Can DREW SARICH please come back to Broadway with ROCKY

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 7:45pm

Pretty, pretty please

[bdn223]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 7:51pm

I don't think he will. Andy Karl will likely do the Broadway production, as he was who Ahrens and Flannery wrote the role initially for. Karl workshopped the show up until the creative team had to go to Germany. He was just unable to do the German production because he doesn't speak German and other equity issues.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 8:17pm

We want Andy Karl!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 8:24pm

Maybe Karl and Sarich should box each other for it.

[phantomvegas2]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 8:32pm

It will not be Drew.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 8:35pm

Lame! Drew Sarich has one of the most amazing voices. I listen to his Jesus Christ Superstar at least once a week. I'm still kicking myself for not seeing him in Lestat when I had the chance.

No offense, but I just don't think Karl is all that interesting on stage nor do I think his vocals are anything to write home about.

[Patronus]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 10:28pm

I just don't think Karl is all that interesting on stage nor do I think his vocals are anything to write home about.

Sounds perfect for what I've heard from Rocky.

[DancingShadows]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 2:40am

I don't think Drew Sarich will be coming over. Besides, from what I've heard, he can't do eight shows per week anymore, he's been missing a lot in Rocky and his voice isn't as good as it used to be, sadly.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 3:02am

As long as it's not the ultrageneric Broadway vibratto-meister on the preview videos...That's the exact voice they would use in a bad SNL skit about a Rocky musical. I mean, he's in good company with the lyrics. ("Rockyyyyyy--Fight from the heeeaaaart!" Hahahahahahaha.) Updated On: 5/3/13 at 03:02 AM

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 6:43am

He could come back for My Little Pony and I'd see it in a heartbeat. Man's voice is staggering.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 9:54am

"Besides, from what I've heard, he can't do eight shows per week anymore, he's been missing a lot in Rocky"

Well from the looks of it, this role ain't exactly a walk in the park.

[John Adams]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:18am

>> "Well from the looks of it, this role ain't exactly a walk in the park."

From what I've seen and heard of it, it's no walk in the park for the audience, either... >DOH!<

I think I might be too "old fashioned". I like the score and how well it tells the story to be the most exciting aspect of a musical - not a boxing match.

And if something needs to fly into the audience, I want it to be Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, witches from Eastwick, or Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang - some element of the show where it makes sense to the story, not there just to create spectacle for spectacle's sake.

If the score and the book won't be as exciting for an audience without moving a boxing ring into their laps, maybe there should be some revisions - or scrapping (HA! "scrapping" - see what I did there?).

I know the show is getting great reviews in Germany, but I also take into consideration that "Germans love David Hasselhoff".

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 10:18 AM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 10:50am

BDN223 is right, Sarich was only cast because Karl could not do the German production. I would imagine Karl is the first choice for Broadway and if for some reason he is not available, I still don't imagine Sarich would be their first choice.

I personally would only go see this if Karl were involved, I heard he was wonderful in the lab.

[DancingShadows]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 11:08am

Well tbh, not many roles nowadays are a walk in the park! But he's really missing a lot of shows, his understudies perform quite a lot, I don't think he has been on for two straight weeks since december. And it's not like he has any side project either ... You can also hear how his voice has gotten worse in recordings ... Sadly.

And while I'd actually love to see Andy Karl originate the role, this show is probably doomed to flop. Come on, Germans love Tarzan and other not-so-good shows ...

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:06pm

I just don't see Karl as "tough."

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:07pm

I've only seen him in Jersey Boys, and really enjoyed him -- he seems plenty tough to me (not that I think about Rocky much or often).

[Kelly2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:24pm

Andy Karl played tough to great effect in Jersey Boys as Tommy. He's done mostly comedic roles in Broadway, but he's played plenty of more rough and tumble parts outside the city. I personally really hope he gets to show off a different side of his talents in this part.

I understand you're a fan of Drew's, and I've heard his voice sounds wonderful in the part, but you don't need to discredit Karl as an actor to make the point that you'd like to see Drew. I wouldn't be sad to see Drew play the part, I was just told he was hired solely for the German run.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 12:26pm

I'm not discrediting anyone. I'm giving my opinion. It's a message board.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 4:48pm

Hey, DancingShadows, is Drew's vocal trouble a recent thing? (ie, this fall/winter?) I know he lost his voice for a bit there, but I don't remember hearing any rumors about it from his time as Krolock in 2011.

Also, what exactly is up with the German vs English casting? I know it's not the first time Drew has taken a production originally written in English and performed the German premiere - Hunchback comes to mind. It makes sense, though, to cast an actor who can already speak the language in the role. However, if I remember right, Terrence Archie (Apollo) doesn't speak any German and is with the production. (I recall a German review mentioning his accent.) Was it a case of Andy Karl not choosing to go over to the German production - language being a part of that - whereas Terrence did, or is it more likely that they wanted an actor who spoke German in the lead role, where a supporting role like Apollo it mattered less? I really know nothing about these matters, so I'm curious!

