New production of "110 in the Shade"?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 2:51pm

See link below. It's the first I've heard of it. Anyone care to shed some light? I assume Audra is playing Lizzie, but she is far, faaaaar from "plain."

(And yes, I'm fully aware it's a workshop.)

Is this a potential revival? Off-Broadway production? Etc...? This is one of my favorite shows, so any info anyone has would be great. :)
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89860.html

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 3:11pm

So this is what the bottom of the revival barrel looks like.

[marincrazy11]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 6:08pm

I love this show!

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 6:23pm

No, the bottom would be "Happy Hunting".

This show has a nice score. Pity the RCA Victor cast recording is out of print.

[robbiej]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 6:24pm

I would KILL to hear her sing SIMPLE LITTLE THINGS.

[MusicMan]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 7:25pm

Au contraire, the bottom of the revival barrel would be a tie between BRING BACK BIRDIE and STARMITES.
Once again, McDonald is not cast to her advantage in a show that was considered an also-ran in its day, despite the pleasures of its score.

[mallardo]

Posted: 12/1/04 at 7:26pm

I recently saw a production of this in Pasadena - with Marin Mazzie and Jason Daniely. Mazzie especially was superb. The show feels a little dated but it works!

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 3:13am

So did I. It's a gorgeous score (and that was a wonderful production), but to me it feels more "period" than dated.

[Mercutio121687]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 3:21am

Sounds like a revival for sure, although as wonderful as Ms. McDonald is, I would not cast her as Lizzie. (Sutton Foster would be magnificent for that part) I just hope this materializes! It's such an underproduced show and the music is so wonderful and it just deserves to be HEARD.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 3:29am

Did Playbill have to use that picture of Audra? It's not the most flattering, and looks like it was taken in the 1980s.

Michael Arden and Michael Cerveris are also involved in the "110 in the Shade" workshop (see link below). Michael Arden's involvement makes me very excited!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/89863.html

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 3:56am

Aw. But no one can play "dumb" like Adam Wylie!

(I mean that in a good way...)

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 6:15am

Thank God something other than the every other year revivals of My Fair Lady & La Mancha. Love the score & never saw the show. Looking forward to it.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 10:06am

I would assume that Cerveris is playing File - he is all wrong for Starbuck. I bet they can make the beautiful Audra McDonald look pretty plain - they could do it for almost anyone. The score is pretty wonderful but the book is extremely dated and rather dull. And yes, the first revival of this show was what, 1993? I would say it's a little soon for another one, but maybe not. And I can certainly think of more "bottom of the barrel" revivals...they don't plan to bring back Dance of the Vampires or Steel Pier do they? :)

Updated On: 12/3/04 at 10:06 AM

[mallardo]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 10:45am

Musetta, did you catch Adam Wylie as Arpad in the Long Beach production of She Loves Me? It would underline your point - he was terrific.

[mallardo]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:32am

I can't imagine that, at this stage of his career, Cerveris would play File. Why wouldn't he be great as Starbuck?! To me, it's made for him.

[Mercutio121687]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:35am

I second that! Just because the man is brilliant at playing dramatic roles doesn't mean he wouldn't be outstanding as Starbuck!

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 12:08pm

Cerveris is playing Starbuck. And I believe Steven Pasquale is playing File.

[Marquise]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 5:55pm

who's cast as "Snookie"?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 8:45pm

" Musetta, did you catch Adam Wylie as Arpad in the Long Beach production of She Loves Me? It would underline your point - he was terrific."

No, I didn't. Actually, I hadn't seen him in anything before 110 in the Shade. Hopefully that won't have been the LAST time I saw him in anything. :)

Steven Pasquale as File! Wow. I saw him in Miss Saigon once, but I don't remember his voice being as rich and baritoney as I might expect for a File. But wow, he could be great.

Then again, the Pasadena Playhouse production was my first exposure to the show, and I don't know if Ben Davis is the exception to the casting rule when it comes to File. (He was the reason I went, actually.)

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 10:31pm

Sorry, but I really disagree with that casting. Steven Pasquale is definitely more physically and vocally a Starbuck than a File. And Cerveris is probably at least 10 years older than Pasquale.

p.s. Musetta, I'm so jealous you saw Pasquale in Saigon! How was he?

Updated On: 12/3/04 at 10:31 PM

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:00pm

He was absolutely fantastic. It was my third time seeing the show, and he was the third Chris I'd seen. He was really idiosyncratic in his mannerisms, but it made sense because he made Chris a very tortured, anguished soul. He was very charming in his scenes with Kim, but beneath the surface there was a lot of tumult and conflict. By the end, you got the impression that he would be the next to commit suicide (after Kim, of course).

Then again, I saw what I think was the matinee before his last show, so he may have been more emotional at that performance than some of his others.

LMF, I think you're right in that he might make a better Starbuck. :)

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:49pm

That's great about Pasquale's Chris - A very interesting choice. I remember Matt Bogart being the best that I saw.

Back on topic -
Another point to be raised: Gorgeous Steven Pasquale as the boring town sheriff, File and the not-very attractive Michael Cerveris as the handsome and brash paramour, Starbuck. Who would you sleep with...? I think Pasquale's looks would mesmerize Lizzie for the time being, and THEN she would realize that all she wants are "simple little things", and ultimately choose File in the end...tell me that doesn't make sense.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:56pm

Valid points all around, and there's also the issue of Audra McDonald being "plain."

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 12/3/04 at 11:59pm

I think Audra is a fine casting choice.

The only time I actually saw a production of the show was with Karen ZZZZZZZZZiemba. Audra would definitely be an improvement. Updated On: 12/3/04 at 11:59 PM

[MusicMan]

Posted: 12/4/04 at 1:03am

True, Ziemba onstage is like watching paint dry but at least she has the lean and hungry look of a love-starved spinster. McDonald, however, is a full-figured gal and nobody's idea of a wallflower.
More importantly though, McDonald came to fame by exuding a life-affirming ebullience, warmth and radiant joy in her solo appearances and concert recitals. She has yet to be seen in a role that capitalizes on those qualities and, indeed, is perversely cast in roles completely opposite to her persona: child-murderer, child-abandoner, bourgeois snob, and now, a self-confessed old maid. Hell, I'd rather see her in THE SOUND OF MUSIC!
What's the matter, producers? Why can't a suitable vehicle be found for this woman? Or is it that you just can't stand the thought of someone giving an audience actual PLEASURE for a change?