Last night had me saying HELLO, VANESSA! Vanessa Williams- HELLO, DOLLY!

[DAME]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:19pm

I saw the Sondheim evening at the Bowl last night.. and Vanessa Willams worked the hell out of the Hollywood Bowl passarelle.  Which had me thinking.. wouldn't she be fabulous?   In a instagram video taken backstage after act 1 her and Jesse tyler Ferguson talk about a small technical issue she had when starting the number last night.. the video ends with him saying to her.. you better get used to the Pasarelle... 

Updated On: 7/24/17 at 12:19 PM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:27pm

Dame, I've been saying this all along!! I mentioned it in the Bernadette as Dolly thread as well.

Updated On: 7/24/17 at 12:27 PM

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:28pm

She would be lovely and different.  I love her elegance.   

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:28pm

Maybe she's the Donna Murphy to Queen Latifa?

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:29pm

Queen Latifah is not doing it.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:32pm

Vanessa has the comedic chops as well.   It was funny.. I spotted many young gay men with the bright red "Bette Midler-Hello Dolly" T-shirts last night.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:32pm

And no way is Williams going to be an alternate to anyone.

 

She would be amazing, methinks.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:33pm

And that awful lifetime tv show she is on will never get picked up.. So maybe????

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:35pm

^^It's VH1 lol- I love her and agree, she would never be the alternate to anyone.

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:44pm

DAME said: "I saw the Sondheim evening at the Bowl last night.. and Vanessa Willams worked the hell out of the Hollywood Bowl passarelle.  Which had me thinking.. wouldn't she be fabulous?   In a instagram video taken backstage after act 1 her and Jesse tyler Ferguson talk about a small technical issue she had when starting the number last night.. the video ends with him saying to her.. you better get used to the Pasarelle... 

 

"

YES! YES! YES!

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 12:53pm

Omg she'd be amazing. I'm just about dying thinking of her in that red dress right now.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 2:30pm

Eh, I think I'd want someone who is more of a ham. She's a little to regal for me.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 3:24pm

Ginger Rogers was quite regal and pulled itvoff beautifully!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 3:25pm

How about in a touring company.  Its steady work, she is known on the road due to Miss America, Ugly Betty, TV in general.  Not sure they know what a talented person she is...that will be the reward.

And why wouldn't anyone who replaces Midler not do 8 performances, unless the person is at least as old as Midler and with the same negotiating ability?

Updated On: 7/24/17 at 03:25 PM

[DAME]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 4:28pm

Dollypop said: "Ginger Rogers was quite regal and pulled itvoff beautifully!

 

"

These kids don't realize how different each Dolly can be.

[jtishere]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:06pm

Adore Vanessa Williams. I think she would be a fantastic choice and would truly light up the place with her charisma. 

[phan24]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:13pm

I just checked JTF's instagramt story and the video is up there about the misshap but it never "ends with him saying 'you better get used to the pasarelle'".

 

are you sure you heard that @Dame? Because that would be pretty telling if truth!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:17pm

Saw everything she did in NYC, and always thought she would've made the best post-Smith Phyllis in "Follies" (and I loved Maxwell's take).  She just looks like an ex-"Follies" girl.  Looked like she might've been that woman. I've never thought of her as Dolly, but it would be truly elegant.  And yeah, she's funny. I still remember her galvanizing "Spiderwoman," one of the sexiest performances in a musical.  

[Alessio2]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:18pm

I was at Sondheim on Sondheim last night as well and I would have never thought about VW as Dolly, but she would be brilliant! She is quite funny!  She was the best thing on Ugly Betty!

[DAME]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:39pm

Pham,  its there .  There's a little 5 second follow up.    And check out his husbands instagram as well.  

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 5:51pm

DAME said: "Dollypop said: "Ginger Rogers was quite regal and pulled itvoff beautifully!

These kids don't realize how different each Dolly can be.

I was about 16 at the time I saw her in it.  I thought she brought more glamour to the role  than any other Dolly I have seen and I remember her performance as being very warm.  That said, I also remember her singing as being really lousy.  

 

[Flowerlovestage5]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 11:16pm

She has my vote! Would be interesting to see what she would do with the role. 

I wonder when an announcement will be made?

[Miserent]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 11:36pm

Am I the only one who thinks Sheryl Lee Ralph would make an utterly fabulous Dolly???

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 11:45pm

Miserent said: "Am I the only one who thinks Sheryl Lee Ralph would make an utterly fabulous Dolly???

 

Maybe as an alternate or in the last month of its engagement.  The show has always done best when it was fronted by a star, which Sheryl Lee Ralph is definitely not.  In the 36(?) years since Dreamgirls opened, I am not sure what she has even done, particularly on Broadway.  

 

[Miserent]

Posted: 7/24/17 at 11:49pm

I definitely would see her being cast as the alternate as opposed to the main actress, but I'd see her in it in a heartbeat!  She's in Wicked right now as Madame Morrible, and she is SO glamorous and fabulous.