Bernadette Peters as Lovett - Will it EVER Happen? — Page 3

Donna Murphy was the perfect age for the part actually. She is 48 when she played the part and it made perfect sense that she would have been a naive chorus girl 30 years before that, going to dance all night at Tony's, living at an apartment were the tub was in the kitchen, etc. Just like my fortunate friends who were around in the 70s say the only Phyllis is Alexis Smith, Murphy will always be Phyllis in my mind.
I don't think Bernadette is appropriate for Phyllis at all, she could "pull it off" but if she were to play one of the two female leads in FOLLIES, she'd be better-suited for Sally. I'd love to see her play that part, I think she'd bring a childish approach to it reminiscent of what Dorothy Collins so brilliantly did with the part. I don't think she possesses the coldness necessary to play Phyllis.
I truly hate it that every time there is a Bernadette Peters, a Patti LuPone fan or even a Patti LuPone non-fan feels the need to pit them against each other, so unnecessary. Still, it'd be fantastic to see a FOLLIES production with Peters as Sally and LuPone as Phyllis, there'd be fireworks on that stage! (Though LuPone possesses none of the elegance required to make the role work).

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ray, I think Bernadette would be better suited to Sally than Phyllis, but my god did I love Victoria Clark as Sally. I have a hard time picturing anyone else in the role!

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There have been rumors since the initial announcement that the team at Encores! selected ANYONE CAN WHISTLE for this coming season specifically as a vehicle for Peters to play Cora.

We'll see what comes to pass.

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Updated On: 7/6/09 at 07:43 PM

Somethingwicked, I'm not saying Bernadette is going to be in the concert. The same as I'm not saying Laura Benanti & Raul Esparza were cast in it. I'm just NOT saying that so please PLEASE PLEASE stop trying to get me to!

lol. You owe me a coke, Pgenre!

As in regards to Bernadette's british accent beside the fact that "Song and Dance" was in 1986, IMO a cocky british accent is much easier to aproximate than a Standard british accent.

In regards to Harvey vs. Antonio, had any other actor played Edna (and not some "name" like Bruce Vilanch) but I would be the role would have been in the featured category where it probably belonged.

Professionally? Rarely.

Otherwise? Frequently.

I think the recent lack of recordings of Encores shows is due both to declining interest in recordings in general (Bway is always a low-seller to begin with) and the fact that every producer now thinks their Encores show has the buzz to transfer so they hold out for a production. Everyone thinks the new Encores show is gonna be the next CHICAGO or WONDERFUL TOWN and transfer and get great reviews and be a big hit but that almost never happens. If their production of FOLLIES didn't transfer or get recorded, nothing will.

I hope the upcoming ACW concert proves me wrong. Steve and Arthur deserve their baby on Broadway again. That score is incredible and Arthur can get the book to work. I know it.

P

I know a lot of people who would love to see an all out revival of Anyone Can Whistle.

In the Ask a Star Answers: Bernadette Peters video, Bernadette explicitly answers she would like to play Mrs Lovett, and she has learnt one song.

http://www.broadway.com/videos/all/ask-a-star-answers-bernadette-peters/

The agenda continues..

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I don't know if I think she's really that good a fit for the part. If she did, however, I think she'd do much better in a more traditional, Hal Prince production than a John Doyle production.

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