The Distinctive Baritone said: "Brian D’Arcy James is 54? Wow, that makes ME feel old. I remember seeing him in Titanic when I was in high school and he was just starting his career. He looks much younger.
Having watched a bootleg of the Central Park production, I agree that Denis O’Hare read as way too old for the role. His performance was just odd in general, although he’s obviously a great actor.
The Baker and his wife should both be played as around 30 or 35 years oldin my opinion."
My thoughts exactly re O’Hare. Ultimately, I did come to love the performance after a few viewings.
Betty22: Can you clarify what’s coming in next (or scheduled, at least).
Some morning tea… SJB/Sebastian for the Bakers’s, Montego Glover alternating with Patina (no word on how that’ll shake out), Krysta Rodriguez replacing Phillipa.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/10
SJB strikes me as too old for the BW... She's 49 and looks it. Seems much more of a Witch to me, that voice and presence, but they will obviously stick with African American Witches going forward. So far no one has had the gravitas that Headley had at City Center. Only Audra could match or exceed it. These other names are a let down. Julia McKenzie was around 50 when she did the Witch in the first London production, and at the time stated that she would have loved to have played the Baker's Wife but was too old.
Updated On: 8/10/22 at 08:21 AM
ColorTheHours048 said: "Some morning tea… SJB/Sebastian for the Bakers’s, Montego Glover alternating with Patina (no word on how that’ll shake out), Krysta Rodriguez replacing Phillipa."
Oh god. Not Montego Glover. Please no. She could not act her way out of a paper bag when I saw her as Fantine in the Les Miserables revival.
Broadway Star Joined: 8/31/08
The only casting that seems right to me here is Krysta, and she seems to fit more in the vein of Sara’s Baker’s Wife mold anyway. Weird.
Julia will be leaving September 4 to film season 4 of High School Musical. Really sad to see her go
New York Times Profile
Featured Actor Joined: 12/28/21
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/14/20
There are rumors, but I’m curious about your dream casts for replacements! Anyone?
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/2/15
If we’re recasting from the ground up:
witch. Heather headley. Donna Murphy. Patti lupone. Bernadette Peters.
bakers wife. Jesse meuhler Sierra boggess
baker Christian Borle Jonathan Groff Brian stokes Mitchell
Cinderella Prince. Andrew rannells. Patrick Wilson Matt Doyle Nick Adams
rupunzal prince Jeremy jordan. Aaron tveit
Cinderella Laura Osnes
cinderella step mom. Anna Harrada Rosie O’Donnell
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/16
Glad some of you naysayers will never be in casting bc SJB and Sebastian as the Bakers’s is a going to be incredible and is confirmed. Along with Andy Karl doing a stint as the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince and Ann Harada is back as Jack’s Mom late September.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChKETxUuAXq/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Montego Glover will be doing Tue-Thur. Patina remains with the show doing just weekend performances. So essentially, don't see the show during the week.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/08
Well, just bought a ticket to see the original cast finally, as they are much more of interest to me.
SJB and Sebastian together on the Broadway stage alone will get me back to the show! Also, I am so glad Patina is staying for the weekend performances! More people can see her spine-chilling performance as the witch! Hope people can see the OG cast though as it's truly one of a kind!
Well, it looks like I’m now selling my ticket.
September 21st, 2PM. Row B, seat 9. Considered partial view but next to a seat that is $249. I’ll sell it for $60.
What shame Julia is already leaving. Such an incredible performance and I wrongly though since she was younger and making her debut that she'd stick around through some of the extensions.
VERY curious to see how the box office does. I don’t think these folks are gonna mean a damn thing to the general public.
Out of curiosity, has Krysta ever demonstrated her soprano in shows before?
This casting feels very, "we couldn't get who we wanted, so we got who we could."
I’m kind of surprised at some of the reactions. I’m over the moon excited for SJB and Sebastian. I’m also really stoked for Andy and Krysta so this show could basically become the “revolving door” of Broadway talent we hoped yet people are “meh”. I don’t get it.
TaffyDavenport said: "This casting feels very, "we couldn't get who we wanted, so we got who we could.""
This.
I’ll probably go back if the buzz is good, but no one in this cast is pushing me to buy tickets now. I am happy to see that Ann Harada is coming back though! She brought such warmth to a relatively minor role.
And I agree, this will definitely be a test to see whether the show is the draw or the cast.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/30/16
The insistence that this show's success hinges on any one of the original stars' presence in the show has been proven to be based in nothing as various outs have occurred already in the run. And the show STILL grossed essentially same week to week even with Sara out for more than half a week. In no world do I think anyone imagined this production would even be grossing as much as it is already, so every step of the way we've been surprised.
A lot of arm chair quarterbacks on this board.
I really like Krysta and SJB. The husband and wife casting is cute. But the cast we have now had more name recognition. I hope this new cast keeps grosses high. I feel like Sara was a name draw and they needed another one. Yes, the show itself is so good, but sadly people don’t just go to a show in 2022 for the plot and songs (of course there are those who do, but it’s a smaller group). They go for the stars.
Jordan Catalano said: "I’m kind of surprised at some of the reactions. I’m over the moon excited for SJB and Sebastian. I’m also really stoked for Andy and Krysta so this show could basically become the “revolving door” of Broadway talent we hoped yet people are “meh”. I don’t get it."
I agree. Nothing will ever be good enough and people will always complain. This seems like a top notch batch of replacements to me.
Chorus Member Joined: 4/3/22
Ugh, Montego Glover??? Not a big SJB fan personally, but I agree with some others that she would be a better fit for the Witch. Can't say I find the idea of a real life couple playing the Baker and Baker's Wife very interesting or charming. And I do like Krysta Rodriguez as an actor but have trouble picturing her singing the score. While people are leaving and replacing, I'm ready for a new Jack.
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