Ideas for the next Actor's Fund concert and possible casting ideas

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 10:23am

What should Seth do for his next star-studded Actor's Fund concert and who should be in it. He said in an interview a few years back that he wanted to do The Most Happy Fella with Audra McDonald as Rosabella and Norm Lewis as Joe. Perhaps, along with those two:

George Hearn as Tony
Hugh Panaro as Doc

That's all I can think of.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 10:33am

How about reusing the Funny Girl multi-star approach with Hello Dolly?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:13am

Oliver

Oliver - Neil Patrick Harris
Nancy - Sara Ramirez
Fagin - Harvey Fierstein
Artful Dodger - John Cameron Mitchell
Bill Sikes - Christopher Walkin

[Mojojo5]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:15am

I'd rather see a full-blown production of "Hello, Dolly!" but if we need a Herman musicale would love to see a "Funny Girl" type concert with "Mame." Mame seems to be a harder role to get completely right so hopefully a rotation cast would solve certain problems. Since an "Evita" transfer seems dead in the water, how about going back to that idea from a few seasons ago (complete w/ multiple Evas).

Z.

[Shakespearean]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:17am

Christopher Walken as Bill Sykes???

"You know... the boy... you know... the boy... Oliver... the boy... he needs more... you know... the boy... he needs more... cowbell... yes... he needs more cowbell..."

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:19am

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Drood-Alice Ripley
Rosa Bud-Laura Benanti
Chairman-John Lithgow
Puffer-Mary Testa
Jasper-Brian D'Arcy James
Helena-Ana Gasteyer
Neville-Christopher Innvar

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:26am

Ragtime!

Mother- Julia Murney
Father- Marc Kudisch
Younger Brother- Hugh Panero
Sarah- Tamyra Gray
Emma Goldman- Mary Testa

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:28am

This has been discussed to DEATH.

The last thread on this was really great, and offered up some fantastic ideas.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:31am

"Christopher Walken as Bill Sykes???"

Walken proved he can do a musical when he did "James Joyce's The Dead".

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:32am

Haha, can you imagine? A 40-ish year old Dodger? Hahahaha.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:39am

"Haha, can you imagine? A 40-ish year old Dodger? Hahahaha."

It's a concert, not an actual staged production. They've taken huge liberties in the other shows they've done.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 11:42am

...oh, you were serious?

I thought all of your casting was a joke.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 1:00pm

SIDE SHOW with Rosie and Star.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 1:45pm

Maybe years into the future after it closes...The Color Purple with Queen Latifah as Sofia.

[winston89]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 2:49pm

I rember watching the broadway.com ask a star for Cerveries. He spoke about how he would like to try and to a Tommy concert for the actors fund because everyone in the cast has such fond memories of doing the show and it owuld be fun to get together for one night.

[jv92]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 3:23pm

The Most Happy Fella, one of my personal favorites, would be a great choice!

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 4:06pm

What about Rocy Horror with rotating Franks...?

[callitquits]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 5:32pm

I like the Tommy reunion cast idea, since the OBC was chock-full of talent; however, I'd also love to see others take on the roles.

Tommy - Jonathan Groff
Mrs. Walker - Julia Murney
Captain Walker - Raul Esparza
Sally Simpson - Celia Keenan-Bolger
Acid Queen - Jennifer Hudson
Uncle Ernie - Norbert Leo Butz
Cousin Kevin - John Gallagher Jr.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 5:48pm

I actually kind of like that cast, callitquits.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 5:51pm

I like the Ragtime and Side Show ideas.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/29/07 at 6:11pm

I think "Hello Dolly!" with Queen Latifah in the title role would be pretty spectacular.

Seth loves his powerhouse women, so another "Funny Girl"-esque female star vehicle with multiple people rotating the central role would be great as well (shows like "Evita" and "..Dolly!" would lend well to this concept.)

Or perhaps he can round up some of Broadway's fiercest divas for "Ain't Misbehavin'"? The likes of Capathia Jenkins, Lillias White, Sharon Wilkins, Roz Ryan, Anika Noni Rose, Shayna Steele, Mary Bond Davis, and Jennifer Hudson taking on that show would be quite a spectacle.

Updated On: 5/29/07 at 06:11 PM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/30/07 at 7:24am

Concerning guys for an Ain't Misbehavin' Concert, Darius de Haas, Rufus Bonds Jr., Jesse L. Martin (singing Your Feet's Too Big), Norm Lewis, Chuck Cooper, etc.

And somethingwicked forgot about Anne Duquesnay.

Updated On: 5/30/07 at 07:24 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 10:20pm

According to Seth, there isn't going to be a concert production like usual this year. Instead, Brian Stokes Mitchell will be performing October 15th at Carnegie Hall to benefit the Actors Fund. That concert will go in place of Seth's usual show (a tradition that is expected to be resumed next year.)

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 10:25pm

Many options were given in the old threat, and Seth's comment about the Brian Stokes Mitchell concert was also mentioned.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=932817#2966476

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 10:50pm

I like the idea of The Mos tHappy Fella,e specially witht he people you posted. I would add Felicia Finley as Cleo.