Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

#1

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:30pm

From what I hear Kelli I close to starring in this.
I love her to death but I just don't see her in this at all.

#2

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:37pm

Are you nuts?! She would be awesome in this!

ETA: Sorry, that wasn't meant to sound like an attack on your taste. That was me being unable to contain my pre-confirmed excitement. Lol.

Updated On: 10/13/10 at 01:37 PM

#3

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:39pm

I just don't see her as having the comedic abilities as other actresses would have. If it turns out she does do the show, I hope I'm proven wrong! :)

#4

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:42pm

While I like O'Hara, I'd much prefer Rachel York.

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#5

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:45pm

I'd prefer someone more off-beat, like Katie Finneran.

#6

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:52pm

I vote for Craigery Morgan!

#7

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:54pm

I thought Craigery WAS Kelli O'Hara.

#8

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:55pm

Maybe she can voice the role and he can visualize it.

#9

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:56pm

While I would prefer Katie Finneran, Megan Lawrence, or even (if we were doing color-blind casting) Anika Noni Rose, I wouldn't mind O'Hara. The truth is that every time I see her, she always surprises me with how wonderful and versatile she is. I remember when she was cast in The Pajama Game and everyone immediately thought (myself included) that she couldn't do it and ended up knocking it out of the park (ditto for South Pacific).

I can't personally see her in the role, but I would be more than happy to sit in that theatre and watch her prove me wrong.

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"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.

#10

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:00pm

I was about to say that very thing wickedfan. Every time she is cast in something, people are like "I love her, but I can't see her in this." And every time, she does an awesome job. I think she's more versatile than people give her credit for.

Updated On: 10/13/10 at 02:00 PM

#11

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:04pm

I really hope this isn't true. She's so bland.

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When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#12

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:04pm

I like Kelli a lot, but my vote is for Heidi Blickenstaff.

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"Hurry up and get into your conga clothes - we've got to do something to save this show!"

#13

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:05pm

Agreed BJH - and I used to be one of those people. I'd love to see what she could do with a role like Ella and Encores is the perfect opportunity to give her the chance to stretch and show us her comic chops.

#14

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:06pm

Kelli would be great - she is so versatile, and, besides, with Kelli aboard we could have Harry Connick Jr. also -- they are great friends and enjoy working together.

#15

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:07pm

^That was the initial rumor, yes? And with Kathleen Marshall directing, I guess there could be a Pajama Game reunion.

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When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#16

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:21pm

givesmevoice, I think you and I are probably the only two people who agree on O'Hara being quite bland. I don't really dislike her, I just find her incredibly uninteresting as a performer though I definitely respect her fans and I can see why people like her.
Still, I can't imagine her knocking this out of the park in the way that Katie Finneran would, she's simply brilliant and this is the role for her.

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"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#17

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:24pm

Well Katie would be perfect and I hope she gets a crack at it eventually, but being pregnant this isn't going to be her rendevous with this role.

#18

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:31pm

Hey, if James Street can rewrite shows, why can't City Center???

#19

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 2:41pm

She was funny in Pajama Game.

I actually think she's better suited for the part than Faith Prince was.

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#20

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:20pm

I think for Ella one would need a character-leading lady. Whoever plays Ella needs to do comedy better than she sings. She need not be a beauty, but must have lots of personality.

Ana Gasteyer, although to tell the truth, she is a bit long in the tooth at this point.

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"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable." --Carrie Fisher

#21

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:27pm

"Whoever plays Ella needs to do comedy better than she sings. She need not be a beauty, but must have lots of personality."

Going by that criteria, I'd submit Nicole Parker for consideration.

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#22

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:49pm

Sutton Foster

#23

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:50pm

I LOVE this idea. I hope it comes to fruition! O'Hara is one of my favorite actresses currently working in the theater and I'd kill to see her tackle this part. I never understood her detractors who claim her work is "bland." To me, it's anything but. My least favorite performance of her's was actually in PIAZZA, but even then I'd hardly call her performance bland.

#24

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:55pm

Sutton Foster? Thats a joke, right?

#25

Kelli O'Hara To Star In Encores' BELLS ARE RINGING?

Posted: 10/13/10 at 4:04pm

Katie Finneran would be revelatory, but I think Kelli could be successful if more subtly charming. Finneran is a force of physical comedy nature.

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With Irma you gotta do something!