Kelli O'Hara as Eliza Doolittle — Page 2

Personally, I haven't had a chance to see Ambrose in the role. So I can't comment on the show or her acting. I have listened to some audio recordings and she has a very nice voice. I think actually the reason she comes across as quiet is that the score sits extremely low for a soprano and from what It sounds like she's probably got some crazy good upper notes and naturally that's probably where her voice blooms more. Also, of course, I don't know for sure, but I'd imagine that she hasn't sung legit music in quite some time so that might affect the quality of her voice overall. Singing is a muscle. I'm not mad that Ambrose was cast. I'm mad at hearing that Bart Sher told Beanti and O'Hara they were "too old" when Ambrose is similar in age.

I am a big fan of Kelli and she has done a spectacular job in all the roles she has done so far and will in the roles awaiting her now BUT not My Fair Lady. She is too mature now to do that role. Eliza should be done by someone in their late teens or early twenties like Jackie Evanco or Charlotte Church.

EdEval said: "I am a big fan of Kelli and she has done a spectacular job in all the roles she has done so far and will in the roles awaiting her now BUT not My Fair Lady. She is too mature now to do that role. Eliza should be done by someone in their late teens or early twenties like Jackie Evanco or Charlotte Church."

LOLOLOLOL. Both of those girls have ruined voices from the whole "child opera prodigy" thing. Dont get me started on how bad that **** is. And honey you do know the current Eliza is 40 years old? You need to have several seats.

Kelli is a little long in the tooth folks.....

An older Eliza should not be frowned upon- I think O'Hara would have been truly wonderful. I wish she could or Benanti could step into the role at some point, but that most likely won't happen.

I hated the original film of MFL, not won over by the original cast recording, but dropped tears the moment Ambrose started singing Wouldn't It Be Loverly. Her I Could've Danced All Night alone was worth the 300 dollars ticket, and her "I will not feel alone without you. I can stand on my own without you." made me feel alive like never before. I'm sure O'Hara or Benanti would've given some fine performances if they got the role, but I just don't see the show move me half as much without Ambrose's grounded humanity.

poisonivy2 said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "I hated the original film of MFL, not won over by the original cast recording, but dropped tears the moment Ambrose started singing Wouldn't It Be Loverly. Her I Could've Danced All Night alone was worth the 300 dollars ticket, and her "I will not feel alone without you. I can stand on my own without you." made me feel alive like never before. I'm sure O'Hara or Benanti would've given some fine performances if they got the role, but I just don't see the show move me half as much without Ambrose's grounded humanity."

"Not won over by the original cast recording?" Then you understand nothing about this musical and are just a stupid fangirl. Bye."

It's quite ironic that you used the word "fangirl." First, I don't think I've revealed my gender to you. Second, you can tell who sounds more like a "fangirl" from the tone alone. Third, even if I'm a "fangirl," I'm glad I'm not one of the original cast recording.

Dancingthrulife2 said: "poisonivy2 said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "I hated the original film of MFL, not won over by the original cast recording, but dropped tears the moment Ambrose started singing Wouldn't It Be Loverly. Her I Could've Danced All Night alone was worth the 300 dollars ticket, and her "I will not feel alone without you. I can stand on my own without you." made me feel alive like never before. I'm sure O'Hara or Benanti would've given some fine performances if they got the role, but I just don't see the show move me half as much without Ambrose's grounded humanity."

"Not won over by the original cast recording?" Then you understand nothing about this musical and are just a stupid fangirl. Bye."

It's quite ironic that you used the word "fangirl." First, I don't think I've revealed my gender to you. Second, you can tell who sounds more like a "fangirl" from the tone alone. Third, even if I'm a "fangirl," I'm glad I'm not one of the original cast recording."

If you show contempt for the original cast recording that means you show contempt for Lerner and Loewe, who handpicked the original cast, and Moss Hart, who directed MFL to make it the legendary Broadway success it was. Such ignorance and contempt for a musical's history is idiotic.

And your encomiums about Lauren Ambrose are just dumb. I saw Ambrose twice and while she had some very charming lovely moments she's not anywhere in the league of Julie Andrews in terms of range and vocal ability. Grow up.

poisonivy2 said: "Not won over by the original cast recording?" Then you understand nothing about this musical and are just a stupid fangirl. Bye."

This was really obnoxious and not called for.

I did not. I didn't even see her in Carousel although I was at Avery Fisher that night. I had decided to try a left tier box, and the show was staged so far to the right that no one in our box could even see the bench, much less the actors. Everyone in my box was incredulous. Next day I called and they apologized and said they had goofed. No refund.

When they finally released the DVD I saw it, and as I already commented, Kelli just didn't look mousy enough to play poor, retiring Julie. (I can't say she looked too old for the role since I once had a whole thread removed for suggesting that Kristin Chenoweth might be restricted from playing certain roles due to her age.)

Looking at those stills from My Fair Lady, looks to me like they shrunk the age difference by aging up Eliza. In the current production more like aging Higgins down to Eliza.

I'm a little surprised that her singing in Cosi Fan Tutte was so noticeably inferior to the others. I didn't get that impression from the two or three reviews I read. But as I think about it, there was no great praise of her voice. In between the lines I suppose they were saying in a flowery way that her voice was adequate.

I went down to the Sheen Center last year, near the East Village, where Kelli submitted to a 90 minute, very frank interview by a priest, punctuated by four songs. I don't think she turns down any invitation. The biggest revelation from the interview was that as a preteen she was plump, plain, and as a Catholic ostracized by the other mainstream Protestant girls.

The priest asked her to sing for one of her songs what she had sung at Madison Square Garden for the Pope's mass. So in this small 250 street theater she stepped away from the mike to sing The Lord's Prayer in full classical unamplified a cappella. She blew us all away with the power of her voice. In a very small theater.

So now they are rehearsing The King and I in London. I guess the musical itself for a week or two will take a back seat to the Ruthie Ann story, if she is able to perform.

Hey, mods. Surely this counts as a personal attack, no?