CHICAGO gets a brand new Velma.. (Mya's replacement)

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 10:53am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117636.html

Braxton is gone! Lets hope it stays this way.

Not familiar with Nancy, but she looks good.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:00am

Brenda Braxton should be kept as far away from Broadway. Why the Weissler's keep bringing her back and paying her for the same old tired performance is beyond me.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:02am

I agree. I just think Velma is a pretty difficult role to cast...and it's almost impossible to stunt cast. Though Mya would have been great.

Braxton was great when she started with the production. But now she is just bored.

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:04am

Is Mya not doing it anymore?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:07am

Mya broke her foot. Read article.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:09am

Nancy is an excellent dancer. On the other hand her singing is a little troublesome.

[shh282]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:10am

Could anyone see Tamyra Gray doing the role at some point- or is it just me?

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:13am

Can Tamyra dance?

It's one of the most demanding female dancing roles on Broadway. And it's rarely stunt cast. Mya was cast because she had extensive dance training.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:20am

Here's hoping Mya makes a healthy recovery and joins the show in the fall maybe??

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:24am

so...right now, Chicago doesn't have any stunt-casting actors in it? That's rare.

[mallardo]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:34am

Nancy's vocals weren't quite up to the Jerome Kern songs in Never Gonna Dance but the vocal challenges in Chicago are not on that level. Hard to believe she's never been in this show before.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 11:38am

Great news for Nancy!!!

I sure hope that Mya recovers soon.

[Unmasked05]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 1:01pm

I love Brenda Braxton...and I hope she comes back to Broadway soon in a show other than Chicago. I hope Mya has a speedy recovery so that she can come do the show.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 1:06pm

Anyone familiar with this Nicole Bridgewater, who has temporarily taken over as Velma? I was REALLY hoping for some Donna Marie Asbury as Velma during this interim, but it appears it is not to be.

How is Bridgewater in the role?

[otis33]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 1:10pm

Donna Marie Asbury remains my favorite Velma Kelly.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 1:18pm

thank god brenda is gone! i saw the show twice on tour, and i didnt like her either time!! and those giant ass red finger nails piss me off. espceially at the top of all that jazz when she has her first entrance pose(the fosse pose on the lift) where she is backlit, and you only see her silhouette and THOSE DAMN RED FINGERNAILS!!! the light shines right through them! anyone else notice this??? haa

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 1:53pm

I second the Donna Marie Asbury love. My favorite Velma as well.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 2:07pm

what was so bad about Brenda? I've never seen her, but she looks like she'd be great...just seems like she has the right attitude.

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 3:08pm

Cannot wait to see this for the first time on the 31st!
With a 'fresh' cast in-tact, it's turning out to be something wonderful. My best wishes to Nancy!

[george95]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:30pm

I've seen CHICAGO about 6 times since December, the last being on Friday, and I dont know what some of you are talking about when you say Braxton's performance is "tired" Sometimes it seems like people on here hate on anybody or any show that stays on Broadway longer than a couple years.

Her acting was great, her singing was great, her dancing was sharp, and she got lots of laughs and responses from the audience.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 4:59pm

"what was so bad about Brenda? I've never seen her, but she looks like she'd be great...just seems like she has the right attitude."

Brenda was great when she began, but her performance has become increasingly mechanical over the years. That's what people have objected to- the sense that she is on auto-pilot, phoning it in.

[Rentfan931]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 5:35pm

That's awesome new blood in the show. I do hope Mya` gets her run after Nancy is done in July.

[Rentfan931]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 5:41pm

"I love Brenda Braxton...and I hope she comes back to Broadway soon in a show other than Chicago."

Perhaps Goodwin's replacement in ACL when Goodwin leaves in July?

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/12/08 at 6:18pm

Brenda Braxton is 51 years old. Too old for Sheila, but she'd be an excellent choice :)

[Kev]

Posted: 5/13/08 at 11:22pm

As mentioned above, Braxton was excellent her first few go-rounds in the role. The past couple years, though, have been painful. Her moves are sloppy, the vocals rarely exciting, and the pacing just deadly.

I, too, was surprised that Donna Marie was not given the week between Velmas. Nicole Bridgewater has been with the show for YEARS, as well. On the last touring incarnation, she understudied both Roxie and Velma.

And Nancy Lemenager has played Velma before, in the Westchester Broadway Theatre production (opposite the fantastic Dana Moore as Roxie.)