"Gary Coleman will now be played by a MALE actor."- Page 3

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 5:40pm

@ricklyon
Has it changed back to a woman? If so, how come? The economical reason made sense to me; also I'm just plain curious to see it with a man in the role.

[ricklyon]

Posted: 9/19/09 at 6:55pm

I would say the answer is that they changed their minds! :)

I will say this about Gary being played by a woman: it is one step further removed from the real Gary Coleman. It totally makes sense to me as a way to create distance from the real person, and since the way the puppets is used is SO theatrical, why not keep being theatrical and have a woman play a man? We're pretending pieces of foam and fabric are real - why not pretend a woman is a man? When I have seen the show with male Garys (London, Sweden), to me there is always something a bit "off" - it's like, "Gee, that guy doesn't seem like Gary Coleman at all." But with a woman, you don't make that direct comparison. My 2 cents.

PS - Yes, I know I'm biased - I did marry a Gary Coleman, after all!

[alterego]

Posted: 9/20/09 at 9:03am

Why during the show's considerable run was it never an option to employ the real Gary Coleman?

[sparrman]

Posted: 9/20/09 at 3:13pm

I seriously doubt he could perform the role. Can he even carry a tune, much less sing as well as "Gary" needs to?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 9/20/09 at 3:16pm

Why during the show's considerable run was it never an option to employ the real Gary Coleman?

1. He has said that he doesn't like the show.
2. It would make the show too real.

[ricklyon]

Posted: 9/20/09 at 3:58pm

The authors tried to have a conversation with him about being in the show when it was conceived as a TV project. They even scheduled a meeting, for which Gary Coleman did not show up. Basically, when it became a stage piece, and "Gary Coleman" became a major singing role, that conversation was over, for several reasons (not necessarily in this order): first, Gary lives in CA and has to go to dialysis multiple times a day - not very practical for someone in a NY stage show; second, Gary Coleman cannot sing; third, it is assumed he would ask for too much money. I think the most compelling reason to not actually cast Gary Coleman in the show is that the fictionalized Gary Coleman bears little resemblance to the real one - the character is a theatrical construct, and having the real Gary Coleman in the show would put a strain on the comedy, and restrict the character to the limitations of the real Gary Coleman's abilities. My opinion.

[BroadwayAbridged]

Posted: 9/21/09 at 7:58am

I'd also imagine there's also the longetivity of the show. You see what happens in a show like The Producers when the original cast leaves, Avenue Q was able to do a great job avoiding that fate. Now imagine if the part of Gary Coleman was played by Gary Coleman for the first year. His contract ends, he leaves, now what? Do you have someone else play Gary Coleman, which would now be weird to everybody? Or do you Weissler it and, depending on when you see it, you'll find Zach from Saved By The Bell living on Avenue Q this month, and Balkey from Perfect Strangers next month, and Brooke Shields living on Avenue Q in December, and then what happens when Gary or whomever is out sick or on vacation, you can't make sure every understudy is also a has-been celebrity... all seems quite expensive, and it all sort of ruins it for any future amateur productions in that the show hinges on having semi-famous people in it...

[saveusmike]

Posted: 9/21/09 at 8:23am

Rick im so dissapointed I was hoping to meet you after the final performance of Q and ask you to sign my Program book ( I had been trying to get all the original cast, Jeff Marx and Bobby Lopez to sign for quiet some time and all I needed left was Yourself and Natalie).


But be that as it may, how do you feel about Q opening up Off Broadway?

Updated On: 9/21/09 at 08:23 AM