Casting rumors that never happened, but you wish did- Page 2

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/14/18 at 4:48pm

I don't know if it counts, but that joke at the Tony's where Josh Gad said he'd be playing Pseudolous in Forum.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 1/14/18 at 5:55pm

This wasn't a rumor since the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera had actually sold tickets. It was GYPSY starring Debbie Reynolds who was 48 years old at the time. Not originally a fan, I had seen her in Gower Champion's excellent production of ANNIE GET YOUR GUN a few years earlier and Reynolds was a sensational Annie. Her voice was powerful and she was a never ending bundle of energy. So I was curious to see how she would play Rose but unfortunately the LACLO went bankrupt and the season ended earlier than planned. Speaking of GYPSY, I've read at the time of the original production that they were considering Ann Sothern to take over for Merman when she took it on the road but decided instead to close the Broadway run. Besides rumors of Marilyn going into DAMN YANKEES, I'd also read once that Judy Garland was considering going into ANNIE GET YOUR GUN for a limited amount of time before doing the film.

Agree with those who would've loved to have seen Benanti cast as Eliza Doolittle. I thought after SHE LOVES ME, she was a shoo-in. I'm sure she would have sung it beautifully.

[natashalost]

Posted: 1/15/18 at 2:09pm

She Loves Me film adaptation with Julie Andrews as Amalia and Dick Van Dyke as Georg.

This was, of course, when they were younger.

[markypoo]

Posted: 1/15/18 at 2:45pm

Barbra or Julie Andrews in a proposed f/v of The Merry Widow.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 1:06pm

Ariana grande as Elphaba in wicked

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 4:47pm

Bert Lahr as Dolly

[The Josh]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 6:29pm

Cyndi Lauper in Sweeney Todd

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 7:23pm

I heard a rumor that Betty Buckley was going to do Sweeney Todd as Sweeney Todd regionally, but it never came to fruition ??

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 7:25pm

bwayboy22 said: "I heard a rumor that Betty Buckley was going to do Sweeney Todd as Sweeney Todd regionally, but it never came to fruition ??"

She was supposed to play Lovett in Texas in 2005 

http://www.playbill.com/article/betty-buckley-and-shuler-hensley-to-star-in-texas-sweeney-todd-com-125671

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 7:35pm

Ooooh, I never knew that! However this was supposed to be at Sag Harbor (where she did Grey Gardens) circa 2013. A friend of mines family is a donor and was told there were in talks to do a production with Betty as Sweeney.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 7:45pm

Colin Firth as Higgins.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 8:39pm

Though it wasn’t a stage production, I’m pretty bummed the Kate Winslet and Robert Downey Jr. in the film adaptation of Next to Normal never happened. I’m sure it would have been brilliant.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 9:05pm

Two non-singers attempting Next to Normal? That would have been a disaster.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 10:06pm

Yeah that would have awful. 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 1/22/18 at 10:08pm

I’m not sure how TDJ is at singing, but Kate does had a nice singing voice and would have acted the crap out of the role.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 12:43am

I’m not sure how TDJ is at singing, but Kate does had a nice singing voice and would have acted the crap out of the role.

RDJ does sing. I'm not sure either could handle the specifics of that score, but they are both definitely singers

 

[Tag]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 1:30am

Barbra or Julie Andrews in a proposed f/v of The Merry Widow.

Igmar Bergman asked Barbra to do it.  She recently discussed this in depth for the podcast "Here's The Thing" with Alec Baldwin (if you're interested in more info).

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:03am

Robert Downey, Jr. singing:

These four videos are by no means a representative sampling, just proof the dude can sing at all. Which he can, and fairly decently if you ask me.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:09am

Wasn’t RDJ considered for Higgins for the upcoming MFL revival? Or was he just a dreamcast?

[binau]

Posted: 1/23/18 at 9:27am

n2nbaby said: "Though it wasn’t a stage production, I’m pretty bummed the Kate Winslet and Robert Downey Jr. in the film adaptation of Next to Normal never happened. I’m sure it would have been brilliant."

Was this ever real or just wishful fan thinking? (Including myself). 

[WestCoastActor/Director]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 9:41am

Dollypop said: "Melania Trump in MAME"

As what Gloria Upson?

 

 

[The Other One]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 11:03am

Don Rickles as Willy Loman. Falsely advertised in L.A. in the early 90s.

[David10086]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 8:24pm

Cher, Diana Ross,  Bernadette Peters. Michele Lee, Jennifer Holliday, Tyne Daly, Barbara Eden and all the other actresses Andrew Lloyd Webber supposedly 'offered' the role of Norma Desmond in 1996, to take over once Buckley left. Some names were inspired, some were more insipid. However, he knew he needed a 'name' to sell tickets (and Elaine Paige just wasn't that name).

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 1/24/18 at 10:17pm

I'm listening to Robert Downey Jr's album now. He has a good singing voice, but I don't think he'd be suited for Dan in Next to Normal. His voice is too rock-oriented. Musical Theatre singing voices do need nuance and it can help when they're informed by other genres, but his is too smokey and it lacks diction.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 1/25/18 at 6:52am

...is Next to Normal not a musical with a lot of rock/pop inflection, or did I miss something?