Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

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Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:04pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/124328.html

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:07pm

I can't imagine Titus Burgess as Nicely Nicely at all, I guess we'll have to wait and see.

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:07pm

It seemed to me they cast this by drawing random names from a hat!

Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:10pm

What a waste of Testa's talents.

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:10pm

I agree, blaxx... there's very little cohesion here in terms of talent and name recognition.

Regardless, I'm loving the addition of Testa, and I anticipate an incredible "Sit Down..." from Burgess, a la Billy Porter's wild "Beauty School Dropout" from the '94 revival of Grease.

Updated On: 12/15/08 at 06:10 PM

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:12pm

I love Mary Testa and the idea that she'll back on Broadway, but this is definitely a waste of her talent.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:14pm

Waste of her talent and TIME. She's in like what, 10 minutes of the show?

Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:16pm

Are they making Cartwright's role bigger? Regardless, Mary is pretty kick ass.

<<-- Help save Terminator: SCC
"The gay one?" -- Marissa Jaret Winokur on the Jonas Brothers.

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:16pm

Titus Burgess (The Little Mermaid) as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Glenn Fleshler (Spring Awakening) as Big Jule, Adam Lefevre (Our Country's Good) as Lt. Brannigan, Jim Ortlieb (Farnsworth Invention) as Arvide, Steve Rosen (Spamalot) as Benny Southstreet and Mary Testa (Xanadu) as General Cartwright.

The ensemble comprises Nick Adams, Andrea Chamberlain, Raymond Del Barrio, Melissa Fagan, Kearran Giovanni, James Harkness, Lorin Latarro, Benjamin Magnuson, Joseph Medeiros, Spencer Moses, Rhea Patterson, Graham Rowat, William Ryall, Jessica Rush, Marcos Santana, Jennifer Savelli, John Selya, Brian Shepard, Ron Todorowski, Jim Walton and Brooke Wendle.

#10

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:16pm

Maybe they'll add her to "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat". One can only hope...

#11

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:18pm

She's in that one.

#12

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:19pm

She doesn't have a solo though, right?

#13

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:19pm

I hope they'll add more for Testa to work with..

#14

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:21pm

That role is extremely small and just adds some vocalization to the end of "Sit Down...". That, I believe, is the extent of her character's singing part.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

#15

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:22pm

What could they add? It's not like any member of the original creative team is still alive to rework it (a la Laurents and WEST SIDE STORY).

#16

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:22pm

General Cartwright is onstage for "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat". And Ruth Williamson (as Cartwright) nearly managed to steal that number in the 1992 revival.

Testa can be very funny in cameo roles. She was a riot as Madame Dilly in the Public's On the Town, another part with limited stage time...

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

#17

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:24pm

Burgess is going to add plenty of riffs. I'm sure he and Testa could have a riff-off.

#18

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:29pm

Testa is smart for not passing up the steady work she is getting lately.

#19

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:30pm

I don't blame her. Still, it'd be nice to see her in bigger roles. I have a dream of her in a Call Me Madam revival.

#20

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:43pm

I'm sure she and Titus will be great in "Sit Down". I'm sure they'll give her a solo in it.

#21

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:45pm

is it possible she's also u/s the role of Adelaide?

If the shows a hit, and Lauren Graham has to leave after six months to do her tv show...

#22

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:47pm

OHhh, I saw a production, and Cartwright WAS the show. She totally pwned. I have a feeling Mary Testa can pull something similar.

Some people paint, some people sew, I meddle.

#23

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:49pm

Ole Chum, I'm sure Graham is committing to at least a year. She is above the title, after all.

#24

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:53pm

I'm sure she will add some improv.

<<-- Help save Terminator: SCC
"The gay one?" -- Marissa Jaret Winokur on the Jonas Brothers.

#25

re: Burgess & Testa Join GUYS & DOLLS Revival

Posted: 12/15/08 at 6:58pm

I'm likin' Steve Rosen as Benny...

I think Tituss Burgess will be an interesting Nicely-Nicely. I really liked him in "The Little Mermaid," and I'd love to see him playing a human. He is absolutely nothing like what I had in mind for the role, but I think he can pull it off.

And like the other bajillion posters, I hope Mary Testa steals the show! And I really hope Arvide's good. That's the role I played (well, they called me Arvetta, for obvious reasons), and I've noticed that every Arvide I've heard is a really ancient guy who can barely squeak out a note. "More I Cannot Wish You" is such a pretty song.

In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy

Updated On: 12/15/08 at 06:58 PM

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