Carriethemusical.com: Complete Casting Announced for 2009 Reading of Carrie- Page 2

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:29pm

I've only heard/seen Mazzie in PASSION and heard her in the Ragtime OBC album

I saw Passion, Kiss Me Kate, Spamalot, Man of La Mancha and Ragtime and I truly think this is the strangest choice. Almost as if they wanted it to flop again. I think her style of acting will make it look bad camp, I can't believe they didn't go for someone with a more subtle style and less lyric soprano voice.

But, I guess that's what the reading is for, to see what works.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:32pm

What is remotely subtle about Margaret White?

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:34pm

What ISN'T remotely subtle about Marin Mazzie?

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:38pm

Wait, Pgenre ... you think Marin is a "subtle" performer?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:43pm

I think Marin Mazzie is one of the best musical theater actresses around, I love her voice, love her acting. Her performance as Clara in PASSION is sublime. I have no doubts she'll do a great job with Margaret. Though Alice Ripley and IMO Donna Murphy (not sure about the vocals) would be pretty great as well.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:46pm

If subtle = bland, yes.

Why not just cast Rebecca Luker and make it a real snooze?

Don't we all need a good nap?

P

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:49pm

Mazzie can do a lot more than you think she can. I've worked with her before.

When she was hired to star with Brian Stokes Mitchell in Kiss Me, Kate, everyone said, "Marin?! She's a dramatic musical actress!" They had no idea she could do comedy.

And ... have you ever read "Carrie" or any other horror novel by Stephen King? There's definitely an intentional camp factor in nearly all of them. That's his style. There was definitely a camp factor in the film version of Carrie, even in those riveting scenes between Spacek and Laurie.

I hope they're exploring all the possibilities with the characters now. And I think in order for this to really work, it's going to have to strike a balance between horror, camp, operatic drama, and human tragedy.

Otherwise, they're looking at another flop again.

And I definitely think Mazzie is up to the challenge.

Updated On: 10/31/09 at 05:49 PM

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 5:57pm

Excuse me, please don't tell me what I think. And just because you worked with Mazzie doesn't make her ideal for this role, or ANY role, as much as YOU may have enjoyed her blandness onstage previously.

She HAS improved. But, like Luker (who really hasn't improved much in her acting), it's all pretty singing with no depth. In RAGTIME she tried her damnedest, it seems, and it shows but she still is overshadowed by three of the other females in the cast even though she has the true lead role.

I have read EVERY King book up to EVERYTHING'S EVENTUAL and I COMPLETELY disagree with EVERYthing you said about the camp factor. King is many, many things but camp is NOT one of them. You can thank the film and the musical for that. You REALLY think that CAMP of all things is King's "style"? Wow...

Guess we just won't agree on this one, best12. This is BAD CASTING period, no matter how much you love and adore and want to work with Marin Mazzie (again).

P

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:01pm

"Excuse me, please don't tell me what I think."

I didn't.

"If subtle = bland, yes."

You told me what you think.

So your off-the-handle attack was ludicrous. Why did you have to make it personal and come all unhinged?

I've got a better casting idea for Margaret White --- Pgenre!

Updated On: 10/31/09 at 06:01 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:21pm

What is remotely subtle about Margaret White?

I think you know what I meant. The character itself is big, and every time I see her perform she is bigger than the character itself. I just picture her as being laughable in something like this but I guess it does depend on the tone the director picks.

The benefit of the doubt.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:22pm

"Mazzie can do a lot more than you THINK she can."

Fact, not fiction?

On THIS we agree:
"I hope they're exploring all the possibilities with the characters now. And I think in order for this to really work, it's going to have to strike a balance between horror, camp, operatic drama, and human tragedy."

And I'd KILL in that role!

KILL!

HH, love. Blame it on the Halloween night! But King ain't camp and Mazzie is still bland!

P
Updated On: 10/31/09 at 06:22 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:24pm

blaxx---I think the director's choices really are the key here, as you say.

Mazzie can play it small or big. For laughs or with grave seriousness. Or perhaps somewhere in between. It will all depend on the director's vision and the overall tone of those scenes and entire the production.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:30pm

No, Pgenre, I'm not going to blame it on Halloween. Unless you've eaten a whole bag of candy already tonight.

And YES (to use your all-caps approach), Stephen King does use a camp element in most of his stories. You must have seen him interviewed about this, or read his articles on the subject, right? Especially if you're such a fan.

He loves to make people laugh unintentionally while scaring the crap out of them a moment later. That IS (all caps) his style, according to the man himself as well as me. He's talked about it for decades.

