BYE BYE BIRDIE & MERRILY May Be Part Of Roundabout's '09-'10 Season — Page 3

She might be too old, but Phoebe Strole would also be great as Kim.

I think a professional production of Bye Bye Birdie would be great!

^^^^
who is too young?

Well, sweetie, if you would read the rest of the thread, you would find out that you are not the only one who doesn't trust Roundabout with MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

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I DID read it, "sweetie," and mostly saw people looking forward to it or trusting it because Lapine was involved.

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Someone in an earlier thread made an excellent suggestion to cast Cheyenne Jackson as Conrad Birdie. Good suggestion and he could do it quite well. How about Norbert Leo Butz as Albert? The lead female part of Rosie is written for an alto voice. Idena Menzel? I think she could do it justice. Any other suggestions for this role? I think all of the teenage parts should be played by actual teen actors. It would be the best way to cast those roles with some honesty and energy. Roundabout does period musicals quite well. Modernizing this show would be a big mistake. Follow the original sources and bring back those beautiful Robert Ginzler orchestrations that so influenced Jonathan Tunick's career when he was a student at Jilliard. Tunick searched the Tams-Witmark archives for these original orchestrations and found them. They were used for the 2004 City Center Encores production and they were brilliant. He said it was better hearing these orchestrations 40 years later than we he first heard them. Roundabout has a way of doing superior work in this area and they would probably enlist Tunick for this show and maybe Merrily as well. This would be a first revival since the original in 1960. Marge Champion (wife of original Bye Bye Birdie director-choreographer, Gower Champion is still active and was part of the Encore 2004 production. This is a winner for Roundabout and I hope it happens.

blaxx, you took the words right out of my mouth!

I saw her do the role regionally at North Shore this summer and she was fantastic.

Albert: Norbert Leo Butz
Rosie: Karen Olivo
Conrad: Constantine Maroulis
Kim: Alexandra Socha
Mr. MacAffee: Rob Bartlett
Mrs. MacAffee: Alice Playten
Randolph: Brian D'Addario
Hugo: Gerard Canonico
Ursula: Leigh Ann Larkin

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Yes, another excellent choice for Rosie-Karen Olivo. She too, would do a great job with this role. By the way, the part of Rosie has some excellent solo and duo songs as well as very challenging dancing. Karen would more than rise to this challenge and might even win a Tony for it. Also the cast suggestions a few threads back sound very interesting. Constantine Maroulis and the others that were suggested are most interesting. I wish Lincoln Center had taped this original Bye Bye Birdie back in 1960. I know someone has film or tape of parts of this show but copyright laws will probably keep it out of reach. Too bad.

I don't know if Lapine is officially attached as of now but I agree, it would be a great sign if in fact, this is true. I keep hearing that he is but don't know for certain. He would do a great job and I know he would have the support of the Broadway and off-Broadway community. I hope you're right.

Bebe Neuwirth and David Hyde Pierce did the workshop. Bebe would not be available next season. I agree that Andrea Burns would be divine.

And I'm pretty positive Lapine has been involved in the Roundabout Merrily from the start.

Danielle Ferland for Mary, please.

I'd still vote for Bianca, she has the Rosie spark. After all, the role of Anita was between Olivo and her.

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Hopefully Bianca, Andrea, and Karen will all be up for it. And not Stephanie J. Block or a non-Latina.