#2
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:20pm
Jerry Mitchell was attached to direct and choreograph right after the movie came out and all the buzz began circulating about a revival.
He got busy, and the project was shelved.
He got busy, and the project was shelved.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#3
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:26pm
No, I thought Bob Avian was going to supervise a remounting of the original Michael Bennett staging. THAT would be cool. To threadjack slightly, I'd rather have Avian and Co. do a retrospective Bennett review (with Turkey Lurkey, The Mirror Number, Tick Tock, Company, various numbers from Chorus Line, Ballroom and Dreamgirls, etc.) than a revival of Dreamgirls.
#4
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:29pm
I am anxiously awaiting a revival.
Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
#5
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:36pm
I'd have thought that the only way we'd get revivals of DREAMGIRLS would be if Bennett's original staging was used. Mitchell has been brought in to re-create Bennett's choreography for a number of productions (including Papermill's FOLLIES), I am guessing he was going to do something similar to this?
I think either him or Des McAnuff (who borrowed lots of Bennett's work on DREAMGIRLS to stage JERSEY BOYS) would be ideal for a revival of this piece.
Anika Noni Rose for Deena Jones anyone? Hell, Anika Noni Rose in a fat suit for Effie White.
And JV92, I too would love a Bennett retrospective a la JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY and FOSSE.
I think either him or Des McAnuff (who borrowed lots of Bennett's work on DREAMGIRLS to stage JERSEY BOYS) would be ideal for a revival of this piece.
Anika Noni Rose for Deena Jones anyone? Hell, Anika Noni Rose in a fat suit for Effie White.
And JV92, I too would love a Bennett retrospective a la JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY and FOSSE.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Updated On: 3/2/08 at 09:36 PM
#6
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:42pm
I would LOVE Anika as Deena!
Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
#7
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:48pm
I've been thinking Anika as Deena for a long time. LaChanze as Lorell perhaps?
A re-creation of Bennett's original staging would be the best way to go. I'd love to see how those rotating towers worked. Did anyone see the original?
I think the best way to see the show, unfortunately, would be to have J. Hud. as Effie.
A re-creation of Bennett's original staging would be the best way to go. I'd love to see how those rotating towers worked. Did anyone see the original?
I think the best way to see the show, unfortunately, would be to have J. Hud. as Effie.
"I mean, sitting side by side with another man watching Patti LuPone play Rose in GYPSY on Broadway is essentially the equivalent of having hardcore sex." -Wanna Be A Foster.
"Say 'Goody.' Say 'Bubbi.'" ... "That's it. Exactly as if it were 'Goody.' Now I know you're gonna sing 'Goody' this time, but nevertheless..."
#8
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:48pm
Yeah her or Merle Dandridge as Deena and I would be very happy. Then add Natalie Venetia Belcon as Lorrell and I would be very very happy.
Updated On: 3/2/08 at 09:48 PM
#9
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:51pm
I was hoping for a Bennett review more in the style of Robbins' Broadway than Fosse. Fosse was too damned dark.
#10
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:53pm
I would give my left testicle to see J Hud perform Effie live.
Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
#11
Posted: 3/2/08 at 9:58pm
I wouldn't go THAT far, but whatever floats your boat lakezurich. I'm not a huge fan of the material, but I'd kill to see Bennett's staging on Broadway again.
#12
Posted: 3/2/08 at 10:12pm
I think Jennifer Hudson needs to do as many roles AWAY from DREAMGIRLS in order to benefit her career.
I think there are plenty of other actresses and singers able to do the role justice on Broadway.
I love the idea of Anika as Deena and Natalie Venetia Belcon as Lorrell, jewishboy!
I think there are plenty of other actresses and singers able to do the role justice on Broadway.
I love the idea of Anika as Deena and Natalie Venetia Belcon as Lorrell, jewishboy!
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#13
Posted: 3/2/08 at 10:22pm
ummmmm, and what has she been doing since then?
Ok, I take that one back, I just looked on IMDB and she has some movies coming out soon, but it doesn't seem like she has any major roles in any of them.
Ok, I take that one back, I just looked on IMDB and she has some movies coming out soon, but it doesn't seem like she has any major roles in any of them.
Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"
lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical
Updated On: 3/2/08 at 10:22 PM
#14
Posted: 3/2/08 at 10:28pm
She's got the highly-anticipated Sex and the City movie (where she does not play a diva, so that's a step in the right direction) and she has her album coming out in the spring. I'd love to see a Dreamgirls revival with the original staging and especially the original lighting. I have a practically flawless bootleg of the original cast via December of 1981 and it's magical. The only thing that would top it is to see it live.
"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.
#15
Posted: 3/2/08 at 10:42pm
I absolutely love Natalie Venetia-Belcon but does she have the range to play Lorrell?
I'd love LaChanze as Deena, Anika back as Lorell, and Shayna Steele as Effie.
I'd love LaChanze as Deena, Anika back as Lorell, and Shayna Steele as Effie.
"Who says you can't bend over backwards and eat bugs if you want to? I guess the bugs would probably say you can't do that that, but assuming that they are willing and consenting bugs, then there's no problem. Let's wig out eating bugs."
-RuPaul
#16
Posted: 3/2/08 at 10:59pm
It seems like I remember hearing on VH1 that the actors in the movie had first dibs on the roles if it went back to Broadway, because that was in their contract? At the time, I thought that seemed like an odd thing to put in a contract, and I'm guessing it wasn't really true.
#17
Posted: 3/2/08 at 11:58pm
Jennifer Hudson also has the ensemble film WINGED CREATURES (with Oscar-winner Forest Whittaker in the cast) and THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES (where she co-stars with Oscar-nominees Queen Latifah and Sophie Okonedo) lined up.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#18
Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:43am
LaChanze is too old to play Deena or Lorell. She was an understudy and eventually played in the nationakl tour that became the Bway revival.
#19
Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:49am
Responding to one of the first posts here, I can tell you with 150% certainty that Jerry Mitchell was NEVER attached to direct and choreograph, ever, at any point. And therefore, the project was not "shelved" because he got busy. I really wish that people on here would not state hunches or guesses as facts. It is very misleading.
#20
Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:57am
I'm with jv92. I'd rather see a Michael Bennett catalogue show. It will probably be called "One Singular Sensation" and would recreate great show moments of his career.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#21
Posted: 3/3/08 at 12:45pm
Only if Donna takes some role in either the direction/concept part or the actual dancing part.
#22
Posted: 3/3/08 at 1:24pm
Shayna Steele would tear the roof off the theater as Effie, but shes so small, I dont see it...
#23
Posted: 3/3/08 at 1:28pm
"Only if Donna takes some role in either the direction/concept part or the actual dancing part."
Can Donna still dance? I thought she had to quit due to arthritis.
Can Donna still dance? I thought she had to quit due to arthritis.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#25
Posted: 3/3/08 at 3:54pm
"Can Donna still dance? I thought she had to quit due to arthritis."
Donna sure can! I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be able to to The Cassie Dance eight times a week, but if a Bennett retrospective show ever came to frutation, I would hope that she'd take a narrator sort of role. I'm sure she'd love to.
Donna sure can! I'm pretty sure she wouldn't be able to to The Cassie Dance eight times a week, but if a Bennett retrospective show ever came to frutation, I would hope that she'd take a narrator sort of role. I'm sure she'd love to.
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