ENCORES ; MERRILY cast??? — Page 2

#26

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 12:39am

I wish we could see Celia Keenan-Bolger as Beth.

Also, Autumn Hurlbert for Evelyn Kringas!

Somethingwicked, Jim Walton was only 26 when he played Frank in the original production, not 33

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[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

#27

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 12:43am

I stand corrected.

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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.

#28

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 1:59am

Though I doubt he'd be able to do it, I can't see NPH as Charley. I like him and think he's talented, but I can't picture his Franklin Shepard, Inc.

Krtizer as Mary is absolutely perfect though. And from the clips I've seen of Anything Goes, Colin Donnel would be a great Frank.

Any ideas for Joe?

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I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#29

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 2:29am

Any ideas for Joe?

Raúl Esperza?

Updated On: 8/23/11 at 02:29 AM

#30

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 3:35pm

Whhhipppp!

#31

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 4:00pm

Frank: Raul Esparza
Charlie: Evan Pappas or Daniel Evans
Mary: Leslie Kritzer
Beth: Kate Baldwin
Gussie: Alice Ripley

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"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#32

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 4:12pm

Love her, but Ripley's 48. Ain't happenin'.

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I know you. I know you. I know you.

#33

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/23/11 at 4:46pm

Though I doubt he'd be able to do it, I can't see NPH as Charley. I like him and think he's talented, but I can't picture his Franklin Shepard, Inc

Me either. It's one of the more mystifying suggestions in this thread.

I'm curious what is considered "age-appropriate" for this production. The characters go from 40 - 20.

#34

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 9:07am

Agreed about Harris. His mischievous-boy-in-a-middle-aged-man's-body routine is getting a bit old. Whatever his annoyingly juvenile mannerisms, he's 38 and looks it, especially up close. I like the idea of Colin Donnell for Frank. What about Noah Weisberg for Charley? He kind of reminds me of Lonny Price. Maybe Jenny Fellner for Mary?

#35

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 9:56am

The original production used "kids" and dressed them as if they were in a high-school-auditorium production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. It was dispiriting in the end, even though the score was gorgeous.

It might be interesting this time around to have actors who are as old as the characters are in the opening and closing scenes.

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#36

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 10:05am

Isn't Gussie supposed to be a sexy, mature, wealthy star who could easily be well into her 40s? And unlike the 3 leads, she doesn't de-age, so what's the problem with her being played by someone like Ripley?

#37

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 10:09am

The state of Ripley's voice these days makes her appearing as Gussie seem a grim prospect. But Henrik is right: Gussie SHOULD be played by someone easily distinguishable as older than the three principals (and Beth). Skinner has done and can still do it. I like the Ramirez idea, and she could probably read older (she's 36). Maybe even Julia Murney.

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"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

#38

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 10:13am

Murney is a really great choice for Gussie. I like that suggestion.

#39

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 11:00am

Alice Ripley is a hot piece of woman. She could totally pull off Gussie.

But I wouldn't mind Murney!

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"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#40

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 11:25am

Seeing as how this show has never really worked, why not try casting actors who are the right age for the characters when the curtain goes up? The audience would have a much better idea of who those people are than with 20-somethings playing bitter old worn out skeptics and alcoholics. And as the story progresses backward, the audience is more likely to buy them playing younger. The "Our Time" finale could be quite moving with older folks playing young, idealistic kids; just seeking them would be a visual reminder of all you know they'll go through in their lives, and which they don't know. Stritch as Mary!

#41

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 12:00pm

I completely agree with you, Wilmington. I'm not sure that Merrily would be wonderful this way but it would sure be an improvement. What would be intriguing to me is seeing the leads, as the show progresses, not as characters who are realistically getting younger and younger, courtesy of a youthful trio playing age at the beginning, but as projected and perhaps imperfect memories of themselves. There is no reason the audience wouldn't buy that; in fact it's a lot easier to sell than the other way around, and a hell of a lot more impactful.

#42

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 12:04pm

Wilmington-you're a braver soul than I am! I wanted to say this from the get go. This is what I was hoping they would do!

#43

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 12:20pm

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 12:20 PM

#44

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 2:45pm

I don't think so. Wasn't the vast majority of that cast in their 30s?

It makes the most sense to have the three main characters be cast with actors who are all (or read) relatively close in age.

#45

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 4:09pm

Frank: Max von Essen
Charley: Bobby Steggert
Mary: Stephanie D'Abruzzo
Beth: Celia Keenan-Bolger or Erin Davie
Gussie: Jenny Powers

#46

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 5:00pm

Updated On: 2/20/18 at 05:00 PM

#47

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 6:10pm

I absolutely love the idea of Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Mary.

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I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#48

ENCORES ; MERRILY cast???

Posted: 8/24/11 at 6:53pm

I think the most successful productions of this show have been with a cast of 30 (give or take 2 years) year olds and that's exactly who they have been seeing, don't expect anyone over 35 in this production.