A question about the OBC of The Boy From Oz...

[stage_door76]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 8:19am

hi all-

just a quick question...who sang/read through the role of peter allen when the show was in its initial stages of development and workshops? was hugh jackman involved from the very beginning, or were others workshopped for peter?

was anyone else even considered for the role at all?

X

[jgph]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 12:14pm

The Boy from Oz originated in Australia, where Todd Mckenny played Peter Allen. When it came to Broadway, HJ was always going to be Peter Allen.

At least thats what i understand to be true...if im wrong then i stand to be corrected
Updated On: 10/15/05 at 12:14 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 12:21pm

I'm pretty sure Jackman was always attached to a Broadway OZ.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 1:21pm

Todd McKenny originally was going to star in it on Broadway too and was cleared by American Equity to do so. It was widely reported in Australia that he would be re-creating his role as Peter Allen on Broadway and he told many friends how excited he was to be going to Broadway.

Shortly thereafter, however, it was decided to go with a movie star with a higher American profile and Jackman became attached from the first U.S. workshop onward.

Some actors were not in the workshop but joined the cast when the show opened on Broadway - such as Jarrod Emick as Peter Allen's lover and Stephanie Block as Liza. Keating was aboard with her spectacular Judy Garland portrayal from the New York workshops onward.

Also, the show was somewhat rewritten for American audiences (and I feel lost some heart and drama - while gaining the excitement of Jackman's popular performance). But the loss of the spectacular Australian-version staging of "I Still Call Australia Home" was much missed in the Broadway version, for example. And the ending was much, much, much more touching and effective in the original Australian production (you can hear a bit of the difference in the dialogue at the end of the Australian Cast Album). In Australia, it reduced the audience to tears, on Broadway it seduced the audience to cheers (for Jackman)...two quite different effects.
Updated On: 10/15/05 at 01:21 PM

[Urban]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 1:24pm

Todd McKenny is currently the 'mean' Judge on 'Dancing with the Stars' here in Australia. I personally think Todd is a better Peter Allen then Hugh. Not to say Hugh wasn't bad, but Todd actually made you think he really was Peter while Hugh was never anything more then Hugh playing Peter.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 1:44pm

BINGO!

[lna]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 2:29pm

I think they decided to recast Peter when they couldn't get enough interest in bringing Todd McKenney to Broadway. It wasn't "we'll do better if we have a star" it was "we can get some investors ..."

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 3:02pm

I still like the Australian cast recording just as much... I hate how "Quiet Please..." fades out on the OBC...

[theatreguy]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 3:23pm

"I think they decided to recast Peter when they couldn't get enough interest in bringing Todd McKenney to Broadway."

It's not just that they couldn't get enough interest in Todd McKenney, they couldn't get enough interest in the show itself. Peter Allen is not anywhere near as big a name in the US as he was in Australia. Mnay people here have never even heard of him. The only way the show was ever going to be done on Broadway was with a huge star, like Hugh Jackman.

[jo]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 6:54pm

Interestingly, Australian producer Ben Gannon said in an interview that the role in the Australian production was first offered to Hugh ( even before it was offered to Todd), who turned it down because he wanted to propel his career internationally. This led to his eventually being cast as Curly in the RNT OKLAHOMA!...which eventually became a springboard for his being cast as Wolverine in XMEN and launched him on a Hollywood movie career. It is an irony that if he hadn't turned it down originally, he probably would not have become a household film name and would not have been considered for the Broadway THE BOY FROM OZ.

I'm looking forward to seeing him reprise the role in an arena production in Australia in 2006. I wonder how he will be received in his native land ? He has certainly made the name of Peter Allen more well known and he has personally brought more honours to his homeland with this role ( a TONY and an EMMY and many other awards for the role).

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 6:57pm

he didn't win an emmy for the boy from oz... did he? how? Updated On: 10/15/05 at 06:57 PM

[Marguerite Chauvelin]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:02pm

He won it for being host of the Tony Awards where he did play Peter in "Not the Boy Next Door".

[glenwj]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:11pm

I wasnt impressed with the Aust production at all. Except for the sublime performance of Christina Amphlett as Judy Garland

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:16pm

I like "I've Been Taught By Experts" ... I wish they hadn't cut that from the Broadway production...

[jo]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:20pm

Sorry, I was taking poetic license when I said he also won an EMMY for a related performance to THE BOY FROM OZ. One of the most remembered aspects of the EMMY award-winning 2004 TONYs ( for the show and the host) was certainly the number NOT THE BOY NEXT DOOR and his interaction with Sarah Jessica Parker .

[jo]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:27pm

TENTERFIELD SADDLER is a beautiful and poignant song which tells the story of Peter Allen. But it wouldn't have worked in the Broadway version because they chose to emphasize Peter's "If you're going to live, live!" philosophy, hence the more positive ending.

But I am glad that Hugh's version of the song was included as a bonus track in the OBCR.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 7:32pm

hey, does anyone know where i can buy the australian version CD? it's no longer available on amazon.com

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/15/05 at 8:18pm

http://www.footlight.com/product.cfm?product_id=2026

[stage_door76]

Posted: 10/16/05 at 12:49am

thanks for all the insight into the workshop and initial stages for the broadway show everyone!

i saw both hugh and todd and with undoubtable bias, todd was a true shining star, he portrayed the spirit of peter. as has already been stated, hugh portrayed himself portraying peter, just with a little more dazzle thanks to the extra bucks.

don't get me wrong, i thought hugh was great, but he didn't leave the impression on me that todd did.

[jo]

Posted: 10/16/05 at 5:59am

Hugh Jackman and producer Ben Gannon have confirmed that the Australian arena tour of THE BOY FROM OZ will be staged in Australia in July or August 2006.

http://seven.com.au/news/entertainment/113960

It would be interesting to see how the Broadway version will be scaled up for large production venues. It looks like it will be an all-Australian cast.

[Penny4Eyes]

Posted: 10/16/05 at 10:18am

i know Jess Leprotto, he was in it. hes 11 too and he has a tooth in the middle of the roof of his mouth...its kinda gross but he has a FABULOUS voice!

[Penny4Eyes]

Posted: 10/16/05 at 10:19am

geez, sorry that was meg. i thought i changed the password? we do know jess however...

[Shoshana BeanieBaby]

Posted: 10/16/05 at 12:28pm

I for one adore Peter Allen and I'm american. My biggest reason for wanting to see Boy From Oz was because of the Peter Allen music. My favorite song of his Pretty Pretty wasn't in it however Ellen Greene does a great version of it on her album In His Eyes...