Sounds like he will be starring in the revival (do not know if this was known). "Female is not cast yet". Glad to see this project is still in the works!
Chorus Member Joined: 7/28/08
Laura Michelle Kelly for Eliza, pls.
Keep Anne Hathaway far away from this.
For Eliza Doolittle...
Star Casting:
Emily Blunt
Anne Hathaway
Carey Mulligan
Pure Theatrical Casting:
Samantha Barks
Laura Benanti
Sierra Boggess
Jessie Mueller
Laura Osnes
^^^Missing Laura Michelle Kelly in the Theatrical Casting.
Swing Joined: 4/19/15
LOVE the idea of Emily Blunt or Samantha Barks as Eliza! Have they announced when this would make its way to Broadway?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
They need to cast a trained singer in the role of Eliza because it can damage the voice. Julie Andrews, Martine McCutcheon and Melissa Errico all had vocal problems in the role.
I agree, Gotham, as much as I would love to see Blunt (it would be great to see her in Pygmalion), and as much as she can handle a song, My Fair Lady's Eliza needs to be a real and a great SINGER.
Stand-by Joined: 3/5/15
KELLI O'HARA
Surely her contract for The King and I will be up before this goes into production.
O'Hara is too old for Eliza.
Perhaps they will go with a bit of an unknown (a la Julie Andrews) if Colin Firth is to be the Rex Harrison (marquis name) for the production.
Eliza should really be in her early 20s.
Stand-by Joined: 3/5/15
^Hasn't stopped others in the past.
Besides, it's not like she looks any older than she is, especially next to Firth.
If they are going to cast someone who is 40, I'd rather they do something really unexpected and cast Audra McDonald.
O'Hara too old for Eliza?
She's all of five years older than Audrey Hepburn when she played her in the movie.
She and Benanti are contemporaries.
And not very long ago at all they played much younger women than Eliza, to great success, in Light in the Piazza and in Gypsy.
How is the 5 years age difference between someone like Kelli (born 1976) and someone like Laura Michelle (born 1981) at all significant when it comes to Broadway casting?
(Laura Benanti was also mentioned. Is she (born 1979) also too old for Eliza?)
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/14
colin as henry...extraordinary
I dont think elizas age matters...its the transformation and chemistry that count....
Rex was so much older than julie the hint of a sexual relationship was almost creepy....
Does anyone have any facts or updates on the status of this production?
I havent heard any press updates in almost 1.5 years.....
True that.
Shaw wrote the play for the first Eliza, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, who, at the 1914 debut was 49 years old.
Chorus Member Joined: 7/28/08
Someone who could hit it out of the park vocally would be fantastic. If not LMK, then maybe someone who could do the optional high c at the end of "I Could Have Danced" a la Cheno.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
I want Laura Benanti to star in this so badly. She should get the chance to tackle some of the great musical theatre roles (thank you Roundabout for casting her in SHE LOVES ME).
If they want a star, I can't think of anyone I'd rather see than Carey Mulligan or Emily Blunt. I'm not sure either of them have the range to sing this though.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
Honestly, Benanti is the only one I can actually picture nailing the comedy as well the more dramatic moments.
O'hara doesn't need to play every golden age leading ingenue, people. Give someone else a shot. Laura Benanti please. I can't think of anyone better for it. Emily Blunt doesn't have anywhere near the chops for this role. No one in hollywood does. You can half ass the vocals on alot of leading lady parts but not Eliza. Casting a hollywood star who is an okay singer in My fair Lady is like casting Madonna in Evita. Just terrible.
O-M-G this is my Gran's absolute favorite actor in her absolute favorite musical!
I trust you realize, Bilbo and Ray, that Laura Benanti has played, in Broadway revivals, Maria von Trapp, Gypsy Rose Lee, Claudia Nardi, Cinderella (ITW) and is soon to play Amalia Balash.
That's a resume to rival O'Hara's Broadway revival roles.
And I'm not complaining about anything.
Other than that it's a shame that enough great new roles aren't being written for both Laura and Kelli do take on.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/2/14
Need Laura Benanti in this. Its her dream role, so I'm thinking she will try her hardest to make it happen.
Benanti would be my choice. The humor, the voice, the beauty, and the poise.
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