Posted: 3/25/22 at 10:23am
Hairspray0901 said: "I would LOVE to see Zachary Levi replace Aaron."
ooo that is a great idea!
Posted: 3/25/22 at 3:14pm
Before COVID hit, I really wanted Christian Dante White and Ariana DeBose in the leads. (I actually mentioned this on Twitter and they both found it to be a HUGE compliment - so that was cool).
When DeBose picks up the Oscar, who knows? This could really invigorate the box office through the summer months (not that it needs it)
Posted: 3/25/22 at 4:22pm
So, Aaron Will be out April 4, 9 and 10? I will be there April 7, hope hes there!
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:06am
Just announced, starting May 10:
Ashley Loren is Satine
Derek Klena is Christian
Declan Bennett is the Duke
Caleb Marshall-Villarreal is Santiago
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:17am
OH YEAH!
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:18am
Wow, that's pretty cool to see two new leads being joined by two cast members graduating up to starring roles!
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:19am
I know I'm probably in the minority, but why is it that every single production of this show has had the blandest and most boring casting choices for the leads?
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:19am
Excited to hear about Caleb Marshall-Villarreal. Saw him before the shut-down and thought he was excellent and very sexy as Santiago.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:30am
bwayphreak234 said: "I know I'm probably in the minority, but why is it that every single production of this show has had the blandest and most boring casting choices for the leads?"
Imagine actually believing any of the leads on Broadway were bland. Anyways, love the casting choices, love that they went younger for Satine and Derek is so gorgeous and his voice is beautiful. All good things.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:30am
bwayphreak234 said: "I know I'm probably in the minority, but why is it that every single production of this show has had the blandest and most boring casting choices for the leads?"
Agreed. I'm really disappointed with Ashley getting bumped up to principal. She has a terrific voice, but I think she is completely not believable as Satine—too young and too cardboard/stiff an actress. I was really hoping for someone more exciting. We really caught lightning in a bottle with Karen Olivo in the role.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:56am
Happy to see him in another show but would Klena be considered stunt casting? Does he have a big enough follow in the Broadway community to draw people in?
Updated On: 4/8/22 at 11:56 AM
Posted: 4/8/22 at 12:10pm
Not really, for most people the show is the star. It's just incredibly stunning to look at and listen to, I don't think most people are going to this for the casting.
Updated On: 4/8/22 at 12:10 PM
Posted: 4/8/22 at 12:15pm
Not stunt casting. People BEYOND the bway community would need to know him....and that's not happening here.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 12:33pm
^ that’s what I thought. It might get some people within the Broadway community to see the show who otherwise wouldn’t have. But I didn’t think he had a big enough name outside of Broadway to get people in.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 12:45pm
Derek is in a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie this year so he might get some good recognition from that depending on how long his contract is. But I certainly wouldn't consider that mainstream recognition either.
I just got tickets to see Aaron before he leaves so I guess I'll be going back sooner rather than later for this new cast.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 1:27pm
I'm happy Ashley is getting her time to officially shine. She has earned this opportunity. It's also nice to see they are promoting Caleb to a role he's covered off and on. He is an incredible dancer and will bring a new perspective to Santiago. Derek is an easy transition from Aaron and he will play the role well. I will be interested to hear who is announced for their standbys / understudies.
I don't think the show needs stunt casting at this point. It continues to sell well and as others have said, the show (&set) itself is the draw for many visitors traveling to NYC.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 4:23pm
Bland and type casting are very different things. I don't think this casting or any of the casting that I've seen for these productions is bland so much as they are clearly casting by type. The choices may not excite you, but type is very real in the industry probably since it's inception.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 4:58pm
Casting by type rarely benefits people of color or out-of-the-box choices, so these announcements can seem unexciting. I hope they will all do a great job beyond any “unexcitement.”
Posted: 4/8/22 at 5:08pm
I just wanted to add that I saw Tasia Jungbauer go on last night for Satine and thought she was really fantastic. It was her debut and she could’ve fooled me. Performance came off very seasoned.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 5:28pm
Casting by type rarely benefits people of color or out-of-the-box choices, so these announcements can seem unexciting. I hope they will all do a great job beyond any “unexcitement”
I agree with you 100%, but I think we’re kidding ourselves to expect that from this production at this point. While it’s still a diverse cast, it is unfortunate that the production isn’t embracing people of color in the leading roles.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 7:52pm
I wonder what Matthew James Thomas is up to recently, and how he would be in the role? He was so wonderful in the Pippin revival.
I've been debating going again during my planned trip in July, but not sure how it will hold up against my memories of seeing the original cast twice in 2019. Hard to imagine anyone besides Olivio as Satine.
Updated On: 4/8/22 at 07:52 PM
Posted: 4/8/22 at 7:52pm
Double post
Updated On: 4/8/22 at 07:52 PM
Posted: 4/8/22 at 10:25pm
Saw Ashley Loren as Satine this past Tuesday and she blew me away, so I'm excited that she'll be playing the role full time. I had seen it with Karen Olivo pre-covid and while she sang the hell out of the songs, I thought she had next to no chemistry with Aaron Tveit and seemed to portray Satine as too strong of a character, where I had trouble believing that she was really stuck in a hard place between the duke and Christian, and it just seemed frustrating that she was so fiercely independent but still couldn't make any decisions of her own. Ashley Loren brought that inner fragility out more and made her internal struggle more apparent, especially during Only Girl in the World and Tango Roxanne.
I'm curious about Derek Klena in the role, because while I know he's a fan favorite, he seems pretty interchangeable with just about any white tenor, and none of the roles I know him for (Dogfight, Wicked, Jagged Little Pill) really have the sort of sustained singing to the rafters-type songs that Christian gets here, especially in the second act.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 10:58pm
In Derek Klena’s defense, “My Petersburg” from Anastasia is harder and higher than anything else he sang in those other shows. I think he’ll be fine, although they didn’t need an “Aaron Tveit” type in this role.
Posted: 4/8/22 at 11:03pm
Yes they do. Strong and sustainable is what they need for Christian the entire show. That descibes Aaron perfectly.
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