This is the guy who wrote Cujo, Christine, Carrie, The Shining, Misery ...

We can agree to disagree, if you want. But when you make it personal, you come off as a total ass. Not someone possessed in the moment by Halloween.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:34pm

""Mazzie can do a lot more than you THINK she can."

Fact, not fiction?"

YOU told ME what YOU thought in your previous post, you clod. I didn't tell YOU.

(There, all caffeinated caps again, so you can read it.)

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:41pm

You just insulted my chosen style of discourse (twice), called me a "total ass" and proceeded to TELL ME what Stephen King thinks when he writes, in addition to the hypocrisy of calling what I said "personal" when you, yourself, volunteered the information that you are "personal" with Miss Mazzie as if that makes you a better judge of her talents.

If ANYONE is possessed by ANYTHING, my dear, it certainly isn't me...

Agree to disagree, whatever way works best for you.

I don't like Mazzie for Margaret and Stephen King is not camp. But I am over it.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

P

P.S. I thought it was rude how you answered blaxx's question, if we truly want to get "personal", but you answer most of us like that so I suppose it's just become par for the course. It's worth it, in the end, as you always have interesting things to add and I've enjoyed most of your posts over the years.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:46pm

I kind of surprised at all this, i think Mazzie is an insanely fantastic choice. I mean, her belting on "Back to Before" was phenomenal... who's to say she couldn't rough it up a little, it's already incredibly strong and deep.

And her stunning soprano should really do justice to the most beautiful sections of the score: those duets with Carrie.

I'm really excited for this. I think Jennifer Damiano is great choice too.

And I think comparing the versitile Ms. Mazzie (as mentioned before: she's adept at comedy and drama, and is a fantastic belter with a lovely soprano range) with Rebecca Luker (who is talented, but no Mazzie)...is hilarious.

All my opinion BTW. But I guess we'll see. I'm just glad this reading is happening at all.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:47pm

I disagree about the camp value in, at least CARRIE as Stephen King wrote it, if for no other reason than it was his first published novel and by his own admission stylistically it differs from his other works as he'd barely discovered his authorial voice yet. I don't think he'd developed enough personal style yet to include camp even if we wanted to.

And as over the top as the material (and her all black leather go-go boots were) I wouldn't really consider either Barbara Cook or Betty Buckley's performance to be very campy.

I have a lot of respect for Mazzie's talent. My guess is she'll be able to pull it off just fine. She probably wouldn't be my first choice (cast my vote for Donna Murphy) but she certainly will be more than okay for at least a reading. That said, I have her seen some performances that reminded me of a drag act, so I understand where genre is coming from.

Definitely a directors call.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 10/31/09 at 6:49pm

JERRY! JERRY!
http://cm1.theinsider.com/media/0/384/0/JERRY_SPRINGER_SINGER_SEARCH.0.0.0x0.660x491.jpeg

[bundy5000]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 1:03am

I assume it will be an industry invited reading only??

[phantom39]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 1:04am

Well, everyone discusses Marin Mazzie... but how about Sutton Foster for Miss Gardner? I mean, that's a role played in the original production by Darlene Love...

[vassey]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 8:14am

Sutton Foster as Miss Gardner might not be such a bad move. It may have been played by Darlene Love before.. BUT.. the character's response to Carrie's social problems is to cover her in lipstick and stick her in a dress, then shove her off to the prom to meet a boy. A cooky, young, blond Gym teacher would be more likely to do this than a middle aged, sensible woman, surely?
Updated On: 11/1/09 at 08:14 AM

[phantom39]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 8:44am

Well, the character of Gardner also sings "unsuspecting hearts" with carrie in the second act, and is a very "mothery" song that won't go well with that young blonde character of a gym teacher (and I hope they don't cut it- its a great song).

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 9:55am

He loves to make people laugh unintentionally while scaring the crap out of them a moment later

How, pray tell, does a writer make somebody laugh "unintentionally"? And in what way does anything you have said about Stephen King meet the definition of "camp," which Sontag said "is the lie that tells the truth"?

And how can somebody who called somebody a "clod" lecture anybody else about being a bossy bully boy?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 11:48am

Hmm...well, my vote is still for Linzi Hateley to play Margaret. Although, Donna Murphy is a solid second choice.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/1/09 at 12:00pm

I'm not sure how much of the role of Miss Gardner was changed for Darlene Love. As has been discussed earlier - the role was played by white actresses (Laurie Beechman, Donna Murphy) in its earliest readings.

We also don't know if the reading will include new material (or old material from earlier versions of the script).