My worst nightmare: Melanie and Antonio set to headline CHICAGO tour in 04

[CJR]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 5:48pm

GAAAAAAAHHHHH! *covers ears and runs around screaming*

Yes, Melanie and Antonio have been signed for a 2 month sit down on the Chicago tour in LA beginning January 04. Bebe Neuwirth is in talks to return as Velma.

I think I'm going to go shoot myself....

[emmamia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 6:57pm

well maybe the phrase "break a leg" will come in handy :)

[CJR]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 7:07pm

The only good to come of this will be MAYBE Bianca will be brought back to Broadway (and that would make me INSANELY HAPPY!)

[PJ]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 7:19pm

Ohh. I'd love to see Bebe as Velma. Maybe, just maybe the tour will come back to Pennsylvania.

[emmamia]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 7:32pm

i will want to see how bad melanie is and since LA is only a 4 hour trip by car from vegas ... im gonna have to go see how rotten she is .. i can only imagine what im going to put myself through that nite

[AReinkingfan]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 7:38pm

Let me know when Ann Reinking signs back on! ( :

[PJ]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 7:48pm

Ann Reinking = My New Love

[cabarethed]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 10:42pm

excuuuse me? Oh good hell. And what a hell it is. Well, at least it's away from NY, so you won't have to deal with her.

[AReinkingfan]

Posted: 9/15/03 at 11:04pm

Aww.. PJ. For real?? Glad to hear it! Welcome to my world!! ( :

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 9:43am

This is awful! The sad thing is people are gonna hear that they are headlining, like the movie, never see a Broadway show, think it will be amazing, and then.......WORST THING THEY WILL EVER SEE!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 10:50am

Where did this information come from?
And maybe just maybe they can give her some dance lessons and such before the show opens.
And why would Antonio want to do this show? He would not be a good Billy Flynn (IMHO). He is an amzing actor (just watch his Pedro Almodivar films) but this part is not for him.

[seabyrd]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 10:54am

Can you just imagine Bebe putting up with Melanie? Is there something wrong with this picture? I can't imagine Bebe letting Mel get away with anything - she will make her look like the neophyte she is, and love doing it!

[mamamia sammy]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 10:55am

I saw Melanie in "Chicago" and personally I found her to be completely charming and utterly endearing. Los Angeles is in for a real treat.

I would much prefer to watch someone who has real "star qualitiy" (like Melanie) as Roxie as opposed to some bland 'no name'.

Renee Zellwegger isn't the best singer or dancer in the whole world (far from it), but I'm glad that she was cast in the movie and not some glorified chorus girl.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 11:04am

It's always scary when those "big-time" actors/actressess are singing and dancing especially when they sound like a mouse just speaking i.e. Melanie!! But then when I saw Cabaret with Teri Hatcher I was very very....very very surprised! :c) She was amazing and I actually found some respect for her. She looked completely emaciated, but she sounded awesome.

I'd have to say that I thought Renee Zellwegger wasn't the best in Chicago and that Catherine deserved more acknowledgement than Renee.

PS - Great pic mamamia! :c)

[Starlight]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 11:08am

Ummm...didn't Catherine pretty much get more recognition by walking away with the Oscar while Renee lost out to Nicole Kidman? I think that part of the reason more people focused on Renee is because it was well known that Catherine had a theater background...no one was really surprised that she was able to do everything...but people didn't expect it out of Renee. Catherine definitely stole the show though...I loved her in "Cell Block Tango."

[NBC]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 11:27am

I don't know, Melanie wasn't exhibiting much star quality at Broadway on Broadway.

I've seen her twice - I'd bought one ticket awhile ago - and while her monologue and her acting had gotten better, I still thought Camille Saviola and Brent Barrett stole the show out from under her, what with them being able to act, sing and move.

I do know I wouldn't have much interest in seeing Bebe perform the choreography the way it looks right now.

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 11:50am

actually, sorry, CJR...but that cast sounds simply thrilling to me((

I would trade some of the dance brilliance etc....for that kinda exciting moviestar power...

How very thrilling it would be to see Griffith, Banderas and Neuwirth in Chicago:))

in addition to bringing joy to thousands, these movie stars will likely create some new lovers of live musical theater, simply due to their appearances:) bringin in movie star fans.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 1:11pm

Nobody but nobody writes like you, Garry! "Joy to thousands!!!"

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 2:38pm

I can understand the Bebe part. I think she's a doll and so very talented. I do not get the Melanie bit. WHY? After seeing her at Broadway on Broadway I almost died laughing. She looked as though she'd been drugged and she barely kept up at the end with that touch step touch step thing. It only served to reinforce the fact that I refuse to shell out $100.00 to see Chigaco on stage only to be tortured as long as Melanie is in the role of Roxie Hart.

[BrdwyThtr]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 3:21pm

I don't think this is a good idea at all! Melanie will be all over Antonio on stage.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 5:59pm

Has anyone else noticed that TEACHEROFTHEATER seems to know only one adjective? His "thrilling" is as annoying as the use of "amazing" and "awsome" among the toddler set.

[PJ]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 7:20pm

From what I've heard of Bebe, she can be really smug. And I doubt she'd do it w/ Melanie since the choreography is altered to Ms. Griffith's "strengths." But don't get me wrong about Bebe; I've love to see her back in Chicago...even if it is only in L.A.

[redmustang]

Posted: 9/16/03 at 11:36pm

Did this bit of gossip say that Melanie was set to play Roxie in LA, or Roxie's understudy?

[CJR]

Posted: 9/17/03 at 2:30am

Melanie is set to play Roxie in LA -- same as she has been butchering... oh! I mean, PLAYING on Broadway since July.

[theaternut]

Posted: 9/17/03 at 2:31am

I read the Melanie thing. I have no idea where the Bebe or Antonio rumor got started.