Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:31pm
^Interesting. I didn't know she had that ability. She still wouldn't be a top pick for Eliza imo, but it's good to know that she has a lovely soprano.
Posted: 4/11/17 at 8:55pm
I joke about Laura Michelle Kelly?
Posted: 4/11/17 at 10:47pm
I read someone say on here that Lincoln Center won't cast Laura Benanti because of her "attendance issues." I would like to remind everyone that Laura's absences from She Loves Me were related to her pregnancy and health, which she was keeping quiet at the time. I can't recall her having such issues in any other show that she has starred in. I think it was just due to her situation during the run. I still believe that she is the best choice for this part. She's a trained colatura soprano, she's a hilarious actress, and she's the most gorgeous woman on broadway. Everything the role requires.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 6:02am
I will agree, Benanti is my number one choice. I don't think anybody could do it better. #BenantiOrBust
Posted: 4/12/17 at 8:05am
Did Benanti have notable attendance issues during She Loves Me? Lincoln Center (and Bart Sher) have at least cast her once, in Women on the Verge- I can't see how much has changed since then.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 8:39am
As stated earlier, she started missing one or two performances a week closer to the end of the run due to her being pregnant. I believe they just made it an alternate position.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 4:42pm
Not sure that Eliza will be a star at all. I would guess that landing a British film star for Higgins would be the draw and bring on a little known Ingenue for his muse. It certainly worked the first time around. MY dream choice would be Colin Firth. Hmmmmmmmm
Posted: 4/12/17 at 5:30pm
My choices for Eliza would be Shanice Williams (The Wiz Live!), Phillipa Soo or Benanti.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 5:38pm
Hmmmm, what about Carey Mulligan (who was talked about for a movie remake)?
Oh, forget that. I just read that she doesn't enjoy singing in public. Which could be a problem.
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 05:38 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 6:57pm
If you look at the backgrounds of some of the people involved, you have to give Laura Osnes a pretty good chance. It's hard to believe that we have all aged nine years since that South Pacific revival premiered, but it was a lot of responsibility for a 22 year old virtually unknown actress to be picked to take over as female lead of this very expensive and prestigious production when Kelli O'Hara left on maternity leave.
And the director, Bartlett Sher, must have been impressed with Laura since she took over as Nellie again when O'Hara left the show for good in January, 2010 and South Pacific ran for seven months more.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 7:13pm
Valentina3 said: "I tried to find Kelli videos from the NY Philharmonic production, but only found Rain In Spain. Agree that she looked and sounded great in it, but then again - she has never had issues with looking polished which Eliza already is by the time that song comes along. I want to see the cockney girl too, which is why my choice is Benanti. Denee/Phillipa/Jessie would totally slay too.
I was reminded of my favorite rendition of I Could've Danced All Night (Kristin Chenoweth's). Wish this revival was a thing 12 years ago, she'd have been glorious.
Oh, Kelli's "I Could Have Danced All Night" used to be on there, but they took it down. I feel like there was quite a bit of the show on there actually about 5 to 6 years ago, but it's all gone ):
Here's an audio link to Kelli's rendition of Danced All Night though: https://achorusgirl.tumblr.com/post/82439560155. I can send you audio links of all of her solos though if you want: They all circulate around Tumblr. Just PM me and I can send them to you.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 7:20pm
I would LOVE to see Carey Mulligan in the role!!
Posted: 4/12/17 at 8:10pm
Can Carey Mulligan sing? I mean REALLY sing?
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:08pm
icecreambenjamin said: "Can Carey Mulligan sing? I mean REALLY sing?"
I'm not quite sure how much of a live singer she REALLY is. But her soprano sounded lovely in Far From the Madding Crowd (incidental singing), and she was being considered for Emma Thompson's (script) remake of My Fair Lady (which has been shelved).
But as I said she reportedly doesn't like singing even on film, and especially not in public. So it ain't going to happen.
Still, there's no one I would rather see as Eliiza.... in Pygmalion if not in My Fair Lady.
"
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 09:08 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:11pm
She's a brilliant actress, and could take singing lessons. I think she would be perfect honestly.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:16pm
Butter Broadway said: "She's a brilliant actress, and could take singing lessons. I think she would be perfect honestly."
Did you see her in Skylight, Butter? I will never forget that performance.
"
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 09:16 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:19pm
Butter Broadway said: "She's a brilliant actress, and could take singing lessons. I think she would be perfect honestly.
"
I do like her as an actress, but Eliza is an incredibly difficult singing part that is hard for even trained voices. I don't see anyone like Carey Mulligan or Anne Hathaway being able to sing this score 8 times a week.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:20pm
I agree Eliza must be a seriously trained vocalist. I really don't know how much of a trained singer Mulligan is.
I would love to see Celia Keenan-Bolger as Eliza.
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 09:20 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:22pm
henrikegerman said: "I would love to see Celia Keenan-Bolger as Eliza.
Wow, interesting! She would act the part brilliantly, but how is her soprano? I've always thought of her as kind of a belty alto.
Edit: I actually just listened to her sing from Sweeney Todd and she really does have a strong soprano. I also forgot that she played Clara in The Light in the Piazza before it came to Broadway! The more ya know!
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 09:22 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:26pm
Celia played Johanna in Sweeney at the Kennedy Center and Clara in Light in the Piazza at the Goodman.
I do like a lot of the ideas on this thread. But I'm really curious what others think of Celia, because I really think she'd be an inspired choice.
Updated On: 4/12/17 at 09:26 PM
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:27pm
Yes, I loved her in Skylight. Thought she was brilliant.
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:32pm
The age gap for this show is tricky when it comes to casting. I saw the tour of it several years ago, when I believe Lisa O'Hare was Eliza, and her Higgins (Christopher Cazenove, I think?) looked so much older than her that it was a little disconcerting. It's like Jane Austen's Emma - you have to stay true to the story and characters, but not such a huge gap that the romance angle becomes awkward.
That said, I'd be all for Laura Benanti for Eliza!
Posted: 4/12/17 at 9:39pm
That's the tricky thing about picking someone young if your Higgins is going to be in his 50s or 60s. Didn't they say they were looking into getting someone new? We might end up with Kelli O'Hara, Jessie Mueller, Laura Osnes, or Laura Benanti. My choice would be Mueller or Mulligan.
