I just hope whoever ends up in the role of Anastasia sings "Figures dancing gracefully across my memory" instead of "Figures dancing graceuflly across my mammory", like Liz Callaway sings it.
It's too bad Bernadette Peters can't play Sophie unless she gained lots of weight or make her wear a fat suit like the actors in 'Shrek the Musical' do.
Why aren't you doing more Movies? Your early movie career produced incredible work and more promise than most huge Movie stars. Why haven't you played a Villianess in a Bond Movie? Any role Dame Judi can play, you can play better. There's an Oscar still waiting with your name on it!
L, CPD X
P.S. Could you also play the grifting mother of the Mentalist on THE MENTALIST?
Paul Esparza might actually be a good choice for this. And Liz Callaway's mammories are lovely, she can sing about them all she likes.
I could imagine Dark of the Night being the cut song, if one is cut. I agree--don't even try to do a stage Disney and incorporate Bartok. Frankly, I think it could work on stage without Rasputin at all, much like the original film, or else to keep him more as a bare minimum--maybe his presence lurking a bit, but not much else.
Lets not forget about Aaron Lazar. I only saw him in A Little Night Music and was very impressed by his voice, acting, ... and bare chest. I'm sure he'll be great in the role.
To be utterly superficial, I never fully got the Lazer love. I guess he just doesn't do it for me--that said, oddly, he does seem like really good casting in the male lead for Anastasia, even if he does read a bit old, perhaps.
I like Aaron but Dimitri is one of the only cartoon characters I want to f**k and I would have a total fangirl meltdown if Colin Donnell took that role on stage.
A 29-hour reading is an Equity thing. It means that the actors are only hired for 29 hours of work (usually spread over a week of rehearsals) and the producers only have to pay a small stipend and no benefits. Most of these developmental readings you'll hear about will be called 29-hour readings.
This is different than a workshop, which is usually off book with staging and choreography and requires much more rehearsal time.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
I'm so ecstatic! Of course, it was pretty unavoidable wasn't it? The music team behind Ragtime AND Seussical? I mean, even the film itself screams musical-theatre. I'm glad that Angela will be playing Marie and, if the show ever makes it to the B'way, that she'll play her there to. Now, if we can just get Bernadette Peters to return for Sophie....
Somewhere on videotape I have the live production number from the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade where they did the 'Rumor in St. Petersburg' number. It was lip-synced but it worked great live. The stage show should be pretty cool!