Piazzaontour.com Updated with Tour cast photos — Page 2

Whether or not Celia was brunette or dirty blonde, she is physically very small in comparison to Kelli O'Hara and the ensemble who have a fuller body. She is more pale. More infantile. She stands out, either way. What DramaQueen was pointing out was that Elena doesn't stand out and that she looks very Italian.

Celia and Vicki actually look related in those pictures. You could buy that they were mother and daughter.

Laura Griffith IS brunette and she did UNDERSTUDY for Katie and Kelli, but it's not like she went on full-time. She went on once or twice. Her and Jen Hughes shared the u/s position, but Laura busy enough being dance captain and Franca u/s too.

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I agree. Who cares what color her hair is? She gives an outstanding performance in the role and that's what matters. Some Clara's have been blonde and some have not. What's the big deal? Yvette Mimieux was blonde in the non-musical film back in the sixties. As pointed out in this thread, others have been blonde and others have not. Now if she were bald, that my be an issue but when I saw the show, I never gave a thought to her hair color.

And as for Christine Andreas looking fat, give me a break. She looked just fine on stage. And even if she was fat, what's the big deal? There are fat people in America and they do go on vacation.

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Does Margaret have to look a superstar? I don't get this ongoing banter of this frumpy thing. Sure Patti, Vicki, and film star Olivia DeHavilland were all pretty fit, but that doesn't make the role limited.

Jeez, God forbid her hips look large in a picture of her in one dress!

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It has been stated profusely that the point of Clara being blonde (or even red) color haired is that she stands out as an "all-american girl". It's what catches Fabrizio's eye, essentially, in the piazza during "Statues and Stories". Her look. Appearance. Shape. Form. Skin tone. Giving an outstanding performance is important, but visual is sometimes equally as important.

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BillFinn-
I saw the show last night and these were the things that I believe make Elena stand out as Clara, and what Fabrizio notices.
The wig does have quite a bit of blonde highlight which really shimmer, especially when you see her from the back. It's lighter in contrast to David's/Fabrizio's hair and the hair/wigs of the rest of the family.
Elena's skin tone is not nearly as dark as David's and his lines about her skin being white as milk ring true as Fabrizio struggles with the right words and his awe of her skin.
Elena has blue eyes, not brown like Fabrizio and his family. I think they stand out even more because she has darker hair.
Whatever the hair color, her overall look in that first scene that Fabrizio sees her is striking, and you have no problem beliving that she has truely caught his eye...both with her physical beauty and with the look of wonder she has as she is looking at her surroundings...and you see that in Fabrizio's eyes as well. AND, on top of it all...and best of all...Elena gives a wonderful performance as Clara. Her voice is gorgeous, and she is a fine actress.

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