COMPANY starring Katrina Lenk and Patti LuPone will open March 22 - Page 17

[binau]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 12:47pm

Also. They have Patti. I know that is no film star but it means something. I suspect like War Paint and Follies the show will follow a similar trajectory though, as it just did on the West End: strong start, great reviews and then temper down and die off without likely making a profit. But at this point i think everyone is involved in enough Sondheim revivals to know that the chances of making money are slim so does anyone really care anymore? Lol.

[Theatrefanboy1]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 12:57pm

I guess I’m the only one hoping for Richard fleeshman to transfer.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 1:08pm

In regards to the point about her "applauded as a choice within the theatre community"..lets be honest, who outside of the theatre community is dying/Stanning/planning trips to NYC just to see Company? Regardless of it is was her, SJB, or Jessie..the big money is gonna come from us and I feel like we'd all go see it regardless of the lead

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 1:21pm

I've been watching COMPANY since its opening night in 1970, and if Jonathan Bailey as Jamie isn't part of the package, then cancel it. He won the Olivier Award (as did Patti), and brought the show to a riotous, screaming halt with his "Getting Married Today". If he's not in it, don't bother.

[Mike Barrett]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 1:23pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "In regards to the point about her "applauded as a choice within the theatre community"..lets be honest, who outside of the theatre community is dying/Stanning/planning trips to NYC just to see Company? Regardless of it is was her, SJB, or Jessie..the big money is gonna come from us and I feel like we'd all go see it regardless of the lead"

Ya, pretty much this. If Anne was cast or someone of her pedigree fame wise then this would have major commercial potential. Im not exactly sure if it does if the show goes with Doyle, Link, and Lupone. I don't think it will do poorly but may not be gangbusters or an impossible ticket. Ive never even seen Company, so this is going to be a total treat! 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 2:39pm

A few things:

1) COMPANY didn't do well last time it was on Bway and posted its closing notice the week after it won Best Revival. (It had opened in December.) A lot of non-theatre-loving audiences feel alienated by the show.

2) When a bunch of star names (Hathaway, Williams) say no, it's probably not worth it to pay extra for a semi-star like (as a bad example) Rachel Bloom. Lenk won't work for minimum, but she's a cheaper "prestige" alternative.

3) I cannot see a starless production of COMPANY grossing more than about $750k a week MAX at the box office. I'm not really sure what the optics of this are recouping are, but it's certainly a risk. If the show opens in the spring, gets great reviews, and gets awards attention, that could sustain it through the Fall.

4) Katrina Lenk does not mean anything outside of the theatre community. But she + Patti LuPone will be exciting for New York theatergoers and critics for the first month or so of the run.

[Um Kulthum]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 5:11pm

Saw this from a Backstage writer on twitter:

"Apropos of absolutely nothing I swear !!!!!! shall we revisit Katrina Lenk’s *gender-swapped* “If I Were a Rich Man,” a performance that turned the gays straight and the straights gay and generally redefined sexuality? I think we shall." 
https://twitter.com/Casey_Mink/status/1162099586183438337?s=20 

Updated On: 8/15/19 at 05:11 PM

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 5:16pm

With all the "hints" I'd be really surprised if it was someone else as Bobbi at this point. I'm really excited IF she's the lead since I just kinda assumed it would be played by a all-american-looking white actress. I think it'll be really dope seeing her in this since I'm only familiar with her in TBV. 

Updated On: 8/15/19 at 05:16 PM

[binau]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 5:28pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "A few things:

1) COMPANY didn't do welllast time it was on Bway and posted its closing notice the week after it won Best Revival. (It had opened in December.) A lot of non-theatre-loving audiences feel alienated by the show.

2) When a bunch of star names (Hathaway, Williams) say no, it's probably not worth it to pay extra for a semi-star like (as a bad example) Rachel Bloom. Lenk won't work for minimum, but she's a cheaper "prestige" alternative.

3) I cannot see a starless production of COMPANY grossing more than about $750k a week MAX at the box office. I'm not really sure what the optics of this are recouping are, but it's certainly a risk.If the show opens in the spring, gets great reviews, and gets awards attention, that could sustain it through the Fall.

4) Katrina Lenk does not mean anything outside of the theatre community. But she + Patti LuPone will be exciting for New York theatergoers and critics for the first month or so of the run."

I agree the Doyle production was a complete and utter  financial failure and felt alienating but this production is honestly a completely different experience. It’s actually funny and enjoyable, and much more accessible to wide audiences. It feels modern too eg with the tinder references, lyric changes and female lead. The Doyle production was so serious and odd. Raul gave an amazing star turn and I am so glad his amazing vocal performance is captured. But I only realise now how bad the production was in hindsight. 

[theatregoer3]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 10:56pm

Qulbinou, I completely agree with you.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 11:19pm

Explain to me, from a producing standpoint, why record a cast recording for a limited run in London with the goal of Broadway? Seems odd to then not want to bring over those leads.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/15/19 at 11:48pm

Most major Sondheim revivals get recorded, aside from the string of recent Off-Broadway revivals. I'm not surprised it got a London cast recording, and I won't be surprised when it likely gets a Broadway cast recording. 

Apparently they did try to bring over Craig and Bailey, but it fell through with both. 

