Audra McDonald as Dolly Levi

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 10:55am

No, it's not an actuality.

But wouldn't it be fabulous.

Thoughts??

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 11:44am

IMO, I don't think it's a great idea. I LOVE Audra, but think she'd be wasted in Hello Dolly. And there's just too much out there for Audra, considering that her voice is of operatic quality but transitions easily to other kinds of music. It would be like casting Zinka Milanov in Annie Get Your Gun.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:17pm

LINDA WINER: And you don't do fluff...

AUDRA MCDONALD: No.

LINDA WINER: That's a weakness, you know! Someone's saying, "Where's the fluff?!"

AUDRA MCDONALD: Maybe it's just my personality type, but if I'm not emotionally committed and artistically fulfilled by a role, I do a terrible job!

Updated On: 7/29/08 at 12:17 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:20pm

I would beg, borrow, and steal to see either her or Bernadette (was she NOT born to play this role or what?) play Dolly.

In fact, this show should be revived just in general. (Wouldn't a SUMMER STARS AT ENCORES performance of this show with Bernadette be amazing!?!?...one can hope...)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:20pm

No. Dolly needs to be an overbearing buttinsky. Audra doesn't have the drive to pull it off. I think she'd be better as Irene Molloy.

My guess is that the next Broadway revival will have Faith Prince. Could Ellen Greene pull it off?

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:21pm

Good for her for not doing fluff. But I wouldn't refer to that particular role as fluff.

[BustopherPhantom]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:24pm

Interestingly enough, Audra (along with Phyllida) originally did not want to play Ruth in A RAISIN IN THE SUN because of the "fluff" issue: "Raisin in the Sun?! Come on, that's-everbody does Raisin... it's Mama On The Couch."

Needless to say, she changed her mind.

So maybe there's hope for Dolly. But I wouldn't count on it.

Updated On: 7/29/08 at 12:24 PM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 12:52pm

I can't see it. You need someone who can REALLY play comedy. Ana Gasteyer would be wonderful.

[madbrian]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:02pm

I don't see Audra as Dolly, but I do like Ana Gasteyer. I also think Megan Mullally could do a good job.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:04pm

Yeah, I LOVE Audra's voice, but I don't see it suiting her voice that well. I think she could play the 'busy-body' part, but it wouldn't seem natural (IMO).

I also LOVE Ellen Greene, but don't see her in this part, either. She seems more natural in characters with more of an edge to them.

I'd like to see Mary Testa play Dolly.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:05pm

Ana is a great idea. I like her better for that than for Funny Girl.

I could also see Stephanie J. Block playing Irene Maloy.

[NY_Broadway2]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:33pm

I don't really see this either. Let Audra's beautiful voice be used for something better suited for her. I think she should star in the Light in the Piazza revival! Now that would be amazing!!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:41pm

I agree that Audra's voice just isn't suited for the role.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:46pm

Sure, Ellen Greene could do it if anyone wanted to hear Dolly Levi stridently sung under pitch with a lisp.
Updated On: 7/31/08 at 01:46 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/29/08 at 1:53pm

^^^^ LMAO!
It's so true. But Ellen has emotion in her performances where so many singing actresses lack.
She's no Dolly though. Never.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 10:20am

I vote we bring Mary Martin back from the dead and let her do it!

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 11:02am

You do realize that any major mounting of DOLLY! will feature Carol Channing in her title role for at least the original cast. I'm sorry, but it's just the way it is.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 12:16pm

Carol should bring it back as an Urban/Rap revival.
With LL Cool J as Horace.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 12:20pm

Interestingly enough, Audra (along with Phyllida) originally did not want to play Ruth in A RAISIN IN THE SUN because of the "fluff" issue: "Raisin in the Sun?! Come on, that's-everbody does Raisin... it's Mama On The Couch."

Bustopher,

You'll have to define what you call fluff. I think the fluff Audra and Linda were speaking of is mindless fun musicals (which we all need from time to time). That comment you refer to above isn't about the fluff. Raisin is HARDLY fluff. That's not why Audra and Phylicia didn't want to do it.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/30/08 at 1:15pm

For me, Peters is the current top choice for the role. McDonald would be a captivating Dolly, in say, 15 years or so.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 9:22am

I would actually love to see a younger actress play Dolly Levi. Audra would be one of my top choices, as would Emily Skinner. Both women are 38, which is closer in age to Carol Channing when she originated the role (she was 43) than Peters (60), Prince (51 next week) and Greene (57). I also think that Dolly is described in the text of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker as being in her late thirties/early forties.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 9:59am

I'm almost positive that I read in a New York Times review of one of Audra's recent concerts that she sang "Ribbons Down My Back."

I think she would be a marvelous Irene Molloy.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 1:07pm

It will never happen. Audra will never play Irene Malloy. There just isn't enough there for her to work with and she is way too skilled as an actress and a vocalist to just be arm dressing for Cornelius Hackle.