AUDREY!

[catcher]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 4:58pm

http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=39261&CT=38

Finally!>http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=39261&CT=38>http://www.broadway.com/template_1.asp?CI=39261&CT=38

Finally!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:08pm

Why are they even announcing this if the production spokesperson could not confirm the casting???

[thebigkrakowski]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:10pm

Who the heck is she?

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:16pm

I saw her a few months ago, and although I didn't think she was as good as Kerry Butler, I felt she was legitimate, and I believe that was one of the first times she had been on when I saw her. Hopefully she will grow with the role and figure just how to play it.

I thought her accent was good and she played a good non-Greene Audrey, but she chose different vocals from Kerry. Like in Suddenly Seymour, during "Suddenly Seymour - Shows me I can!" when Kerry Butler usually spices up the notes, she sang it as I think its originally intended: on one note. Although I liked Kerry's version, I felt Wilson's worked and it was still a great moment in the song. I'm happy for her to, she seems really glad to be there. Updated On: 6/3/04 at 05:16 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:17pm

Well, that'll give the box office a nice shot in the arm.

Updated On: 6/3/04 at 05:17 PM

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:17pm

"Why are they even announcing this if the production spokesperson could not confirm the casting???"

Look at the website its posted at...

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:22pm

Playbill has it, too, so I guess that makes it more legit? I think they say the "spokesperson could not confirm" line just out of respect, no?

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 5:58pm

Hmm, that's certainly surprising! I was sure they'd go for a bigger name. So I guess the Lauper/Greene thing didn't pan out? Well I did see Wilson in Les Mis and thought she was pretty damn good. Also looks like Little Shop is getting Rob Evan to replace Sills! I think that's great news. Rob is amazing in everything he does, and this frees Sills up to do something else. ANy opinions?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 6:20pm

It sounds like the producers have decided to keep costs down for now figuring it will sell OK during summer when all the kids are in town no matter who's in it. Come September/October, though, look out for a press release announcing either a big name coming on board (Lauper/Greene/etc.) or a closing notice.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 6:27pm

People gripe when they use stars and then they gripe when they give a non-star a chance. Which is it, folks?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 6:28pm

That's hilaroius, jrb. And so true. I think people just like to TAAAAALLLKK too much!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 6:34pm

I didn't like Kerry Butler but I saw Jessica once also and I thought she was much better than Kerry.

Jessica also played Eponine for awhile in Les Mis.

[daphnerocks]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 6:43pm

why not daphne............?

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 7:48pm

i think i just threw up...


as for Wilson - GOOD TO HEAR!! someone not everyone knows!!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 7:51pm

I've never joined in on any of those stunt casting/star casting threads -- in my opinion you always evaluate these things on a case by case basis and in the cases of Hugh Jackman and Antonio Banderas the casting choice was brilliant (and the cases of Ashley Judd and Melanie Griffith, less so -- I haven't seen any of these boy band people). Besides, in this particular case, this is all about business (or lack thereof) and has nothing to do with giving a "non-star a chance," which is a great thing to do when you're a huge hit (e.g. Brad Oscar in "The Producers"; countless performers in "Chicago") but, not terribly wise when you've been struggling a long time and are in danger of closing.

Right now, "Little Shop" is barely holding on by a thread. Getting snubbed by the Tonys was a major blow to its chances of survival in a couple of ways -- it doesn't get the free national TV exposure it dearly needs right now to survive and add to that it's going to lose summer business to the shows that do get to perform (even if they lose). Most folks out there in the country don't even know Little Shop is even running right now and when they start booking their NY summer vacations and buying their theatre tickets, they are going to first try for the shows they see on Sunday's telecast. So what do they producers of Little Shop do? Elevate a completely unknown understudy to take over the lead role??????

Right now, the eyes of the entertainment world shift ever so slightly to the NY theatre scene, and the Chenoweths and the Murphys and Pinkins and the Kushners and the Avenue Q puppets are everywhere (network morning shows, national magazines, Charlie Rose), talking to everybody, drumming up business for their shows and themselves and getting as much attention from the national press as they can muster (and in turn selling tickets up the wazoo). This is the ONLY time of the year that the likes of Entertainment Tonight and E! and Extra even mention Broadway, so if you had a show that was struggling (and you weren't going to be on the Tony telecast) wouldn't you take this opportunity to steal a little bit of the attention and buzz swirling around Wicked and Avenue Q and Raisin in the Sun and make a major announcement of your own, like, say (assuming you couldn't get Cyndi Lauper) "The original Audrey, Ellen Greene is returning to Little Shop!!" Trust me, you'd get a mention on ET and the rest of those national shows who'd include it along with their little Tony segments, the phones would start ringing off the hook and you wouldn't even NEED the three minute Tony number.

Instead, the producers of Little Shop of Horrors take this opportunity to announce that Jessica-Snow Wilson is taking over the role of Audrey. WHO? Not only will that little bit of info not be picked up in the national press, but with all the Tony coverage going on right now, it may not even merit a mention in some of the local theatre columns. Way to go, guys! Way to try and save a show! Not only is the move an odd one, but to time the announcement in the middle of Tony time? Just who the heck is in charge of their marketing?

