Leona Lewis Leaving ""Cats" already/Betty Buckley ?

[Steve C.]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 6:12pm

This is a 5 minute interview with Betty Buckley. The Channel 4 person asks her if she's seen the new production of "Cats". She answers that she's seeing it Monday to say goodbye to Leona Lewis.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Catching-Up-with-Betty-Buckley_New-York-394154401.html

Wow! That was a pretty quick decision I did not see coming. I wonder who the new Grizabella will be??

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 6:20pm

Updated On: 9/20/16 at 06:20 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 7:11pm

This was announced like 5 days ago.

[smidge]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 7:26pm

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1095900#4852703

[Steve C.]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 9:53pm

Thanks for the info everyone. I was not checking in on news for several days due to family issues. I appreciate the updates.  

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 10:10pm

In Steve's defense, I had not heard this.

I don't follow those loooong replacement speculation threads that start practically before a show even begins its run.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 10:20pm

It was said elsewhere, including on all the theatre news sites.

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 10:48pm

I guess I am guilty of waiting for news to trickle to the message boards. I used to get my news from PLAYBILL but their new site is annoying. And as for this site usually the headlines are taken from the threads anyway.

[binau]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 10:52pm

Mr. Nowack said: "In Steve's defense, I had not heard this.

I don't follow those loooong replacement speculation threads that start practically before a show even begins its run.

 

"

I do find it interesting that in this case the search may have begun before the show did even begin its run. What kind of notable actress would be available with less than 3 months' notice?

[trpguyy]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 11:00pm

qolbinau said: What kind of notable actress would be available with less than 3 months' notice?"

An actress in any of the countless shows that have closed in the past few months, or an actress who would back out of a role at a regional theater for a starring role on Broadway. 

[followspot]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 11:30pm

Leona Lewis was only signed for a three-month run.  Her October departure was know and announced from the start.  There's nothing sudden or unexpected about this.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 9/20/16 at 11:58pm

She's actually leaving a few weeks earlier than originally planned. 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 9:48am

Someone on another message board who seems tight with the production said that her replacement is going to be someone who performed the role on Broadway during the last production.

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 9:56am

well Jessica Hendy was in the original Broadway production in the late 90's and she is currently leonas understudy so I mean they could just be swapping them out. Which would be very anti-climatic

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:01am

Looking at the women who did it before who are still active and in NYC, if that rumour is true, it could also be Liz Callaway, Lillias White or Linda Balgord who are all wonderful and at least age appropriate for the role. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:02am

Mr. Nowack said: "I guess I am guilty of waiting for news to trickle to the message boards. I used to get my news from PLAYBILL but their new site is annoying. And as for this site usually the headlines are taken from the threads anyway."

BroadwayStars is a great news aggregator.

https://broadwaystars.com/

[rangersrule132]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:03am

QueenAlice said: "Looking at the women who did it before who are still active and in NYC, if that rumour is true, it could also be Liz Callaway, Lillias White or Linda Balgord who are all wonderful and at least age appropriate for the role. 

 

"

Very good point, I would love to see Liz Callaway again! 

 

[whatacharacter]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:29am

Please NOT Linda Balgord!!!  Her Memory is so grating on the ears.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 12:32pm

QueenAlice said: "Looking at the women who did it before who are still active and in NYC, if that rumour is true, it could also be Liz Callaway, Lillias White or Linda Balgord who are all wonderful and at least age appropriate for the role. 

 

"

There is only a three or four year age difference between Buckley and Lewis from when Buckley created the role on Broadway. Elaine Paige was only about two years older than Lewis at the time created the role in London. Liz Callaway was essentially the same age as Leona Lewis when she first took on the role on Broadway. I would say, given the past casting choices (including the two original Grizabellas), that Lewis was age appropriate for the role.

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 7:36pm

I posted the following on another string here, but didn't receive an answer. I'm going to try again here:

I've never seen CATS, so I don't know the demands of the Grizabella role. Do you think Betty Buckley could still perform it? That would be a tremendous publicity angle and, now, a real box office draw!

Updated On: 9/21/16 at 07:36 PM

[trpguyy]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 7:41pm

I'm just gonna put this out there: I highly doubt anyone Ms. Buckley's age (save for maybe Cathy Rigby) has any interest in being hoisted around in a Foy harness.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 9:27pm

That new exit is shameful

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:25pm

I've seen Buckley perform recently and she is magical as ever, but no I don't think she could sing Memory now as she did when she performed it on Broadway. The instrument is greatly diminished.

[broadwayguy91]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:27pm

QueenAlice said: "I've seen Buckley perform recently and she is magical as ever, but no I don't think she could sing Memory now as she did when she performed it on Broadway. The instrument is greatly diminished.

 

"

word.

video proof:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6K_gjfz-Gc

[ageorges3]

Posted: 9/21/16 at 10:51pm

I wish I'd been able to see her take on the role.  I've seen some posts from folks taking issue with her casting - ALW was looking for a celebrity draw, she's a pop star, etc - and fair enough, I can certainly appreciate those critiques - but I loved her voice on Bleeding Love, and am sure an individual with that level of talent could nail a song like Memory and deliver it in a really interesting way. 

And to be fair, while Darren Criss took over in How to Succeed, he definitely didn't have the most legit musical theater voice - heard a few clips, and you could tell it was a pop star doing Broadway - but it was an equally valid, equally interesting take on Finch!  I always try giving big name stars the benefit of the doubt when it comes to stunt casting.  Some shows like Chicago will (and I wont mention names) unfortunately cast people for box office reasons at the expense of talent.  But there's been so many examples of stunt casting done right.  Just to name one I think everyone will appreciate (one I wish I was old enough to see when it was running): the revival of Annie Get Your Gun.  You have a star like Reba surrounded by Broadway stalwarts and it's the perfect blend of talented big-name stars and quality Broadway talent.  

You have similar shows like Kiss Me Kate, with Broadway stalwarts like Michael Mulheren and Marin Mazzie rounding out the cast to compare it to.  And both types of productions (one star driven, the other Broadway talent driven - and lets be real, Mazzie basically turned in a star performance in Bullets) can succeed and have an equally valid artistic footprint.  Given the amount of stunt casting done right over the years, I make an effort to keep an open mind when it comes to understandable gripes Broadway fans like me might have with a star taking on a MT role.