Eliza? - My Fair Lady Revival 2018

[Messytheatregirl]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 12:43pm

Who would your dream Eliza be in the My Fair Lady revival next year? 

[Margo319]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 12:51pm

There are several threads on this.  But, Laura Benant, of course, would be my top choice.  That is her dream role.

[ameleigh]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 12:54pm

I FULLY support Broadway Concierge's dream of Phillia Soo. I hope it happens!!

[froote]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:00pm

Ditto Phillipa.

[Tag]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:15pm

Probably will be Anna Kendrick or someone like that.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:24pm

Laura Benanti

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:27pm

Benanti or bust.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:34pm

Phillipa Soo is the perfect choice and age, and would be the most Exciting Choice.

Benanti is not right.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:39pm

Phillipa Soo.

That's the bottom line. I've never been so hopeful for a dreamcast.

The only other actress I can think of who might equally nail the role would be Lauren Worsham. But I can't put aside how thrilling Soo would be in the role.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:41pm

Benanti, Benanti, Benanti or I'm not going. I don't think there's a role that Cook or Andrews played that Benanti wouldn't be perfect for. She sure proved that in SHE LOVES ME. Only once was I disappointed seeing her but it was her role in THE WEDDING SINGER, not her performance.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:44pm

Allow me to say, as I've said on many other threads, Benanti would indeed be the perfect Eliza Doolittle... in a 2008 revival of My Fair Lady. She simply can no longer pass for the age that the role requires, as much as I absolutely adore her.

Soo's got all the chops and reads exactly the age Eliza ought to.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:53pm

There are a lot of exciting choices, but nothing would be more thrilling to hear Lauren Worsham sing that role. 

[Demitri2]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 1:56pm

Benanti is five years younger than Kelli O'Hara who has been mentioned for the role quite often. And Audrey Hepburn was in her mid thirties when she did the film. On stage Benanti would look just fine.  

[MsEmilia]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:06pm

Lauren Worsham seems to be the most appropriate choice, although I thought those clips of Lisa O'Hare doing it sounded beautiful


Benanti is probably too old at this point, and I don't personally care for Soo's voice, although I'm sure she'd probably act the role marvelously.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:10pm

CurtainPullDowner said: "Phillipa Soo is the perfect choice and age, and would be the most Exciting Choice."

The question I have about that is has Bartlett Sher ever done colorblind casting in any of his productions?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:26pm

Not that it matters at all, but Soo can play almost any role without or without colorblind casting.

Just because an Actress says she has a "dream" role (I thought SHE LOVES ME was her dream role) and just because she can "pass" for a certain age, doesn't mean she should play it.  10 years ago Benanti might have been perfect, or if she was a star of say, Bette Midler's wattage (she's not)  then they might cast her. But since there are many Actresses who are the right age and have the talent, this role should be cast with a younger woman.

 

[castlestreet]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:44pm

I think you cast a star as Higgins, and go with a virtual unknown as Eliza-I know I'm in the minority here, but this show doesn't need much help to sell it.

[broadwaysfguy]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:46pm

i love my fair lady and im going no matter who is cast- Laura michelle kelly was absoluting dazzling as eliza when i saw her in london in 2002. I'd love to see a fantastic british actress get the role this time as well. Maybe sierra boggess (phantom and love never dies)  

[CallMeAl2]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:52pm

Eliza is not a role that any talented soprano of the right age can play. She is not an ingenue like Laurie in Oklahoma. There is a huge range from comedy to tantrums to heartbreak, not to mention to be able to convince as both a rough working girl and pass as a princess. For me, it is much more important to have the actress that can deliver that. Age can be fudged, and the script isn't really specific about that anyway. It's the relationship between Higgins and Eliza that has to feel right and believable.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:55pm

^THIS!

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:56pm

castlestreet said: "I think you cast a star as Higgins, and go with a virtual unknown as Eliza-I know I'm in the minority here, but this show doesn't need much help to sell it."

Plus, this production is being produced by Lincoln Center Theater, which is a not-for-profit organization.

[Kad]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:56pm

These threads make it seem like there's about 10 women working in musical theatre.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:57pm

Lara Pulver

[Rainah]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 2:59pm

I'm for Pippa in the role

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 6/19/17 at 3:04pm

I don't think Soo, Worsham, or Benanti are just talented soprano ingenues—I think they each deliver much more. Moreover, I think we're discussing a very tiny list of actresses on this thread because we do realize how much the role of Eliza Doolittle requires beyond singing pretty.

(Also, for what it's worth, look at the immense range of acting required by roles such as Natasha, Eliza Hamilton, and Amélie. Just saying.)