Centerstage: The Musical

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:05pm

Has anyone ever seen this movie? I love it. The dancing is fantastic, and I think it would be an amazing Broadway musical. The movie is about a group of teenagers trying to make it into the American Ballet Company. I think they pass through a tryout audition, and take classes for a year. At the end of the year, they perform in seperate original ballets and people in the audience offer them a job, or The American Ballet Company accepts them as a member of the company. Here are the characters, and who I think should play them on Broadway.
Jody Sawyer- Must be named after Peggy Sawyer, because that's exactly who she takes after. She's shy, nervous, tries her hardest, and gets told by the choreographer that she has bad feet and may not be cut out to be a dancer, but in the end, she performs the lead in an original ballet and gets offered a job to be a principal in a new company. I think any of the women who played Peggy Sawyer on Broadway should play this role. I LOVE Nadine Isenegger, but I think Kate Levering would do an amazing job.
Cooper Neilson- A principal star at the Company, who is very cocky and to some extent fake. He is an excellent dancer, and gets briefly involved with Jody. He starts treating her badly, and in the end they stay friends, and he is the one that founds the new company Jody will star in. As far as who could play this on Broadway.....
Charlie Sims- One of Jody's friends who likes her a lot. He asks her out, but she is involved with Cooper. In the end, when Jody realizes what a jerk Cooper is, she ends up with him. He is an excellent dancer.
Maureen Cummings- Maureen has been attending classes at the academy ever since she was a young girl. Her mother is similar to Mama Rose. All she cares about is Maureen being a star and getting a spot in the company. Maureen is an excellent dancer, but cocky, and near the end becomes more humble and gives Eva her lead spot in the ballet, because after hanging out with friends and falling in love, she realizes that this is her mother's dream; not hers. This is an extremely hard role to act, and my dream actress to play this role is Tammy Blanchard. With some dance training, she could do it, and she could act the role beautifully. She would be absolutely perfect.
Nancy Cummings- Maureen's mother, who is completely against Maureen having any fun. She had always wanted to dance ballet, but never had the body, so she forces it onto her daughter. She is played by Debra Monk in the movie, who would be fabulous in a Broadway version.
Eva Rodriguez - My favorite character- a fiery, rebellious spanish girl, in the movie played by Zoe Saldana. She is an AMAZING dancer, but her attitude is terrible- she's late for class, and has an attitude with the teachers. In the end, she grows on the choreographers because she gets a spot in the company. Zoe actually dances her role in the movie, and I would love to see her recreate it on Broadway.
Johnathan Reeves- A teacher at the company. He is the headman and decides who gets accepted and who doesnt. In the movie, he's kind of an ass and is played by Peter Gallagher, who I would love to see keep his role.
Juliette Simone- A ballet teacher, who is a beautiful dancer and former ballerina. She has some trouble with Eva, but Eva grows on her. She also is Johnathan's assistant. Played in the movie by Donna Murphy, who again, could be AMAZING in the role on Broadway.
And that's all folks. The show would be absolutely amazing.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:12pm

Now I love me some Donna Murphy, but that b*tch doesn't know a plie from a pair of pliers!

Casting her as a former star of a ballet company was just HILARIOUS!

I love this movie to death...but only because it's SO BAAAAAAAD!

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:14pm

CENTER STAGE is to ballet what SHOWGIRLS is to Vegas.

[JeffG]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:18pm

At least Showgirls had gratuitous nudity.

While a guilty pleasure, Center Stage is nothing but a poor man's FAME.

If they turned it into a musical, it would only be a poor man's Fame at 42nd Street. And since that show is legendary for being ridiculously bad, I can't see a stage version of this ever happening.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:18pm

And you know you love BOTH OF THEM!!!

ADMIT IT, MAN...ADMIT IT!!!

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:41pm

I'll admit it. I love the both of them dearly.

[Karma76]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:47pm

My favorite part of that movie is the ending.
cooper's piece was magical...like literally. that red costume change with her hair all cornrows in the matter of a head bob....some great david copperfield stuff.

I also find it funny copper is the most desired male.

and charlie reminds me of paul rudd a little.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 2:51pm

I don't remember much of that film other than being greatly disappointed. The story just wasn't compelling enough for me to care about any of the characters. Billy Elliot, on the other hand, was delightful. Anyone know when the musical of Billy Elliot is set to premiere in the UK?

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 3:08pm

The dancing was very good though.
The movie was centered on teenaged audience. Most audults wont like it because the story line isnt very moving. Its the classic girl goes out with the wrong bad boy, gets dumped by the bad boy and is consoled by the good boy, the good boy wins the girl in the end while the bad boy realizes how stupid he was to lose her- and alongside of this whole heart breaking bash there was a dancer struggling with anerexia (spelled that wrong), her mother, and her new relationship, another dancer with attitude but amazing feet trying to get a part, and there was a small story about a girl being too overweight to stay in the ballet company. I mean you know all the answers before anything the movie is over. Like all my friends who dance are in love with this movie. May be its because they wish their future would turn out the ways of Jody. I like it just because of the dancing.

[Phantess]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 7:20pm

This is definately one of my favorite movies. but I don't see it being a great musical.

[Elphie]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 7:22pm

Agreed.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 8:06pm

The dancing was good. The acting sucked. Also, the guy who plays Tyrone in Fame was in that movie. It was cool seeing him dance live, and then seeing him dance in the movie. I can't picture it as a show, though.

[DavidMegg]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 8:36pm

My favorite part of SHOWGIRLS is when it's aired on VH-1 (which is at least once a week it seems) and during the scenes where they're topless, they've digitally added bras!!!
Too funny!

[cbrown828]

Posted: 1/16/04 at 9:04pm

that movie is such a guilty pleasure. so bad its good!

[Lorelai]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 4:01am

If I remember correctly, Susan Stroman did some of the choregraphy. I think it was Cooper's piece but I'm not sure.

[Amneris]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 8:58am

if you want to see "Center Stage" off the big screen, just go take class at Broadway Dance Center or Steps hehe :)
it's like being there in person... hoooowaaa ::oes cher hair toss::: i cant see this ever coming to the stage though.