Eliza? - My Fair Lady Revival 2018- Page 38

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:25pm

I think y’all just need to trust the powers thatt be. We all may think Laura Benantiwould be a definitive Eliza Doolittle and that she deserves the role because she’s wanted to play forever but guess what - she could have auditioned and then been disappointing in the room. It happens. And I also can’t believe how hung up people are on ages in this thread - my goodness it’s theater! people should be able to play age other than what they actually are. Many of you would be shocked if you lived in the United Kingdom and were regular theater goers here. Luckily we don’t Wikipedia everyone’s age before going to the theater.

[enjoyable2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:29pm

Anyone have a link to her singing this style of music? Would love to see it. 

Also, why do people worry about the ages so much? Isn't that why there are makeup and wig experts? And they are ACTORS, right??  And what makes Broadway magic is that we in the audience abandon all rational thought and believe what we see, at least for a couple of hours. 

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:33pm

Anticlimactic Higgins for sure -- but I do love the casting of Butz and Rigg. 

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:35pm

GeorgeandDot said: "little_sally said: "GeorgeandDot said: "I think The Interval may or may not have just thrown shade at this casting on Twitter and Laura Benanti may or may not have acknowledged it. I'm not totally sure if I'm reading into this too much, but I could go for some drama. I'll bring snacks."

Oh, I just checked their twitter. They are definitely throwing some shade, which is crappy coming from a site that is supposed to celebrate woman in theater."

Yeah, I agree, but also it sucks to see a role go to a TV actress when there are so many theatre actresses that could have filled the part and been phenomenal.

Also, for those of you saying that you wish to see new actresses lead Broadway shows, I would like to remind you that in her entire career, Benanti has only lead one Broadway musical, which is a real shame. It's not like Kelli (who I looove) where she's been in a million lead roles on Broadway. Honestly, I kind of feel like Benanti is underused.

Ambrose and the rest of the cast will be great under Sher's brilliant direction, but I kind of wish the roles had gone with more seasoned stage performers.

"

Um, lead one Brodway show? She made her Broadway debut playing Maria in The Sound off Music. She also played the female lead in The Wedding Singer. Not to mention, her excellent performance as Cinderella in Into The Woods (in contrast to some of the other lead performances) lead many critics to declare that the entire focus of the show shifted to Cinderella and The Prince's storyline. And while she was away before She Loves Me, she was doing tons of tv. She's hardly been underused. She would have been wonderful in My Fair Lady, but so will this cast. I'm excited regardless. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:43pm

Did they announce who will perform as Freddy? One of my favorite songs in musical theater is "On the street where you live"

would be interesting if Freddy is performed by a POC.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:54pm

Harry Hadden-Paton is not only younger than Ambrose, he is younger than most actors who have played Higgins at only 36 years old. Why did Sher so desperately need to cast an authentic Brit? I am American and have played countless Englishmen. It's not that hard.

The casting of Higgins in this production feels like when Kevin Spacey got asked to host the Tony Awards.

[cknick]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:58pm

Wick3 said: "Did they announce who will perform as Freddy? One of my favorite songs in musical theater is "On the street where you live"

would be interesting if Freddy is performed by a POC."

Christian Dante White or Conrad Ricamora could be exciting! 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 6:58pm

They should have approached Jefferson Mays if they couldn't get a big name instead of just reaching into a hat and pulling out the first handsome englishman, which is kind of how this feels.

[SDV]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:02pm

Benanti on twitter is liking tweets calling this casting, among other things, "a disgrace."

Keep it classy, Laura!

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:10pm

I’m not particularly excited about the casting (though I’m willing to be surprised and proven wrong), but acting like casting Lauren Ambrose is somehow stunt casting is ridiculous. I like Lauren Ambrose, but she’s not exactly a mega star. Six Feet Under was how many years ago? Can Lauren Ambrose sell tickets on her name alone? Plus, she’s done a lot of theater, and has been fairly well-received for it. She’s got chops, and maybe she’ll be great. (Maybe she’ll be terrible.)

I’m glad The Interval has made it clear that they only want to champion women in theater that they actually like. And that Benanti still knows how to handle it when someone else gets a job that she wants. 

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:17pm

SDV said: "Benanti on twitter is liking tweets calling this casting, among other things, "a disgrace."

Keepit classy, Laura!"

Wow. And so many were trying to say she knows how to use Twitter properly when comparing her to Cynthia Ervino. Would she have done the same if say Kelli O'Hara was cast or would that have been ok because she belongs to the small circle of acceptable Broadway actresses who are entitled to every role ever.

Here's a tweet that she liked as of October 5, 2017 at 7:18 pm EST:

https://twitter.com/jpodhoretz/status/916017036580524032
 

I bet Sher and maybe LCT will never work with her again since she likes a tweet that just called the casting a "disgrace" and basically calling Lauren Ambrose "this". I don't think they would like that she liked a tweet that basically bad-mouthed their upcoming production and the actors they've chosen. 

