Musings on casting MAME- Page 2
Musings on casting MAME
Musings on casting MAME#25
Posted: 1/15/23 at 10:06am
Ke3 said: "Bernadette's production of AGYG should've been a production of Mame"
Yes! With Tom Wopat as Beauregard, LuPone as Vera, Ann Harada as Gooch.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#26
Posted: 1/15/23 at 10:36am
Why hasn't anyone suggested Jennifer Simard as Vera?
Answers, please!
Musings on casting MAME#27
Posted: 1/15/23 at 10:44am
I have said this before in the many MAME casting threads on this board. MAME is a very difficult role as she has to be almost superficially pretentious as well as being extremely warm at the same time. Part of that is a natural talent, some actresses, no matter how good, cannot muster this quality. Most actresses can't. She also has to sing really, really well. She also should be white as there is a theme toward the end dealing with racial prejudice (and colorblind casting is always wonderful except when the show deals with race as it can get confusing and overshadows the progressive politics of said show).
Hannah Waddingham and Toni Collette might have these qualities (Hannah can definitely belt out a tune), but I have always said the only American singing actress of the moment who definitely possesses everything needed for Mame is Jane Krakowski. She also deserves a lead at this point in her career.
And yes. Jennifer Simard as Vera.
Musings on casting MAME#28
Posted: 1/15/23 at 10:52am
Lea Michele? Kate Hudson?!! Thank god you guys aren’t working in casting!
It needs someone with style and class
Cate Blanchett
Christine Baranski
Emma Thompson
Donna Murphy
Victoria Clark
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#29
Posted: 1/15/23 at 11:03am
Baranski played the part at the Kennedy Center. It was a catastrophe
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/13
Musings on casting MAME#30
Posted: 1/15/23 at 11:19am
I haven't seen Cate Blanchett really pull off comedy either. She did that film a couple years ago - Where'd You Go Bernadette? - and she just couldn't pull it off. She is too cool, too serious.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#31
Posted: 1/15/23 at 12:41pm
Excerpts from Baranski's MAME can be found on YouTube but I can't get it to post.
Musings on casting MAME#33
Posted: 1/15/23 at 12:58pm
Dollypop said: "Baranski played the part at the Kennedy Center. It was a catastrophe
I absolutely agree. She would have been a great Vera at one time, but she was a terrible Mame.
"
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#34
Posted: 1/15/23 at 1:03pm
Excerpts from Baranski's MAME can be found on YouTube bu I can't get it to post.
Musings on casting MAME#35
Posted: 1/15/23 at 1:20pm
After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
Musings on casting MAME#36
Posted: 1/15/23 at 3:27pm
David10086 said: "After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement."
Dear god, no!
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/11/11
Musings on casting MAME#37
Posted: 1/15/23 at 4:08pm
The best thing about the story of Mame is the Rosalyn Russell film.
Just watch that.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#38
Posted: 1/15/23 at 5:25pm
Owen22 said: "I have said this before in the many MAME casting threads on this board. MAME is a very difficult role as she has to be almost superficially pretentious as well as being extremely warm at the same time. Part of that is a natural talent, some actresses, no matter how good, cannot muster this quality. Most actresses can't. She also has to sing really, really well. She also should be white as there is a theme toward the end dealing with racial prejudice (and colorblind casting is always wonderful except when the show deals with race as it can get confusing and overshadows the progressive politics of said show).
Hannah Waddingham and Toni Collette might have these qualities (Hannah can definitely belt out a tune), but I have always said the only American singing actress of the moment who definitely possesses everything needed for Mame is Jane Krakowski. She also deserves a lead at this point in her career.
And yes. Jennifer Simard as Vera."
Many years ago I directed AUNTIE MAME, the original non-musical version of the show. The "racial prejudice" element was actally a reference to a home for unwed mothers which was changed for the.musical. There's no reason why that dialogue can't be revised one way or another for a new production.
Musings on casting MAME#39
Posted: 1/15/23 at 6:35pm
Sierra Boggess - if not Mama, then Vera. No longer an ingenue - recently did A Little Night Music. She's funny, warm and has a great voice.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/18
Musings on casting MAME#40
Posted: 1/15/23 at 6:52pm
Dollypop said: "Many years ago I directed AUNTIE MAME, the original non-musical version of the show. The "racial prejudice" element was actally a reference to a home for unwed mothers which was changed for the.musical. There's no reason why that dialogue can't be revised one way or another for a new production."
