Muny Theatre 'Shrek' cast, Julia Murney as Princess Fiona?!

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 12:30pm

Since my previos thread did not work I'll post it again. Julia Murney is going green again. She will be playing Princess Fiona in the Muny Theatre production of 'Shrek the Musical' alongside Alexander Gemignani, Rob McClure, and Michael James Scott. She is the last person I ever would have pictured for this role. Congrats to her. I didn't think she could do it since she is over 40, but then again Amanda Holden, who is over 40 played the role in the West End production.




BWW Exclusive: Alexander Gemignani, Julia Murney, Rob McClure, Michael James Scott to Lead SHREK at the MUNY this June Updated On: 4/26/13 at 12:30 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 12:34pm

I'm more surprised by McClure as Farquaad. I had him more pegged as a Pinocchio.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 1:34pm

Even though I never liked 'The Little Mermaid' musical I was hoping Murney would've played Ursula in the Papermill Playhouse production. It's surprising that they sill have not announced the casting for that yet when it's so close to beginning its run.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 2:11pm

I can't see Murney as Fiona.

[Amneris25]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 4:56pm

Murney is replacing someone else who had to drop out due to another job.

Gemignani is inspired casting though. I bet he will be great as Shrek.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:03pm

Who is she replacing, Amneris?

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 5:43pm

Yea, who is she replacing? I cannot see her in the role in the slightest....or really Rob McClure as Farquaad.....Michael James Scott should be great.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 8:18pm

Odd choice for sure, but eh, she'll be fine.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 4/26/13 at 9:51pm

IMO 44 is too old to play Fiona. Fiona spent 8,000 days in a tower, but there is no way she could've turned 44. It's kind of like having Lea Salonga play Princess Jasmine in 'Aladdin', a character who is aparently 15, and Kim in 'Miss Saigon', who is 17, at age 42.

Updated On: 4/26/13 at 09:51 PM

[beagle]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 12:27am

I've never seen Murney in anything, so I'll reserve judgment until I see the show. The casting looks very interesting, though. The Muny has always had Broadway performers in their shows, but since Mike Isaacson took over it seems like they are getting more well-known performers and not the usual cast over and over (Eric Kunze, James Clow, etc.) No offense intended to those performers or their fans, but it's nice to see more variety in the casting now, and some more Broadway veterans that I have heard of but haven't seen in a show.

[willep]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 11:19am

I had the same thought as bjh. I assumed McClure would be Pinocchio until I actually read the article.

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 12:16pm

Hav any of you ever been to the MUNY? It's so huge 90% of the audience wouldn't be able to tell if she's 40 or 20 or 60.

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 1:39pm

AC126748: You got that right. More people will see her in each performance than most broadway shows get in a week. Bring binoculars!

[willep]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 3:37pm

Sidenote: Their Nunsense cast sounds pretty terrific to me as well.

[missthemountains]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 3:47pm

All I can say is I hope if anyone is going to replace D'Amboise as Fastrada, it should be her. A man can dream, right?

[Amneris25]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 6:38pm

Murney is replacing Patti Murin who had to drop out due to Love's Labours Lost at Shakespeare in the Park. That's what I heard anyway.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 10:36pm

Wow, what a change! Patti Murin is definitely right for the role. Murney...not so much

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 4/27/13 at 11:52pm

She has a very classic look about her that makes her look more mature, so it's a stretch having her play Fiona...but then again, anyone who plays a Sutton Foster role of sing/dance/tap/act/slapstick that isn't Sutton Foster gets a knee-jerk reaction.

But I think it's an interesting choice. Not for her age, but for HER to be playing THAT character. Plus, it's a parody of a fairy tale princess type, so it's not THAT off the cuff. I guess if Haven Burton can belt/fake dance her way through the role, then Julia may be a step up.