Does ANYONE know RUTHLESS?!

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:32am

It seems like no one knows about Ruthless, the musical! It's one of my FAVORITES if not my fav. please somebody else know the show!~

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:35am

Will you think less of me if I say the only things I know are that Laura Bell Bundy was in it and Natalie Portman and Britney Spears understudied?



Reading that, I realize, yes you will think less of me.

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:36am

grrrr lol.. it's better than nothing i suppose :)

[coalhouse]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:37am

Tina your on!

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:38am

Very well.

I saw the show in its original workshop at Musical Theatre Works, before the second act was entirely rewritten and the ALL ABOUT EVE subplot added to the show. (I think it was better in its original version). I saw it several times at the Players.

I adore the show. In fact, I tend to quote random lines from it to strangers.

"I'm playing PIPPI!", "What was she doing on the catwalk, she's not even in the union!" and "I know her! She was in the all-white version of the all-black version of HELLO, DOLLY! in Bucks County!" make me howl.

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:38am

YES! FINALLY! hahaha that was one of my favorite parts i have ever played.. wish i could do it again lol alitttttttle too old now

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:39am

haha yes! lol I used to live in bucks county so I found that line EXTRA hilarious.. i just feel like ruthless is so unknown and it shouldn't be!! I wish more theaters would do it

[scotty]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:40am

I luurrrve Company!!!!!!

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:42am

yes I'm Judy, Judy Denmark, Judy Denmark, that's my name, Judy, Judy Denmark. Sylvia: Tina's mother? THATS ME-EE-EE!!

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:54am

Hee.

Thanks for bringing back the memories, Characteress. RUTHLESS! was one of the rare musicals that made me laugh so hard that I was doubled over in pain by intermission.

[Charactress!]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 2:56am

:) i try.. don't you love it though?? why the hell won't theaters do this?

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 3:04am

I know about as much as Tiff.
And I think I heard a song from it on BWW radio once...


Anyway, to anyone who would like to hear the music, catch the following link:
(NOTE TO ROB, CRAIG, AND JOSE': Music can be listened to, but NOT downloaded. Therefore, I don't think you need to delete the link.)
http://www.xsao.net/Broadway/Ruthless/

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 3:04am

Two reasons, I guess.

First, it must be difficult to find a child actress with the particular abilities required to play Tina. Not only does she have to be an exceptional singer and dancer, she has to be able to pull off high camp comedy.

Second, it has a distinct gay sensibility about it. A huge number of the jokes are directed at theatre insiders, and it assumes that its audience is very familiar with both THE BAD SEED and ALL ABOUT EVE. While it played like gangbusters in Greenwich Village, I can understand why it might not go over well in Peoria.

[shira467]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 3:22am

Okay, I have to say....this show still rings in as one of my favorites. Maybe because I played Sylvia. I'm female, FYI, but I was 11, so what guy was going to play it? It was a great part for me, and I enjoyed doing the show tremendously.

The comedy was fantastic....some great lines. I can't even think of them right now

*goes off to dig up her script*

[magruder]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 7:05am

That should be...

"Three years ago, Ruth Del Marco was spotted doing 'I Do! I Do!' in Bucks County"

"Then, one day, a producer came on board and offered me a part in the all white company of the all black version of Hello, Dolly! I jumped at it!"

"School authorities are puzzled as to what the child was doing on the catwalk, since none of the children are union."

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 10:56am

I saw the original production off-Broadway with Laura Bell Bundy (billed as Laura Bundy in those days) and loved it. I also thought she was amazing to be able to play that role at such a young age.

Britney Spears replaced her.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 11:25am

I saw a production of it recently; it was one of the funniest shows I've ever seen.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 11:39am

Here in Connecticut at an up-and-coming professional theater (Spirit of Broadway Theater... spiritofbroadway.org), they did RUTHLESS! last season. They advertised it as the "20th Anniversary Director's Cut," though... the original director, and the authors too I believe, came in and they put back in some material that had been cut. It was excellent!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 12:08pm

I know it and LOVE it. A good friend of mine (Joan Ryan) played the mothers role in Los Angeles. I actually made myself the finale dress and went out one year for Halloween as her. Somewhere, I have a picture of the both of us. Joan said, "Oh my God, you look just like me." Only I was twice as tall as her.

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 12:16pm

I think this show is great! I auditioned for it YEARS ago, but had one os the worst auditions in my life and didn't get Tina. But it's such a fun show. I'm glad I got to watch it.

[magruder]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 1:10pm

Britney Spears actually just performed the role of Tina for one week, when Laura Bundy was filming "Life with Mikey". There was another stretch when Laura was filming another movie when a girl named Priscilla Behne played Tina. Priscilla went on to open the Chicago production. Natalie Portman (who was Natalie Herschlag at the time) replaced Britney as the understudy fairly late in the run, but Natalie never went on as Tina.

[showfan2]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:35pm

Yeah RUTHLESS is a great show... but I have to agree that is it filled with inside jokes... There are so many references to old movies and theatre than many people don't get them...

I saw both the Off-Broadway and the Los Angeles productions... Both were good but the LA production was better as far as production values go... great set/lights and the costumes were designed by Bob Mackie... so hysterical...

[misterchoi]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:44pm

I'll get it!

[magruder]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 4:47pm

Much as I'd love to hear a third chorus...

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 1/2/05 at 6:21pm

Hello-yes this is TINA's Mother!

we did it like in november...I didn't get a part though (totally could have been Judy!) but I did spot lights so i've seen the show like 10 times (actually-i could have been all the parts after watching it that much!)

I love it!