Complete Casting Announced for FINIAN'S RAINBOW Revival

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 1:13pm

"As previously announced, the cast will be headed by Wonderful Town's Kate Baldwin as Sharon McLonergan, Xanadu's Cheyenne Jackson as Woody Mahoney, The Seafarer Tony winner Jim Norton as Finian McLonergan, Young Frankenstein Tony nominee Christopher Fitzgerald as the leprechaun Og and Tony Award winner Chuck Cooper (The Life) as Bill Rawkins.

Newly announced cast members include Guy Davis (Sunny), Alina Faye (Susan Mahoney), Brian Reddy (Sheriff), David Schramm (Senator Rawkins), Terri White (Dottie) and William Youmans (Buzz Collins).

The ensemble comprises Aaron Bantum, Tanya Birl, Christopher Borger, Meggie Cansler, Bernard Dotson, Leslie Donna Flesner, Sara Jean Ford, Taylor Frey, Lisa Gajda, Kearran Giovanni, Tim Hartman, Lauren Lim Jackson, Grasan Kingsberry, Kevin Ligon, Monica L. Patton, Joe Aaron Reid, Steve Schepis, Devin Richards, Rashidra Scott, Brian Sears, Paige Simunovich, James Stovall, Elisa van Duyne and Tyrick Wiltez Jones..."

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/131796

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 1:15pm

Here's my addition to this conversation: snore.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 2:20pm

So this means that Raul might be doing "A Little Night Music"...that might be old news but I haven't checked that thread in a week :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 2:26pm

Have they posted their closing notice yet?

[Pgenre]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 5:50pm

I gotta agree with Jordan.

What audience do they think this production will have?

Most people who remember "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?" being a radio hit are dead, as are the "Old Devil Moon" fans.

The show is just not part of the cultural conciousness, and then you have the (pretty terrible) movie with the names FRED ASTAIRE and FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA attached, which would surely satisfy the curiosity most would have in the show. Hmmm.

And Cheyenne Jackson's fanbase is about as big as... Raul's, maybe (though far less deserved) and, as we all saw, a no-star COMPANY that got generally very good reviews couldn't survive. Not that I'm comparing COMPANY and FR in ANY way besides that.

I wish them the best, but I think they should fear for the worst. Particularly in this economy at $112 a pop (or whatev).

P
Updated On: 8/7/09 at 05:50 PM

[i am the one]

Posted: 8/7/09 at 7:14pm

Yay, Rashidra Scott in the ensemble! Glad to see she's getting work after being Gary Coleman in Q. I enjoyed her.

Other than that, woo.

[Albin]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 12:13pm

"Xanadu's Cheyenne Jackson as Woody Mahoney"

I love that Cheyenne is playing a character named "Woody."

Heh heh...

[emilyfaye48]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 12:36pm

I saw this show at City Center and walked out thinking, "Well that was fun but it'll NEVER in a million years transfer" I was so surprised when they announced. But I kinda feel like it could be a surprise hit. It's the kind of show that is just so weird and quirky that I could see people totally falling in love with it.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 12:43pm

I just checked out the clips from Encores on the Finian's Rainbow website. Something I hadn't done before. The leads all have good voices for this revival, but other than the woman singing "Necessity," nobody is actually interpreting a song. They're just singing pretty notes. One after the other. No style whatsoever. No inflection. And totally disconnected from the lyrics. Even their physical gestures and facial expressions don't go with the words they're singing.

Didn't anybody listen to the OBC to see how these songs can and should be performed? Didn't anybody take an acting class? Talk about a colorless rainbow.

It really makes me appreciate Ella Logan and Donald Richards even more. What a difference musical phrasing can make. (I'm not talking about "riffs" either, I'm talking about emotional, natural phrasing and interpretation.)

But if people want very pretty (but totally empty) faces singing very pretty (but totally empty) notes, then it'll be a big hit.

