HOW TO SUCCEED... Reviews — Page 3

Fred Astaire, Bill Robinson, Gene Kelly, Alfred Drake, John Raitt, Howard Keele, Bob Fosse, Richard Kiley, Tommy Tune, Joel Gray, Greggory Hines.

If I am not mistaken, all but two of them are dead. Sadly Broadway doesn't produce stars anymore. The time when people cared enough about Broadway to make a star is also long dead. Now it seems you have to import a star from elsewhere to get a show off the ground. It is a sad thing, to lose all the stars and not have the real ability to create more.

That said, I don't quite count Radcliffe as stunt casting. After Equus, I would say he is quite the stage actor. He may end up with a better career on stage than on screen. He is too young and his list of accomplishments is too short to be a real stunt cast actor, He is just trying his hand at a new option.

To me stunt casting is putting C and D list celebrities into shows that have outlived their lives on Broadway, simply in an effort to keep the cash rolling in just enough to make it look justified. Casting an established actor hot off of a successful seven film contract, who has already turned out an incredible stage performance, doesn't quite fall into that category for me. It is more like star casting than stunt casting.

jimmycurry1, you are correct. I was just bemoaning the fact that millions of dollars were thrown against the wall to mount a production starring a kid who, while quite loveable, is no Greggory Hines.

Many of the people on that list. Those were the great moments of my life.

When Greggory Hines came onstage to do his solos in "Sophisticated Ladies" there was an electric buzz in the air. And man, did he deliver. And I took a moment to check what else was running on Broadway at the time (1981) Nine, Dreamgirls, the wheezing revival of "My Fair Lady" (but with Rex Harrison, damnit) Camelot with Harris, who also couldn't really sing and dance I admit; The Pirates of Penzance with Kevin - he could do it all - Kline and 42nd Street with a whole cast who could sing and dance.

That was Broadway.
"How to Succeed" is theme park, brought to Broadway.

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Don't be silly.

Of course Daniel Radcliffe will get a nomination. The Tony nominating committee would NEVER snub a visiting film star--especially one this well-liked, by audiences as well as by his peers.

Whether he wins or not has more to do with the buzz that accrues to the other lead actors, like Tony Sheldon or Norbert.

But he absolutely will be nominated.

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I agree with Brantly to a degree.

IMO Ashford screwed this up with over aggressive choreography and miscasting. I felt like I was watching a group Floor Excersise competition at the Olympics. It seemed to me so heavily choreographed that the plot could never gain firm footing and the characters never connected. At least not for me.

Kudos and much respect to Radcliffe for thinking outside the box of movie star, and whom I thought was trying his best; but he is miscast IMO. He simply doesn't have the chops for this show. He hasn't a comedic bone in his body (a smile and a wink are not comedy), can't really hold a tune; (although I had read he had been working with a voice coach in preparation for this role), and his dancing is practically nil until Brotherhood of Man in which he is impressive. To make matters worse, he looks entirely too young to portray Finch. There's no maturity nor experience in the face. He looked like a twelve year old in a business suit and fedora. All I could think of was Alex Keaton from Family Ties.

It doesn't matter what I, Brantly or anyone else thinks - this show is critic proof because of Radcliffe. The night I attended, there were a group of screamers sitting a few rows behind me, and everytime Radcliffe moved his little finger they went off like bomb sirens. I feel sorry for whoever was sitting around them.

I think if we're honest, we know that another actor of Radcliff's limited theatrical skill and musical talents could never have won this role. It's all about Radcliffe and capitalizing on Potter's popularity.

And it's working.

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"Of course Daniel Radcliffe will get a nomination. The Tony nominating committee would NEVER snub a visiting film star--especially one this well-liked, by audiences as well as by his peers."

Yup. Industry standard practice on Broadway just now, which reminds me...

Aren't we due for part two of that incredible Hunter Foster Facebook page "Give Broadway Back to the Theater Actors" or something like that? Given the current Hollywood gang in NYC, I think we are about due for a sequel.

I'm joking btw...

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I also wouldn't rule out Ben Walker.

Interesting that they read roughly the same age to you, uncageg. I just looked it up and Hanke is 35. Radcliffe is 21. Ah, the illusion of theatre!

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I honestly loved everything about the production. Mr. Brantley is entitled to his opinion, but I couldn't disagree with him more. Daniel Radcliffe is a very talented actor and really impressed me with this production. I wouldn't exactly say that his performance was Tony-worthy, but I think he might deserve a nomination. Also, having seen Priscilla I can tell you that Tony Sheldon's performance is definitely worthy of a Tony award.

Oh I think Walker is a lock for a nomination, especially since they have five in the acting catagories. The Tony nomination committee has always been very good about remembering shows and performances that that have already closed and I think Brantley (among others) is going to come to bat for him.

[Still rooting for Joshua Henry to get a nomination!]

I think Daniel will be nominated in the Sean Hayes spot from last year. My guess is that the nominations will be Ben Walker, Tony Sheldon, Daniel Radcliffe, Aaron Tveit, Norbert Leo Butz (granted I haven't seen Catch Me If You Can yet). I think the Mormon guys are going to left out of this category. I will be shocked if Joshua Henry is remembered for a role that is really a featured part in an ensemble show that closed so long ago. At least Ben Walker was very much the lead in Bloody Bloody.

"I will be shocked if Joshua Henry is remembered for a role that is really a featured part in an ensemble show that closed so long ago."

I won't be surprised if he isn't nominated, but I'm just holding out hope. I also think he would definitely be considered leading rather than featured. It was a strong ensemble piece, but Haywood was always singled out as the lead. He has more solos than anyone else and leads a number of the group numbers. I would definitely think he'd be leading over featured, though it's probably a moot point, unfortunately.