Kelli O'Hara led Kiss Me Kate 2019 Broadway Revival!!! — Page 3

Amazing. But also... please not Will Chase.

I'm sure Kelli will be wonderful because she's always wonderful but I'm having trouble picturing it. What is the original range for that part? I know Kathryn Grayson played the role in the movie but I didn't think Rachel York was singing that much legit soprano in the stage version that is my personal definitive version. I would still love to see Rachel reprise the role. I don't think Kelli sold "Shall I Tell You What I Think Of You" to the point where I believe that she will deliver "I Hate Men" with the impact it could have.

People who think Kiss Me Kate is boring... go away.

"im obviously going to be heavily criticised for saying this but ive always found Kelli to be quite bland and vanilla and im struggling to imagine her being a feisty diva type of character"

One can't deny that she hasn't Kelly hasn't played a lot of hookers and dance hall girls, but I think that the role of Nellie Forbush involves a lot of great swings in her mood that Kelli handled very well. I don't know that she would say this again if asked, but she told one interviewer that her favorite song to sing night after night in South Pacific was Honeybun.

Did you see her in Pajama Game with Harry Connick or in her Merry Widow Met debut in this classic Susan Stroman number?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxEXiUG0_tM

I'm a little disappointed in Kiss Me Kate. In her lengthy interview with Jim Zirin (not to be confused with David Frost), which has been viewed by under 2000 on YouTube, she makes a point of saying at the end that she believes the classic musicals, and hopefully some of the new ones, were meant to teach and instruct and she thought South Pacific was very relevant at the time of the election of a black President and the King and I when a woman was running for President. Although she had done some roles that were primarily for fun (Nice Work), now she had reached an age -- Oops! She really did say age --, but to be on the safe side I'll retract that. Now she had reached a point in her career where she only would perform roles that would start conversations about the ills remaining in society and how to remedy them.

Don't see where KMK fills that requirement, although Kelli did say that the classic musicals could be re-worked to a degree to make points that were more relevant to our current culture.

It doesn't seem like enough time has passed since the last revival, which played for over two years. Also Marin Mazzie and Brian Stokes Mitchell I thought nailed my two favorite songs, not just from KMK, but from the universe of musicals: "Wunderbar" and "So in Love."

The musical does drag at times. "Touch up Your Shakespeare" is a clever number, but do they have to do ten verses?

I want Heléne Yorke to reprise her role as Lois Lane/Bianca more than anything, you know? But, like. If she couldn’t due to her television schedule, and we got Betsy Wolfe and Kelli O’Hara on the same stage.....I wouldn't be too mad.

Per this casting call...

First preview: February 14, 2019

Opening: March 14, 2019

Limited run through June 30, 2019

Are we thinking Studio 54?

Elegance101 said: "Definitely Studio 54, but they have to wait until COLG announces closing."

Children Of A Lesser God is limited run, scheduled to close on 9th September 2018. I think there's enough time between it's closing and this opening that there can be another limited run (holiday concert?) which can sneak in.

Valentina3 said: "Elegance101 said: "Definitely Studio 54, but they have to wait until COLG announces closing."

Children Of A Lesser God is limited run, scheduled to close on 9th September 2018. I think there's enough time between it's closing and this opening that there can be another limited run (holiday concert?) which can sneak in.

"

Oh I didn’t know that. Thanks for clarifying.

Obviously this could have changed, but as of when Sweat closed this past summer the house staff were being told that the next Roundabout show there would be Kiss Me, Kate, and it was just a matter of waiting for everyones' (i.e. Kelli's) schedule to line up.

Isn't Fred being played by Will Chase?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Q2PBOAbdIcU

Here's something to watch if you're doubting O'Hara's musical comedy chops.

Updated On: 4/14/18 at 01:04 PM

BroadwayConcierge said: "Cosi fan Tutte was (yet another) star turn for Kelli. She was ROARINGLY funny. It’s ironic to me that on a Broadway stage, some see her as a bland opera singer, because on the Met Opera stage surrounded by other strictly opera singers, she was larger than life. She’ll be terrific in this. "

I couldn’t agree more. She was as vocally adept a Despina as others I’ve heard. Her unamplified voice was clear, with a nice tight vibrato, and it filled the house. Plus, she owned that stage: her final costume, dance routine, and “country” accent when she came on as the Notary had me belly laughing.

I’ve always been impressed with her - especially in her Vivian Beaumont trilogy (Piazza, South Pacific, King and I). And I am even more impressed now.

Valentina3 said: "Elegance101 said: "Definitely Studio 54, but they have to wait until COLG announces closing."

Children Of A Lesser God is limited run, scheduled to close on 9th September 2018. I think there's enough time between it's closing and this opening that there can be another limited run (holiday concert?) which can sneak in.

I cant imagine it will last that long, after light business during previews and pretty crummy reviews other than the Times. I like the idea of the Sondheim. It just seems like a good fit, in the center of things vs. the out of the way Studio 54.