IDINA MENZEL to star in SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE

[Pgenre]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:24pm

IDINA MENZEL is set to star alongside Marc Kudisch and Mary Testa in Michael John LaChiusa's new musical SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE (previously titled R SHOMAN). It will be directed by Ted Sperling and have a limited run in October-November at the Public Theater, per the New York Times.

Menzel will perform the role previously played by Audra MacDonald in the tryout version, then titled R SHOMAN.

VERY EXCITING news... the score is absolutely amazing, one of LaChiusa's best. The excellent title song is availible on Audra's cd HAPPY SONGS.

Can't believe I'm breaking this news on these Idina-obsessed boards... Discuss!

A Good Nightmare Comes So Rarely,
P genre

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:28pm

I'm a tad confused. Will this be on Broadway?

[ElphieDefiesGravity]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:29pm

Yay! That's fantastic. Too bad I live in North Carolina...

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:33pm

DAMNIT! I knew about it already, but I wanted to keep it a secret!

Well, kidding...sort of.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:36pm

It definitely seems like Idina is stretching her musical talents. This dosen't strike me as a show where Idina will be able to riff and belt the whole show - so this should be very interesting.

I just hope her Wicked teenie fans don't flock to a LaChiusa show, because most of them will be expecting another Wicked - most likely.

But damn, Marc, Mary, and now Idina! That's some cast so far.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:38pm

How can I miss a LaChiusa show!?

I smell birthday gift!

[cudramacat]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 10:53pm

My Birthday is in November....hhmm...now ya'll have me thinking. Since I live in South Carolina, I unfortunately can't just pick up to go see this show. Man, if I do move to the city after college, I really will be broke all the time!

[Benzy92]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:00pm

Ahh! When do tix go on sale.. I know the Public is a small theatre and I loveee LaChuisa.. AND Idina for that matter :)

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:00pm

ljay- The show is Off-Broadway.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:01pm

^Thanks.

This is actually quite exciting.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:05pm

i was shut out of tickets in williamstown (i desperately wanted to see audra)... but i've heard great things about the show... i hope idina really stretches herself for this one. i'm surprised that audra did not want to continue with this (it was said that she really did want to...) and that idina and audra will have taken on the same role, that's something i would have never thought...

[Marlene]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:05pm

OMG! OMG! OMG! I <3 the public theater! AHHHHHH!

Bring out the tranq darts if necessary if I get overly Idina Menzel fangirl-ish.

[almostxfamous]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:09pm

I'm glad Idina is doing another show. She needs to get out of the IdinaWicked thing a little bit .. because I feel that some people seem to be losing respect for her as a performer over that. It'll be good to see her take on a new character.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:12pm

aaaaaaaaaaand tickets to this just got about 1,000 times harder to get. Exciting, though.

[broadway betty]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:15pm

I'm surprised that Idina is going to be on stage again so soon but I'm very happy about it. And what a great cast! I'm already excited about a cast recording.

[sweetiedarlinmia]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:31pm

Just curious as to where exactly in the Times this is, b/c I'm not seeing it.

Edit**
Nevermind. Found it.
Updated On: 7/27/05 at 11:31 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 11:47pm

Go Idina!

[billygoatgirl300]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 12:15am

My mom and dad saw this when it was in Williamstown and they loved it. As someone already said they have a great cast.

Posted: 7/28/05 at 12:48am

I'm surprised she is doing this at the time... you would think October-November would be exactly the time where they would be doing premieres and promoting RENT... but it's exciting.

[Dreamcatcher]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 12:54am

Hmmm I might be in New York around this time on a college scouting trip.... *goes off to find out when tickets are on sale.* As someone else said, this will definitly challenge Idina's skills and will bring her out of the Wicked-funk and I'd really like to see her in this. Plus it does sound like a great cast so far.

[Stefanie2]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 1:00am

Does this mean Kudisch will be leaving Chitty?

[PJ]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 1:00am

These are the events that make me happy to be attending college in New York City. Does anyone know when the tickets go on sale?

Link? Updated On: 7/28/05 at 01:00 AM

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 1:44am

Not to sound ignorant, but how many musicals play at the Public? It seemed like such a small theater when I was there, very much the atmosphere for intimate shows like Rocky Horror or Hedwig, or even Rent, I could imagine. I must also admit, I'm not very familiar with LaChiusa's work, what are some favorites I might look into? Thanks! :)

[aegeusrocks]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 1:46am

While I love Idina dearly, I desperately wanted to see Audra in this show....I have issues seeing Idina doing the vocal work that Audra uses in the songs on her CD from it. Maybe it's because of her Wicked-funk, maybe something else....I don't know. I'm rooting for her either way! I still really want to see this! Yay LaChiusa, Marc, Mary and Idina! (Now how to get away from senior year of high school in Chicago for this....)

[zoran912]

Posted: 7/28/05 at 1:50am

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rabid Audra McDonald fan here. I'm so shocked. Idina is not a classical singer! I don't see how this can work! AUDRA...NEEDS...A....SHOW!!!!

Maybe Idina will surprise us. Who knows. I just love the way Audra sings LaChiusa's material. It's the perfect marriage of singer and composer. Who knows? Maybe the casting directors know what they are doing? That would be out of the norm...but who knows? Idina does really well with jazzy stuff...and the song "See What I Wanna See" is pretty jazzy. Maybe this will be a return to the vocals I heard from Idina in Lippa's Wild Party (her best in my opinion)?

This might not be as abysmal as I'm predicting.

Okay...rabid Audra fan has calmed down. Que sera sera...