That's just one small element. There's also the whole "south will rise again" mentality of the title song (and, in general, depicting white folks living on a plantation in Georgia -- families who probably owned slaves not that long before the setting of the show), the portrayal of Ito, and probably various other issues to be identified upon a close reading. The book also plods along, especially in the second act, so probably needs some trimming as well (there is no reason why we need Pegeen Ryan).
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#41
Posted: 1/15/23 at 7:23pm
JSquared2 said: "Loretta Swit"
What an inspired idea!!!! LaSwit's unique blend of skill and magic would work wonders in the role. After reading the reviews, I can visualize people lining up outside the box office for minutes at a time with tickets already in hand!
Maybe Beanie could be coaxed to play Vera in this production?
Musings on casting MAME#42
Posted: 1/15/23 at 11:05pm
Dollypop said: "JSquared2 said: "Loretta Swit"
What an inspired idea!!!! LaSwit's unique blend of skill and magic would work wonders in the role. After reading the reviews, I can visualize people lining up outside the box office for minutes at a time with tickets already in hand!
Maybe Beanie could be coaxed to play Vera in this production?"
Beanie would probably be an excellent Gooch actually.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#43
Posted: 1/15/23 at 11:58pm
Jarethan said: "Dollypop said: "JSquared2 said: "Loretta Swit"
What an inspired idea!!!! LaSwit's unique blend of skill and magic would work wonders in the role. After reading the reviews, I can visualize people lining up outside the box office for minutes at a time with tickets already in hand!
Maybe Beanie could be coaxed to play Vera in this production?"
Beanie would probably be an excellent Gooch actually."
You're right
Musings on casting MAME#44
Posted: 1/16/23 at 2:20am
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "David10086 said: "After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement."
Dear god, no!"
That’s what they said before she took the stage in CHICAGO.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
Musings on casting MAME#45
Posted: 1/16/23 at 1:48pm
David10086 said: "After her rave reviews last year when she surprised everyone in CHICAGO, I’m thinking Pamela Anderson could headline a revival of this. Even a limited engagement."
There were a few comments about Anderson having a "thin" singing voice. Can you envision her belting out "If He Walked Into My Life" or "That's How Young I Feel?"
Musings on casting MAME#46
Posted: 1/16/23 at 2:13pm
What was so disastrous about Christine Baranski? She seems like such a great choice?
Musings on casting MAME#47
Posted: 1/16/23 at 3:11pm
I’ve only seen mame once. Andrea McArdle was Mame and Lea Delaria was Vera.
one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen made me eh re mame. Is it a good show with the right people?
Musings on casting MAME#48
Posted: 1/16/23 at 3:34pm
JBradshaw said: "I’ve only seen mame once. Andrea McArdle was Mame and Lea Delaria was Vera.
one of the worst shows I’ve ever seen made me eh re mame. Is it a good show with the right people?"
Response to last 2 posts:
Re ‘is it good’, I can only tell you that Mame with Angela Lansbury still rates as my favorite single night in the theatre in 58 years. Great leading role plus three additional excellent roles (young Patrick won a Tony), old fashioned brassy overture (IMO up there with the best, just below Gypsy), very enjoyable score, opportunities for great choreography, very funny, emotionally engaging. It didn’t think it was slow for a second, re a previous response. Would have run a lot longer if the producer was David Merrick: the immediate two replacements for Mame were both mediocre. I am not saying it is the greatest musical, but with the right director and choreographer, the right Mae and Vera, I believe it could be a hit.
Re Baranski, the only area in which we excelled was at n wearing the costumes. She can sing more than satisfactorily (she was IMO excellent as Mrs. Lovett I the Kennedy Center Sweeney Tood), but she couldn’t project the warmth that was needed, her dancing was mediocre (and Mame, at least in the original production dances a lot) and she just seemed too old for the role to me. I was very relieved when they elected not to bring it to NYC because I knew it would flop (Harriet Harris was a terrible Vera as well). Even the sets were ugly.
Musings on casting MAME#49
Posted: 1/16/23 at 5:47pm
Lucky. Baranski was out when I saw Sweeney, enjoyed the understudy but always wondered what her Mrs L was like. loved Company at the KCenter.
Videos
