Betty Buckley "DOLLY" opening in Cleveland/ Casting News ? — Page 14

sbflyfan said: "You're right... I forgot about that dialogue. I think I'm confusing it with another production I saw. I'm also not used to "Penny In My Pocket" starting act 2.

Thanks for clarifying! :)"



You’re welcome! That’s pretty much exactly the way it happened when I saw the two shows in Cleveland as well as the two on Broadway. And “Penny In My Pocket” started Act 2 on both the Broadway and the National Tour shows. It was also at the Tony Awards sung by David Hyde Pierce. Not my favorite song of the OBCR, but it’ll do.

Updated On: 10/19/18 at 06:17 PM

Dollypop said:“I was able to see all three great ladies in a little more than one month. Bernadette's last performance was July 15th and the show closed on August 25th."

I wish I had been able to see Donna Murphy. I have a cat at home that I really can’t leave for more than 36-40hrs, it gets lonely. My neighbor feeds it wet food several times while I’m gone, and it’s got plenty of dry food and water. Plus, I had already made two trips to Broadway to see Bernadette (May) and Bette (August), and it was beyond my budget for a third. But we’ll blame it on the cat anyways. :)

Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ‘settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it.

Acting is not about pretending, it’s about telling the true. One has to find the areas in which you and the character are the same and play them, that’s what makes it real. There are some actors who have the gift of seeming different, in every role but that’s not actually a necessary component. Bette Midler’s Dolly, was very close to Bette Midler, the only thing the audience needs is to believe the situations and reactions are true. At no point, did I not believe Midler. The same way I always believe Judi Dench, who you can see much of in all of her characters -this is what makes them real. The only responsibility the actors have is to make us believe that moment by moment, what happens on stage is real - it is not their job to while out memory of their persona, that’s impossible.

With Betty Buckley, unfortunately she can search for Dolly within her forever but I think she’s found the lot.

Buckley is not warm, she’s not kooky in the Dolly way, she’s not lovable and she’s not comedic. She is an extradarily gifted performer, a truly great talent but she does possess the qualities required to make Dolly really fly. And that is why some actors can pull of Dolly with three days rehearsal and others cannot.

‘you either got it or you aint’

I might also add that if Ms. Buckley possesses none of the qualities you list, are you saying the producer of the Broadway company, Scott Rubin and the director of the Broadway company, Jerry Zaks, were wrong in their offer of the role of Dolly to Ms. Buckley? An offer, not an audition. A year long National Tour? They must have confidence in her.

Updated On: 10/20/18 at 09:01 PM

Loopin’theloop said: "Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ‘settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it. "

No it is not.

Loopin’theloop said: "Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ‘settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it.

Acting is not about pretending, it’s about telling the true. One has to find the areas in which you and the character are the same and play them, that’s what makes it real. There are some actors who have the gift of seeming different, in every role but that’s not actually a necessary component. Bette Midler’s Dolly, was very close to Bette Midler, the only thing the audience needs is to believe the situations and reactions are true. At no point, did I not believe Midler. The same way I always believe Judi Dench, who you can see much of in all of her characters -this is what makes them real. The only responsibility the actors have is to make us believe that moment by moment, what happens on stage is real - it is not their job to while out memory of their persona, that’s impossible.

With Betty Buckley, unfortunately she can search for Dolly within her forever but I think she’s found the lot.

Buckley is not warm, she’s not kooky in the Dolly way, she’s not lovable and she’s not comedic. She is an extradarily gifted performer, a truly great talent but she does possess the qualities required to make Dolly really fly. And that is why some actors can pull of Dolly with three days rehearsal and others cannot.

‘you either got it or you aint’"

Well put (even though I saw neither Midler nor Buckley in the role and have no comment on whether they were well cast). This is exactly why I have never understood the enthusiasm here for Patti LuPone as Dolly Levi. LuPone has a gorgeous instrument and, despite her awards, is IMHO actually underrated as an actress. But she is wrong for Dolly for many of the same reasons you say Buckley is wrong. Who would let LuPone meddle in the most intimate areas of their life?

Sorry to go on about this, BUT, Loopin’, have you seen Betty Buckley in Hello, Dolly!? If you have, fine.

