Posted: 5/11/16 at 8:12am
They're just stating they believed it is miscast, and I can't say I disagree. Amazing performers, all of them, of course. I just hope the rest of the cast is more suited for their roles.
Posted: 5/11/16 at 10:52am
I heard Lisa Howard is rumored to be playing Dr Charlotte. I think Laura Michelle Kelly or Teal Wicks would be great as Cordelia
Posted: 5/11/16 at 7:19pm
StandingO - James Lapine is not a designer. He hired Spencer Liff to choreograph Falsettos because he does not the new production to be a copy of earlier productions. In several interviews, Liff stated Lapine told him is the same age as Finn and Lapine when they first wrote the show. I am sure Liff will bring a different set of eyes to the show.
As for the casting, perhaps Lapine and Finn see something in the actors they cast you don't see. That is why they are working on Broadway and you are just posting on this Message Board.
Posted: 5/11/16 at 7:34pm
A Director,
James Lapine taught design at the Yale School of Drama and has been very hands on in helping with the design of every show he's ever been a part of on Broadway....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lapine
Also, you don't know who I am and giving our opinions on the new york theater scene is what this whole board is about, not attacking people for thoughts that you don't agree with. Let's debate not spar
Posted: 5/11/16 at 7:57pm
I'm amazed nobody has mentioned Jennifer Simard for Cordelia. She posted a SnapChat with Janet Metz on Sunday and that's what brought up the idea for me.
Posted: 5/11/16 at 8:07pm
I know someone already mentioned this on another thread, but I think Kate Weatherhead would be an excellent Cordelia! She would kill it and she is the right age.
Posted: 5/11/16 at 9:01pm
Have we not been watching GIRLS? Rannells can rein in the camp when he chooses; but, in fact, Marvin accuses Whizzer of being too campy, even "too gay", in the text. As for sexy, in what universe is Rannells unable to compete with Stephen Bogardus? (Just to be clear: I loved Bogardus in the part, but he doesn't scream "Sex!" One had to take Marvin's word for it. Brent Barrett, on the other hand, was more the "pretty boy" described in the lyrics.)
As for baseball, Whizzer doesn't play for the Mets. He probably played Little League like most boys. (Remember, he's only "half-Jewish".)
***
Claiming that James Lapine is the "wrong director" for a show he spent years creating is the ultimate in message board chutzpah! It's been more than 30 years since Lapine first directed MARCH (which was, BTW, one of the best staged musicals of any size I've ever seen). I'm sure he's had a few thoughts on the material since then.
Updated On: 5/11/16 at 09:01 PM
Posted: 5/11/16 at 10:10pm
The only thing about Lapine directing again that I can see maybe worrying some--is the last time he did this was when he did the revival of Into the Woods, a production that, especially in hindsight, most fans seem to consider misguided (I didn't see it and that's the one ITW cast album I don't own, so...)
Posted: 5/12/16 at 12:42am
Rannels had ONE episode of Girls in which he displayed anything REMOTELY close to the gravitas required for the role of Whizzer. Not to say he can't pull it off... But there's literally almost nothing in GIRLS that relates to his ability to tackle this role.
Posted: 5/12/16 at 2:03pm
I think Lapine is one of the great theater artists of his time, no question. But I did see his 2002 revival of Into the Woods and I think he missed the boat on almost every element of that production. He created the original which is legendary, but I think it can be very hard for the same person to reinvent his/her own wheel. All of their creative thoughts about it were used on that original production. I'm not saying he isn't qualified, I'm saying I don't think his strength is re investigating his work.
Bartlet Sher is a good example of the opposite. He is probably one of the top revival directors in the world right now. His re investigation breathes new life into shows that have been deemed not fixable for decades. That being said, and with self admission, he isn't as strong at developing new work. That isn't is greatest skill. He says this in multiple interviews and it's apparent in his work on shows like Women on the Verge.
