Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#1

Posted: 9/24/10 at 8:54pm

Heaven

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#2

Posted: 9/24/10 at 10:25pm

I'm not sure what to think of this particular casting choice. from RC in Austin, Texas

"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)

[FindingNamo]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#2

Posted: 9/24/10 at 11:12pm

When I saw the Scissor Sisters recently I was thinking about this show and I have to say, my fantasy Mrs. Madrigal as I thought about it was incredible gender radical/performance artist Kate Bornstein. I don't know if Kate can sing though, she can act up a storm.

But I tend to take Betty pilgrimages, so that's good too. I would expect push back from the transgender community, however.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

[Reginald Tresilian]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#3

Posted: 9/24/10 at 11:50pm

I don't know the score, of course. But off hand, I can't think of better casting.

[Bettyboy72]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#4

Posted: 9/24/10 at 11:54pm

I think Betty is inspired casting. She needs to be back onstage in a new musical. I hope this show and she make it to Broadway. Betty is a deeply talented and brave actress. I am sure she would have no problem blurring gender for the part. I think she would approach the role with great sensitivity, compassion and incredible technique.

"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal "I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello

[jpbran]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#5

Posted: 9/25/10 at 12:37am

Well, as Mrs. Madrigal's gender identity is played as a surprise for readers who followed the books/newspaper column (Anna Madrigal -- A Man and a Girl), casting a transgender actor would possibly run counter to this "reveal."

[FindingNamo]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#6

Posted: 9/25/10 at 12:49am

My thought would be that the credit would just be "Kate Bornstein" not "former man Kate Bornstein."

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

[Bettyboy72]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#7

Posted: 9/25/10 at 12:58am

Did the trans community take issue with Olympia Dukakis, who was exquisite in the role on PBS?

"The sexual energy between the mother and son really concerns me!"-random woman behind me at Next to Normal "I want to meet him after and bang him!"-random woman who exposed her breasts at Rock of Ages, referring to James Carpinello

[jpbran]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#8

Posted: 9/25/10 at 1:05am

Namo: You know what I mean. She is known as a "trans actor/activist" so there's no "mystery." It's a plot device that works fine on the page, but is harder to pull off non-politically on film or in the theater.

[The8re phan]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#9

Posted: 9/25/10 at 9:05am

I actually enjoy this casting. I'm very interested to see who they cast as Mouse, Mona and Mother Mucca..........

Slotted spoons don't hold much soup

[JerseyGirl2]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#10

Posted: 9/25/10 at 11:00am

I can't think of a better choice, honestly. I think she could do the part justice and be fantastic.

Pretty pretty please don't you ever ever feel like you're less than f**ckin' perfect!

[FindingNamo]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#11

Posted: 9/25/10 at 11:22am

No, bettyboy, the didn't but times are very very different now. I'm not saying I know Kate is right for the part, just that it was a fantasy I had watching the Scissor Sisters for the third time and thinking about how theatrical they can be and how theatrical she is.

Twitter @NamoInExile Instagram none

[Borstalboy]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#12

Posted: 9/25/10 at 5:26pm

Personally, I was hoping Marianne Faithfull would whip up a nice American accent and give it a go, but Betty is a-O.K. in my book.

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” ~ Muhammad Ali

[morethan just malice]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#13

Posted: 9/25/10 at 5:38pm

I am so thrilled for this! To see Armistead Maupin's (!) "Tales of the City" (!) made into a musical (!), by the Scissor Sisters (!), previewing in The City (!), with Betty Buckley (!) as one of the lead character (!), Anna (!), oh is just too too electric! I just hate that we can't get tickets now unless we are subscribers. I'm tempted to buy three shows just to get a decent seat.

[mee.who]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#14

Posted: 9/25/10 at 6:00pm

I thought I read that Christopher Hanke was playing Mouse again in San Francisco after doing the readings at the O'Neill last year, but I can't remember *where* I read that, so I can't say for sure.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#15

Posted: 9/25/10 at 6:54pm

Buckley is wonderful casting, but I know several actors who have turned this project down because the score is, how shall we say, sub-par.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#16

Posted: 9/26/10 at 12:05am

I have a demo, but I've yet to listen to it, in the hopes I'd be able to experience the show for the first time not knowing any of it. I'm giving Jake Shears the benefit of the doubt on the score.

Did the trans community have a negative reaction to Felicity Huffman in Transamerica? I don't remember.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Betty Buckley to Star in TALES OF THE CITY Workshop#17

Posted: 9/26/10 at 12:49am

Buckley's just rockin' up the transgender roles now, what with this and Sylvia in the "Ruthless!" reading (that part was actually written for a woman though, correct?).