Hairspray at Hollywood Bowl Cast Released — Page 3

How about....

"Mama, I'm ALTER COCKER, Now"!

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Nope.

Did you ever see Michael Ball?

Updated On: 5/24/11 at 06:55 PM

I never ventured to criticized Michael Ball as Edna, but you criticized Harvey's performance without seeing it.

Nice.

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I don't have a problem either way.

Except when you said you had doubts about him being able to play the role due to his heritage.

Harvey Fierstein is an old-school Broadway (yes, American musical theatre) star, in the same vein as legends Zero Mostel, Yul Brynner, Carol Channing, Bert Lahr, and Phil Silvers. It's not about the quality of his voice, his looks, his size, his versatility, etc., it's about how he connects with a live audience in a theatre. It's electric. It's an unspoken energy that immediately draws people in. It's pretty incredible to witness it with a full house and see how they are captivated. You can't see that in clips or on a bootleg DVD. I've seen him on Broadway in Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray, and he engages an audience the way few performers ever can or will.

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Updated On: 5/24/11 at 07:05 PM

"I don't get the Harvey love" pretty much sums it up here, Clap. Did you really need me to draw it out of you? That was a general statement, right? All-encompassing. I didn't think you needed yourself quoted back to you.

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You feel like Michael Ball is an American musical theatre star who was great in Torch Song Trilogy?

I'm pretty sure you just answered.

Phyllis Rogers Stone, I, in no way, answered your question...you might want to re-read that one again

Harvey was great in the show. He stopped the show more times than I can even count. Harvey owns the part. Harvey is not the problem.

The problem is a 58 year old woman playing a high school student to a boy who graduated High School in real life last year!

It smacks of "Throwing her a bone" which I guess is all well and good and typical of the powers involved.

However, You could be seated in GUAM and know there is a problem between the love interests...

For Christ Sake - They could have got Adele!

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"You still answered me, though, Clap."

I'm not denying that I did...

I see this more of a 'reunion' show than anything else.
And that is fine by me.
Marissa closed the show just last year with Harvey so it makes sense.

In Marissa's defense,.
she is not 58,
nor is she 48,

but a good ripe 38.
Which is prime years for any actor to play the ages 18-50, depending on what it is.

Plus, this is theatre.

If an actor is good enough to suspend an audience in any imagination or believability then she or he is entitled to portray the role.
it is the audience, who then has to be open minded to embrace that.

If all the Broadway shows, movies and television shows would truly cast its players true to age, according to character descriptions, then mostly everyone would be out of a job.

it's called ACTING!!!! Deal with it.

Harvey is the epitome of Edna, the originator, often duplicated and always imitated.

He is the male version of Ethel Merman, a distinguishable voice, a heartfelt personality, and an incredible interpreter of the text (Tracy, be a dear and hold my waffles)...
and can turn out anyone in his path as Edna.

let it be.
Amen.

Updated On: 5/25/11 at 08:41 PM

Hey, Adam Chris and ClapYoHands, that's all Phyllis Rogers Stone is good for: missing the point.