Breaking News: Christian Slater Joins 'The Glass Menagerie' as Tom Replacing Dallas Roberts

[Rob]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:23am

https://www.broadwayworld.com/l.cfm?id=61838

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:25am

That's a shame. I really like Dallas Roberts.

[wildcat]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:26am

Wow! That has amped up the star power a couple of notches!

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:38am

Too bad Roberts didn't work out -- he's really a terrific young actor. I take it there were some "creative differences."

Slater's certainly capable (he just finished an acclaimed run in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in London). At first impression, he strikes me as more of a Gentleman Caller type, but I'm sure he'll be fine as Tom.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:43am

when does he start?

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:45am

I really enjoyed Dallas Roberts on stage in the revival of Burn This and on film in A Home At The End Of The World and was looking forward to seeing him in this, too. I am not the biggest fan of Christian Slater, so it's all a bit annoying for me.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 9:46am

I'm dissapointed that things didn't work out with Roberts-one of my favorite young actors-but I have seen Slater gives some amazing performances, so I figure everything will be fine.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:15am

That SUCKS. I'm hoping that Mr. Roberts was replaced because he was having difficulty in the role, and NOT because they just wanted a bigger name, because that would be SO low. Does anyone have any inside info as to what happened?

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:17am

I think Jessica Lange is name enough for the production, so I doubt that has anything to do with it.

[jo]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:24am

Thanks for the tip.

I wanted to see the show originally but couldn't because of a schedule conflict. Happily for me, my travel plans changed and I now have time to see THE GLASS MENAGERIE.

I've just gotten a good seat for a May performance ...Looking forward to seeing Jessica Lange and Christian Slater onstage.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:27am

Obviously they don't care about how big a name is, since they cast Sarah Paulson as Laura over Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson (who is too young, anyway).

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:30am

Natalie was probably unavailable, as I'm sure they would have used her if they were able too. I think she's TOO pretty for Laura, but as far as marquee names go, she would have been acceptable.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:38am

I really don't think "pretty" has anything to do with the character of Laura. In fact, I think having someone as pretty as Portman would be a great choice. That character is so sad and thinks so low of herself that her looks don't really matter to her, I think.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:45am

Have you seen Sarah Paulson? She's drop-dead gorgeous. If we're judging on a scale of prettiness, Sarah wouldn't have been cast. Just ordered tickets to see the show on March 29.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:54am

This is a rather odd moment to do this recast -- 3 days before the first preview. I wonder what the story is. Slater was merely okay in SIDEMAN, but he did wow the Brits in CUCKOO. He is a believable son of Lange. Yes, it's a strong ensemble piece, I'm not sure this is ultimately critical to the success of the production. I love the play, yet Tom is not one of the more challenging roles in Williams. The play doesn't rest on his shoulders, and its magical spell is cast more via whoever plays Amanda, and how well the Laura/Gentleman Caller scene plays. I'm frankly glad Slater isn't replacing Lucas, who has the "eleven o'clock spot" in the piece. I think Slater will probably serve the narrative material well (he did the same thing in SIDEMAN, a structure which owes a lot to MENAGERIE).

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:56am

The article didn't say why Dallas abruptly left the production. What do you think is the cause?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:57am

"creative differences"

[Matt_G]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 10:57am

I just hope he has time to learn the material in three days and doesn't have to go onstage with script in hand.

That would be embarassing, huh? (Not to mention extremely rude to do to a paying audience!)

Just a thought....

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 11:00am

The article said that his understudy will perform the role until Slater finds his feet. I would expect Christian on stage within a week or so.

[Razz77]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 11:31am

This really disappoints me -- I was one of the few people who was looking forward to Menagerie not because of Lange but becuase of Roberts --he was fantastic in "A Number" and I think he was really right for Tom. Hmmpf...well I'm still looking forward to the production as a whole; and I'm not terribly familiar with Slater's work so I guess I can't complain too much.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 11:32am

I think Roberts would have been a perfect Tom, but what can you do? Slater will be great.

[JakeB]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:05pm

Ahhhhhhh you guys are so lucky. Christian Slater was fantastic in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a real stgae presence. But yes, I see him far more as the Gentleman Caller. He's almost made for that part.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:11pm

Ah. Bummer. I was looking forward to seeing Roberts in one of my favorite plays, but I can see Christian Slater doing an awesome job. I've got respect for him. But still! Dallas Roberts!

[apdarcey]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 1:49pm

do you know there was a production of this at my school this year and the girl who played laura was very pretty and she played the character as not sad at all. she played her not emotionally hurt, but physically hurt. it actually worked, because it made her reactions as embarrassment rather than just being incredibly weak. it made the connection between her and tom stronger because we had a really strong tom.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/21/05 at 4:52pm

From Broadway.com:

"He is a really talented actor, but he just was not working out for this production," a production spokesperson told Broadway.com about Roberts' departure.


(aka "creative differences")

Updated On: 2/21/05 at 04:52 PM