This is not any knock whatsoever on Ms. Wilson who for all I know is the greatest Audrey since Greene. But, even if she is, who's going to see it, given what the box office has been as of late? (we'll see how much Fatone helps) Not to mention, being an unknown, there will be few, if any, reviews of her performance (shows typically only get re-reviewed if the cast replacement is a major name), so even if she's brilliant, save for word of mouth, she'll have no effect on box office.

So fine, the producers have apparently decided to cut expenses (one would assume Wilson will be given minimum principal's contract, which would likely be much smaller than the one Butler has) and cast their lot with Fatone. We'll see how that goes, but this show cost $10 million and if the producers want to even get close to recouping that money, considering their mixed reviews, barely break-even box office numbers and no Tony appearance, they're going to need a higher profile Audrey and to start generating some strong positive buzz around this production or they'll be closed by the end of summer.

Updated On: 6/4/04 at 07:51 PM

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 7:57pm

it's sad but probably true. as happy as I am that they resisted stunt casting the role, it will probably mean and end for the show unless they bring in a name or if fatone just happens to be the best seymour ever. it could happen.

[Zola Q. LaPlaya]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 8:02pm

Margo, that is spot on. Joey Fat... what's the rest... is not going to do it for LSOH.

Say goodnight.

[Shawk]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 8:05pm

Well, it's not like they didn't already do a bit of news fishing with the Joey Fantone casting. That didn't exactly seem to make them an overnight success.

I saw Jessica-Snow Wilson as Eponine in Les Miserables. I didn't really care for her portrayal (it was professional but too sweet and perky for my tastes), but I think her voice and look would be much more suited to this role.

[mallardo]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 8:07pm

Like everyone else here, I too am a longtime fan of Ellen Greene, but really! The lady is in her 50s now. She had a small part in the film The Cooler - she's the bartender who does the running coffee gag with Bill Macy. She was almost unrecognizable. Is she really going to provide a love interest for Joey Fatone? And evn if you can buy that as "interesting", what about her getting regularly beaton on by by the biker-dentist boyfriend? How pathetic would that be. Maybe Tennessee Williams could have done something with that scenario but in LSOH? I don't think so.

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 8:23pm

people are seriously talking about ellen joining the cast? for real? i think she's great and all, but that was a long time ago.

[on1ystarinthesky]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 8:32pm

Yeah. And no offense to Ms. Greene, but I'm sure a good majority of the audience would be cringing at the end of "Suddenly Seymour." (For those have seen the show, you know what I'm talking about).

But I'm not sure that even that could save the show. I just want it to end, really. It's sad to see it struggle so horribly, just put it out of its misery already.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 6/3/04 at 10:25pm

If Ellen Greene joined the current cast of LSOH, I believe the box office numbers would SOAR. Who hasn't seen the movie and associates that role with her? I for one was quite upset when the producers let Alice Ripley go for what I understood as being "A second rate Ellen Greene imitation" when that's the only way the role can be played. I'm sorry, but it's one of the only roles I can think of in theater history that needs to be performed the same way the original actor portrayed it. It simply will not work any other way. Fair or not, that's just the way it is. (And I thought Alice was superb, by the way)

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/4/04 at 10:13am

Margo, you are my board hero. Your posts are always extremely intelligent and well thought out, and most importantly, accurate. I'm sure they go over the heads of many. It's a simple matter of economics and the Frankles are notorious for bumping up very mediocre understudys to save money. Although, Wilson can't possibly be any worse an Audrey, that Butler. Like Margo said, here was the perfect opportunity to create a bit of desperately neede hype for the show. Fatone...nobody outside of musical theater cares, if they did, he wouldn't have to be "resorting" to taking the role. Also, for those who think Ellen Greene is too old, um, Lauper is older,looks older and is not half the actress that Greene is. They screwed up the casting of Audrey, yet again, just as I predicted they would.

[Jack42]

Posted: 6/4/04 at 10:23am

Al

Thinking of their current economical situation (not potential) it is clear why why bumped up Jessica. They spent all their money bringing in Fatone. Perhaps they should have stunted Audrey and let Jonathan Rayson (is that his name) take over as Seymour. I doubt they could afford to double stunt the cast.

Posted: 6/4/04 at 10:36am

DID ANYONE EVER CARE TO THINK???? ok lil shop auditioned a bunch of people for the show...who really wants to go in a show that can close any day now, and for little money...one semi-theatre name passed (ms spranger) and so they were left with no option but putting in a talented understudy... best of luck to jessica...and maybe if fat one keeps it open till fall...they will get a name.... u all talk about "riedel" being bad to bway but I am afriad this whole place is full of riedels.... get a life...get a clue...oh and for god sake read the posts before starting a new thread on same subject...

the above is for a select few those who get upset obviously feeling it hit home... those who laugh know what i am talking about..

god bless... later Updated On: 6/4/04 at 10:36 AM