Casting What Could Have Beens — Page 4

As a huge Waitress fan, I have to know and maybe someone could answer this...was Laura Osnes really considered for Jenna? Anyone know?"

During this period Laura was probably too involved with Bandstand to be seriously considered for Waitress. The show was first workshopped in September, 2014 with Laura, Corey Cott and Beth Leavel (who was sadly underutilized in the musical). The next year the same stars played a two month engagement at Paper Mill ending in early November, 2015.

Although it was 17 months before its appearance on Broadway, I don't think that she could have been shoehorned into Waitress and she did not want to leave Bandstand, from which bigger things were expected. I guess others here would know better than me if it were even possible

But I don't know for sure. Here she sings "What Baking Can Do" at 54 Below in November, 2016. Has 86 thousand views despite the fact that it's sideways for 15 seconds (not my video).

https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=PiyFSqHDJ6k

On YouTube they also had an interview with her from two months ago where the topic of Crazy for You was brought up (I was there for the 25th anniversary one nighter). She said that there had been rumors about the show running on Broadway (logical that there would be rumors since Susan Stroman completely workshopped it in January, 201, that they had their fingers crossed, waiting for the right time, an open theater.

 

 

 

Updated On: 8/5/19 at 05:17 AM

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Bart was also fired from the producer/Hook role in Finding Neverland out-of-town; Michael McGrath took over, and then they replaced him with Kelsey Grammer.
 

Bart wasn't fired from Finding Neverland. He left because of "artistic differences." Word was he wouldn't sign on unless he was guaranteed NYC, which he wasn't. 

Also at the ART, Melissa Leo left Even Ensler's O.P.C. over artistic differences. Stephen Collins left the same show while he was under investigation for child abuse. His replacement also left that production.  

Paula Vogel withdrew from Waitress. 

Always a bumpy ride over at the ART. 

Not at the ART, but I recall an announcement that Sean Hayes would be a replacement Cat in the Hat in Seussical.  However, from the May, 2001 Advocate:The New York Post reports that Sean Hayes, who plays the flamboyant Jack on TV’s Will & Grace, will not be taking over the role of Cat in the Hat in Broadway’s Seussical as previously thought. He will instead be spending his summer promoting his new film, Cats and Dogs. Hayes claims, in fact, “I haven't even heard of Seussical!” (At the time, Eric McCormack was in The Music Man. I remember trying to figure out a way to get, them and Messing and Mullally on Broadway together. Imiginary casting: Messing in Proof and Mullally in Chicago.) 

 

Updated On: 8/5/19 at 12:25 PM

Bernadette and Mandy were rumored to headline a revival of Kiss Me Kate. They apparently even did a reading of it according to reports at the time. I don’t know if this became the Mazzie/Stokes revival or of it was a different project entirely.

Patti LuPone, in a recent video interview, talked about being courted for a revival as well. Again, I don’t know if this is all the same production, different ones, or what. She said she declined because she’s not a soprano. They asked her to sing through the score with Paul Gemignani, so she did out of courtesy and found they only needed to drop the songs about a step. Then they asked her to audition and she said no. Then they asked her to meet with the director and she did because she was a fan of his work. Then they asked her to audition again and she said no again. And that was the end of that.