Broadway Leading Ladies...

[burnsy]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 5:18pm

With all due respect to these theater veteran, I'm tired of watching older women perform younger roles on Broadway recently.

Charlotte d'Amboise's Cassie in ACL - Need I say more? Cassie got out of the Chorus when she's 22 and has been in the business for 17 years(17 years in the business and end up flunking toilet paper). She can't be older than 39...It just doesn't make sense.

Karen Ziemba in Curtains - Not much better than d'Amboise...

Marin Mazzie's Lady of the lake - She looks younger on stage but still...

Just to name a few. I didn't enjoy watching Rita Wilson & Lisa Rinna's Roxie Hart either... Am I the only one feeling this way? Is it because the lack of new talents?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 5:28pm

Does d'Amboise LOOK older than 19 on stage? I don't think so.

How old are Ziemba and Mazzie's characters supposed to be, exactly?

The original Roxie Hart was Gwen Verdon, followed by Ann Reinking in the revival, both of whom were older than Rinna and Wilson at the time. Until the film of Chicago, Roxie WAS an older/middle-aged woman, trying for one last shot of fame, knowing that she was past her prime and "older than she ever intended to be."

But anyway...are people only supposed to play characters that are their exact age, regardless of what age they look on stage? Live theatre involves a suspension of disbelief.

Unless Bea Arthur gets cast as Desiree Armfeldt, I'm not sure I see a problem.

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 5:52pm

Until the film of Chicago, Roxie WAS an older/middle-aged woman, trying for one last shot of fame, knowing that she was past her prime and "older than she ever intended to be."

That's what I always thought as well. Roxie is not supposed to be a young woman. If you look at pics of Chita and Gwen, while they aren't old, they are not exactly spring chickens either. I think Gwen was in her late 40's when she played Roxie! So to me, seeing Lisa play Roxie was totally believable (and I greatly enjoyed her performance by the way).

I like the fact that women who aren't so-so young are still allowed to play younger women on stage, or allowed on the stage at all. It's a welcome change to the sort of thing you see in TV and film world. I remember reading something in Playbill where Angela Landsbury basically said she knew she was considered too old to be on TV, but couldn't care less because of the more open mentality of the stage. I think she's right. TV and movies are hard enough on women over 30. I don't see why we should want the stage to be the same way.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 5:58pm

On the Mazzie issue, you can be a diva at 22 just as easily at 40 or however old she is.

And, I don't see any reason for Ziemba to be too old for Georgia.

So, to answer your last question, yes, I think you're alone in your youth-obsessed views.

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 6:20pm

I have to agree with the replies to the original post. I don't have any problem with the age of the actors that were mentioned (D'Amboise, Ziemba and Mazzie). My problem with D'Amboise is that I don't think she performs the role very well, but it isn't about her age.

As much as I liked the film of CHICAGO, it annoys me that people think Roxie has to be young. As someone else mentioned, Gwen Verdon was in her late 40s (maybe even 50?) when she originated the role of Roxie Hart. Her line in the show:

"I'm older than I ever intended to be."

I love that line because it's funny and yet you know that people really think to themselves, "How did I get this old?!?!" That line doesn't have the same impact when a twenty-something or thirty-someething actress says it. And an older Roxie just adds to the outrageousness of her pregnancy.

And personally, I'm a fan of Karen Ziemba and Marin Mazzie and I'd pretty much see them in anything. :)

[kellybean2]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 6:56pm

Did you actually see CURTAINS? Georgia had had an earlier career as a performer, and after that began a second career as a lyricist. That's how they know to put her in the leading role in the show within a show. That's how they knew she could handle it. She's not supposed to be some ingenue. It's very clear in the script.

[me2]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 7:00pm

The only time it annoys me is when adults play kids (like Amy in LITTLE WOMEN). Otherwise, the distance covers a lot. I was never once distracted, for example, by Marla Shaffel as Jane Eyre.
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[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 9:10pm

The biggest thing I hate is when 40 somethings are cast as Christine in Phantom of the Opera. She's supposed to be late teens, early twenties. No matter how great of a soprano you are, a 40 year old just shouldn't play Christine. Plain and simple, it takes away from the performance and is distracting.

[burnsy]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 9:41pm

MerMaggieGalinda spoke my mind. I'm not talking about age here but how these characters look. Charlotte's Cassie looks like 45 to me and I just don't buy it. And yes, I've seen Curtains many times and I still think Karen Ziemba looks much older than Noah Racey & Jason Danieley. We know how old Kerry Butler is and I have no problem with her Clio cause she looks just like a young muse on stage.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 9:42pm

I think that casting older leads is totally ok... these ladies have experience and can play younger, no problem...

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 9:48pm

See, here's the problem: most young girls can't handle roles like Christine yet. They're just not ready.

There's a video of "Romeo and Juliet" (the ballet) with Margot Fonteyn near the end of her dancing career. Obviously, she's MUCH too old to play Juliet, a 14-year old girl....But, find me a girl at 14 that can dance Juliet.

Marin Mazzie does not look that old. Charlotte looks maybe 35...45? I disagree. And, Donna McKechnie was no spring chicken when she played the role. Karen Ziemba does not look that much older than Jason D. or Noah Racey. Look at pictures of her from "Thataway!" She's HOT.

*RANT ALERT* Why can't Americans respect age?

