Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
#1Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:26am
"By way of Cole Porter, I'm happy to report today that the delightful Reba McEntire may be back on Broadway next year, starring in a revival of "Anything Goes" for the Roundabout.
Reba, as the world knows her from her long-running TV show, pulled off a neat trick seven years ago, transforming a lackluster revival of "Annie Get Your Gun" into knockout musical theater.
A show that had been dying at the box office suddenly became the hottest ticket in town, regularly grossing nearly $1 million a week - and this was before the advent of the hateful "premium-priced" seats.
Ever since then, producers have been trying to lure her back. There was an offer to do "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." There was talk of a "South Pacific." But Reba was always busy with "Reba," which ran six seasons, as well as her concert and recording career.
"She was harder to pin down than Hugh Jackman," one producer says.
Reba, who had no theater experience before "Annie Get Your Gun," had a lot of fun on Broadway, and she's always said she'd be back again one day.
Reno Sweeney, the evangelist-turned-nightclub singer in "Anything Goes," is a good part for her. Ethel Merman played it originally - note that The Merm also created the role of Annie Oakley - and Patti LuPone did well by it back in the 1980s.
The revival will likely be directed by Kathleen Marshall, who staged the Roudabout's Tony Award-winning production of "The Pajama Game" a couple of years ago..."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11192008/entertainment/theater/reba_targets_stage_return_139510.htm
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 07:26 AM
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#2re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:50amI wouldn't mind. I think she has the comic chops to handle it. But, vocally it might be more challenging than Annie because of the relentless belting. But, if she's up for it, so am I!
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#2re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:54amGod I love this show.. I hope it happens. I would love to see her in the show!!
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#3re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:58amGandolfini and Harden in the new Reza play is more exciting...to me, at least.
#4re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 9:02amI love Reba and love Anything Goes, but she certainly wasn't the first name that came to mind when thinking about a Reno for a revival.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Ed_Mottershead
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/20/05
#5re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 9:09amOh, goody, another chance for Roundabout to mess up a great musical. No disrespect to Reba -- if it happens, she'll probably be the only watchable thing in it. So, let's hear it for a cheezy production, tiny orchestra and a bunch of no-talents ruining but another masterpiece. Come on, Roundabout, I know you can do it!
BroadwayEd
#6re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 9:16am
i do think Reba will be good :)
I mean, her voice is no Patti, but she will def. and can def. take this on!
I can actually hear her singing it in my head now, and its sounding pretty good! lol
Tom1071
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/04
#7re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 9:38amI have no doubt that she will be amazing in this. I can't wait but I wish Roundabout wasn't doing it and someone other than Kathleen Marshall was directing.
#8re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 9:53am
Amen re: Kathleen Marshall.
Ugh.
"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
MungoGypsy8232
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/8/07
#9re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:12amI really hope this happens! She wasn't the first name I'd think of either, but she definately would have a unique, classy take on the role.
#10re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:30amI thought she was horrible as Nellie Forbush, so this will be a must-miss for me.
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
#11re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:29am
Yeah, definitely not the first name that came to mind either, but I can see her doing a really good job with "You're the Top," for example. I'm not sure how I'd like her seeing her do "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" since the song is so belty but if she was great in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN--another Merman role, as Riedel pointed out--then she'll probably be good in this as well.
My main issue with this production is the fact the awful Kathleen Marshall is attached to it.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
yankees1253
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/21/07
#12re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:49amtom1071, i am totally with you. hope they revive it, hope roundabout doesnt mess it up. she did have a wonderful attendance record while she was in annie get your gun.
#13re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:54am
I LOVE Reba, but she's an interesting choice for Reno. She would not be my first choice for that particular role, but I would still go see it if she were in it.
I could picture Jane Krakowski in the role.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
#14re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:59am
God knows I love Jane Krakowski, and hell, I'd cast her in whatever show because I just can't get enough of her, but I don't think she would make a good Reno Sweeney at all. Starting with the fact that Krakowski is not really a belter, she can belt, but she couldn't get through a number like "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" and do it much justice vocally. I also feel she comes off as too sexy and vampy for the part. Maybe that's just me though.
Donna Murphy--my first choice--turned down the role. Anika Noni Rose was another one of my choices. Would have loved to see Debbie Gravitte as well. However, the thought of Reba in the role is far from disappointing. Now get her a good director! (meaning, not Marshall)
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#15re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:59am
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 11:59 AM
#16re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:05pm
Well, I know she's not a typical belter, but that's why I like the idea of her. I think she could suprise everyone, and she's supposed to be vampy night club singer. True, she would bring a bit more sexy to the role than past Reno's, but I don't know.
I could even see Kristin Chenoweth in it, but I would be afraid of her going too much into Soprano Opera belting than the Mezzo brassy belting that personifies Reno.
Audra McDonald would be pretty much perfect.
And I would totally see Vanessa Williams as Reno. Though I'm not 100% familiar what her vocal range is. I did not see Kiss of a Spider Woman, and there was no belting required in Into the Woods. But I do love her voice.
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 12:05 PM
#17re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:05pmWould love a revival of Anything Goes!! Hope this happens.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
#18re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:11pm
I think Reba has more than enough personality and charisma to pull Reno off. I adored her as Nellie (honestly, a lot more than I liked Kelli O'Hara) and loved what I heard of her as Annie Oakley. her voice and persona fit those two parts so well though, and I'm really curious to see how she's play Reno.
I don't think she'd have the same brassy sex appeal that LuPone gave the role, but I think she's funny enough to make it work for her. I can imagine her in the role before I could imagine Audra McDonald, honestly. She strikes me as more, I don't know, uninhibited, I guess. I can imagine her playing some of the broader, sillier comedy in the show.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#19re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:20pmThe role is more than Reba can handle.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
PiraguaGuy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/10/08
#20re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:33pm
YES PLEASE!
*and waits for the posters to suggest Cheyenne Jackson as Billy*
In all seriousness, I'd love to see Gary Beach as Moonface, Jane Krakowski as Bonnie, Elizabeth Stanley as Hope, and Jonathan Hadary as Evelyn
Formerly SirNotAppearing - Joined 3/08
#21re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:35pm
How on EARTH is the role of Reno Sweeney more than Reba can handle? I'm sure many people thought she wouldn't be good in Annie, Get Your Gun, but look what happened there.
So many people on here are so quick to judge before they even hear or see anything.
I think Reba would be fantastic in this role. I love the idea!
But Kathleen Marshall does not a good revival make.
"Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is but it is gonna be great!"
#22re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:46pm
Reba was good in AGYG because the role wasn't a stretch for her comically OR vocally.
I enjoyed Reba's sitcom tremendously. It's proof that she has comedic timing. We all know she can sing. It's just a matter of is it how people want to see Reno portrayed. As a night club singer with a twang?
"It's the little things; the details, that distinguish the Barbra Streisands from the Rosalyn Kinds."~Gilmore Girls~
Brick
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/06
#23re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:47pm
Reba? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kathleen Marshall? Ug.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#24re: Riedel: Reba to Star in Roundabout's ANYTHING GOES?
Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:51pm
"How on EARTH is the role of Reno Sweeney more than Reba can handle?"
She was great in Annie, Get Your Gun. But in that show she wasn't required to dance. Has she ever tap danced? People will expect it in Anything Goes.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 12:51 PM
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