Next, if, as you say, “pretending is involved in acting”, why do you say “acting is not about pretending”?

And, finally, “Actors can only play action not quality” and “that is why old fashioned acting rings untrue or phoney”, what period of time are you talking about? The “old-fashioness” of the 30’s, the 40’s, the 50’s? The acting styles of Davis, Crawford, Hepburn, Tracy, Colbert, Shearer, Stanwyck, Lorette Taylor, Raines, Booth, -they were phoney and untrue in their acting styles?

Dick Cavett: Is it possible that say African Queen or Summertine could now look dated? I can’t imagine they would. They seem so timeless and so right. For instance they say that clips of Duse look ludicrous now.

Katherine Hepburn: Who does it look ludicrous to? It may not look ludicrous to me.

Dick Cavett: Yeah, to you it wouldn’t look... you would see...

Katherine Hepburn: I mean some of the classics, the comedies, silent pictures are fascinating. And I would see her, Duse, and I mean you’re stupid if you’re influenced by a costume or if the mechanics of the thing weren’t up to today’s standards.

Cavett Show, 1973

Updated On: 10/21/18 at 03:59 PM

He was speaking about the people who wanted her to play Dolly. Gaveston, if I'm wrong, correct me.

JBC3 said: "Loopin’theloop said: "Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ‘settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it. "

No it is not."

My crystal ball is on the fritz, good to know yours is working and you are able to confirm something even Buckley herself can’t at this stage.

Miramar3 said: "JBC3 said: "Loopin’theloop said: "Regarding all the talk of Betty Buckley ?settling’ into the role. I fear, this is it. "

No it is not."



I absolutely agree with you, JBC3."

But it’s completely impossible to say so. I think Buckley is a supreme talent but my feeling is she isn’t go to grow much, it’s also impossible for me to have a definite answer on that. It would be foolish of me to say otherwise. I like her a lot, I love the production - I hope she does find her feet but nobody can say whether she will or won’t, unless they are a soothsayer.

Sorry if this brief interview has already been posted. I've long known that Betty follows a rather strict diet and exercise regimen. Interesting that she lost 31 pounds to play "Dolly". That's commitment!

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-ott-buckley-hello-dolly-jones-loop-1019-story.html

Enjoying this thread

Have seen Bette Bernadette Donna and Betty and all four gave generous and skilled performances as you would expect from Broadway legends

The production is sumptuous with lush orchestration glorious costumes and a talented company

The only performance you still have a chance to see is Betty and you should all run to see her The Voice of Broadway WHAT an opportunity She sings the heck out of a clever and complicated score Enjoy

Saw this show tonight in Chicago, having seen this show in New York with Bette Midler and Donna Murphy (as well as a prior Broadway revival with Carol Channing many years ago). Overall, I think this is great representation of the Broadway production to take across the country.

My main disappointment was that the audience was just not into it. There were A LOT of empty seats, in the ORCHESTRA(!), including most of the 6th row. I snagged a seat in said row just before the show started. I felt like I was leading the applause in places where the New York audience were very enthusiastic (Sunday Clothes, Dancing (dance break), the parade in Before the Parade Passes By, the Waiters Gallop)

Betty Buckley is a professional! She does great in the role and I am glad I got to see her.

The actor playing Barnaby is a very strong dancer. I remember his season in So You Think You Can Dance. He gets many more dance breaks, most notably the endless fouette turns in Dancing.

The show, particularly the choreography, loses something when you don't have a real passarelle. The leaps aren't as impressive when they are not done over the orchestra's head.

The actor playing Horace is great and makes interesting choices but he just didn't feel like Betty's equal (as a leading player) the way Kelsey did.

During intermission I had to listen to this horrible "Broadway in Chicago" regular talk about how much she HATED this production, how Betty sounded NOTHING like the "Cats" soundtrack she had recently listened to, how great Charley and the Chocolate Factory was (the week before) and how much she wanted to leave. I had to really force myself not to turn around and tell her that Bette Midler didn't sing the score any better.

Anyway - great show, see it when it gets to your town.

---

Updated On: 10/24/18 at 12:27 AM