BAD CINDERELLA to close on June 4 — Page 22

ACL2006 said: "Does this show have any chance at any Tony nominations? Carolee?"

I am currently predicting Carolee to be the lone representation for the show. In a recent Tony predictions video for Gold Derby, David Buchanan mentioned that he can see her having a similar path to a nomination to Mary Beth Peil's for Anastasia. This respected Broadway veteran who had two major roles in the same season, and is recognized for the latter as the standout in a show a number of people didn't really care for.

I wouldn’t be surprised by a Best Costume awards nod, considering that nominators tend to reward stuff like this in that category.

TaffyDavenport said: "Although Jesse Green barely mentions her in his review, I thought Linedy and her characterization were the biggest issues with the show. I don't blame her, though. Like Beanie, she should never have been hired in the first place. Watching video of the London production and Carrie Hope Fletcher's performance, I can understand why the reviews were positive over there, but, with the wrong actress in the lead, the show doesn't have a fighting chance."

I’m convinced they set her up to be the scapegoat.

Why else cast an unknown, with limited experience or following, who struggles to sing the score?

Nobody sets out to put on a bad show, and hiring Linedy as a "scapegoat" is a stretch. Think it was all just a poor judgement call on the part of ALW and the team. We've seen poor judgement plenty of times before - Katrina Lenk, Elena Roger, Casey Likes, Ashley Brown, even Sara Brightman (a different situation).

But also, she's set up for failure here by the direction, the song keys, and the production around her. She's not good, but it isn't an embarrassing performance.

As some of the reviews point out, the prince & the royal family is a much more interesting protagonist arc than what they've given the Cinderella character here. Had they chose to make it about the royal politics & matchmaking in the kingdom of Belleville, where a character named Cinderella also happens to live, this might have been a more effective musical. But that's not the show that ALW & co. set out to write.

Updated On: 3/24/23 at 10:49 AM

A.J. said: "TaffyDavenport said: "Although Jesse Green barely mentions her in his review, I thought Linedy and her characterization were the biggest issues with the show. I don't blame her, though. Like Beanie, she should never have been hired in the first place. Watching video of the London production and Carrie Hope Fletcher's performance, I can understand why the reviews were positive over there, but, with the wrong actress in the lead, the show doesn't have a fighting chance."

I’m convinced they set her up to be the scapegoat.

Why else cast an unknown, with limited experience or following, who struggles to sing the score?"

What’s her background and where did she come from? I mean the press vid they releases where she sounded not amazing should have been some indicator. Is she working for scale? Is that why they hired her? I don’t get it.

Yes, casting directors - for original casts anyway - gather and pre-screen actors, but the final decision are made by the directors and producers.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "We've seen poor judgement plenty of times before - Katrina Lenk, Elena Roger, Casey Likes, Ashley Brown, even Sara Brightman (a different situation)."

I'm assuming you thought Lenk was wrong for Company, and I know quite a few people agreed with you. But I wasn't aware that anyone blamed Likes for the demise of Almost Famous, assuming that's what you're referring to. Am I wrong about that?

JasonC3 said: "It is interesting to now go and read reviews of the London production in contrast:

https://www.westendtheatre.com/90650/news/reviews/cinderella-at-the-gillian-lynne-theatre-reviews-round-up/"

I was totally baffled by the London reviews when they came out and was certain that this only happened because of the context of this being one of the first post-pandemic openings.

Unlike New York, though, London has very few (if any) actual theatre critics left. Most have been let go by their publications and replaced by far cheaper entertainment reporters that the papers can just send to shows and 'review', even though they have no knowledge or any cultural memory.

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "RippedMan said: "What’s her background and where did she come from? I mean the press vid they releases where she sounded not amazing should have been some indicator. Is she working for scale? Is that why they hired her? I don’t get it."

She was an understudy in DEH (Bway/tour) and was in the ensemble of ON YOUR FEET (understudied Gloria and played her at Paper Mill). She didn't come from nowhere –– it's an ensemble person getting their big break. Salary isn't a factor here, even a Tony nominee isn't going to make huge bucks in a musical like this if they don't have legit TV/film/pop culture name value.

As I said above, it's just a poor judgement call in the casting. And the casting director cannot be blamed (CDs are pawns and functionaries), the decision was by ALW and Laurence Connor."

Interesting. I wonder if it’s like a weird straight guy thing? I noticed the post called her appealing. So maybe they didn’t notice the singing not being as strong? I mean I’d imagine any ex-Elphaba would have been leagues better.


and I saw one of the first previews of Company and Lenk was miscast. Especially when she had to follow LuPone’s Ladies Who Lunch with a vocally weak and struggling “Being Alive.” It just didn’t work. Acting wise I think she was fabulous in the role. Curious to see the tour and see which direction they go.

Yes, the name sets them up for potential problems, but had the show actually been well-received it could have done the reverse:

Bad Cinderella Actually Is Quite Great

Cinderella May Be "Bad," But the Show Is Excellent

I'll put it in spoilers just in case, but it seems like they've changed the approach to this storyline

Good question.

To think the money and energy which ALW put into this could've been put into a lavish, 30th anniversary revival of "Sunset Boulevard" on Broadway (not the scaled down / limited run version we had a few years ago, though I liked that very much).