Eliza? - My Fair Lady Revival 2018- Page 22

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/6/17 at 12:38am

Im going to love this no matter what. And I can't be more excited. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 1:42pm

A friend of mine who's totally not into the theatre world asked me this morning if he should be interested in My Fair Lady when he visits NYC next spring. I can't believe it's almost mid-September and I didn't have a word of casting to share with him!

[Prisoner of 7th Ave]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 1:58pm

I hope the delay means LCT is in hot and heavy negotiations with someone in Colin Firth's league.  If they cast someone in, say, Robert Sean Leonard's league, it'll be as close to a kiss of death as you can get.  

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 2:35pm

I heard that they're still in negotiations with Firth.  Hopefully, they're able to get him.  Honestly, I'll see this show regardless of the cast because Sher always makes the material the star, but I would really like to see a brilliant A list cast.

[JIMG3]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 6:07pm

Yes, that's ( Firth) pretty much the reason for the delay, from what I've been told. Hoping Bart really knocks this one out of the park with casting. The suspense is "killing" me. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 1:37pm

Why is Firth playing so hard to get? He's already had a hugely successful film and television career, is a household name in two continents, and has a friggin' Oscar. He has nowhere to go in Hollywood but sideways.

The only reason why I can think he'd choose yet another movie over MFL when he is being begged to do it is because he's afraid of being compared to previous actors in the role.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 1:46pm

Firth has turned the project down completely, according to a source who is close to the production.

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 1:50pm

Yikes

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:01pm

Firth has been a name associated with MFL for a while. I'm not completely shocked he turned it down, but it's a shame. Now that he's out, I'm expecting this elusive casting to go even longer. Poisonivy and JIMG3, has anyone else been in the running?

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:04pm

Is this show gonna happen? I mean, they'll cast someone, right? Even if they have to humble themselves and, oh I don't know, cast a veteran stage actor? 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:09pm

Well that's that then.  Hopefully we'll still get someone great.  Jefferson Mays would be absolutely brilliant in the part, but he's definitely not a big name and would be a bit of a predictable choice.  Maybe he'd be a great Pickering.  What about Patrick Stewart?  He's a bit up in years, but Ambrose is 40 herself, so maybe they would balance each other out a bit.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:12pm

When did these big classic LCT revivals start requiring big names to run? 

[kade.ivy]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:17pm

GreasedLightning said: "When did these big classic LCT revivals start requiring big names to run?"

For. Real.

Also, Jefferson Mays would be fantastic, come to think of it! I'd assume Sher has him on his radar, given they've just worked together. 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:36pm

They do need big names.  They don't as much as a commercial run would, but they still need it in order to be a big hit.  They could have a healthy run without names, but with names they could be more than that, which I assume is what they want.

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 2:55pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Why is Firth playing so hard to get? He's already had a hugely successful film and television career, is a household name in two continents, and has a friggin' Oscar. He has nowhere to go in Hollywood but sideways.

The only reason why I can think he'd choose yet another movie over MFL when he is being begged to do it is because he's afraid of being compared to previous actors in the role."

That's the only reason you can think of? He'd have to live in NY and figure out his family situation. There are demands to doing a live show 8 times a week that are very different from being a film set. Now there's a pressure to stage door and probably do a lot of press. It's a big commitment and it's tiring. There are a ton of practical things to consider. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 3:29pm

LCT I should also a not for profit theatre so there is a  cap to any "star salary" they can offer compared to a commercial stage production.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 3:32pm

I sometimes think that MFL is one of those musicals where the OBC was maybe too great for the show's own good. This started almost immediately -- Audrey Hepburn found that out the hard way when she played Eliza in the film.

I can see how an actor might be scared off taking on Henry Higgins.

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 3:47pm

And yet that Oscar that Harrison received was not deserved...

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 3:56pm

MadsonMelo said: "And yet that Oscar that Harrison received was not deserved..."

Well that's because Peter Sellers' performance in Dr. Strangelove is easily one of the top 10 greatest film performances of all time ...

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 4:10pm

Some comparisons of notable production dates between My Fair Lady and Lincoln Center's The King and I [2015] and South Pacific [2008], just for fun.

Announcement of production (SP): January 17, 2006
Announcement of production (TKAI): April 7, 2014
Announcement of production (MFL): March 6, 2017

Announcement of lead casting (SP): September 11, 2007
Announcement of lead casting (TKAI): June 30, 2014
Announcement of lead casting (MFL): ???

Ticket on-sale date (SP): November 9, 2007
Ticket on-sale date (TKAI): October 19, 2014
Ticket on-sale date (MFL): ???

Announcement of ensemble cast (SP): December 10, 2007
Announcement of ensemble cast (TKAI): November 17, 2014
Announcement of ensemble cast (MFL): ???

First preview (SP): March 1, 2008
First preview (TKAI): March 12, 2015
First preview (MFL): March 22, 2018

Updated On: 9/10/17 at 04:10 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 5:11pm

This production has been anticipated for years, it would be a shame if it turned into a mess.

[JIMG3]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 5:43pm

Since ticket buyers have decided that's what makes good theatre.....shrugs. 

[JIMG3]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 5:45pm

Oh yes, it's going to happen. I can assure you. 

[JIMG3]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 5:51pm

Itonlytakesajourney said: "Firth has been a name associated with MFL for a while. I'm not completely shocked he turned it down, but it's a shame. Now that he's out, I'm expecting this elusive castingto go even longer. Poisonivy and JIMG3, has anyone else been in the running?"

The names I've heard thrown around: Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Damien Lewis. Depending on who you talk to, the list can change on a daily basis. The level of hearsay and speculation is off the charts. 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/10/17 at 5:52pm

There's nothing wrong with wanting to see big name A list stars on Broadway, especially when ticket prices are as high as they are.  I'd rather not pay $200 to see an actor with a couple of regional theatre credits and maybe a couple of minor roles on Broadway play Henry Higgins.  People need a reason to shell out that much money to see a show live.  Why pay that much money to see some random people do My Fair Lady when I saw my community theatre's production last year for $20?  People think like this.  LCT is going head to head with Rudin's Carousel which has a brilliant cast of seasoned professionals, they need to show up with a great cast.