Natasha Richardson as Lyubov Andreyevna in THE CHERRY ORCHARD.
"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
What about Dick Van Dyke as Buddy Plummer? I think he would dance the hell out of "The Right Girl" and could sing the score pretty well. His Follies number would be great too.
I would have never thought of bette as mama morton, but your right it should have happened, and no offense to latifah but it seemed like half the time she didn't know what she was singing about.
I still wanted to see Sierra Boggess as Eva Peron...
Audra McDonald as Christina Daae and Lilli Vanessi/Kate ("Kiss Me Kate") Idina Menzel as Lucy Baker ("Jekyll and Hyde") with Marin Mazzie as Emma Brittany Murphy as Sally Bowles Judi Dench as Madame Morrible - possibly for the film? Julie Andrews as Glinda Michael Jackson as Legs Diamond Sara Ramirez as Eva Peron Natalie Weiss as Eponine and Elphaba Lady Gaga as Fanny Brice - maybe in a concert?
Has Kristin Chenoweth played Audrey in "Little Shop" before?
EDIT: Idina Menzel as Nancy and Fanny Brice
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
Already threw in Divine in Rocky Horror, and a Freddie Mercury/Michael Jackson pairing in JCS, a couple years ago. Returning with more recent ideas from the more recent scene:
* Adam Lambert as Judas in the just-past JCS revival
He's been actively campaigning for this role every time a revival or remake possibility comes up. He's got the voice; he's got theater experience. And he was the "X" factor that could have bumped up ticket sales for this otherwise unremarkable production and kept it open longer, especially with Des McAnuff's "new" Judas-as-jilted-lover angle... plus, what the f#¢k else is he doing lately?
Do you really think he's never been considered? He's a name and he could do it, on a technical skill level. I'm sure the reason he hasn't is $$$. Anyway, just wanted to reaffirm how amazing Josh Young was. <3
Adam lamber would be absolutely spectacular as Judas!!!
I love Idina, but Patti would have melted souls as Elphaba.
I agree with everyone on Judy being Mama Rose. It also gives me chills to imagine her as Evita. She would have killed Raibow High and Don't Cry for Me Argentina would've been her second Over the Rainbow.
Also this may sound unlikely but I fantasize about lady gaga as Norma Desmond. She would be astounding!!!! I would also LOVE to see her as the witch in into the woods. I wish they would give her the part in the upcoming movie.
This isn't really missed as it is future possibility but what about Celia Keenan-Bolger as Sally Durant Plummer in Follies? She is short and has the youthful cutsie look.
Frank, of course. I actually happen to know that this was supposed to happen. A colleague was about to start meetings with Divine's manager on the subject the day before Divine passed.
Right now I would see Jessie Mueller in anything. As Eva Peron if the revival was going to last and didn't need a star vehicle in the role, as Sally if a Cabaret revival pulls through, even as Elphaba.