Miscasting At Williamstown

[A Director]

Posted: 2/9/15 at 10:30pm

A Moon for the Misbegotten

August 5 - August 23

By Eugene O'Neill; Directed by Gordon Edelstein

With Audra McDonald & Will Swenson

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/9/15 at 10:31pm

patti lupone

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 2/9/15 at 10:36pm

Ya no....I'm so in for this! Summer in the Berkshires it is!!!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 12:15am

Sounds pretty awesome to me.

Were you planning to see it?

[missthemountains]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 1:21am

I know I will be crucified for saying this--and I love Audra as much as the next Broadway lovin gay here--but she is miscast here. Josie is supposed to be a bigger, tough gal, which Audra is not. Also, I'm pretty sure she's supposed to be way younger too.

[A Director]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 2:34am

In the script, it says Josie is 28 and Jamie is in his early 40s.

I don't believe in definitive productions and performances, but Colleen Dewhurst and Jason Robards come close in the 1973 production.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 8:28am

In the script, it says Josie is 28 and Jamie is in his early 40s.

1957 Broadway premiere: Wendy Hiller (45) and Franchot Tone (52)
1973 revival: Colleen Dewhurst (49) and Jason Robards (51)
1983 London: Frances de la Tour (39) and Ian Bannen (55)
1984 revival: Kate Nelligan (34) and Ian Bannen (56)
2000 revival: Cherry Jones (43) and Gabriel Byrne (50)
2007 London/Broadway: Eve Best (35) and Kevin Spacey (forty-eight)



Updated On: 2/10/15 at 08:28 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 9:00am

I think it's great casting.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 9:01am

Audra is absolutely perfect. It should be thrilling. The wild card is of course the role of Tyrone, one of the more challenging in American drama. It need enormous depth, but also a kind of showmanship. Personal charisma. So I'll root for a man with mostly musical theater experience to pull off that aspect. He has his work cut out for him, but at least an incandescent co-star who tends to inspire wonderful work from everyone is in her company.

Updated On: 2/10/15 at 09:01 AM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 9:03am

It's "revisionist," and just a way for her and her husband to appear together. It could work though.

[JayG 2]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 9:36am

Moon has Broadway written all over it. In the fall Audra opens in Moon, in the winter she opens in Night Mother and in the spring - Spiderwoman.
Come Tony time she is nominated for both Moon and Night Mother as Best Actress AND she ties with herself and wins TWO TONYS!!
Oh wait, make that three - another for Spiderwoman!

[JMPlayer6]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 9:45am

If youthink this is miscast, then just don't go. Simple, huh?

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:48am

After Lady Day, I would see Audra in pretty much anything. A fair amount of people didn't think she was right for Billie, but her performance was nothing short of brilliant. I wish I were able to see this production.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 10:59am

Couldn't agree more, Wonderful!

Like many here, I had my hesitations that Audra could pull of Billie (her distinctive voice in particular) and was so glad to be proven wrong! I ended up seeing the production three times...and I kick myself for not seeing it more!

Considering Audra's staggering success rate, I think she deserves the benefit of the doubt. Also, in response to imissthemountains, Audra has played "a bigger, tough gal" (to great success...) in "100 Degrees in the Shade." I have no doubt she will be a wonderful Josie. I have some reservations about Swenson in this production, but I am willing to hold those in abeyance.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 11:20am

I'm thrilled.

And I won't miss it.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 2/10/15 at 11:23am

Neither will I!

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:18am

Performances start this week...anyone going?  I'm headed there this weekend and couldn't be more excited!  

[LarryD2]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:28am

I'll be at both performances on August 15.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 12:12pm

Count me in.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 1:48pm

I'll be at the evening performance on the 15th.  With two friends.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 4:03pm

As will we!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/3/15 at 11:39pm

^^   Wish we could change the name of this thread.

Updated On: 8/3/15 at 11:39 PM

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 8/4/15 at 12:23am

Right?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/16/15 at 9:23pm

More to follow, but:   Wow.   What a production.  And what a performance.    

It was brilliant casting and the chemistry between Audra and Will was palpable.   

I'm so grateful to have seen it.   It was not to be missed.  

 

(And I still hate the title of this thread!).   

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 8/17/15 at 1:37am

I thought it was beautifully cast all around.  I think the African-American angle is more resonant nowadays than the original Irish Catholic vs. English Protestant would be.  No wonder she feels that Jamie wouldn't want to be pictured with her in the newspaper.