Lapine will do a fine job on the revival, but if's going to get new life breathed into it like I think it needs, I'm not sure he's the right choice, that is all i'm saying.
Posted: 5/12/16 at 2:08pm
FiddleMeThis said: "Rannels had ONE episode of Girls in which he displayed anything REMOTELY close to the gravitas required for the role of Whizzer. Not to say he can't pull it off... But there's literally almost nothing in GIRLS that relates to his ability to tackle this role. "
This ain't exactly Hamlet we're talking about here.
Posted: 5/12/16 at 3:00pm
I'm not real happy with this cast. Wish they had made some stronger choices.
Posted: 5/13/16 at 7:19pm
Block is incredible. Can't act? From which show did you reach this conclusion?
Posted: 5/13/16 at 7:28pm
I just think it's funny that there's a song called Four Jews in a Room Bitching, and so far, two of those Jews bitching are total goy's who don't even look a hint Jewish.
Posted: 5/13/16 at 10:12pm
South Florida, I know you are being sarcastic, but is there anything sillier than a discussion of casting on this board?
Who among Michael Rupert, Stephen Bogardus or (replacing the latter) Brent Barrett "looks" Jewish? Those men have all played countless non-Jewish roles. Moreover, the FALSETTO characters are highly assimilated Jews and if one has any doubts, look at Jason's thoughts on his own bar mitzvah, which revolve entirely around whether cute girls will attend. It's an interesting surprise that the ceremony is suddenly so important to Marvin and Trina, but the bar mitzvah itself becomes serious and important only when it becomes a ceremony of acknowledgement that Whizzer is, indeed, part of the nuclear family.
As for Whizzer's supposed gravitas:
Whizzer: "Men from France can cancel a debt,
Men with cufflinks make me forget my name...."
Marvin: "Whizzer has unlimited knowledge of dreck!"
(The above are not consecutive quotes, obviously, just examples of who Whizzer is. (ETA while listening to ROBERTA, of all things, I realized I had misquoted Whizzer; I think it's correct now.))
Even during "You Gotta Die Some Time", Whizzer remains the ironist and continues to crack wise, imagining his own death as a movie. I think Rannells can find enough gravitas for that.
***
Now whether Lapine screws up his shows in revival, I don't know. I trust EricMontreal's opinion on INTO THE WOODS. I don't think he has to robotically reproduce the original FALSETTOS, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that he doesn't do too much changing just for the sake of changing.
Updated On: 5/14/16 at 10:12 PM
Posted: 5/13/16 at 10:31pm
HOUFlip04 said: "I'm amazed nobody has mentioned Jennifer Simard for Cordelia. She posted a SnapChat with Janet Metz on Sunday and that's what brought up the idea for me."
I'm really, really hoping it's Jennifer Simard! She'd be brilliant.
Posted: 5/16/16 at 3:06pm
Any word yet on when tix will go on sale for this?
Posted: 5/16/16 at 3:14pm
Marvin and Trina's interest in Jason's bar mitzvah is less about religious significance and more about their own.
Posted: 5/16/16 at 4:40pm
What are they waiting for...just cast already: Joshua Colley as Jason, Roger Bart as Mendel, Lisa Howard as Charlotte and Jennifer Simard or Ann Harada as Cordelia
Posted: 5/16/16 at 5:41pm
Kad said: "Marvin and Trina's interest in Jason's bar mitzvah is less about religious significance and more about their own.
"
Exactly. The FALSETTOS characters are not Hassidim. Like most of my Jewish friends, there's no reason they need to look specially one way or another. Chip Zien seems to fit certain stereotypes, but otherwise I couldn't tell you the ethnic background of any member of the original cast.
Posted: 5/16/16 at 6:28pm
All of the folks cast already are going to be absolutely amazing because they are all very, very fine artists. The casting struck me as odd. It kind of hurt for some reason. I think perhaps because I have such affinity for the original cast, I probably need to just get over it. So thrilled that young folks are going to get to see this beautiful, engaging and thrilling score!
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