Stand-by Joined: 3/3/09
Anyone heard anything? Seems like we're getting near to the time they'd be starting rehearsals and other than the announcement of the Neil Simon and the beginning of ticket sales, there's no information on who the cast is going to be.
Most of the DC cast is returning, with a few exceptions (Tateh, Sarah, and maybe a few others). I believe that Robert Petkoff, recently seen in HAPPINESS, is taking over Tateh.
Who was in that cast?
I didn't follow the production at all.
Chris Kale Jones is Houdini. Savannah Wise is Evelyn.
I'd love to hear Lauren Kennedy as Mother.
If it's true, Petkoff will be a lovely Tateh. I'll miss Mano's performance terribly, but if we can't have him, this will more than do. :)
I wonder why Jonathan Hammond is not returning as Houdini.
Stand-by Joined: 3/3/09
Probably because they could get someone better. When I saw the show his accent went in and out throughout the evening and quite frankly sounded a little Boris Karloff.
I thought he was fine. I also saw him as Tateh the last week and thought he was very good in that role, too.
Chris Kale Jones is Houdini. Savannah Wise is Evelyn.
I thought he was playing Houdini in Portland, OR -- did that change? (Or is he doing both?)
http://www.pcs.org/ragtime/
MTVMANN, some of the returning cast members from DC include Christiane Noll (Mother), Bobby Steggert (Younger Brother), Ron Bohmer (Father) and Quentin Earl Darrington (Coalhouse). Manoel Felciano played Tateh but isn't returning; Petkoff is replacing him. The Sarah was also replaced, but I cannot remember who has the part now.
Lizzie, do you know who else is in that production?
There was a rumor on ATC that Donna Miggliaccio had reached an agreement with the producers and would now be coming up to NY to play Emma Goldman.
I don't know at all. Although I think it's interesting that the Portland production was on Chris' news page a few weeks ago, and now it's not...
I'm not sure if it's the role itself, but I didn't particularly care for Donna as Emma Goldman.
They couldn't get ANY exciting names for this production? I mean a Broadway name, not a celebrity.
Updated On: 8/26/09 at 02:29 PM
Stand-by Joined: 3/3/09
Glad to hear that Donna may be going to NY as she could hit the back of the house without trying -- very old school actor training unfortunately lacking in many modern actors that one needs to project and the sound system is there for RE-inforcement and is not meant to do all the work.
ljay, what do you mean? In other words, who would you like to see?
I saw this production 9 times in DC and it was absolutely wonderful (or else I would not have seen it that many times).
They probably wanted to retain as much of the DC cast as they could, considering how well-reviewed it was down there. I do remember reading (on ATC) that Mary Testa was seen for Emma. I really don't care who plays that role--they had me at Christiane Noll (and Robert Petkoff will make a great Tateh).
I'm sure it's wonderful! And I am looking forward to seeing it. The cast just sounds a little bland, and I don't see how they're expecting to sell a lot of tickets. But I'm trying not to judge the production without seeing it, I don't like to do that.
Sadly, I can't predict it selling a lot of tickets no matter who plays the leads. The original had a bang-up cast and was never a huge hit at the box office, playing nearly two years without recouping.
Stand-by Joined: 3/3/09
AC you are forgetting to consider the production problems, i.e., they were playing in the then Ford Center which is enormous, and then there was Garth Drabinsky purloining funds all of which contributed to Ragtime losing money and yet nonetheless it ran for two years.
I think that those who doubt the prowess of this revival and hadn't seen it in DC, looking at it strictly from a casting standpoint are missing the point: what made the DC production work was distilling the show to its essence instead of theatrical props as well as its cast being a true ensemble. I think you will be delightfully surprised.
I'm pretty sure Ron Bohmer is attached to something else this season, although that could have changed recently.
Really? Last I heard he was coming in with Ragtime. Could have changed, of course.
It's entirely possible he left this production for RAGTIME, which is a much bigger role than the other offer. But that is not the latest I knew.
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