Curious, the original wasn't exactly cast with exemplary voices. Orbach's performance on the OBC is infamous for being so pitchy. Seriously pitchy. (I have a friend who was in the show, and said as beloved as he was, everyone knew how off the voice was.) And Jill O'Hara, while unique, had a rasp that didn't exactly sound like the usual power-belter. I loved O'Hara, the look, the temperament -- they found a musical equivalent of Shirley McL., and it worked.
On that score, "score" aside (!), the sunny, far, far older Chenoweth will have to bring something else to the role. Which may be difficult, since the self-sabotaging, indeed self-destructive MO of the character, suggests a far more damaged woman if she's 35-40. We understand the capricious nature of youth -- for a 37ish woman who's a doormat -- well, that could play pitifully. I have this theory that Marge will come off as the girl Chuck oughta end up with. She's self-supporting, resourceful, a good time, and she's out, not holed up with a married loser feeling sorry for herself. Poor Fran -- she's so pitiful, so devoid of humor (Simon didn't do her any favors), she may play as a real drag.
To my thinking, Fran could use a dose of Anne Tyler, some quirks that remove her from the whitebread cliche of pretty girl with Big Issues. She's so devoid of ambition, drive, and without resources. To quote Marsha Norman, an audience loses patience with a character who refuses to take action on his own behalf. This strange waif Fran, so enamored of a paper-thin married loser, needs a jolt of character detail. And for Chenoweth to play a gal who needs a protective older brother (how old will Karl be here, 45?) ... ugh. Fran is one of those roles that cannot be young enough. She even ha lines about wanting to look like "Joan Crawford, older and wiser..."
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
Updated On: 1/7/10 at 01:01 PM
