Posted: 9/5/17 at 4:02pm
If it keeps her out of My Fair Lady (not even sure if she auditioned. Probably just BWW dreamcasting) I'm all for it. Not a fan. Find her artificial and generic. I know I'm in the minority here. I just don't get all the hype over her.
Posted: 9/5/17 at 5:20pm
Oh I just saw that in that BWW article she's gonna be in a film with Sarah Jessica Parker as well. Was this announced anywhere? Glad she's branching out and doing different things.
Posted: 9/5/17 at 5:46pm
"She was a good get in a mehshow"
Actually no, she wasn't a good get in a horrible show that failed miserably. It could have damaged her career, and the casting was a huge mistake.
Posted: 9/5/17 at 6:03pm
I still can't believe anyone hasn't clocked the OP for the misnomer of "Lauren Benanti".
Come on, guys. You're slacking...
Posted: 9/5/17 at 6:29pm
Margo319 said: ""She was a good get in a mehshow"
Actually no, she wasn't a good get in a horrible show that failed miserably. It could have damaged her career, and the casting was a huge mistake. "
The casting was a huge mistake? Who should they have cast?
Posted: 9/5/17 at 8:38pm
Audrey33 said: "Margo319 said: ""She was a good get in a mehshow"
Actually no, she wasn't a good get in a horrible show that failed miserably. It could have damaged her career, and the casting was a huge mistake. "
The casting was a huge mistake? Who should they have cast?"
A chalkboard would have worked better, she was bland
Posted: 9/5/17 at 9:16pm
And plenty disagree. Her performance had nothing to do with that show closing.
Updated On: 9/5/17 at 09:16 PM
Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:21am
"A chalkboard would have worked better, she was bland"
HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA. LOVE. She is the human equivalent of beige paint for me. Always has been.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:40am
I actually enjoyed her in COMET, but found her to be bland and not quirky in Amelie. She has a beautiful voice, but yeah, I'm kind of curious to see her in a play. She comes off as very calculated and not "real." So curious how that works in a play format.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 2:24am
Will never understand why people don't see how good she is (although I acknowledge she has many passionate supporters too, it's strange that she's so divisive).
She was exquisite in Comet, one of the best performances of the decade. Far bettered Denée (who was also good) and the only person to ever be in that show to steal the show from Lucas Steele. No One Else was literally written for her and she basically got the part in Hamilton because of that performance alone, isn't she the only one not to have already known Lin or to audition? She was a highlight of Hamilton, along with Leslie and Daveed and the emotional core of the show. No other Eliza has matched what she did with it, and most play her like a Disney princess or a caricature. Phillipa made Eliza physically age throughout the show just through her body language and the way she carried herself. She did the best that anyone could with Amélie which had no showcase moments for its leading star. I thought she did a great job of embodying Audrey Tautou whilst also putting her own spin on it. Much better than Samantha Barks who played her like Éponine had woken up in the 1970s.
She's well put together and measured and certainly thinks before she speaks. But calculated? Nah. She's not a Benanti or a Keenan-Bolger in terms of being personable but not everyone has to be.
I also think she'll do well in a play and don't see why she wouldn't. As AC126748 said, slouches don't get into Juillard. They also don't get onto Broadway 3 seasons in a row and originate 4 Broadway roles by 27. Clearly people see something in her.
Updated On: 9/6/17 at 02:24 AM
Posted: 9/6/17 at 3:48am
She has only "originated" two roles on Broadway, actually. This will be her third. Her Off-Broadway Natasha doesn't count.
Your fan girling is pretty intense. And no, she was not the only person to not have to audition for Hamilton.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 3:58am
She has originated three roles that have ended up on Broadway. Even with Amélie she did the workshop before Samantha did it in California.
And I didn't say she was the only person not to audition. Leslie, Chris, Daveed, Groff all knew Lin. Phillipa did not.
Appreciation of an actor doesn't have to be fangirling. That suggests I'd squeal if I saw her on the street. I wouldn't. I just think she's a brilliant young talent that deserves a passionate defense, especially when people go as far as to describe her as 'calculating'.
Updated On: 9/6/17 at 03:58 AM
Posted: 9/6/17 at 5:22am
Yeah, "originate 4 Broadway roles" is factually untrue. Two. It's two. The other one hasn't even happened yet, people change their mind all the time about roles.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 5:33am
Margo319 said: "Yeah, "originate 4 Broadway roles" is factually untrue. Two. It's two. The other one hasn't even happened yet, people change their mind all the time about roles."
"Natasha. Eliza. Amélie.
Three Broadway heroines, one drawn from a novel, one from a biography, and one from a film, have very different back stories. But they share a common catalyst: Phillipa Soo.
The actress this spring will accomplish an unusual trifecta: Three roles she helped originate will be on Broadway at the same time."
Better ask the NYT for a correction: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/theater/what-do-hamilton-amelie-and-great-comet-have-in-common-phillipa-soo.html
Posted: 9/6/17 at 8:15am
Margo, did Phillipa run over your dog or something? Why do you feel such a need to bash her?
Posted: 9/6/17 at 9:14am
Phillipa seems like a really lovely person, just quite shy and reserved. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. I don't understand the hate she gets on the internet beyond people just not really liking her as an actress. She hasn't done anything wrong as far as I can tell.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 9:25am
ohhiccup 2 said: "Phillipa seems like a really lovely person, just quite shy and reserved. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. I don't understand the hate she gets on the internet beyond people just not really liking her as an actress. She hasn't done anything wrong as far as I can tell."
