Elaine Stritch in "Gypsy"?

I read in a Sondheim book that I recently bought that after Angela Lansbury initially turned "Gypsy" in London down, Elaine Stritch accepted the offer...but for some reason she didn't do it. I think she had some conflicts that arose.

Anyways, how do you think she would have done in the role?

"I'd like to propose a toast. To meeee...to meee. to me..to me!" (The last to me is whispered)

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Updated On: 1/9/09 at 04:14 PM

When did she play Anna? Did they lower the keys dramatically?

According to this thread

"Vera Charles and title role, Mame, U.S. cities, 1967

Title role, Mame, U.S. cities, 1969"

She lists both of these tours in her bio.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&thread=970168

The King and I

Updated On: 1/9/09 at 04:21 PM

But Gypsy would have been after Company. Has she played anything after Company that wasn't simply a spin on Joanne?

Well you can hear her solo album which is on CD. Her voice was serviceable, but I doubt it was ever really great.

And she DID play Mame.

My Grandparents took my younger brother and I too see Ms. Stritch as MAME at The Candlewood Playhouse in late August of 1969. My Mom told me and my brother to make sure we applauded Ms. Stritch's entrance. When she entered we were the only two who clapped! Ms. Stritch caught us out of the corner of her eye and winked at us. That was so cool! She then proceeded with the show and knocked us out. She was a great Mame. Delphi Lawrence played Vera and she was also marvelous.
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?page=2&thread=970168&boardid=1

Yes. They do her very well in every way on The Big Gay Sketch Show.

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Elaine Stritch was a household name in the UK during the 1970s and early 80s. When she talks in "At Liberty" about how well she did over here she is not exagerating - she was probably bigger over here than she ever was in the US (outside of NY ofcourse) and was as popular as many of our home-grown stars.

After the West End production of Company she had her own TV sitcom for a number of years (called Two's Company) and also appeared in UK drama series. She even played Richard Griffiths' wife in a sitcom, though that wasn't very successful and was shortly before she returned to NY. Most West End stars of the period (Dench, McKenzie, Lipman, Kendall, Keith) had a TV sitcom to give them pulling power at the West End box office with out-of-towners.

She undoubtedly knew how to play American women as the British audience of the period liked to perceive them. Hence her being a strong contender for Gypsy.

And I could certainly imagine her in Gypsy more than I could in The King and I.

Updated On: 1/9/09 at 04:50 PM

The head shot is lovely. I just don't know if her as Anna is.

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Um, that wasn't a high school production lol.

I HIGHLY doubt she did that.

He was also making a joke ljay.

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I think she would have been a terrific Rose, much along the lines of Tyne Daly.

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