New Birdie Buzz- Page 2

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:08am

I was just thinking that, Foster.

How about Casey Nicholaw?

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:14am

How about not doing BYE BYE BIRDIE. It has not been revived for a reason.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:18am

^ Coming from the poster with the TLM avatar. Sorry, had to.
BBB is a classic.


Anyway. I would go for Lopez in the role. I think she would need more vocal training though. She can sing live now, but she needs more work.

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:19am

What is the need everybody has for Rosie to be played by an actual Latin actress. Do any of you know the show? The joke is that Mae thinks she is Spanish and always calls her spanish but in reality she is not Spanish. She is from allentown PA. Listen to the lyrics. This role can work great with a Latina actress sure, but it could also work with any other actress.

[nyc1870]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:22am

When it was workshopped last summer, Robert Longbottom directed.

[robbiej]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 10:59am

What? No people of Spanish descent have ever lived in Allentown??

And, by the way, I believe the original lyric is not 'Allentown, PA', but 'Far Rockaway.' Which is an infinitely better lyric, in my opinion.

But I do agree that it wouldn't bother me too much if Rosie was not played by a Latina actress.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 11:24am

Though it was changed for the movie and I think other productions, her name is Rose Alverez and she is of Spanish origin, but she considers herself American.

I was always confused why they tried to made Janet Leigh look Spanish and then changed her name to make her not Spanish????
ah Hollywood!

And Brave Sir Robin, SOUTH PACIFIC had not been revived either, but both shows have had healthy lives in regional etc. because they are good shows, and the right director can make it work on Broadway again.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 11:48am

"Ummm, seriously people - Albert is supposed to be older - after all, he's built this business after he was going to become an English Teacher."

David Hyde Pearce is closing in on 50 years old. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001383/)

Albert is supposed to be 33.

"Your 33 years old Albert, isnt it about time blah blah blah..."

"Im not thirty three, im a long WAY from thirty three, I wont be thirty three until... tomorrow..."


And Albert didnt build this company on his own. Al-Mae-Lou.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 12:21pm

DHP can pull it off, I think. He's got enough charm to do so.

Bebe, on the other hand, may be just a tad too old, as has already been said. She would be great, I'm sure, but certainly there must be better, younger, equally audience-pulling names out there.

I surmise that if this happened, Hugo would be played by some big name celebrity heartthrob. Why? Because the fool doesn't sing in the stage version, opening up the stunt-casting doors from mediocre-but-passing to no good singing voice at all.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 12:24pm

But Hugo should not be a "heartthrob", have you ever seen Michael Pollard Jr.?

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 1:45pm

Honestly, I had no idea Rosie Perez had been a choreographer, thanks for letting me. That's fabulous! Then you got it. There's your Rosie.
What I got from Rosie's ethnicity is that she is from Latin descent, just obviously not any kind of stereotype that Mae attaches to "Spanish people." Plus, I think there's a joke in that "Spanish" really means that you're from Spain, nothing more. Either way, I agree with WannaBe re Rosie being played by a Latina.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 2:39pm

Oh, not that he should be by any means. Never should.

[JRybka]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 2:47pm

Couldn't they change the song Spanish Rose to Second Hand Rose and then not hav to worry about it at all?

...just asking...

lol

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 2:48pm

Karen Ziemba would be fabulous. saw her in the ENCORES Birdie reading a couple of years ago (or whenever that was) and loved her take on it.

[A Director]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 3:02pm

At ibdb.com, Rose's last name is Grant. On other sites, her last name is Alvarez. Also at ibdb.com, Carmen Alvarez is listed as Standby for Rose and Charles Nelson Reily is listed as Standby for Albert. When Ms Rivera left the show, she was replaced by Gretchen Wyler.

In the awful TV movie, Rose was played by Vanessa Williams.

By the way, Lola in Damn Yankees is not a Latina character. Gwen Verdon created the role.

[thatgirl712]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 3:32pm

I could buy Bebe as Rosie.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:19pm

Re the SA kids comment,
with Jim Carnahan on board, I wouldn't be surprised.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:25pm

I'd love to see Sarah Hyland reprise her role of Ursula from the reading.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:33pm

Karen Ziemba... I would kill to see her in that role. She would be absolutely perfect. Wow. Brilliant.

Didn't Stephanie J. Block workshop the role last year? I could see that too.

I just can't see DHP in the role. Doesn't fit, to me.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:37pm

I'd rather see Gavin Lee as Albert, but I can totally understand if he's trying to establish his own career instead of following in the shadows of Dick Van Dykes.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:42pm

I'd rather see Gavin Lee as Albert

Oooooh. Good one.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 4:52pm

ashley0139, he did it at the reading.

[BenjyStone]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 7:52pm

Yes, I believe at the exploratory reading/wkshop Stephanie Block was Rosie and Gavin Lee was Albert.

That pairing plays better to me, age wise, than Hyde Pierce and Neuwirth - both of whom I think are too old for the roles.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 8:18pm

I agree with Burns; born to play the role and the right age. Its Roundabout. As a non-profit they shouldn't have to cast a "name" to sell the show.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 5/1/08 at 8:28pm

I know that Lola is not a Latina character but the way Lola is played (with that little accent) and the musical echoes from "Whatever Lola Wants" are rooted in a sort of Spanish/Latin rhythm. Plus, the name Lola is incredibly common in Spain...just saying.
Either way, Neuwirth just seems so old for this role. Don't know why. Just doesn't really ring the right way to me.