Laura Bell Gentlemen Pefer Blondes What do you think?

[WickedDude]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 5:20pm

What would you you think if Laura Bell Bundy played Lorelei in "Gentlemen Pefer Blondes" if it had a revial. Because I however would love to hear her sing "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend". Hint: Carol Channing oringated the role. If you have an Opinion please post it. Come on. Don't be shy. Updated On: 7/4/04 at 05:20 PM

[WickedDude]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 10:51pm

Come on. I want your opinion. Please

[shesings]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 10:55pm

i don't know, but she told me one day that she's tired of playing "the blonde" so i'm not sure she'd be into it

[WickedDude]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 10:57pm

Maybe she can play the friend of the blonde. A brunette.

[shesings]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 11:00pm

maybe, but then she couldn't sing Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend, and wouldn't that defeat your whole purpose? Maybe they could alter the show so she could sing it for you!

[WickedDude]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 11:01pm

I'm on the west coast. If she said she was tired of playing the blond then she won't play the blonde. Updated On: 7/4/04 at 11:01 PM

[shesings]

Posted: 7/4/04 at 11:04pm

Who knows, she may change her mind ... money can do that!

[Corine2]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 10:02am

Kerry Butler has a better voice and a bigger belt.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 10:41am

Since when has Lorelei Lee required a great, belt voice? And based on Little Shop of Horrors, I wouldn't be jumping to cast Kerry Butler in another "dumb blonde" role so quickly.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 4:09pm

There was a revival by National Actors Theatre (Tony Randall's group) about 10 years ago. It was a DISASTER.

[Corine2]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 5:15pm

Macgruder,
That was funny. I love Kerry Butler's voice.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 5:55pm

As Jon says:

The last revival was a disaster and showed how this show hasn't help up well over the years.

I think this will be revived as soon as "Irma la Douce" is a hit again.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 5:56pm

Unless they re-write the show and make the role resemble what Mariyln Monroe did in the movie (which I would not recommend) I don't especially see LBB in the part. Channing has always said that the reason she was so successful in that show was that she was absurdly miscast. She was this tall, overwhelming woman playing a satire of a cute, demure little girl. Maybe LBB can do the role -- especially if she still has a few tricks from her Ruthless days, but it's not the type of casting I can automatically see.

The first name that popped into my head was Jen Cody. She does that kind of goofy farce very well and can use her shortness for comic effect in this role.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 6:32pm

i saw Bell Bundy in a workshop last week, she was charming, doing a kinda Ethel Merman "broad with a cigarette" schtick. The character was Mary Martin, but she had this kind of nasal Merman (yet higher pitched) twang. It really worked, her comic timing was great. However, doesn't it make sense that her next gig will be in the road company of WICKED? i never saw her cover, but they say she did it very well. And that's not a bad name (soap-wise) for the road.

i haven't heard, someone else may be cast in the Chenowith role, but to me it makes perfect sense for LBB.

[starlight2]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 10:17pm

ok, Laura on thre road, REALLY paying dues...doubt it!if she is not the next Disney Jane with Matt Mortison, then something else must be in the neqr future, the "Wicked" folks did not cast her in the Broadway show, why the Tour??? not gonna happen!

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 10:24pm

from a business point of view, LBB's name on the road is stronger than la Chenoweth's. She has a fan base from the soap. They'd have to pay her, but it might be worth it. Not everyone can sing what that score needs; i doubt "Jane" or many of the new roles this coming season can show off all of LBB's range. In NYC, the strength of the WICKED title itself might be enough so actor names won't mean that much. Why would LBB want to follow Chenoweth after the Tony nom? but on the road, it's her own show. It's all a gamble, admittedly. It's just my opinion. She didn't learn the role to just pinch-hit, did she?

[shesings]

Posted: 7/5/04 at 10:52pm

As for Wicked goes they did offer her the role. Apparently she wanted about 15 thousand more than they were offereing per week. Her not replacing Cheno wasn't for lack of talent... apparently she just thought she deserved more ... a lot more... infact more than they are paying Idina!

* I also want to sate the salary thing someone told me - LBB told me it was b/c of money - but never specific amounts

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 12:27am

wow, that's interesting. She must have enough TV money stored away to be free to pick and choose. Or maybe she's hoping for a role bigger than Amber she can originate. i'd love to see her as Glinda after that workshop.

[shesings]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 1:03am

do you really get THAT much money for soap operas? she was only on for like 2 years.

I think she'll still be in Wicked for a bit, maybe you can catch her. It was ok, she just tries to imitate Kristin. Some of it worked, but it's hard to pretend to be someone like Cheno. You've got to have a certain charisma. She's got a great voice though.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 1:05am

"daytime dramas" pay EXTREMELY well, because you work very very hard. Maybe i will get to see her, who knows? i've seen most of the new musicals, so repeating WICKED is not a bad idea at all.

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 1:11am

Let me make sure I heard this correctly...

LLB more popular than Chenoweth?


gosh...I love a good laugh. 99.9% of America hasnt a clue who LLB is and the other .1 could care less.

As soon as LLB has a tv series, has high profile (i.e-besides soaps) co-starring roles and lead roles on tv movies, appears with major symphonies and performs at the White House...oh and wins a Tony award...then we'll talk.

[meagan9848]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 1:12am

what workshop did you see her in? Were you guys saying KC may tour w/ Wicked?

[magruder]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 11:39am

Corine, my most was not "funny" so I have no idea what you are talking about.

The material in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is rather mild, and like Wonderful Town, might be too old-fashioned for today's audiences. But it can work better than it did in the National Actors Theatre revival. At Goodspeed, the same production was charming, if unexceptional, but barely enhanced for Broadway, the production looked and sounded anemic.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 12:57pm

i simply said for road-show America, LBB's name might have as much or more recognition than Chenoweth. There was no comparison of their individual talent or success in being cast in high-profile roles, which i find specious anyway. Look at it another way: who is in the DVD of JEKYLL...not Mr. Cuccioli (or Mr. Wagner) but Mr. Hasselhoff. Who causes a SUPERSTAR tour to have very successful box office weeks? Sebastian Bach. So go figure.

Updated On: 7/6/04 at 12:57 PM

[Al Dente]

Posted: 7/6/04 at 1:04pm

Tuttle, allow me to be the first to let you in on a big fat secret, NO ONE KNOWS who Chenoweth is either! Hate to burst your "bubble" but they are both about as "famous" as one another, which is FAR from household name recognition, so it absolutely doesn't make any difference. Starlite, you should be BANNED from this board...Rob, are ya listening? Also, Tuttle, Anika, "my middle name means God" Rose, has a Tony too, do you think people in Nebraska know who SHE is? Updated On: 7/6/04 at 01:04 PM