Simplest and only explanation I can think of - ego & jealousy. People feel self-important by putting down an exceptionally talented young woman who got to where she did by her sheer talent.
Margo's hate in particular doesn't make sense to me. If you don't agree with her acting choices, do you have to actively insult the person as well? This after all the moral high ground you claim in most every aspect of your life.
I agree with folks above who think her Eliza was really strong. She not only held her own around larger-than-life characters and performers, but was the most effective in an underwritten role and made a lasting impact on me. I haven't seen Amelie but her recording of Great Comet (and some concert performance clips around) is also really good. Phillipa as a person comes off warm and cordial. Even if she didn't, her talent is undeniable so what's this if not your own ego/jealousy?
Posted: 9/6/17 at 11:01am
Meanwhile Phillipa's career just be like...
Posted: 9/6/17 at 11:46am
Ado Annie D'Ysquith said: "Meanwhile Phillipa's career just be like..."
Haha :)
Posted: 9/6/17 at 12:03pm
Valentina3 said: "I agree with folks above who think her Eliza was really strong. She not only held her own around larger-than-life characters and performers, but was the most effective in an underwritten role and made a lasting impact on me."
Yep. Always loved this interview
https://charlierose.com/videos/25970
Where at 22:25 Leslie gets asked what the most memorable part of the show is for him and he goes on a whole spiel about how its watching Phillipa's 'genius' performance.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:12pm
I find the 'debate,' such as it is, about Soo to be curious because people seem to have such strong feelings about her. Shoot, my wife didn't think she was that great when we saw Hamilton.
I disagreed, as I thought she had a tricky role as a virtuous character that she carried off perfectly. I saw the show on tour, with Solea Pfeiffer, who I liked and was terrific on ballads but could never pull off "Helpless" or Soo's subtle trick of aging during the show. In a musical filled with standout performances, Soo still stood out in the original cast. People were emotional at the end because they cared about Soo's character and her journey.
I haven't seen Soo in Great Comet, but I have heard the cast recording, and quibbling over whether she originated that role seems silly and very Broadway-centric. As her take on Natasha sounds different than Denee Benton's, I wish I had seen it. She must have done something right, though, as her performance impressed Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tommy Kail enough to help get her the Hamilton part.
Amelie didn't work, but most of what I read indicated that she was better than the material. So we learned she can't carry a mediocre show. Neither can Patti Lupone and Christine Ebersole, combined, so I'm not sure what that proves.
All these casting directors keep hiring her. She's still very young, and has played significant or starring roles in two of the most acclaimed shows of the century (one of which is a major, once-in-a-generation hit). Even if the play isn't successful financially, and most aren't, Soo will demonstrate some range (assuming her reviews aren't awful).
I don't know if I will like her future work and cannot predict how her career will play out. I'm not sure if she will become a star, Broadway or otherwise. But she's a young, working actress who already is part of Broadway history due to Hamilton. That's not a bad career start.
Updated On: 9/6/17 at 01:12 PM
Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:40pm
I just find it so strange that there's so much snark about Amelie flopping towards Phillipa Soo in particular when people are actually (usually) quite nice towards actors on here when their shows flop and wish them well for the future. I may have misread what the poster was trying to say but on an old Amelie thread someone had posted that Soo had seemingly had it too easy so far going to Juilliard one of the most prestigious drama schools; then success so early on with Comet then Hamilton - almost as if they were wanting her to fail at something. I don't know that could be me misinterpreting as I said but it just seemed unnecessary to me at the time
Posted: 9/6/17 at 1:48pm
haterobics said: "Margo319 said: "Yeah, "originate 4 Broadway roles" is factually untrue. Two. It's two. The other one hasn't even happened yet, people change their mind all the time about roles."
"Natasha. Eliza. Amélie.
Three Broadway heroines, one drawn from a novel, one from a biography, and one from a film, have very different back stories. But they share a common catalyst: Phillipa Soo.
The actress this spring will accomplish an unusual trifecta: Three roles she helped originate will be on Broadway at the same time."
Better ask the NYT for a correction:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/theater/what-do-hamilton-amelie-and-great-comet-have-in-common-phillipa-soo.html"
She did NOT originate the role on Broadway. She originated it OFF BROADWAY. Renee originated it for the Broadway stage. I have nothing against her, I just think she is robotic and unemotional in her performances. Nothing personal. It's interesting I say a fact and I get attacked yet other people insult her and people say nothing. Cute.
Posted: 9/6/17 at 2:27pm
^ you mean Denee.
And as for " I have nothing against her, I just think she is robotic and unemotional in her performances. Nothing personal. It's interesting I say a fact and I get attacked yet other people insult her and people say nothing. Cute. "
This is a literal quote from you - "She is the human equivalent of beige paint for me. Always has been."
That's not a fact, it's an opinion. Calling her performance bland is different than calling her bland. But clearly you can't see that today, so tata
Posted: 9/6/17 at 11:54pm
Her LA depiction of Amelie was 10000x better than the Broadway one, which makes me think that It was more of a content issue rather than Pippa herself.
