Riedel wants Ralph Fiennes and Laura Benanti for the MY FAIR LADY revival that the Nederlanders want to do next year (Hathaway and Firth are out).
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
"The Nederlanders are planning a multimillion-dollar revival of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s “My Fair Lady” in 2014..."
At the risk of sounding like Roxy, what show doesn't cost multimillion dollars anymore?
I'm most excited by the prospect of Bartlett Sher directing this.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
I love Laura Michelle Kelly-yes, please!!!! She would be heavenly in the role. (I frankly would rather see Geoffrey Rush, but Ralph Fiennes would work too.)
Laura Benanti would be lovely as Eliza Doolittle. However, I personally am not thrilled by a non-singer taking on the role of the Professor. Of all the choices who were mentioned, David Hyde Pierce would be o.k. In my personal opinion, just because Rex Harrison "spoke sang" in the original Broadway run and the film shouldn't make it a template for future mountings. Listening to Harrison "speak sing" is probably about as painful as hearing Katharine Hepburn "speak sing" in "Coco." I'm impressed that Michael Riedel seems to be a fan of Laura Benanti.
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)
Liza: Laura Benanti Higgins: John Barrowman Pickering: David Hyde Pierce Alfred Doolittle: Danny Burstein Mrs. Higgins: Angela Lansbury or Maggie Smith Freddy: Wesley Taylor
Miles Phillips would make an excellent standby for Higgins. It'd be nice to give a talented journeyman a break.
Benanti would be fantastic, and I'd greatly prefer her to Kelli O'Hara, but I actually kind of want to see Michelle Dockery come over and do this.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
I'd much rather listen to Rex Harrison (or an actor with as brilliant a way of characterization as he) "speak sing" MY FAIR LADY than hear a brilliant singer with a bland take on Higgins, so if they can't somehow find a man who can brilliantly do both, I hope they choose an actor over a singer.
Also, since Ralph Fiennes is the headlined rumor now, in case anyone hasn't heard his voice before, he sang in THE PRINCE OF EGYPT.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
I like Hathaway, but I think Benanti would be divine.
I cannot imagine Megan Hilty or Kelly O'Hara -- and I'm fan of both of them.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Woo! I've been saying for years on here how much I'd love a revival of My Fair Lady... so I am thrilled it's coming closer and closer to fruition.
I personally think Megan Hilty would make an inspired Eliza; I don't get why more "delicate" actresses are usually selected for the role. I use delicate very loosely, as I just find Megan Hilty to be more raw and not the status quo type.