Replacing Bernadette as Rose in Gypsy — Page 2

Daisy, who is the Jane you are speaking of?:)

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With the talk of replacing BP...
Betty Buckley (although who knows if she would really be interested) didn't mind replacing Glenn Close in Sunset, and the show did quite well, and her reviews were great. Betty usually gets rave reviews with anything she does, and should she want and get the part... I imagine it would do well. One thing to think about is not necessarily who would be a great Rose, but who would fit into the mold of this particular production. Say Betty or Patti or whomever was cast in the first place... it would be an entirely different type of production. So with the way Sam Mendes did it (with a svelt, sexy, and petite Rose, I imagine the next person would be more like BP in manner and size, or else maybe it wouldn't work. Does that make sense?
:)

One name -- Michele Pawk

That is all!

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During the '89 revival, as plans were being made to remake the movie, Arthur Laurents was quite vocal that Barbra (who had been wanting to play Rose in a new film version) would never get her hands on the property. So, that combined with the fact that she doesn't like to perform in public should eliminated anyone's hopes of seeing Babs take on the role.

Betty Buckley replaced BP in Song and Dance and one could argue that at that time Buckley was a bigger star then than she is now. However, box office dropped without BP and the show soon closed. And if the authors didn't adore her at Paper Mill, then I would assume that we won't be seeing her either.

One of the few names getting tossed around to replace Tyne Daly was Carol Burnett's, who I thought would be exceptional in the role. She had the voice, she had the dramatic acting ability and at that time, she was the perfect age. Now, though, I think that she may be slightly too old to go into THIS production.

I think that Michelle Pawk is a great actress and would love to see her take on the role. But she is not a big enough name to sell this show and it could be disastrous for the future of her career. She does not want to be known for having a show close soon after she took over. Producers will look back on that.

Bronte, I believe that BP signed a year contract, which would mean she could be leaving as early as April of next year. But she could always sign on to stay for longer.

Arthur Laurents offered Streisand the role for the 1974 revival, she turned him down flat and took it as an insult. Pity.

I'd love to see Patti do it. Here is a thought, Melissa Manchester. She did the road tour of Song and Dance, then again Lorna Luft would be a pretty damn good Rose and she sing it better than any of the previous Rose's. Then if you want someone in a similar mold (to Peters) there is always Faith Prince but that really is too scary a thought.

Kathy Bates

Voice might take a little work before taking on the role

TWOGAAB
"A Class Act" will never die!

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exactly...
When I saw Bernadette on Regis and Kelly, she told a short story about the real Rose, and how she fit the role. She mentioned that the real Rose was actually a small woman. Most people must have been used to seeing a different type of actress in the role.

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Actually the real Rose was only 16 when she had Louise. She was only 15 when she married Louise's father. And eerily, Rose and Louise were not only 16 years apart but died 16 years apart as well.

So technically Rose should be in her mid 20s at the beginning of the show but I don't think the character was ever written like that. She's already had three husbands, etc. She is a bit older than mid 20s. So while it doesn't quite go with the real life story, I still think Rose should be able to pass for early thirties at the beginning because she does have small children. I find Bernadette to be the perfect look. She can kind of pass for quite a bit younger at least for a few scenes and then she can look like she is in her 40s for the rest of the play.

I'd still like to see Lorna Luft or Melissa Manchester follow BP. A few months ago Lorna Luft did a short season somewwhere as Rose. There are photo's on her website I recall.

No one has mentioned Glenn Close. A flawless singer she's not, but she has an instrument, the songs are in her chest range, plus, she would act the hell out of the role. In fact, I can just imagine her being the scariest Rose ever.

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I recently heard through the grape vines that after Bette Midler's "Kiss My Brass" tour is over, and Bernadette's contract is up, Bette is slated to take over. I don't know how reliable my source is, and I could have sworn that Arthur Laurents did not like Bette? but if it's true, then I will be one of the happiest people alive.

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20 years w/ Bebe? Won't she be a little, um...long in the tooth to play Rose? She'd be around 65 in 20 years. She was born in 1958 for cryin' out loud.