Christine Ebersole to star in BLITHE SPIRIT Revival

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 8:21pm

Scheduled to open in Feb.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/theater/30arts-FOOTNOTES_BRF.html?_r=1&ref=theater&oref=slogin

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 8:24pm

Michael Blakemore knows how to do farce like no other.

Ebersole is an expert in ham.

This should be a blast.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 8:28pm

Ooh, I'm looking forward to that. This year looks like it's going to be better for plays than musicals.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 8:31pm

Any excuse to see Christine Ebersole!

[Heybeenfood]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:43pm

"Angela Lansbury and Rupert Everett are said to be on the wish list."

Now THAT's exciting.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:45pm

Thrilling news. This revival will be fantastic. Definitely a better year for plays. Are the only musicals opening this spring Pal Joey, West Side Story and 9 to 5? Only one new musical? Oh...and Vainities...seems like there were so many more shows last season.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:48pm

I'll be going to see this for the sole purpose of seeing Christine, but Ebersole and Lansbury together in one show?! That very well may kill me.

Updated On: 9/29/08 at 09:48 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:53pm

The article in Variety mentions the recurring rumors that Blakemore is going after Rupert Everett and Angela Lansbury to appear alongside Ebersole as Charles and Madame Arcati, respectively (Blakemore directed Lansbury in DEUCE last year.)

If he can get all three of them, this is going to be an event in every sense of the word.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:54pm

No way Lansbury could play THAT physical of a role 8 shows a week (and remember her lines). Would be lovely though...

[Princeton78]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 9:59pm

Oh my God...this is so amazing. I can't wait. I've been dying for this ever since Grey Gardens closed. Engrave the Tony now and death to anyone who tries to take it away from Ms. Ebersole and so on and so on....

[Lorelai]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 10:26pm

Lansbury and Ebersole in the same show? That is the stuff of dreams, for me. But I'd still see the show with Christine.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 10:50pm

To bad it is not a revival of the musical of it High Spirits.

[logan0215]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:02pm

Please excuse my ignorance of the material, but from the Wiki-synopsis I read I couldn't figure out which role Ebersole would be playing: the dead wife haunting, he current wife, or the eccentric medium?

The article both here and in the NYT doesn't mention it.
Updated On: 9/29/08 at 11:02 PM

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:13pm

WithoutATrace,

Don't forget NERDS and HAIR and DANCIN, plus the rumored FELA, TURN OF THE CENTURY, and PURE COUNTRY.

I have a feeling we'll be seeing a few more musicals...

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:20pm

I'm assuming Ebersole will be Elvira (the dead wife), but she could be playing the living one. Usually Mme Arcatti is played by a much older woman...

I saw this play at the critically acclaimed Trinity Repertory production last season...however, I'd only be interested in seeing this funny play on Broadway with a stellar cast, and Ebersole is a good start!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:24pm

According to Variety, Ebersole will play Elvira.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/29/08 at 11:30pm

She's a perfect choice...she really is. I'm laughing right now thinking about her in this role.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 12:03am

I believe that any role Ebersole wants will be divine, but this could be simply amazing! :)

Updated On: 9/30/08 at 12:03 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 12:05am

Elvira is the "funny" role. She's the ghost of the dead first wife. Ruth is the live second wife, but she's more of a "straight" part (aka, non-comedic). Both are sizable female roles though.

Ruth's part might actually be bigger than Elvira's (but I think Elvira has the showier part).

Madame Arcati is a character role (the eccentric medium who calls forth the spirit of Elvira during a seance), and is almost a supporting role. She's only in two scenes, but they're both great.

It would be fantastic if Lansbury would do it. It's not a huge role but she would be wonderful in it.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 12:13am

Wow! What great casting!

Here's hoping Blakemore can get Angela to sign on, too!

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 12:37am

Other new musicals this season: [tos] and 13.

[NY_Broadway2]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 8:53am

I'm so happy for Christine. She was absolutely stunning in Grey Gardens and I wish her all the best in Blithe. I hope to catch it.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 10:02am

Interesting parallels I forgot:

I saw the 1987 revival w/ Richard Chamberlain, Geraldine Page, Judith Ivey and Blythe Danner. Page was wonderful (and got a best actress nomination). Ivey was perfect making me feel that Ruth can be a better role. The mischievous ghost versus the frustrated and out of the loop present wife. Danner was too mannered, imo. I felt the same way when they starred AGAIN together in the revival of Follies, Danner bugged the crap out of me.

I'd rather see High Spirits, especially with Ebersole and Lansbury. Then Ebersole could recreate another Tammy Grimes role, the first being in 42nd Street, and win another BA in a Musical tony. Grimes wasnt nominated for either role. Bea Lillie was nominated as Madame Arcata for Best Actress (the role was expanded for her), and Louise Troy was nom'd as Supp. Actress for playing Ruth. Noone won for this show, though it was nom'd for 8 tonys...it was the year of Hello Dolly.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 10:15am

A February 26th start to previews is expected in advance of a March opening at a Shubert theater to be announced.

Any guesses as to where this is headed?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 9/30/08 at 10:32am

Regarding Blithe Spirit vs. High Spirits... I've seen two productions of High Spirits, and despite the genuine quality of that score, that show never really quite works as well as you'd hope it would. I think it's because the songs, once they state their premise, don't really have much more to say. So the action of the play stops dead for three or four minutes, a song unfolds, and then the play starts up again.