#26
Posted: 7/29/10 at 4:10pm
The theatre that Andrea McArdle is playing the role at now is the North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh, NC (an AMAZING company which produces some of the best musical theatre in the country. I saw Norm Lewis lead RAGTIME there -- an evening I'll never forget!).
McArdle, from what I'm told, is very good in the role. Casting a Hollywood name as Hannigan would be insurance which the show, if done well, won't need. Casting a theatre name in the role, such as McArdle or Beth Leavel or Mary Testa, would probably be cheaper and a nice compromise.
What's great about a show like ANNIE is that it already has name recognition. Plus, it has a wide target audience (everyone!). So if you do a good production and get positive reviews and do the typical press (Thanksgiving parade), the show should be a hit.
And when you have a show which should by name alone should be a hit, it's always great to give unknowns a shot!
McArdle, from what I'm told, is very good in the role. Casting a Hollywood name as Hannigan would be insurance which the show, if done well, won't need. Casting a theatre name in the role, such as McArdle or Beth Leavel or Mary Testa, would probably be cheaper and a nice compromise.
What's great about a show like ANNIE is that it already has name recognition. Plus, it has a wide target audience (everyone!). So if you do a good production and get positive reviews and do the typical press (Thanksgiving parade), the show should be a hit.
And when you have a show which should by name alone should be a hit, it's always great to give unknowns a shot!
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
