Wilmingtom said: "Would Annaleigh Ashford be a potential Minnie Fay? "
Is this open ended? If it is, she wouldn't be able to if her television show is picked up for a fifth season. And chances are, it will be. Apart from that, I don't think she would/should at this point in her career. She would be great, no doubt. Just a tad too small for her. I'd like to see her return to musicals in "Sweet Charity", and that's what she's been talking about for a couple of years, so hopefully it comes to fruition next season. Or, if her team is aiming for another Tony, the season after next. We all know Bette will be walking away with the Tony for this.
They/them.
"Get up the nerve to be all you deserve to be."
Yes, they need to cast someone who will work fine with Middler, and I'm sure she will be deeply involved in the casting of Horace. Boyd Gaines did beautiful, understated work in GYPSY that perfectly complemented LuPone's larger-than-life Rose. I love the suggestion of him playing Horace.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
I think Elliott Gould would be a great choice for Horace. I think he and Midler would have the perfect chemistry together. Plus it would be nice to see Gould return to Broadway musicals after all these decades. I still listen to him often on the I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE cast album and the in house recording of DRAT ! THE CAT!. I once saw him in THE FANTASTICKS with Minnelli and he was a great El Gallo.
Michael Urie or Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Cornelius.
Benanti is a natural choice but one Diva backstage will be enough, I think Kate Baldwin is a better fit.
And Minnie and Barnaby are "dancing" roles so think major dancers for those 2. I think Danny Burstein is perfect for Horace but Gaines is also a great choice, and so is Grammer.
In a perfect world, Justin Timberlake as Cornelius. Getting serious (and marketable) if they cast a bit older, Sean Hayes or Cheyenne Jackson or Tony Yazbeck. If younger, Darren Criss (a better role than Hedwig for him) or Nick Jonas. ...and actually, Justin Guarini would be great.
Here's hoping this production is racially diverse.
Outside of Brian Stokes Mitchell, the casting suggestions in this thread are blindingly white.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
GavestonPS, I'm sure you're right about Cornelius. To be frank, as I'm not a fan of Jerry Herman, in truth I'm relying upon dim memories of the one time I made it through the movie. (However, I eagerly await a big Broadway production with Bette)
Bette is 100% the better choice. I'm sure they've pursued Bette since I'll Eat You Last but it probably took a lot of time to get her on board. I would think Kristin was more of a potential back up.