I love the thought of Rosie as Hannigan! I think she would be great in the role personally. I don't think she's that bad of a singer - but I think she's a good actress.
Some other suggestions here for the part sound perfect - Mary Testa, Andrea Martin! Wow!
I saw Sally Struthers in the tour - she was good. I like her. Her voice was raspy, but it was a fun performance!
"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter
...ah...Ms. Hannigan.... do we all remember seeing Carol Burnett on the big screen?? I was about 10 and thought she was just amazing....of course I was enthralled with the whole movie....sorry, just had to take a stroll down memory lane.
After "Fiddler on the Roof," Rosie should not be allowed anywhere near a Broadway stage again. "Sunrise, Sunset" was absolutely painful. Harvey's performance was so amazing, and Rosie totally ruined it.
Back to the question of who should play Hannigan...
I've been giving this some thought. You really need someone who can not only sing, but can also move well and who has incredible comedic timing. That's why Dorothy Loudon was amazing and Carol Burnett worked so well in the film. I like the idea of Andrea Martin. But I also thought Tracey Ullman might be someone worth considering. Or what about Maya Rudolph?
Here's a clip of Rosie as Hannigan! She's just playin around though. I think that if she really were playing Hannigan, she'd be great! Rosie as Hannigan!
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
Well that certainly proved a point. Several, actually.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
Wow. If this was the Broadway cast you all need to go and see the tour of Annie right now before it closes on the 25th. Rochester or Baltimore. Marissa O'Donnell as Annie is much stronger vocally.
Alene Robertson is just plain amazing. Her voice, and acting are all spot on.
I just saw the production on Tuesday. Go see it before it closes!
> The tour of that production had Sally Struthers, and apparently she was fantastic.
I'm under the impression that had Struthers not done all of those silly starving children ads in the 80s and lost the weight, she'd be much better regarded as an actress than she is. Look at her work on "All in the Family", especially the episode where Gloria loses the baby. She's really a good actress.
And she deserves more than playing "Hello, Dolly!" at community theatre in Minnesota.
Regarding Rosie, she *has* played Hannigan briefly. When the Annie tots were on her show in 97, she did the Hannigan lead-in lines to "Hard Knock Life". And she was pretty good.
Her singing's not great, but Hannigan's songs aren't tough. I think she'd be hilarious.
Now, I wouldn't want to see her play Fanny in Funny Girl or Evita. But, just because she's off-key once in a while is not really an issue. She'd be getting by on her personality, much the way Alice Ghostly, Kathleen Freeman, June Havoc and others did when they played the role.
Carol Channing has a voice that makes Isobel Sanford sound like Callas, but she's done pretty well for herself in musical theatre. Ethel Merman's voice, while powerful, is undeniably abrasive. She did all right. These two women are GIANTS in musical theatre...because of the strength of their personalities and the warmth they exude.
Just because someone doesn't have a pretty singing voice doesn't mean they shouldn't be in musicals. You cast the voice to the role. You don't just hire someone because their voice is pretty.
Cheyenne Jackson tickled me. AFTER ordering SoMMS a drink but NOT tickling him, and hanging out with Girly in his dressing room (where he DIDN'T tickle her) but BEFORE we got married. To others. And then he tweeted Boobs. He also tweeted he's good friends with some chick on "The Voice" who just happens to be good friends with Tink's ex. And I'm still married. Oh, and this just in: "Pettiness, spite, malice ....Such ugly emotions... So sad." - After Eight, talking about MEEEEEEEE!!! I'm so honored! :-)
Quilty, Sally was a semi-regular on Still Standing and continues as a contract player on Gilmore Girls. And she loves doing musical theater (regional, not community, by the way) - she's not doing it for the money.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
