Breaking News: MATILDA THE MUSICAL to Open on Broadway Early 2013

[Rob]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 11:07am

Click Here to Read Breaking News: MATILDA THE MUSICAL to Open on Broadway Early 2013

[TheatreFan27]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 11:40am

Fantastic! Can't wait to see this show.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 12:02pm

Looks cool, seems like a resurgence of children in musicals all the sudden.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 12:12pm

I've heard good things about this musical. I also loved the book growing up, some people were not cray about the fim adaptation but I liked it. I wonder which Broadway theatre the show wants.

[missthemountains]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 12:18pm

Hardly breaking news, because we all knew it was gonna happen, but nonetheless- I'm excited

[Jonwo]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 12:20pm

There was a rumour that said that Mamma Mia! was going to move to the Ambassadors to make way for Matilda at the Winter Garden with Chicago moving to the Booth but given that Mamma Mia! has been performing quite well in recent weeks, I'm not sure if it's true.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 12:53pm

Really looking forward to this. I think it will be a juggernaut hit on Broadway.

[dreaming]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 1:22pm

I kind of thought Sister Act might face the axe and Matilda would take the Broadway.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 1:35pm

SOOO excited.

[madbrian]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 2:20pm

This thread is THREE HOURS old and no casting suggestions yet? I'm disappointed.

Miss Honey: Celia Keenan-Bolger
Trunchbull: Jayne Houdyshell

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 2:24pm

I would kill to play Trunchbull!

[mybestaudition]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 4:08pm

Trunchbull is played by a man in London. If they continue that trend, I would guess Marc Kudish will be considered. Kelly O'Hara would make a great Miss Honey, although my guess is they'll bring Lauren Ward over from London since she is married to the director. She was great, just a little old.

[SondheimFan5]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 4:18pm

Harvey Fierstein as Trunchbull, anyone?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 6:26pm

I imagine they'll be bringing Bertie Carvel over from London to reprise his role on Broadway. The show has received raves, with almost all of them singling out his performance as the show-stealer.

[mybestaudition]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 8:31pm

Personally, I thought Bertie was fine. Nothing earth shattering. Certainly not a performance that couldn't be rivaled with a New York actor.

[dreaming]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 9:49pm

Not knowing the vocal range of Miss Honey, I somehow picture either Kerry Butler or Patti Murin in that role.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:06pm

Very excited about this. I have fallen in love with the cast recording. I could see Lauren Ward reprising Miss Honey. I also think Jill Paice would make a lovely Miss Honey. Not sure how I would feel about Kerry Butler or Patti Murin as Miss Honey. Not sure how to describe it, but neither feel right for it, in my opinion, based on the recording and what I remember of Miss Honey from the original book.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:39pm

People like Lauren Ward are never coming here with the show. Equity may make an exception for Bertie Carvel, since that's such a unique situation, but there's no way they'll allow anyone else to transfer.

Expect an American cast.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:44pm

Lauren Ward is American so she would be able to transfer, Bertie Carvel I think would transfer as well but the other parts would be recast.

Don't know if this is true but the RSC has a policy of blind casting so in theory they could have a woman play Trunchbull but TBH it wouldn't work as well, it's like Edna in Hairspray.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:47pm

For what it's worth, Trunchbull was played by a woman when the RSC workshopped the show. They never even thought of having a man play it until Carvel became involved, and they've said they're not opposed to a woman playing it in the future (I'd say the odds are pretty high it'll happen eventually, since Carvel is such a unique performer.) This certainly isn't like Edna in HAIRSPRAY, where a man playing the role was ingrained in the very conception of the part.

Jonwo, I always forget that Ward is American. In that case, given her relationship with Warchus, she very well could come over with the show, but I do I know their family (they have three children) is based out of London. Having her do the show there is relatively easy in terms of their home life, but moving the kids to New York for at least a year may be a bit of an upheaval for them.

Personally, I'd like to see them go a bit younger and brighter with Miss Honey on Broadway. Ward was terrific, but I found there to be something really magical about having a young woman discover a kindred spirit in Matilda in the film, and I missed that in the stage version. In terms of who's been suggested here, Jill Paice always comes across as totally cold and lifeless to me, but Celia Keenan-Bolger sounds like a terrific idea. She has a quirky sensibility that's perfect for this type of material, and she's also infinitely lovable, which is crucial for the part.

Updated On: 2/28/12 at 10:47 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:49pm

For all we know the RSC could have cast Lauren Ward in a far-sighted exchange agreement to bring over Bertie Carvel.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 10:58pm

AEA, I believe the fact that Ward is married to a Brit in Warchus gives her the ability to perform both here and in England, meaning she wouldn't have needed an exchange to do the show for the RSC. She's worked almost exclusively in England since she and Warchus became an item over ten years ago (they met when he cast her as Young Sally in his revival of FOLLIES on Broadway in 2001.)

Updated On: 2/28/12 at 10:58 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/28/12 at 11:08pm

It could be, though I have heard that British Equity is far less concerned about Americans working over there than AEA is about Brits working over here.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/29/12 at 12:06am

Follies was on Broadway in 2001? Where have I been, ha.

[TheatreFan27]

Posted: 2/29/12 at 10:58am

I could picture Laura Osnes being a great Miss Honey! It'll definitely be interesting to see which route they take as well as who they'll cast as the Wormwoods.