Britney Spears in SWEET CHARITY

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 3:20pm

I remember there being rumors swirling around back in 2005/2006 about Britney Spears being in negotiations to replace Christina Applegate in the revival of SWEET CHARITY when her contract was up.

I believe they also spoke of moving the show to the Hilton/Foxwoods if this were to happen.

I tried searching through old posts but I can't seem to find an answer.

Does anyone know how legitimate these rumors were? Were there actually "talks" or was it more of an offer to her agent who respectfully declined?

I know the articles stated that she "didn't want to uproot her family and move to New York for an extended period of time."

I'm just curious. Does anyone know how close this was to actually happening or if it was just talk to drum up extra publicity for the show?

[AnythingGoes23]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 3:28pm

Britney was offered $30,000 a week plus 10% of Box Office and at the last hurdle her then partner Kevin Federline was offered a role.

The show was to close at Al Hirschfeld with Applegate and to reopen for a 16 week season the then Hilton Theatre, now Foxwoods.

In the end Spears declined as she didn't think she could do it 8 times a week. It would have happened if she said yes. The show just then closed on Dec 31st at the end of Applegates stint.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 4:45pm

Playbill did report on it. It must have been legit. Nothing was ever officially confirmed by the producers though.

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/96451-Will-a-Spears-Starring-Sweet-Charity-Move-to-Hilton-Theatre

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 5:58pm

The staff/cast were told it was 100% happening. They were all told their jobs were safe and they'd all be moving with the show in a few weeks when it reopened.

A friend was a dresser on the show at the time and said he was told a few days before closing Britney didn't want to move and do eight shows a week. I think she could have handled it (even the live singing aspect), but allegedly Kevin basically talked her out of it since she could make more money elsewhere. But, this is all third-hand hearsay.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 6:30pm

"The staff/cast were told it was 100% happening. They were all told their jobs were safe and they'd all be moving with the show in a few weeks when it reopened."

Producers will tell the cast this right up until the day they post the closing notice, even when the producers know that the closing notice is being drafted up in the general managers office as they speak.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 6:36pm

I remembered hearing about this at the time and thinking it was silly. It could have possibly worked, but that revival as a whole was a huge mess. I'm not a big Spears fan, but she could have probably handled the vocals. The acting? I'm not so sure, but it's not the most vocally demanding score in the world. You can probably spend all night doing tequila shots and still be able to sing it the next day.

I think this show needs another revival. Emma Stone would be terrific!

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 6:38pm

Stone would make an extremely goofy but still vulnerable Charity. Approved!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 6:55pm

I've said it before on one of the dream casting threads... Emma Stone would be perfection.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 2/10/13 at 7:46pm

I know, right? I could see her being pretty terrific in the role.