I know Podhoretz doesn't do theatre reviews for the Post, but I'm expecting a mixed-to-negative or negative review of My Fair Lady from The Post now.

Updated On: 10/5/17 at 07:17 PM

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:24pm

Well, it's not like she actually retweeted it. Honestly, I find the "checking up on which tweets celebrities have liked" thing a tad creepy. Liking is one thing, RTing is another.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:27pm

MCfan2 said: "Well, it's not like she actually retweeted it. Honestly, I find the "checking up on which tweets celebrities have liked" thing a tad creepy. Liking is one thing, RTing is another."

Nice attempt at deflecting. Doesn't change the fact that she's openly and publicly liking sentiments that are bad-mouthing this production and essentially Lauren Ambrose.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:30pm

I'm not attempting to deflect anything. Just making an observation. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:33pm

THIS is the big Higgins casting they were waiting on? Would I be more excited about this if I watched Downton Abbey? And for everyone yammering about how she wasn't too old to play the part, she's three years older than the Higgins so... Sigh... they really could have cast any number of actresses as Eliza if age wasn't an issue. And I love Norbert but I was almost on board when the rumor was that Danny Burstein would play Alfred. I guess Diana Rigg is the star casting for this? 

It feels like something is off about this and someone (possibly more than one someone) they wanted fell through.

[222disneyland]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:33pm

I also amazed they just did not get the australian girl to do it. She is not the best bust she would be more than fine under Sher's direction. But happy to see it

[SDV]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:38pm

Did The Interval delete those interview tweets? I'm not seeing them anymore...

[cknick]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:38pm

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2 said: "MCfan2 said: "Well, it's not like she actually retweeted it. Honestly, I find the "checking up on which tweets celebrities have liked" thing a tad creepy. Liking is one thing, RTing is another."

Nice attempt at deflecting. Doesn't change the fact thatshe's openly and publicly liking sentiments that are bad-mouthing this production and essentially Lauren Ambrose."

Yeah, that's a low-key way for Laura to basically agree without actually stating it.  Disappointing.  

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:40pm

SDV said: "Did The Interval delete those interview tweets? I'm not seeing them anymore..."

Looks like it. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:46pm

Roscoe said: "I guess there weren't any little known (qualified, capable, talented) American actors who could have played Higgins. Sad that they just had to go with yet another Brit.

I mean, if there was ever a show where it was appropriate to cast a Brit over an American... I just wish they'd found a more interesting (and older) Brit.

Has everyone who has so much faith in Sher seen all of his operas... or worse, Laura Osnes as Nellie? I have reasons for my reservations. It's not just because I'd rather see Lauren Worsham or Laura Michelle Kelly. 

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 7:52pm

VintageSnarker said:

Has everyone who has so much faith in Sher seen all of his operas... or worse, Laura Osnes as Nellie? I have reasons for my reservations. It's not just because I'd rather see Lauren Worsham or Laura Michelle Kelly."

Laura Osnes was a wonderful Nellie, in my opinion. I have so much faith in Sher because his productions are always so consistently solid. They may not be perfect (but let's fact it, his shows are near perfect), but I have loved the majority of all of his shows. 

 

[222disneyland]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 8:03pm

Laura Osnes was far from perfect but she was good. So why should I loose faith in Her because sher because she was from a reality show? She sounded fine and a suitable replacement. 

 

VintageSnarker said: "Roscoe said: "I guess there weren't any little known (qualified, capable, talented) American actors who could have played Higgins. Sad that they just had to go with yet another Brit.

I mean, if there was ever a show where it was appropriate to cast a Brit over an American... I just wish they'd found a more interesting (and older) Brit.

Has everyone who has so much faith in Sher seen all of his operas... or worse, Laura Osnes as Nellie? I have reasons for my reservations. It's not just because I'd rather see Lauren Worsham or Laura Michelle Kelly."

 

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 8:14pm

I was someone who was hoping for Benanti, but when  the Ambrose rumors started swirling around and seemed to be true, I was excited that at least it would be a fresh and interesting casting choice. The last thing I want is some cookie cutter, vanilla Eliza. For now, I have faith that Ambrose will be thrilling in the role. And if it doesn't turn out well, we can all write "Eliza Dolittle is a tampon" on her locker.

[theater_tech]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 8:17pm

I'm kind of confused on why Benanti and The Interval are acting this way? Giving them the benefit of the doubt, were they suppose to be... sarcastic? As in, 'oh ha-ha, remember on how much I campaigned for a revival of My Fair Lady?'

Am I just being daft on why people can't exhibit professionalism? 

[binau]

Posted: 10/5/17 at 8:18pm

Look, I was annoyed when Sunset had a lot of Brits but stop being so greedy/nationalist. This is a Brit role and the amount of Americans or Canadians that are floating in The Book Of Mormon around the world is insane. You don’t think they could have found British or Australian guys to play the Book of Mormon? You get your fair share of roles, don’t you worry.