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 12:13am

I know some thought Craig's singing keys sounded too high in London. Being that Lenk has a smokier/sultrier voice, I wonder if they will lower the keys for her.

Updated On: 8/16/19 at 12:13 AM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 3:44am

YvanEhtNioj said: "With all the "hints" I'd be really surprised if it was someone elseas Bobbi at this point. I'm really excited IF she's the lead since I just kinda assumed it would be played by a all-american-lookingwhite actress. I think it'll be really dope seeing her in this since I'm only familiar with her in TBV."

And is Katrina Lenk not an "all-American-lookingwhite actress?"  She's American and white and an actress..... I don't get your point.

 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 5:22am

GeorgeandDot said: "

And is Katrina Lenk not an "all-American-lookingwhite actress?" She's American and white and an actress..... I don't get your point.
"

I think my point is pretty clear.  No, she doesn't have an All American look [TO ME]. I'm aware she's American. I'm aware she's white. The term "All American" generally means cookie-cutter stereotype version of beauty (and if you don't agree you can Google image search it for examples once you get passed all the Carrie Underwood Album covers). Her look is very exotic as she reminds me of Catherine Zeta Jones. Don't act like what I said is a bad thing when I literally just said "I think it would be really dope seeing her". 

[Up In One]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 8:51am

With Lenk and LuPone on board the rest of the cast should be the best actors available. While I did not see the London production I was not plused with what I think is a very dull recording. Accents were slipping constantly and “You Could Drive A Person Crazy” sounded like a 60’s Oxford men’s choir arrangement. IMO the show needs more surprising (not stunt) casting to match the new concept. Revivals, aside from Chicago never make bank so they should just go for it with the casting.

[rjm516]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:17am

I'm shocked that they tried to get Craig and Bailey and it fell through?! I wonder what side ended things. I can't imagine they didn't want to bring these roles to Broadway. Bailey was my fave part of this production.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:39am

rjm516 said: "I'm shocked that they tried to get Craig and Bailey and it fell through?! I wonder what side ended things. I can't imagine they didn't want to bring these roles to Broadway. Bailey was my fave part of this production."

Sometimes it just comes down to good old fashioned money. You can want to reprise a role and perform on broadway but you're also moving your life (possibly away from spouses or children) for six months to a year to a different country that's an expensive 7-8 hour flight away. I can easily see American producers not wanting to pay for any moving expenses/housing/raises/airfare for family to visit they'd possibly ask for. 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:56am

Bailey also recently signed on to the new Shonda Rhimes Netflix series, so maybe that conflicted (or he opted for that instead of this, either because it's filming in the UK or it might pay better).

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 11:08am

As I’ve been arguing all along, IMO this production needed to come to the states with an American cast. Partly because of the material, partly because nobody in the UK production is an international name (and shouldn’t American Equity be stricter about wanting Local actors to have these jobs?) and mostly because I don’t think there is anyone in the London production who couldn’t be bettered by someone from the American talent pool.

I know a few American producers involved with the show and from the beginning some of them have been arguing against Craig coming to NYC with the project. I don’t know if that played a part in the eventual decision, or if they were hoping for a name and Craig went on to accept a different project etc., but I’m glad it worked out has it (apparently has). The UK production was a fascinating experiment, but I think Marianne Elliot has some further conceptual work she needs to do and hopefully this new staging with a new cast will allow her to do that.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 11:34am

What incentive, exactly, does Marianne Elliott have to do "further conceptual work" with a production that was critically acclaimed and award-winning? 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 12:09pm

^ I, for one, think the staging and concept of Another Hundred People was quite awful. That one segment could really use some reimaging to not have Bobbie be mansplained a bening MTA representation. I'd also personally love it if they just made Bobbie bisexual and changed one of the lovers to female/non-binary, but that would likely take away the "menstrual clock" urgency which this production is going for with Tick-tock.

[Up In One]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 12:23pm

Valentina3 said: "^ I, for one, think the staging and concept of Another Hundred People was quite awful. That one segment could really use some reimaging to not have Bobbie be mansplained a bening MTA representation. I'd also personally love it if they just made Bobbie bisexual and changed one of the lovers to female/non-binary, but that would likely take away the "menstrual clock" urgency which this production is going for with Tick-tock."

Great idea but I wonder how much tinkering a period piece like this can take without a full rewrite. 

 

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 12:32pm

I probably mostly just want to see Patti LuPone hit on Katrinka Lenk on a Broadway stage, instead of "offering her husband".

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 12:50pm

Kad- this has been discussed already in other threads but agin IMO the production is fascinating to watch and while it makes a case for a woman playing the role, it doesn’t really dig deep enough in terms of what it means for the central character to be a woman. Simply changing pronouns and reassigning genders isn’t enough to disguise the truth that if Sondheim had written this musical with a female lead at the center of it, he would have written a lot of different material. So, perhaps when I say Marianne Elliot has an opportunity in the states to dig deeper, I’m also hoping the same is true of Sondheim. I don’t expect him at this point in his life to do much rewriting, but I can wish.

One example of something I think should be looked at again for the states are Bobbi’s three boyfriends who in London basically came across as homosexual- partly because of casting and partly because they were essentially performing material written for three women. Sure it’s a “kick” seeing them take on the roles, but again I was left with the feeling that these parts would never have been conceived like this if they were written to be played by men.