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 04:48 PM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 4:58pm

"Was it a case of Andy Karl not choosing to go over to the German production - language being a part of that - whereas Terrence did, or is it more likely that they wanted an actor who spoke German in the lead role, where a supporting role like Apollo it mattered less? I really know nothing about these matters, so I'm curious!"

What I heard was that they did not intend on using the Rocky of the German production on Broadway and wanted to cast a leading man more comfortable with Germany and speaking German as the lead. That's secondhand info so of course I could be wrong, but that was what I heard.

[DancingShadows]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 5:41pm

Rabekriegerin: well as far as I know it's been going on since Chess concert in the States, which was at the end of july! And then ever since Rocky premiered he's been missing quite a lot, he even said on his facebook fanpage he has a vocal injury and it looks like it hasn't healed yet completely. But no, I don't think he was missing so many shows as Krolock ...

Kelly2: Quite a lot of foreign actors work in Germany/Austria. It's not a new thing. Almost the whole cast of touring version of Cats in Germany was foreign. And there are many other foreigners in other productions too, Rocky included.

Updated On: 5/3/13 at 05:41 PM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 6:02pm

"Kelly2: Quite a lot of foreign actors work in Germany/Austria. It's not a new thing. Almost the whole cast of touring version of Cats in Germany was foreign. And there are many other foreigners in other productions too, Rocky included. "

No one is saying foreign actors don't work on Rocky? I'm only speaking to the decision in regards to Andy Karl in this specific production. I don't know anything about any of the other casting decisions so I don't feel comfortable addressing them.

[Tsao5]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 6:31pm

If a German actor can be found to do a role, then that is preferred.

For years, it was the case that because there simply were not enough dancer/singers to do the big musical shows from Germany, out of necessity shows were cast out of the US, Australia, England and other points around the globe. BUT.........BUT, these early shows had no speaking.....sung through shows such as Cats, Miss Saigon and Starlight Express. Almost ALL the actors in these 3 shows were not from Germany and had never said a word in German before they were cast.

A show such as Phantom, because or the nature of the show, right up Germany's opera tradition's alley, could cast with mostly Germans.

If you compare the amount of foreign performers now, to say, the 90's, it is much much less (and the foreign actors in the shows speak German having lived there for some time).

Some of the top musical theater stars in Germany are not from Germany but do speak perfect German, Pia Dowes, Ethan Freeman, Kevin Tarte, Bernie Blanks and Drew come to mind.

In Drew's first show, Disney's Hunchback, there were 8 actors during its run that played Quasi (including understudies). Not 1 was a native German speaker.

When Les Miserables was in Berlin, not 1 Valjean (of the 5 including understudies) was from Germany.

All the foreign actors must have phonetics weekly. In the sung through shows, the challenge is less then for those shows that have speaking. In fact, it is rare that somebody who cannot speak German would be cast in a show that has a lot of speaking.

Drew picked up the language very quickly and is fluent with almost NO accent. He will work for as long as he wants to work in Germany as he is very sought after there.

Now, regarding his 8 shows: There is a chance that he has in his contract that he DOES NOT do 8 shows a week. He is a family man with 2 kids who live in Vienna. There is a chance that he simply had put in his contract that after 2 or 3 months, he can go down to 6 shows or 7 shows a week. That would not be unheard of in Germany.

I do not know if that is true, but it is a possibility.

[DancingShadows]

Posted: 5/4/13 at 5:06am

Well, one of Valjean understudies (Chris Murray) was at least half-german, I know he's bilingual and his CV says he's lived in USA and Germany. As for Drew - I am sure he'll keep working, I know he has a little project lined up for next summer, but I'm just saying his voice isn't what it used to be ... Based on several recordings.

And not to go off-topic: Seems like Josh Young is also being considered now for Rocky? I can't really see that, Andy Karl still seems more appropriate ...

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 5/4/13 at 9:41am

I was at the Chess concert. I thought at the time it was simply an off night (happens to all) - since it didn't sound like there was any trouble at the rehearsal. I knew Rocky was rough, but I had thought that was the full-contact boxing match stuff more than vocal strain. And honestly, I haven't heard many recordings of Drew since last summer, so I have no benchmarks to go by.

Tsao: Thanks for that wealth of information! I have heard that it is much easier to sing in German than to speak it, if you are not a native speaker; both from foreigners cast in German musicals, and from my own brother (haha) who can sing quite emphatically as if he knows what he is singing, even though he doesn't.

It's good to hear that Drew has a great career over in Germany/Austria. Even if it is a lot more difficult for me to visit than Broadway, which is 'just down the road'.