Is Laura B really out of Wedding Singer?

[Amneris]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 1:50pm

Not to start any rumors or cause any flame wars but, I was lurking All That Chat and someone stated that the "buzz" is she is out of "Wedding Singer". Can anyone confirm this and if so, is Tina Maddigan going to take over?

[ruprecht]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:11pm

I've long thought she was wrong for the role and I don't know the answer to your question Amneris, but it sure wouldn't be the first time in recent years this has happened.

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:27pm

Just got off the phone with Laura. She's on her way to rehearsal to rehearse a new song and scene they wrote for her.

[children&art]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:34pm

i dont know, benanti in the drew barrymore role? enh. it seems more like a tina madigan thing, laura is, in my mind, classy and talented (except for her hilarious stint on FX's "Starved") not so much bubblegummy and pop.

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:41pm

Well one thing a lot of people haven't spoken about is the fact that the writers have very much re-imagined that role. Apparently Adam Sandler was extremely happy with how the character is conceived now for the stage adaptation, so that's certainly something to consider. I'm completely biased but I think Laura is far more versatile a performer than many give her credit for. If you saw her in Into The Woods, you could see she's more than just a cold stiff woman (like she seemed in 9).

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:42pm

Laura was FANTASTIC in Into the Woods.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:45pm

Laura was also my favorite part of Nine. Her acting was FAR superior to any of the other folks on that stage (with the exception of Chita, of course).

[Sing a Song With Me]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:46pm

The sharks are certainly circling the chum now, aren't they?

[Doogie]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:48pm

LOVE me some Laura B. I hope she's not fired. I think the girl will surprise us.


Oh yeah. She was the best of the 5 leads in NINE. Updated On: 2/7/06 at 02:48 PM

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 2:50pm

I knew this rumor would surface sooner or later. I'm surprised at just how sooner.

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 3:01pm

Oh my GOD.

There have been so many threads about this subject. Sorry, I'm just so tired of this.

No disrespect, but this is a musical adaptation of the movie, not the movie set to music. Why do people expect stage versions to be carbon copies of movies? Hairspray wasn't. The Producers certainly wasn't. Both are huge successes.

If there's nothing new about the story or characters, why not just rent the movie?

I for one am thrilled that the creators have seen fit to hire a leading actress who is the polar opposite of Drew Barrymore, energy-wise.

Come on, people. Have some imagination. And if you're that concerned about her suitability for the role, see THIS version, for yourself, rather than just trying to fit her into Drew Barrymore's role in the film.

Sorry to sound bitchy, but really. Laura's incredibly talented and she's earned at least our respect for her ability to know what she's doing on a stage.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 3:04pm

popcultureboy, the rumor has been circling since the first Seattle preview. It's not new. Whether or not it's true (which Ms. Benanti may or may not know herself), who knows.

I think there's something to be said for recreating characters that appear in films, if the main relationship is dependant on those certain characteristics. Unless Robbie is completely reimagined as well, I can't see how changing Julia's character to suit the needs of a particular actress will be successful.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 3:59pm

As long as the new scene and song aren't called "One Way Ticket Back to New York City..."

Seriously, I think Benanti is extremely talented. She doesn't seem ideal to the role of Julia in THE WEDDING SINGER, but I hope it works out for her. I know she's young and there have been mistakes/mishaps/accidents in the past, but she really needs to stick with this one and ride it through. Her reputation and career as a Broadway musical theatre leading lady really depends on it.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:07pm

I don't read every thread on the show or Benanti though so this was the first I'd heard of it. Hence my comment. And it's not a slight on Laura at all.

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:11pm

I seem to have a different image of Laura than most people who have replied to this thread. I thought she was wrong for the role in Nine. I saw her in The Sound of Music revival and then in Swing, and loved her in both productions. She was my favorite Maria because she brought such warmth and spirit to the role. Finally, a Maria with some sex appeal. And she was certainly sassy and vibrant in Swing. The role of Claudia in Nine calls for someone who can naturally convey that sense of elusiveness and unattainability. In my opinion, it didn't seem to come naturally for Laura. I found her performance a bit stiff even though she still sounded beautiful. This role in The Wedding Singer could be great for her, but I would in no way expect it to be a reprise of Drew Barrymore's performance.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:18pm

ATC is a terrible source for gossip. I'd much rather get my gossip here. Plus, we have Jamie McGonnigal and they don't.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:20pm

I'm sorry I didn't get to see her in Sound of Music.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:31pm

I hope not. She's so incredible. Her performance in NINE was luminous. It deserved the Tony award that year.

Posted: 2/7/06 at 4:46pm

Dottie -

Laura was my favorite part of The Sound of Music. I'm not sure, but I think it was fairly early in her stage career. She seemed very excited to greet her fans at the stage door after the show, and made a cute remark about being lucky enough to get to kiss Richard Chamberlain 8 times a week. She was very sweet.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 5:45pm

I think some people have a tendency to confuse an actor with the character she plays, forget that this person is an actor and therefore conceivably able to play a variety of types, and/or just like to cause trouble and typify others into certain kinds of parts instead of letting them grow into versatile and powerful actors.

Case in point, people who saw Laura in TSoM have a hard time seeing her as Claudia in Nine and vice versa.

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:00pm

For me, it wasn't that I saw her first in Sound of Music and then could not allow for the possibility that she could play a different kind of role. In fact, I agree with you that people should avoid type-casting actors and should objectively consider their performance in each new role. However, not every actor is suited to every type of role. I saw Laura in Nine soon after it started previews. Maybe she grew into the role over time, but at the performance that I saw, she did not inhabit her character as fully as Antonio, Jane or Mary, and her performance seemed stilted to me.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:07pm

Well, given that you saw it when it had just started, she probably got better at the role.

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:08pm

i dont see the point in reimagining julia's character i loved her in the movie..yes i know the stage shouldn't be a carbon copy of the movie but why change something that don't need fixed.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:10pm

anyone seen the show latly? any changes?

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/7/06 at 6:19pm

Dude, you put a story in a different medium, make the character have to sing songs to express herself (automatically making the character "work" differently from a character in a movie), and get a different actress to portray the character, you automatically have made significant changes. If you can't bear the thought of the role being played in any way besides the way Drew Barrymore played it (are we that attached to this movie? I mean it's a nice movie, but come on) then stay home and watch the movie.