Broadway Bee Cast Replaced?- Page 3

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 12:52am

mostly unrelated

but


Barret Foa is the most adorable thing EVER.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 12:54am

Jenni Barber is incredible, maybe better than Celia. She is totally heartbreaking.

Stanley Bahorek is an awesome Leaf. Never fear New York people, Spelling Bee is in good hands.

[BuRBaN]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 12:56am

Saw the show in SF nearly 25 times. Love the cast, truly.

Aaron Albano, best wishes-- homeboy!

[Parks]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 1:03am

wow...how did I post this again?

Updated On: 3/21/07 at 01:03 AM

[friedrichVT]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 1:15am

Stanley Bahorek was brilliant in the Boston production... nuanced,subtle,sad,and simultaneously hysterical. Sounds like the producers cleaned up shop and didn't renew contracts.Seems harsh but sadly it does happen. The cast was great.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 1:37am

If the rumors I heard are true, then yes, they were essentially fired. Also, I recall about 10 years ago Cameron Macintosh cleaned house at Les Miz on Broadway. He fired half the cast and made the rest re-audition. If I recall, they brought in the touring cast while they tightened up the "new" cast. But that was because over half the "students" were old enough for senior citizen discounts! :o) In Spelling Bee's case it's probably a money issue, though I can't imagine it costs that much to run.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 1:40am

Highly doubt that it was a monetary issue.

Updated On: 3/21/07 at 01:40 AM

[bythesword84]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:06am

Yes Les Mis was a show which fired most people and re-auditioned (for example, Christeena Michelle Riggs, who had been playing Eponine, ended up as Cosette in the new cast) just before its tenth anniversary on Broadway.

[ElphabaRose]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:14am

The majority of the incoming cast will be a pleasure to have. Jenni Barber is absolutely amazing and heartbreaking as Olive and Jared Gertner (yes, I know he has already joined) is my favorite Barfee. The only disappointing news is that Stanley Bahoreck and Gretta Lee are part of the new cast. I saw both of them in Boston and Stanley took all of the lovableness out of Leaf. He was boring and he brought no sympathy to the character. Gretta's acting was ok, but her singing was pitchy and unpleasant to listen to all three times that I attended the Boston Bee. Luckily, the talent of the majority of the new cast outweighs the two weak links.

[lite2shine]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:21am

Stanley Bahorek was adorable Leaf. And while I wasn't too keen on Gretta, after seeing the actress who is playing Marcy on the national tour, I thought Gretta was 100% better than her.

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:33am

Speaking of bringing in touring casts... anybody remember what happened with Les Miserables (version 1) right before they closed?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:34am

He was boring and he brought no sympathy to the character.

...which Stanley did YOU see?!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:34am

Speaking of bringing in touring casts... anybody remember what happened with Les Miserables (version 1) right before they closed?

Heh heh heh.

But there is no London Spelling Bee, so they can't mysteriously bring someone from overseas to make their debut.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 2:41am

So very very proud of the entire SF cast!
I had to contain my excitement when Aaron told me the news at the stage-door of Legally Blonde last month.
They're all so cute and fun and will bring a much-needed and nice re-surge of energy to The Circle in the Square.
Stanley's Leaf is hilarious.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 3:16am

Forgot to ask -- does anyone know if this means James Monroe Iglehart won't be doing Porgy & Bess in Oakland this May? I know it's not impossible for him to come back here for a weekend, but I wasn't sure if anyone had heard. (I plan to email the OEBS about it anyway.)

http://www.oebs.org/page/may.htm

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 3:32am

Stanley! Aaron! Jenni! Sara! Greta! James!
I'M SO HAPPY FOR THEM!!!! Stanley needs to be adored by a wider audience.

How long is Mo's "limited engagement"?

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 4:08am

This announcement really upsets me! I'm glad I got a chance to see the OBC...they were fantastic! I am very sorry to see them go. I was sad to hear that Barrett was leaving, but the WHOLE CAST!?!?!?!?! I have to agree...this could definitely spell d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r for the show. Besides Mitch, does anyone know what the rest of the cast is doing next? (besides taking a well-deserved vacation?)

[shesamarshmallow]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 4:19am

What is everyone's problem with replacement/tour casts? They can't keep playing the same roles forever, and the obcs certainly shouldn't have a monopoly on the characters.
Spelling Bee's business will be unaffected by this change.

[BroadwayPenguin2]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 4:33am

Jennifer Simard is amazing. I loved her in the Bee tour! Congrats to her!

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 4:50am

Stanley's Leaf was definetly fun and loveable, at least the two time I saw him. Maybe you caught him on a bad night. **shrug**

[HumATune]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 6:25am

I wonder if the producers felt the show had gone stale/needed new energy.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 6:46am

"This will be Jennifer's Broadway debut, won't it?"

Technically no. She was a cover for Lisa Howard while she was learning the show in NY prior to the tour (the u/s was on vacation at the time I believe,) so she credits that as her lone Broadway credit. She never went on, so this will be her actual first time performing on a Broadway stage, though.

[catharsis]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 7:40am

Wow! I had a feeling that some of the SF/Boston cast might come to Broadway, but not all on the same day! They were truly a delight and I can't wait to see them.

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 9:48am

Liotte, I thought of you the minute I saw the news. I'm sorry.

That said, I knew Mo Rocca when he was in high school - my husband taught him. A funny kid, even then. We'll have to see the show again, just for him.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 3/21/07 at 10:14am

I'm going to add to the Jenni Barber love. SHe is adorable, talented, and very nice. Same with Sara Inbar.