Updated On: 8/8/09 at 12:43 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 12:55pm

It's a shame, too. "Glocca Morra" and "If This Isn't Love" are two of the most beautiful melodies ever written for a Broadway show.

When Ella Logan sang "How Are Things In Glocca Morra?", you could actually picture it in your mind. The flavor was in her voice to create the location. The audience shared the memory with her. Hell, I can even do that listening to the CD.

This new gal might as well be singing "How Are Things In West Covina?" for all it's worth. Her interpretation (or lack thereof) paints no visual picture whatsoever. No real yearning for it either.

It just shows me that no matter how good a song is, somebody can always kill it.

[lovesclassics]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 1:51pm

Here's a video of the Encores production at Broadway.com. I just adore this score and am really looking forward to seeing how they stage it. I've always thought the book was dated, but it sounds like they have found a way to make it fresh.

I also really enjoy Kate Baldwin's work. Given a full rehearsal schedule and not just a concert staging, I think she'll bring a lot to the role. Loved her in She Loves Me at the Huntington and as Milady in Three Musketeers at NSMT. She outshone everyone in the cast including Aaron Tveit who played D'Artagnan. Nice to see her get a lead on Broadway.
Encores Video

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 2:39pm

The woman singing "Necessity" is Terri White. The original Joice Heth in Barnum. She also played to role in the Irish Rep revival.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 3:51pm

I wish them the best, but I think they should fear for the worst. Particularly in this economy at $112 a pop (or whatev).

maybe that's why they're going for much lower ticket prices on Wednesdays.


anyway, I'd love to see this be a surprise hit. I love the music, I loved it at Encores, and I really would love more people to learn how amazing Kate Baldwin is. we'll see what happens though.

[MarkK]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 4:09pm

I thought it was great at Encores. I think the cast is solid and that FR maybe the surprise hit of the season. Everyone said HAIR was going to crash and burn, and look what happened there.

The truth is, nobody knows what shows will or will not resonate with an audience.It's a crap-shoot with new shows or revivals. Finian's score is beautiful, and if they stage it properly with some "actual sets" it could be really fantastic.

[tytonius]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 8:45pm

Cheyenne is SO gay on that sneak peak...
Is it too hard to play a straight men?

[justinmanalo]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 10:26pm

Its great to see Cheyenne Jackson back on stage at a new production.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 10:30pm

Cheyenne Jackson sang insanely well in that sneak peak. Hopefully he'll grow into his role and give a great performance, come opening.
ETA: Cheyenne didn't seem 'gay' to me in that clip at all, but then again...I would say my gaydar is pretty off considering that it took my 12 years to realize that I'm gay.

Updated On: 8/8/09 at 10:30 PM

[Malice]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 10:37pm

Negative nellies that say it's going to close before it is even going to open, geesh, give the show a break.

[Malice]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 10:43pm

He was great in the clip regardless, and I would pay to hear Cheyenne Jackson to read a menu.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 11:02pm

I am a fan of Sara Jean Ford so I am glad to hear that she is getting work.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 11:04pm

I wonder if she's going to be Kate Baldwin's understudy. judging by the .02 second clip I saw of her in Into the Woods, she seems like a vocal match, at least. haha.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/8/09 at 11:06pm

If that turns out to be the case it wouldn't shock me one bit.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 8/9/09 at 10:11am

I finally got around to watching the Cheyenne clip. I have to admit, he's in great voice here and displayed a great range. How would you describe his voice technically -- a baritone with a strong top or a tenor with strong lower notes? (I was going to say a strong bottom, but that would lead to a lot of too much innuendo.)

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 8/9/09 at 10:28am

RE: Ella Logan and Daniel Richards. My problem with Logan is that she had a Scottish accent, not an Irish one (understandably, as Logan was a Scot) and for my money, from what little I've seen from the clips, Cheyenne blows Richards off the water vocally.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 8/9/09 at 10:30am

Everyone said Hair would flop and there wouldn't be anyone be willing to pay full price. Look how that turned out. Don't doubt things.


....Yet.