MY FAIR LADY revival for 2014?- Page 3

[BrerBear]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 3:11pm

As for Higgins, whoever suggested Seth McFarlane is on to something - he's too busy with Family Guy, but he could for sure sing it and would be an interesting choice. I also am fine with Ralph Fiennes. What about Ewan MacGregor - too young?

Ewan MacGregor is two years older than Seth MacFarlane!
But any of them could probably do the role well.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 3:11pm

Seth MacFarlane reads much more like a Harold Hill to me than a Henry Higgins. Hill is a snakeoil salesman, slick and shameless, who grows into a conventional romantic. That fits MacFarlane (in his secondary crooner career persona) much more than Higgins, who to me is an elitist self-righteous and charmingly conceited professional intelligence. That's why I was instantly sold on Colin Firth when he was rumored, regardless of his vocal aptitude, because I think the role is ably within his wheelhouse. Fiennes has more of a dark, brooding energy in most of his roles, but he has also done his share of charming, introspective and romantic, not to mention just possessing a tremendous emotional range and having made all sorts of intelligent acting choices, so I expect he'd be able to do it if cast.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 3:34pm

Me thinks this will head for the Marquis, but I have been wrong before (edit: many times), have a good hunch this time.

[PatrickDennis92]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 3:34pm

I don't know why, but I've always thought Jill Paice would be good in this role. They would never consider her of course, but I think she'd bring a different quality.

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 3:36pm

Somebody tell me what I'm missing about Laura Benanti. I'm serious. I saw her in the Into the Woods revival and thought she was HORRIBLE...deadly boring and ruined (well, contributed to ruining) the revival.

Yet she seems to be universally loved by people here. I never hear a word against her. What am I missing? Can someone recommend something in particular that I could listen to that can illuminate me as to her comedic chops, great voice, etc.? What show is a good representation of her at her best that maybe I missed? I'm serious. Not being a hater. Want to see what I'm missing.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 4:30pm

^ Model Behavior from Women on the Verge.

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 4:40pm

thanks, bway! I'll check it out.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 5:18pm

Artscallion, I didn't see Benanti in INTO THE WOODS, but she does absolutely nothing for me in the cast recording. She sings pretty, and from what I hear and from stuff she has admitted to in the past, she was a bit of a pain in the ass at the moment. I think she just matured into a wonderful actress who just commands every scene she is in. Her performance in GYPSY was something I will never forget, that last scene between her and LuPone is the reason I go to the theatre. Then you get something like her "Model Behavior" from WotV (which I didn't even see live) and it's impossible for me not to be in awe of her talents, she has worked hard and it's paid off, she has the voice but she also has something to her that's just masterful. Her performance at the Tonys this year just confirms that.

[darquegk]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 6:03pm

Higgins can be completely spoken, but it works well with someone who falls from speaking into singing, back and forth, with relative ease. Jeremy Irons handled it well in that mode.

Earl Boen would have been fantastic back in the day- he just has THAT VOICE when he wanted to.

[AnythingGoes23]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 6:04pm

Bodyguard still has plans for The Marquis but delayed until Summer 2014.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 6:10pm

What about Nathan Lane as Higgins?

[artscallion]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 6:14pm

Thanks, ray. That's what I felt about her in ITW. Pretty voice with no personality. As a follow-up to Kim Crosby, I thought it was a disaster. But I'll admit the only thing I've seen her in since was Nine, and that did nothing to change my mind.

I actually have that Gypsy recording. But, for some reason, never listened to it...maybe Gypsy burnout? I'll have to pull it out and give it a listen. Watch me end up being her biggest fan.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 6:16pm

Nathan Lane is too good of a singer.

Honestly, you should be able to carry a tune, but I think Higgins needs to be played by a very fine actor first and foremost.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 7:04pm

I would look up the dressing room scene in Gypsy with Benanti and if that doesn't convince you that she has some serious chops I'm not sure what will.

[lemiz3001]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 7:22pm

Kelli could still do this, not sure how long she would stay in Bridges, but this will start previews in late Sept. '14, still quite a while a way.

The producers still in talks with Colin Firth for Higgins, and they are hoping for a second A-Lister for Eliza.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/3/13 at 9:40pm

This would be a nice fit in the Palace, but the Marquis could be nice too.

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 5:32am

Annelise van der Pol....

I like that...

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 1:55pm

Devoted as I am to Benanti, I think a woman in her mid-30s is too old to play Eliza.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:15pm

Tell that to Audrey Hepburn.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:18pm

Do you really need "movie stars" to play these parts in order to sell tickets? Isn't MY FAIR LADY, like, I dunno, a classic musical that most people really love and will go to even if Anne Hathaway isn't Eliza? Why not look for stage actors who actually have the chops?

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:25pm

"Tell that to Audrey Hepburn."

I thought she was too old as well, but when you're a big movie star... A lesser star than Mary Martin could never have gotten away with playing Maria in her mid-40s.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:38pm

Be great if you got the London version from a few years back, it was stunning

[BwayTday]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:40pm

Very true. I still see no problem with someone like Benanti playing it. Especially when I can't think of any younger actresses that are as well suited for it in my opinion.

[jv92]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:42pm

I really wish Lincoln Center Theater was doing this. Maybe because it was the first musical I became familiar with as a child, but I don't want to see MY FAIR LADY destroyed. Particularly the score. If LCT had this lined up, we might have gotten the original orchestrations.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/4/13 at 2:53pm

Yeah, it's unfortunate it's not LCT but it is Bartlett Sher so I definitely trust him. I really hope they don't go for an A-lister, it's just not the kind of role that's well suited for a young actress making her Broadway debut. It's too vocally demanding. Get A-listers for Higgins and the supporting males, and hire Benanti as Eliza. I bet her performance would be so tremendous that she'd be the talk of the town. I feel if they wanna do the same story with two A-listers, they should just do PYGMALION again.