Bette Midler as Dolly- Page 2

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:40am

Mame is a high born blue blood. Cher is gutter trash, and always will be.

So you're saying she's a good Vera?

Also, seconding Bette for Dolly.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:46am

Cher may be gutter trash, but she's got more money and style than some people in this thread have.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:09am

Check out TEA WITH MUSSOLINI.
Angela was not born in "Royalty". it's called acting.

And also why Bette would kill in DOLLY.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:56am

Totally unrelated, but I always thought Bette would make a great Madame Morrible.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:59am

^ Only in the movie. Someone like Midler would never take on that poorly written role in a show that's been running ten years.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 7:54am

I agree that Hello, Dolly! is a romantic farce. A fantasy. There is nothing realistic about it, except its sentiment. It has a very real heart of gold and shows it proudly.

You can cast multi-racial leads without it hurting anything. It's not Ragtime, Show Boat, Fiddler, or Dreamgirls. Race isn't essential (or even considered) in the plot.

I would love to see Bette Middler as Dolly.

Updated On: 5/21/13 at 07:54 AM

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 8:13am

Can age be ignored as well? At 67, Midler's age may pose a problem in casting Horace, who also needs to be a believable suitor for Irene, who eventually falls for Cornelius, who is a very specific twenty-nine-and-three-quarters. Now, I know stage is different from screen, and her fans will say she doesn't look her age, but she certainly can't realistically pass for much younger. I'd love for this have to been discussed 10-15 years ago.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 8:24am

I think age is only an issue in the sense that I sincerely doubt that Midler would sign on to a long run as Dolly. The role would be enormously physically taxing for a woman of any age, and Midler has been frank that the experience of doing the Vegas show recently really wore her out and made her realize she doesn't have the desire or stamina to do extended Musical engagements anymore. But, sure if they wanted to do it for television or they wanted to do it as an actor's fund concert for the Hollywood bowl for one night she'd be stellar.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 10:40am

An older Horace could be a feasible match for a younger Irene. That's not exactly an unbelievable thing for the turn of the century. He's wealthy and she's unmarried. It also could make the Cornelius/Irene romance more endearing and make the audience root for it more- an obvious, sincere romance over a pre-arranged terrible match.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 10:49am

Michael Bennett, you're a genius!

Bette Midler in "Hello, Dolly" at the Hollywood Bowl would be the perfect combo. Someone has GOT to make this happen!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 10:51am

The role would be enormously physically taxing for a woman of any age

If Channing could do it at 73, Bette could do it at 68.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 11:07am

Oh, I'm not saying she couldn't do it -- merely that I don't think she'd want to. Not for a year on Broadawy anyay.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 11:38am

Sounds like a perfect vehicle for City Center to bring back their short-lived Summer Stars series. With the right director she'd be a Dolly for the ages and it's been way too long since the show has had a top notch New York run.

[lovebwy]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:06pm

Cher is Indian/Armenian/Gypsy. No way she could play Mame Dennis. She wouldn't know where to begin!

[heybaby]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:27pm

I'd much rather see the likes of Reba McEntire, Patti LuPone or even Dolly Parton (imagine.. DOLLY is DOLLY!) in the role, but I'm sure Midler would be divine. Anything to get this treasure of a musical back on a Broadway stage.

Laura Benanti would be lovely with some ribbons down her back as well.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:45pm

Reba would be ideal.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:46pm

So can this show not get a major revival till Jerry Herman is dead?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:54pm

Is there reason to believe Herman is blocking a revival? I know he doesn't need the money, but I assume he is fond of his own work.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:57pm

Herman isn't blocking a revival, but apparently is insisting that any Broadway revival be more-or-less a recreation of the Gower Champion production.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:09pm

Well, that's no fun.

I'd love to see what someone like Bartlett Sher could bring to this show.

Updated On: 5/21/13 at 01:09 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:12pm

Americanboy, when I talked about the "right director" in my post that's who I was thinking of too. Wasn't LuPone supposed to be in a revival that Herman got in the way of? She'd be glorious in the role, I've been listening to the 2008 GYPSY cast recording nonstop for a few weeks now and she never stops blowing me away.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:14pm

I think a GYPSY cast reunion (Gaines, LuPone, Benanti.. hell, even Leigh Ann Larkin as Mattie Faye) could work unbelievably well. Sher would, I'm sure, breathe such new life into the show.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:15pm

The LuPone revival directed by Jack O'Brien came pretty close to fruition. But as stated above, there was an issue with Herman not wanting to move away from the original Gower Champion production.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 1:41pm

Got it. Thanks to Michael and others for the info re Herman.

[lupone76]

Posted: 5/21/13 at 3:44pm

Bernadette Peters. How come no one has mentioned Ms. Peters?? I feel like the role of Dolly was made for her. She is more of a Dolly than a Sally, Desiree, or Rose for that matter. Her last three Broadway roles did not suite her talents at all but I feel Dolly would be a perfect fir for her.