Block, Olivo et al. Lead BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK at 2nd Stage This Season
#2
Posted: 1/18/11 at 11:23am
<3 Karen Olivo.
#3
Posted: 1/18/11 at 11:35am
I notice that the role of Vera Stark has yet to be cast/announced. I believe Anika Noni Rose played her in a recent reading. I'll be interested to see who they get to lead the cast.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
#4
Posted: 1/18/11 at 11:41am
Wow, it'd be fantastic if Anika Noni Rose played the title role, this sounds like such an interesting play. I'm a bit disappointed by the casting of Block, especially since this is a play and she won't have any singing to rely on, but the casting of Olivo makes me way excited about this. I also loved CRUMBS OF A TABLE OF JOY and especially RUINED, so I'm sure this will be another winner from Nottage.
"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"
#5
Posted: 1/18/11 at 12:50pm
Stephanie J. Block in a straight play, where she'll have to act?
That'll be a hoot.
That'll be a hoot.
#6
Posted: 1/18/11 at 1:13pm
Karen 
I had figured she'd go the Benanti route, and follow up her Tony win with an off-Broadway play.
I had figured she'd go the Benanti route, and follow up her Tony win with an off-Broadway play.
Updated On: 1/18/11 at 01:13 PM
#7
Posted: 1/18/11 at 3:41pm
I'm very happy Stephanie is returning to the New York stage. I'm also a fan of Daniel and Karen. I'm looking foreward to this opening.
#8
Posted: 1/18/11 at 7:26pm
My guess is it is more of a play with music. I mean, there was song even in "Ruined." So I don't think they would cast all these musical theater actors and not let them sing a little. Even the poster has a picture of a Billy Holiday-esque singer singing into a microphone, so I imagine it's more of that sort of thing.
#9
Posted: 1/18/11 at 7:40pm
WOW! Maybe now I'll actually get to see Olivo in something. Since two attempts at In The Heights and three at WSS proved fruitless.
Maybe if she doesn't have to sing or dance she'll show up for the whole run.
Maybe if she doesn't have to sing or dance she'll show up for the whole run.
"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
#10
Posted: 1/19/11 at 2:44pm
It's funny that you mention Laura Benanti, ljay889- she played Gloria Mitchell (the role that Stephanie J. Block is playing) in the first workshop Second Stage did of the show a couple summers ago, back when Liesl Tommy was attached to direct.
In that same incarnation, Anika Noni Rose played Vera Stark and Natascia Diaz was Anna Mae/Afua Assata Ejobo (Karen Olivo's role.)
In that same incarnation, Anika Noni Rose played Vera Stark and Natascia Diaz was Anna Mae/Afua Assata Ejobo (Karen Olivo's role.)
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.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 1/19/11 at 02:44 PM
#11
Posted: 1/19/11 at 3:48pm
SW, do you know anything about the size of Olivo's role?
#12
Posted: 1/19/11 at 6:00pm
^Supporting, but it's only a 6 or 7 character play so all of the characters have plenty to do. The title role and Gloria Mitchell are the two leading roles, with all of the rest supporting characters.
#13
Posted: 1/19/11 at 6:06pm
LOVE LOVE LOVE KAREN OLIVO!!
#14
Posted: 1/19/11 at 6:48pm
CockeyedOptimist2 is correct. While Olivo's role is supporting, in the first act, her character has a lot of thematic relevance to the plot, at least in the earlier drafts.
I'm excited to see how the show turns out in a full production. It's a very, very interesting script, and Second Stage has put more developmental work into it than anything they've ever produced before, as far as I'm aware.
I'm excited to see how the show turns out in a full production. It's a very, very interesting script, and Second Stage has put more developmental work into it than anything they've ever produced before, as far as I'm aware.
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.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 1/19/11 at 06:48 PM
#15
Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:30pm
Sanaa Lathan has joined the cast http://www.playbill.com/news/article/147266-Lynn-Nottages-Meet-Vera-Stark-Will-Star-Sanaa-Lathan-as-Hollywood-Dreamer
#16
Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:39pm
I will see this for Sanaa Lathan. I have always enjoyed her performances in movies and she was wonderful in "A Raisin in the Sun".
Went to share this on Facebook and the Mary Poppins logo comes up.
Went to share this on Facebook and the Mary Poppins logo comes up.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
Updated On: 2/2/11 at 01:39 PM
#17
Posted: 2/2/11 at 5:03pm
I'm sad Anika Noni Rose is not doing this, I really do adore her. I've only heard great things about Sanaa Lathan so I'm sure she'll be good.
I'm actually much more disappointed that Benanti dropped out, especially because Stephanie J. Block simply can't act and unless there's a musical number every 5 minutes, I can't imagine her doing Nottage any justice. What a shame, Benanti is so fantastic, pity that she didn't continue with the part.
I hope I have a chance to see this somehow, the play sounds ridiculously fascinating.
I'm actually much more disappointed that Benanti dropped out, especially because Stephanie J. Block simply can't act and unless there's a musical number every 5 minutes, I can't imagine her doing Nottage any justice. What a shame, Benanti is so fantastic, pity that she didn't continue with the part.
I hope I have a chance to see this somehow, the play sounds ridiculously fascinating.
"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"
#18
Posted: 3/27/11 at 11:57pm
TV ALERT: For those looking forward to this show, Sanaa Lathan will be talking about it on the Wendy Williams Show tomorrow (Mon,3/2
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