#26
Posted: 6/26/06 at 9:26am
I don't actually think of AIDA as a show which had a 'parade of popstars', though. Other than Toni Braxton, Deborah Cox (who was great) and Taylor Dayne, who else was there?
Whether quality was sacrificed or not is different by everyone's interpretation. Having the show stay open an additional year +, if, in fact, that's why, not only allowed thousands of new fans to see and enjoy it, but also gave all those involved, employment. The attitude that a show should close if every role isn't absolutely perfectly cast to everyone's satisfaction is ridiculous, in my opinion, because it's an impossibility. Casting is not an exact science.
When I saw the OBC, I couldn't imagine anyone being better in any of those roles. Well, I saw the show many times during its run and enjoyed several of the replacements and understudies who performed. As in any show, each brought their own small nuances to the roles which made it interesting, to me at least. After seeing it several times, I realized that I actually enjoyed some of the replacements more than the originals; Will Chase comes to mind, and Merle Dandridge came very close!
And for anyone in the area, be sure to go! The MUNY is a fantastic spot and does great shows. I have a few friends who are in the company there this summer.
Whether quality was sacrificed or not is different by everyone's interpretation. Having the show stay open an additional year +, if, in fact, that's why, not only allowed thousands of new fans to see and enjoy it, but also gave all those involved, employment. The attitude that a show should close if every role isn't absolutely perfectly cast to everyone's satisfaction is ridiculous, in my opinion, because it's an impossibility. Casting is not an exact science.
When I saw the OBC, I couldn't imagine anyone being better in any of those roles. Well, I saw the show many times during its run and enjoyed several of the replacements and understudies who performed. As in any show, each brought their own small nuances to the roles which made it interesting, to me at least. After seeing it several times, I realized that I actually enjoyed some of the replacements more than the originals; Will Chase comes to mind, and Merle Dandridge came very close!
And for anyone in the area, be sure to go! The MUNY is a fantastic spot and does great shows. I have a few friends who are in the company there this summer.