Matthew Morrison in Finding Neverland

Matthew Morrison was 18th on my list of actors I wanted to do this show.

I was hoping for Raul Esparza

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I'm looking forward to this ... as long as it isn't one heartfelt ballad after another. I hope they bring out the humor and childlike quality of Barrie and this story. The plot itself is heavy-duty enough without a tar-pit of searing mush belted to the rafters, one after the other.

I have high hopes they know that and will find the magic in the sadness, instead of the other way around.

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I lost interest in this when Weinstein dumped the original writing team.

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Well historically speaking he couldn't physically be more wrong to portray the diminutive JM Barrie-but he's probably a good fit for the intended demograph audience of the musical so that a plus.

I think Esparza would have been a good choice. Barrie was a highly complex personality, and there should be a range of ambiguity about his actions. As much as I appreciate Morrison's talents, complex characterization doesn't seem to be his strong point.

I am not looking forward to this casting, I just find him so self-indulgent in the NPH vein.

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If we could go back in time, how wonderful would Michael Jeter have been in this?

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Absolutely a Jeter fan for this part. He is missed.

^ Kelly should definitely have originated Poppins on Broadway - she would have gotten a Tony nod for sure if she had...

Is she based over in the USA full time now?

The issue may simply be American Actors Equity. It makes sense. Part of their purpose is to protect and keep jobs for American actors in the union.

Concessions and swaps are worked out all the time with British Equity, but I'm guessing there was a deal in advance with Mary Poppins that an American actress would originate the role on Broadway.

That could easily be the case here with Finding Neverland, which would prevent Daniel Evans or Julien Ovenden from originating the Broadway role, especially if they've already made a concessions with Kelly this time. Maybe one of the two leads had to be American, etc. And maybe Kelly now has dual citizenship allowing her to join American Equity.

Who knows?

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Ovendon got great press from what I remember. I don't remember what the opinion was on the score, but I don't think it was all that negative... or was it? Was there any issue getting him over t do Death Takes a Holiday? Of course that was Off-Broadway (and I know he ended up missing most of the performances.)

As for Gary Barlow. I like some of his pop songs a lot (OK, most of them are from Take That which likes to credit the entire band, so I have no idea how big his contribution is) but I can't think of a single one that seems, lyrically, to show signs of being able to write dramatic musical theatre. If anything he's very good at rather ambiguous (and sometimes band) lyrics that work fine in pop music but would kill a project like this. And I'm curious which songs from Frankel/Korrie's score they are keeping.

Hollywood almost always makes people on film WAY more attractive then their real life counterparts.

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