I agree, this could be a bad move for Jennifer, but I don't think any of us would mind if she does star on Broadway. I think Anika Rose would be perfect for Deena. I think that Natalie Venetia Belcon would be great as Lorrell. Updated On: 1/26/07 at 07:37 PM
I was thinking LaChanze when I opened this thread. I also think Sharon Leal would be fabulous. I loved her in the movie, even though it was a small part.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
RIP Beauty and the Beast
1994 - 2007
RIP Lestat
04/25/2006 - 05/29/06
You may be gone, but you are NOT forgotten!
RIP Jonathan Larson! "Thank You Jonathan Larson!"
My FAVORITE Broadway Actors who I LOVE (cause their AWESOME):
Josh Strickland, Aaron Lazar, David Ayers, Sebastian Arcelus and Hugh Panaro
If they choose to go in an American Idol direction (don't bite off my head), what about Tamyra Gray as Effie and LaToya London as Deena? Just a thought! I do think it would be exciting if they went with unkowns for the leads though. With all the hype from the movie, they may not need "names."
"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott
"In theater, the process of it is the experience. Everyone goes through the process, and everyone has the experience together. It doesn't last - only in people's memories and in their hearts. That's the beauty and sadness of it. But that's life - beauty and the sadness. And that is why theater is life." - Sherie Rene Scott
Yeah, Capathia would have been a great Effie... ten years ago.
Anika Noni Rose is eyeing a return to Broadway, but in the transfer of "Porgy and Bess." Don't hold your breath for her to ever play Deena. She's a smart girl, and will reach stardom on her own terms outside of "Dreamgirls."
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.
Condon said that Jenkins was "A" runner-up to Hudson, but didn't say that she was #2.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Am I the only one who thinks Jenkins is a bit long in the tooth for the role? On stage she may be able to get away with it, but on film against the likes of Knowles and Rose as her contemporaries? No way.
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.
Absolutley no one in the film version will go NEAR a revival of "Dreamgirls". So get over it.
I'd like to see Norm Lewis play Curtis, although he's probably much too old now.
I'm all for Ramona Keller to do something.
anything.
actually, what wouldn't surprise me at all is that if "Grease" turns out to be a success, this show is cast via reality TV. I mean, everyone knows it now, and it has that pop-score sound that America loves.
Scary? yes. but i do think it's possible. (although I'll let Margo be the judge of that, I think he knows what the Bennett estate will and will not allow better than I)
Absolutley no one in the film version will go NEAR a revival of "Dreamgirls". So get over it.
I'd like to see Norm Lewis play Curtis, although he's probably much too old now.
I'm all for Ramona Keller to do something.
anything.
actually, what wouldn't surprise me at all is that if "Grease" turns out to be a success, this show is cast via reality TV. I mean, everyone knows it now, and it has that pop-score sound that America loves.
Scary? yes. but i do think it's possible. (although I'll let Margo be the judge of that, I think he knows what the Bennett estate will and will not allow better than I)
I can't remember where I read it, but Condon did confirm in a recent interview that Jenkins was a finalist -- which I thought was ODD to say the least (she's a good decade too old for it).
I really can't imagine Breglio OKing a reality show. It doesn't seem like his style. Besides, the movie has given the title so many millions in free publicity, it doesn't need any cheap stunts to sell a revival.
There's also the fact that the GREASE tv show has been doing progressively worse in the ratings every week it has been on, so I don't know if we'll see another Broadway-themed reality show in the future. And remember that GREASE is a much higher profile title than DREAMGIRLS, having been done thousands of times around the country by every high school and community theater in America and the movie is the highest grossing musical in history.
Plus, I also can't help, but wonder about the degree of major network interest there would be in an all-black reality show. The GREASE one has practically 100% white contestants (as did the British one about The Sound of Music) and most other successful reality shows have had few successful non-white contestants. How many larger black women (and black women in general) have managed to do well on American Idol? Hudson only finished 5th and others have stuggled to get the millions of votes nationwide that they need on a weekly basis to succeed on the show. As much as it would be nice to say that such a thing would be a non-issue with the public, I would be willing to bet that the network programmers would be very hesitant to book an all-black, Broadway-themed reality show in primetime.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
During her run in "Aida," I remember reading a blurb in the New York Post and Daily News mentioning that Deb was being considered for a possible revival of "Dreamgirls." Of course, that didn't pan out as the talk of the film started a few months later. Deb has mentioned that doing "Dreamgirls" would be a dream for her. I believe she would tone down her vocals for the sake of the story.
From what I've heard through the grapevine, the top 3 finalists for Effie were Jennifer, Capathia and Nicci Gilbert (former lead singer of the R&B group Brownstone).
And I'm glad they won't include any of the film songs in the play, especially "Listen."
I think Latoya London would make a great Lorrell.
And I agree with what Margo mentioned before: there should be two Effies!
Updated On: 1/27/07 at 01:05 AM
Well, wasn't Fantasia the one most people involved with the movie rooting for? Hudson was consistently told she had not been cast for the role but then kept getting calls to go back. Jenkins is incredibly talented but I agree she'd have been too old for the role on the screen; however, she might be OK for a revival. I can't believe anyone who has listened to the Concert cast recording would suggest Heather Headley for ANY of the roles. Her "Ain't No Party" is a bit painful to hear and she disappointed during some numbers like "I Meant You No Harm." I doubt Anika Noni Rose would play Deena but I think she'd be great in the role. Sharon Leal is probably a more likely choice and her voice seems to be perfectly suited for Deena. And no Norm Lewis as Curtis either. I think the only person from the concert recording I'd like to see reprising his role is Darius de Haas.
"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"
Well of course, Fantasia, a black woman, WON her season of American Idol (and Latoya London was 3rd runner-up). And Kimberly Locke, who is half black and on the plus size, was second runner-up in season 2 (which was won by a black man). And I would argue that the second biggest success to come out of season 1 would be Tamyra Gray. And then Vonzell was second runner-up in Season 4. Overall, I'd say black women have done pretty well on American Idol.
So I don't think American Idol is the best example to support your point. (though you did specify larger black women, which may make for a more true case)