Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

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Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 9:40am

It would not surprise me at all if the producers put in a realtive no-name to take over as Ella on June 10, perhaps someone who has previously been in the ensemble, with the view of casting her in the tour that begins in September. That way, the tour promoters can market: "Direct from her starring role on Broadway, Jane Doe in Cinderella." For one thing, as we saw last summer, it's the show, not the stars, that sell to the summer family crowd. What Fran and CRJ did very well was to keep the show on solid footing from January until now. Perhaps at the end of the summer they will have to back to the star casting strategy.

Of course, this is sheer speculation on my part. But I think it might made sense, and it will have the ancillary benefit of keeping the costs down in not having to pay stars. And it's also possible (and I think likely), that they'll get some type of name to take over from Fran after she finishes on June 29.

CZJ at opening night party for A Little Night Music, Dec 13, 2009.

Updated On: 5/14/14 at 09:40 AM

Carley Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 10:22am

From what I can remember, wasne't Cinderella doing just okay box office and when Fran and Carly joined, grosses went up considerably? if so, then star casting IS what keeps the show doing well.

Darreyl with an L!

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 10:30am

Darreyl, I think you might have missed my point. The show does (or did) just fine during the summer tourist season wihout "stars", but clearly stars were needed to get from post Christmas until now. Families who come in during the summer will see the show regardless of cast, just as they did last summer. You are right that there was a big lull in sales between the end of the holiday seson and the time CRJ and Fran came in.

CZJ at opening night party for A Little Night Music, Dec 13, 2009.

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 10:37am

two flaws in the thinking, raised. First, you make the fatal producing error of being satisfied with doing OK. Rule #1 is that you need to do everything, always. Second, and perhaps even less debatable, the focus on the summer when demand is high, ignores the fact that the show will again have to contend with the fall thereafter, and that'll take stars to survive through to winter which, I suspect, will be the end of the road.

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 10:45am

HH, did you miss this part of my original post:

"Perhaps at the end of the summer they will have to back to the star casting strategy."

So maybe just one flaw in the thinking? And it's not my thinking, it's just a guess as to what the producers might do. I would have thought that if they had a star lined up, she would have been announced already just to build the advance for the summer.

CZJ at opening night party for A Little Night Music, Dec 13, 2009.

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 11:28am

They wouldn't cast a no-name in the Broadway production only to be able to (hopefully) sell more tickets on the road. It just doesn't make financial sense.

The touring production is kind of already paid for, in the sense that the producers have a minimum weekly guaranteed income for at least a solid year. There are no guarantees on Broadway - a few bad weeks in a row and the show is done.

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 12:46pm

Jane Doe would rock this role.

Why don't they cast Little Miss Grande?

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 1:48pm

She's too big right now to stop and play Cinderella.

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 1:59pm

I know. I really actually thought Ariana Grande might just put in a stint as Ella. Alas, her pending CD release makes that impossible. ARGH. I think she'd be pretty good.

#10

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 2:32pm

Ariana definitely will be busy promoting her upcoming singles/album through at least September-October. I see her more likely starring in NBC's Grease more than I see her dedicating 3-6 months on Broadway.

#11

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 2:45pm

Raised-I'm only good going back one post

Ancient history was never my strong suit. lol

#12

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 3:13pm

Any names being mentioned yet? I know she's not a name, but wasn't Laurie Veldeer at one point supposed to be an understudy for Laura, but then her career took another path?

#13

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 4:31pm

Loretta Swit?

"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#14

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 5:18pm

Arianne Rinehart (Liesl from the Sound of Music) would be a phenomenal option, and "famous" enough to put "from NBC's the Sound of Music Live" on the front of the house

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#15

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/14/14 at 5:26pm

The Christina Applegate one was a joke, right?

#16

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 10:43pm

It looks as if my prediction about casting a "no-name" to replace CRJ was right. Someone close to the show told me a short time ago that she is going to be replaced by Paige Faure, who is now in the ensemble of Bullets, and who was previously in the Cinderellas ensemble.

But my thouoght that Fran might be replaced with another "star" or name turned out wrong. Nancy Opel will be taking over from Fran come the beginning of July. She's very talented, with a good Braodway resume, but neither of these replacements are known quantities, especially to the summer tourint crowd. So, it seems as if the producers are counting on the show selling itself during the summer season. I guess we'll see.

CZJ at opening night party for A Little Night Music, Dec 13, 2009.

#17

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 10:47pm

I am interested to see who they end up casting for the tour.

#18

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 10:47pm

I might have to see it for Nancy Opel alone...

#19

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 10:52pm

JohnnyBroadway, I am guessing that Paige will go on tour as Ella, and that they will try to cast "stars" to take over in the fall, as without stars at that point I doubt that the show will survive until the holidays.

CZJ at opening night party for A Little Night Music, Dec 13, 2009.

#20

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 11:37pm

Is it bad that I wish the show would close so that Miss Saigon could potentially come back to Broadway in the Spring?

#21

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/18/14 at 11:53pm

Yes.

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#22

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/19/14 at 12:15am

Thanks Lizzie. I thought so.

#23

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/19/14 at 12:25am

Phillytheatreguy, Laurie just did the workshop. I can definitely see them bring her on, or have her headline the tour. She's currently on Hero at Asolo, but I don't think that runs that long.

#24

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/19/14 at 12:52am

I know there was sort of a conflict as the show is touring on a Seta contract. So the question is would anyone from the broadway company head onto the tour to make less than what they would be making in NY. I wonder if one of the ensemble men will be playing Topher?

#25

Carly Rae Jepsen's replacement

Posted: 5/19/14 at 5:38pm

So, 3 more weeks until the new Ella and NOTHING has been announced yet, huh? I thought we would hear back from now. We knew about Carly about 2 months ahead. If Carly was extending, they would have announced her with Fran.

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