Rue McClanahan in Wicked.- Page 2

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:20pm

calling her terrible is a little over the top..she is pretty good in the role..no Carolle Shelley tho..she does speak the role but the part doesn't really call for singing.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:24pm

No one's complaining that she doesn't sing. That isn't the issue.

She IS terrible in the ROLE, she is not a terrible person.

[Adam Chris]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:25pm

it is still sad to hear people dont like her in the role.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 5:27pm

Don't mean to beat a dead horse, but it's sad the hear her in the role, too. I wanted to like her, but I just couldn't.

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 7:48am

I went to the show last night.
All I can say is I now know what happened to baby jane, she is performing Madame Morrible in the body of Rue McClanahan. The casting is atrocious. I'd rather see Bea Arthur do it. Words cannot even explain. She commans nothing and just sounds like a foghorn. "good fortune, good fortune, fortune hunters...." who????
Terrible, didn't sing a note and is not intimidating in the least, the audience actually laughed at her.
As for the rest of the new cast. Ben Vereen is great, my only gripe would be that he's not mean in the least, but I just think it's a poorly written part. But he's very entertaining and moves incredibly. He also makes you realize Shoshana seriously has no rhythmn.
Megan Hilty. She has a beautiful voice (it's nice to have the high notes back) and she is aided greatly by wardrobe. All her skirts are hiked up a bit and it works. She clutches her handbag throughout and brings out the vanity of Glinda well. Her "Thank Goodness" rivals Kristin's. And you actually see Glinda's arc nicely because of it. The Glinda that leaves us at the end of the first act, is gone come those opening notes. Her Popular as good, more JLT than Kristin but uniquely her own. I can't rave enough about her voice, never wavers, and for someone who is as young as Hilty is, she has stage prescence beyond her years. She and Shoshana have a nice chemistry.
The audience was a little dead and the mics during the first act were a bit off, you could barely hear them (someone different was mixing last night).
But I can't wait until January when Rue leaves, she almost ruined the show for me.

[vbplayer]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 9:03am

Poor Rue.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 10:21am

I don't care what people say. Rue is a sensational actress and always has been. The fact that she's still out there and working is a credit to her talent. She wouldn't have been offered the role if the casting director hadn't seen anything in her.

I challenge everyone who says she's terrible to go out there and achieve everything that Rue has and then you can tell me she's terrible.

[hyperchet]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 10:27am

What about Ben Vereen? How long will he be there???

[bunchamuncha]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 10:36am

I didn't say she was terrible in everything, she's just horribly miscast in Wicked.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 10:38am

This is so sad, but Morrible is clearly not the role for Rue from all who've seen her. She's such a fine performer, but she just may not be up to 8 performances a week. And it's been ten years since GG. Unfortunate. Somehow, though I can't help but think this is miscast, too. I'm not sure "evil" is her forte.

[Rypm25]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 11:01am

Saw the show last sunday...having seen the show two times before..once with the original cast and once after kristin left with jlt...this third time was a disappointment..and not because of Rue. Found Rue to be just fine. She doesn't sing the role..but like someone mentioned before..it's not really a singing role. I thought she was a commanding presence and made good out of a thankless role. Shoshana Bean was the disappointment for me. Didn't care for her singing at all...and she didn't come off to me as someone that would have all these people scared to death of her...just my opinion.../:)

[mlsheehan]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 11:02am

Personally, I don't where the "horrible" reviews are coming from. I thought is was fine. I thought she acted the role very well when I saw her about a week or so ago. Singing not so much, but not really required (as stated above). She certainly didn't ruin the show. I thought she brought some interesting shadings and comedy to the role. Her energy level was quite good on the performance that I saw. The audience give her a warm round of applause at the curtain.

The part is very different from Blanche on the Golden Girls. If you went in expecting to see Blanche as Mde. Morrible, then you would be disappointed. Rue is a fine actress and capable of playing many different parts. I thought she did a fine turn as Morrible. I, for one, am glad I saw her.

(Just one person's opinion.)

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 11:39am

I saw Rue on June 11th and thought she was fine, yea not the best morrible but she does what she can. She tries very hard but you guyhs ahve ot give her a little break, i mean shes not amazing, not horrible, shes good.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 11:49am

Has anyone seen Rue in all fifteen of the filmed NUNSENSE musicals? I thought she was freakin' hysterical! I think it is wonderful that she has found some comedy in Mme Morrible. I think another thing that is not being taken in is that often times after a hit show opens and the original cast leaves a tour is out and often times the show is changed. For instance Maureen in RENT went from bitchy JAP girl to blonde cheerleader. I could give a very long list but my point is that perhaps this is where they have decided Mme. Morrible should go. Carol Kane I'm sure plays the part similar. I can almost guarantee that the roles of The Wizard and Mme Morrible will have "names" in them from here on out. GREASE anyone?

[wicked4life51]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:26pm

rue is just horrible,i couldnt stand her to the least bit grrrrrrr wheres carolee when we need her

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:44pm

As if Carolee Carmello would play Mme Morrible! Puh-leez!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:47pm

Well, hell, she is in Mamma Mia.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:47pm

Well I'm glad the reviews for Rue aren't all negative, they are basically mixed. Which isn't that bad.

Morrible and the Wizard are such horribly underwritten parts, it's disgusting. The Wizard gets absolutely sh*t to do, while Morrible has better stage time, her role still isn't that great. If Kane on tour can speak/sing the role, than don't get on Rue's back for doing the same.

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:49pm

Found a pic on Broadway.com...still waiting for the ones on the Website.

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 12:50pm

Dang...didn't work.
How do you put pictures in?

Updated On: 7/1/05 at 12:50 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 4:24pm

I thought she did fine. I think the problem is she is trying to cover her accent and SOUND like Carole Shelley and it just doesn't work, because she gets too loud, over-the-top, and sometimes mumbles. That's really what I noticed about her, because when it didn't look like she was trying to hide her accent, she was fantastic. I thought her interpretation of the role was fine, she just needs to find a "voice" so to speak.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 4:30pm

yes...its really funny that people who has seen her say she talks instead of singing...lol...that cracks me up....she looks so old......its a wonder she memorized her lines. LOL!!!!

[sassypanz]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 4:33pm

But this is Broadway! The most proffessional kind of Theater besides Elementary School plays!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 4:35pm

she is apparently a horrible morrible--------LOL!!!! -without a trace-

Updated On: 7/1/05 at 04:35 PM

[sassypanz]

Posted: 7/1/05 at 4:49pm

Perhaps she`ll improve in the role? Does anyone like Rondi Reed?