Maria Friedman & Daisy Eagan GYPSY

[M_Jokay]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 2:53pm

in response to the latest postings about Maria Friedman and Daisy Eagan doing Gypsy in an "unconfirmed" Texas location this summer/fall, i just think it's really cool. i mean, if there's one place in the world that i would have thought never to see a Tony winner and a West End superstar perform together it would be Texas. i think this is great. Both women are perfect for their roles.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 3:09pm

they should cast Michael Arden. He's from Texas, right? yummy

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 3:27pm

If it means Daisy gets nekkid, I'm all fer it!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 3:33pm

it sounds kinda funny right? i wouldnt be surprised to see maria on broadway...but in Texas???

[James_Street]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 4:02pm

i still would like to know who is putting this show on, does anyone know? please???

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 4:07pm

WHY WOULD THEY GO TO TEXAS? LOL

[musicgal04]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 4:09pm

There are some very strong theatre companies in Texas. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin all have produced some amazing shows.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 4:16pm

Still, that's a little stranger than Michael Ball making his US concert debut in Salt Lake City.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 5:48pm

wheres odessa? isnt that in the ukraine? only kidding, but still, is there a credible theatre group there?

[zoran912]

Posted: 1/29/05 at 6:38pm

I know that Dee Hoty is playing Reno Sweeney in ANYTHING GOES out in Texas. It's not as odd as you'd think.

[BWAYboi_yes]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 3:48am

you know its funny because you always hear about big time people that are now all washed up going to places and doing shows like this- like patty duke at reprise, but even that was an established production company and in LA- but Maria Friedman is a huge star, like, one of the biggest in London, right? ive never seen anything like it

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:48am

How is it so strange? Texas was the home of the world premieres of Best Little Whorehouse, Beauty and the Beast and Jekyll and Hyde. Obviously, if you find it so surprising, you know very little about the state. Broadway producer Stuat Ostrow (1776, Chicago, M. Butterfly, The Apple Tree, Pippin) and Edward Albee have been teaching for years at the University of Houston. Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave performed anually at the Tony-winning Alley Theatre in Houston for years. The Tony-winning Houston Grand Opera is one of the top opera companies in the country. Check out the theatre scenes in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Open your minds, people.

Updated On: 1/30/05 at 09:48 AM

[wildcat]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:54am

"Big time people that are now all washed up"

Ah yes, chivalry is dead...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:05am

Yes, big-time people only perform in NYC or London and nowhere else in the world. Performing at an "established theatre company in LA" obviously means you're "washed up". God only knows what a performance in Texas means! Especially if BWAYboi_yes does not consider it "established". I wonder if Maria Friedman knows she is "washed up"? Someone should tell her before the Olivier Awards so she doesn't expect to win this year. If she does win, do you think they'll take it away from her if se performs in Texas?

[ClapAbout]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 2:51pm

such a good point matt. maria's a star and no place where she performs will change that. if anything, its great that audiences in texas will get a chance to see her. those ppl would likly never make the journey to the west end. great theatre is anywhere that has good actors and a good audience. whether it be new york, london, texas or the moon. cheers to texas!

[Nonya]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 4:00pm

Just because people aren't performing every second of every day doesn't mean anything. Every single performer goes through cycles. Maybe people choose to focus on other things besides their careers. Especially former child actors. Maybe they go to school. Maybe they try other things. Maybe their moms die of cancer less than 2 years after they win Tonys. I don't know.
Maria Friedman is one of the hardest working actors in London and Daisy Eagan just got great reviews in a world premiere production of a Christopher Shinn play in L.A. What have you done lately??
Besides, those theaters pay out the a$$ to bring in stars. I'm sure they're both getting a ridiculous fee.
Chill out. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 04:00 PM

[JamieMcG]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 4:25pm

Well said Nonya, Daisy's a really good friend of mine and she works a lot. She just happens to be in LA now. She went through some really tough times after Secret Garden, but I can honestly say she is far from "washed up." She's just choosing to do work that she wants to do as opposed to doing anything that comes around the bend.

As an actress, she is still clearly one of the most talented of her generation and sometimes opportunities like GYPSY in Texas come up. And to be honest-we haven't heard from Rebecca Luker in a while, and a lot of brilliant performers. They're doing concert work all over the country because it pays GREAT deals of money. And as you said, Daisy is getting paid rather well to do a role that she's quite appropriate for, whether it's in Texas, NY or LA.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 1:46am

i agree. over in the uk its even more common for our biggest stars to take breaks from the business. doing tons of performances is so tiring. i bet maria and daisy are glad to get to do a good show for a limited run only. i bet theyre excited.

[kyle.]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 11:44am

audra mcdonald is making her opera debut in texas this year.

[peterjoshua]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 12:08pm

"those ppl would likly never make the journey to the west end."

Are you kidding me? Speaking of knowing nothing about the state... It ain't all horses and tumbleweeds where Ma and Pa don't know nothin' about the other towns. In addition to Houston companies like The Alley, TUTS, and the Houston Grand Opera, which have already been mentioned in this thread, companies in Dallas and Austin have also brought in busy, WORKING New York actors for their shows. Not to mention the thriving theatre communities each city has on its own. Austin alone has had numerous nationally recognized playwrights, actors, and shows. LIPSTICK TRACES, which had a decent run in NYC a couple of years ago, began in Austin. LOVE, JANIS had one of its very first productions in Austin, prior to its lengthy run in New York. And that's just a start.

[M_Jokay]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 2:35pm

i think i'm going to agree with peterjoshua but also defend geol. certainly texas has some great theatre, and lots of good stuff starts out in texas. but texas, unlike many other states, is REALLY BIG. ppl in cities like houston or dallas, true, can come to the west end if they really want. this production is in odessa and i imagine that your scenario of pa and ma and tumbleweeds is more appropriate. i think what geol was saying is that its great because many of THOSE ppl wouldnt make a trip to london. not couldnt. wouldnt. its like good exposure to international culture in a place where that may otherwise not happen. just a thought.

[peterjoshua]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 3:09pm

Good points, M_Jokay. I'm willing to allow that maybe -- maybe! -- it's a little less likely that the folks from Odessa might make sojourns to the West End to take in the theatre. (And even more willing to admit that this production being in Odessa in the first place is, indeed, a little odd.) The generalization just gets a little old.

In any case, I hope Maria and Daisy come in and give 'em an amazing show. Two very talented performers. Personally, I had never thought of Daisy in GYPSY, but the thought is intriguing. I'm almost tempted to make the trek to see it! (Almost. Like you said, Texas is really big!) :)

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 4:33pm

I think they should change Louise to Louis and have male strippers instead. Would be an interesting take and make it easier on my eyes at least.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 4:37pm

Okay. As soon as there's a production of NAKED GIRLS SINGING.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 1/31/05 at 4:39pm

DEAL!