Roles Kelli Can Win Another Tony For

[Soaring29]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:23pm

It's never to early to talk about what role will bring Kelli another Tony. 

 

Here's a list of roles I think she should play soon: 

1.  Marian The Librarian In The Music Man:  I think she'd be wonderful in this role. Her voice would sound gorgeous here. 

2.  Maria in The Sound Of Music:  Hopefully this will happen. She's talked about wanting it to, I think she'd be great although she's getting a little old for it now. 

3.  Mother in Ragtime:  A perfect, fabulous role for her.  I don't know how the opportunity would come up, but hopefully it will. 

4.  Fosca in Passion:  This would be playing against type for her and she would be amazing.  It was just revived off broadway though, but she'll be able to do it in the future.

5.  Dot in Sunday In The Park With George:  Another revival that's probably too recently been done and I know she played the role before, but I think she could still do it.  Does anybody have any footage or audio clips of her doing it?

6. The Baker's Wife in Into The Woods:  Another show that's already been revived recently, but I think she'd be  terrific here.  

Does anybody have any other ideas?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:28pm

She's to pretty to play Fosca. Plus, she's more of a Clara. I think she's a little to old for The Sound of Music and The Music Man unfortunately. She would be incredible in Ragtime, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George though. She has recently said that she's taking a break from theatre after The King and I, but I hope she does another show soon. I also hope she creates many new roles.

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:47pm

I don't know if she is really too old for The Sound of Music. Almost but not quite. Julie Andrews was 30 when the movie came out and Kelli O'Hara is 36. (Which is actually very surprising, she looks a decade older.)

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:50pm

WHAT? If anything she looks younger than 36 especially on stage with that Anna Wig on. Overall I think she pretty much looks her age. Maria and Marian are supposed to be in their 20s.

[bilingual]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:55pm

I'm sure she'd be terrific in all these roles, but I really don't think Kelli needs another Tony any time soon.

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 10:57pm

Really? If I hadn't looked up her age online, I would have guessed about 44 or 45. Part of it may be that she kind of exudes the air of someone in their 40s. I don't know how to describe it, but she just seems like a 40 something year old women. Not in a bad way though. 

[bilingual]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:01pm

She definitely looks old. My boyfriend said he thought she was 52.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:04pm

Your boyfriend is stupid, then.

[Phillypinto]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:05pm

you guys need glasses lol

[bilingual]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:06pm

I think she's beautiful, she just looks old.

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:16pm

I thought Kelli celebrated her 39th birthday on the opening night of King and I. I think she absolutely looks her age.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:21pm

Fun fact: Kelli did in fact play Dot in Sunday in the Park in LA with Manoel Fenciano as George. I've heard some audio of her performance and she's amazing. 

I think Kelli is certainly pushing the age boundary for The Sound of Music, but I think they could pull it off. I don't know that these are roles she would be guaranteed to win for, but here are some of my personal Kelli dreamcasts: 

Frau Schneider - Cabaret (in a few years)

Sally - Follies

Lucille - Parade

 

 

 

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:22pm

I adore Kelli, but I don't think that Marian Paroo is a great role for her as yes, she is a bit old for the part.  The person I'd love to see play Marion is Laura Osnes (opposite Hugh Jackman, but that will never happen).  Laura actually told me a couple of months ago after a performance at 54 Below that if she could play any role on Broadway it would be Marion. 

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:25pm

At the rate she is going, she won't be getting a tony for another 12 years.

[firebolts]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:31pm

Kelli definitely does not look older than 36. She's always look great for her age. Timeless beauty. 

I would love, love to see her as Lucille in PARADE. I think she would do a fabulous job. Sally in FOLLIES as well. Desiree Armfeldt in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. 

 

[gleek4114]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:37pm

I agree that Kelli would be great in Music Man, but as noted she is a bit to old. I recently saw the concert production of Music Man in Cincinnati with Will Chase and Betsy Wolfe, and I would love for that production to get another life. They were both wonderfully cast and Betsy commanded the stage. I chatted with Betsy after the show and she said she hoped it wouldn't end there. I mentioned Encores and she said that would be nice, but she would want to do it even longer. Maybe if next year's live musical is in fact Music Man, Betsy and Will could do it again. As for a role Kelli should play, I'd love to see her try a straight play. I'd be interested to see her put her wonderful acting/comedy chops to work in a non-musical setting.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:39pm

My wish is to go back in time and have her win for BRIDGES.

I'd see that again and again and again. 

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:40pm

Kelli has spoken quite openly and honestly about how miscast she was when she played Dot in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE. She's said she loves Jason Alexander for giving her the opportunity to do something she'd never otherwise be cast in, but she feels she "had no business doing it" and never felt like the role was a good fit for her, both during the production and since. I think the last time she talked about it was during her most recent Chatterbox with Seth Rudetsky.

I don't think Mother in RAGTIME is an ideal role for her either. Mother's musical journey within the show from her a soprano to a belter mirrors her discover of her inner voice. Kelli's instrument is stunning, but by her own admission, that kind of belting is not what she does. A full throated anthem like "Back to Before" couldn't be further from her wheelhouse.

That being said, as has been mentioned, she would be a stunning Sally in FOLLIES and a terrific Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. I also think it's only a matter of time before we see her play Margaret in the inevitable revival of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. That will be a performance for the ages.

Updated On: 6/9/15 at 11:40 PM

[firebolts]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:40pm

^ And for PIAZZA - the most baffling loss.  

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 6/9/15 at 11:52pm

Kelli O'hara in the Music Man is the most uninspired casting I've ever heard. Whatever Kelli does next, I hope it's something exciting and not the usual type of roles she  plays. Nellie Forbush+Anna+ Billie Bendix=Snoresville. Bridges was exciting though.I hope finds more experimental  roles and stops being the poster girl for Roger and Hammerstein. 

Updated On: 6/9/15 at 11:52 PM

[Soaring29]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:00am

You guys need to look up her age, she was born  on April 16th, 1976.  So, she's 39.  Anyway, I really don't think her being 10 years older then how Marian would normally be cast matters since she's supposed to be considered an old maid anyway.  Rebecca Luker was 39 when she played it in 2000 and Kelli looks younger then Rebecca did then. Kristin was younger then Kelli is when she played the role, but she was more mature looking all the same. Even Shirley Jones didn't look as young as Laura Osnes is when she did the film version.   I don't think Kelli is  too old for it yet. 

SomethingWicked:  Very interesting about her thinking she was miscast in Sunday!  Do you have a link to any interviews/videos where she talks about that? 

Updated On: 6/13/15 at 12:00 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:12am

Soaring29, I believe you can watch the Chatterbox through Seth Rudetsky's website (though it may require a subscription to his video service.)

It's a fascinating interview. She gets very emotional talking about what happened with Celia Keenan-Bolger and PIAZZA in more detail than I've ever heard her discuss it before. She admits she loved playing Franca so much that she never connected with Clara and to this day doesn't feel like she ever really understood her. She says she went back and saw the show after she'd left with Katie Rose Clarke and thought, "That's what it should be."

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 12:12 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:32am

. I also think it's only a matter of time before we see her play Margaret in the inevitable revival of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. That will be a performance for the ages.

Absolutely. She has already expressed interest in this. Her enthralling performance in BRIDGES solidified for me that she will eventually knock the role of Margaret out of the park. 

Updated On: 6/10/15 at 12:32 AM

[team elphie]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 12:54am

Kelli is 39

[Musical Master]

Posted: 6/10/15 at 1:28am

If Kelli O'Hara does play Sally in FOLLIES in the future, I think I'm going to be on intense joy mode for one whole day.