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 9:55pm

Americans are indeed very ageist. It makes me sad to say that, but it's true. I was shocked when I went to Europe and I saw older people in movies and on TV in (what appeared to me to be) large numbers. A movie such as say, Calendar Girls, would have never been made in America because of our obsession with youth and our disdain of age.

Granted, I noticed in American subgroups, like Latin Americans and Black Americans, there is less prejudice towards age. I always found that interesting. But in mainstream culture..nah...no love for the wizened.

Updated On: 8/10/07 at 09:55 PM

[mattonstage]

Posted: 8/9/07 at 11:51pm

And why does ageism mostly apply to women? Because on the opposite end of the scale, weren't Joey Lawrence and especially Usher too young to play Billy Flynn? And for that matter, was George Hamilton too old? Nobody bats an eye at that sort of casting, but if it's a woman, forget it, the knives come out.

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 12:22am

That's true. The only time age really, really bothers me is when the character's age is a crucial part to the story and if the actor/actress can't play them off as that age, no matter how good they sing/act, it ruins the performance for me.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 12:51am

I've got to be the only girl in America who can't wait to hit 60.

I saw both D'amboise's performance in ACL and Ziemba's in Curtains. And though I didn't like Charlotte's performance, it had nothing to do with her age. And I *adored* Ziemba's performance, I didn't know much about her entering the theatre and I thought that she was 35. I was shocked to find that she is turning 50 (at least, I believe she is)

I don't find it to be a problem at all.

[ohjohnny]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 8:06am

On the subject of the movie of Chicago messing with the age of Roxie, I have to agree. I hadn't seen Chicago in ages and went a couple of weeks ago when my nephew was in town and asked to go. Not only did I overhear, more than once, people asking each other if the movie or the show came first, but the old lady sitting behind me kept audibly commenting during the numbers that "this isn't how it was in the movie."

And, finally, my 20 year old nephew turned to me at the end and asked me why they made Roxie so old.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 8:53am

The problem with Karen Ziemba in Curtains isn't that she is too old. It is that she has ZERO chemistry with neither Jason Danieley nor Noah Racey. When that happens the age difference will become more apparent.

[evadiva]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 9:10am

People just love to be bitchy and to have an excuse to tear a talented person down. Once the actual age of an actress is made public, it doesn't matter how young that person might look. People (ESPECIALLY ones in their teens and early 20's) LOVE to whine "THEY'RE TOO OOOOOOOLLLLLLLLDDDDD! So and so is supposed to be ______!"

I am especially irked by people ragging on actresses in their 30's.

Kerry is a perfect example. She's youthful and lovely. But since people know she's in her 30's, everyone started to say she was too old to be considered for Ariel. Ridiculous.

And the Elphabas. I read that Elphabas are too old all the time.

Even the guys have to deal with it - don't even get me started on Adam and Anthony.

I mean come on! Can you REALLY tell me you are THAT distracted by an actor about 5-10 years older who has not a WRINKLE IN SIGHT?????? Not even from the first row???????? And even if they DO have a wrinkle - does that mean they now are sentenced to playing someone's mother?

Complaining about a young looking actor's chronological age is just petty. Unless of course you MUST have something to whine about. But in some of these talented actors' cases, that's about all you're going to have to complain about.

[burnsy]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 9:15am

Ageism does not only apply to women. I saw Usher in Chicago and though he was very good and brought a different aspect to the show, I thought he was too green to play Billy Flynn. Tevin Campbell also looks to old to play the high school student seaweed to me. I respect all the actors/actresses and I hope they stay on stage as long as possible. Just look like the parts they play.

I always like to sit in the front orchestra and I see the actors/actresses very closely. Maybe the age difference becomes apparent to me.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 8/10/07 at 11:37am

Well, for me as long as you can make the character seem as real as possible it really doesn't matter what your age is. Take Mary Martin for example. She was a great Broadway actress and she had this amazing presence that draws you in and even though I don't like her Maria (from the recording) her Nellie is just sublime and she sounds like a 22 year old.

And as for Charlotte I found her age to not matter because her acting took care of it. I was sitting in the first row and especially during the first "One" scene she ad such a glow while dancing the number that she was Cassie.

[Midoria]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 1:48pm

I just read in an article that Kendra Kassebaum is 35.

So does that mean she is too old to play someone in their late teens?

[YankeeMate]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 3:53pm

Isn't this the same board that collectively deemed the OB cast of RENT too old to play the same roles in the film version?

[Urban]

Posted: 8/17/07 at 8:59pm

I have to admit, as mentioned in the other thread with a local community theatre version of CHESS I saw, it was distracting to have it mentioned several times in the show that Florence was only in her mid-30s yet the actress clearly was over 50.

It can be distracting IF the age of the character is mentioned through-out the show, but otherwise to me it doesn't matter much to me. In fact more power to the older-women to pull off the role.

Actually alot of these roles often are written so nobody age appropriate can really pull them off. Sometimes you just need an older women. Rose Havoc had June & Louise when she was a teenager, so in reality she is only in her 20s and 30s during the show, yet I don't think anybody under the age of 45 often has the chops to pull off such a character.

[me2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 12:40pm

Charlotte D'A . . . from what I saw of her on TV when promoting ACL looked nothing like 45. I would easily buy 30-35, and given some distance in a theatre (like row L), I'd buy 20.
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[GClef2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 2:09pm

The point is that there are roles for these middle-aged women. They don't still have to play ones that they could have played 20 years ago. Give the younger girls a chance!