Quick Light in the Piazza Question

[brandontwin2]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:04pm

I searched for another topic with this but I couldn't find my answer. Why did Celia Keenan Bolger leave The Light in the Piazza? Also how did they decide to move Kelli to Clara before Broadway? I've been on quite the LiTP kick lately :) Thanks!

[henrybutler]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:07pm

I read that the producers and creative team decided that Celia Keenan Bolger seemed too young for the part, and it was very important for Clara to appear older but have mannerisms and characteristics which gave away younger stages of development. Celia, who looked young in the part, seemed like a younger character and made the contrast confusing. And Kelli (who has a more mature look, and had been part of the cast out of town) was asked to audition for the part of Clara.

I'd love to hear Celia singing the songs from the show! Love both actresses :)

[jennamajig]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:14pm

Didn't Celia also have Spelling Bee on the table? Or am I wrong in the timing for that?

[brandontwin2]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:17pm

Thank you very much! Katie Rose Clarke was the actress who played Clara the longest and most, correct?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:27pm

Katie played clara from mid-December, 2005 to July 2, 2006. Kelli O'Hara played Clara from March 17, 2005 to December 4, 2005. So Kelli had Katie beat by (my math may be wrong) a month.

[brandontwin2]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:33pm

Well I know Katie went on tour for a while also, I'm not sure if you counted that since it wasn't Broadway time.


I just love this show so much. Everything about it. The first time I saw it I was kind of bored and confused by the Italian but now it is almost my favorite. Updated On: 1/8/09 at 07:33 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:41pm

Oh, well if you count tour, then yes. Katie has far and away performed the most.

[Ftworthguy]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 7:47pm

You are correct on the timing for Piazza and Spelling Bee, they were the same season and they were both nommed for Featured Actress.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:03pm

they were the same season and they were both nommed for Featured Actress.

Wow. Totally never realized that. Tensionnnnnn. Haha.

Have heard Celia's Clara. Shame she didn't continue on to Broadway. But then we never would have had her Olive and Kelli may not have been as big as she is now. So I guess it all worked out.

[brandontwin2]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:18pm

I have heard Celia's Clara also. Parts of it I loved and parts of it I just didn't like at all.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/8/09 at 8:24pm

There were some parts I didn't like as well, but I think they were some of the parts I disliked most about that version of the show. Some of the songs were sort of awkwardly written at that point and sounded as such.