At the Gypsy of the Year show Monday night:

"The gypsies of South Pacific offered a confusing but funny skit parodying the "Terminator" films. In "Terminator 5," a gun-toting android with a Schwarzenegger accent returns from the year 2025 to protect Raul Esparza, Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani, "the only three men capable of performing Sondheim," from an assassin. In 2025, we're told, Sondheim is still alive and still rewriting Road Show."

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 2:21pm

Haha! That was definitely my laugh for the afternoon. Amazing. For, like...several reasons.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 3:01pm

Exactly. There are so many layers there that my head is spinning....

[sweetestsiren]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 3:40pm

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/11/08 at 5:07pm

So much applause for the South Pacific ensemble.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 1:43am

When I saw that picture I nearly passed out laughing. I wanna personally shake the hand of the person who thought that one up. And I just *wish* I could seen the looks on the Sondheim Trio's faces. BRILLIANT.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 1:02pm

Hah, I hope any of them who saw it were amused.

I love the distinct "Bobby standing alone, looking forlorn" staging.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 5:57pm

Raul is going to be a guest on Seth Rudetsky's Sirius radio show that he does live from Times Square every Wednesday at noon:

Wednesday Dec. 17th Noon SIRIUS/XM LIVE ON BROADWAY - Raul Esparza and the cast of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/12/08 at 6:01pm

Maybe they can all sing "Unaccompanied" together.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 11:04am

From a post on ATC:

"first and foremost - today at STP there were technical difficulties before "Act Two" so the cast came on and entertained us. They asked what they should do and I yelled "Sing" and Raul sang Marry Me a Little. So great."

Awwww, Raúl!!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 12:03pm

Aww. I think that's the song from Company I want most to hear him sing again... and the one I've worried he'll never do again. Not for real, anyway. Because from here on out, it'll probably always be Being Alive.

I heard about this from a friend and wish so, so badly that I had been there, to see a little Bobby again on that stage. Probably would've cried, though, because I'm awesome.

[Hest882]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 2:49pm

Ah yes. "Marry Me a Little" is the song from Company I love hearing him sing the most. Gee, would it be wrong to go into a show wishing for a technical malfunction?

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 4:03pm

Gahhh, I would buy a ticket to STP just to see Raúl sing "Marry Me a Little".

*goes off to youtube to watch B&N performance*

Zipper Factory tomorrow!! *flails*

Updated On: 12/14/08 at 04:03 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/14/08 at 8:48pm

I'm really excited for tomorrow.