Ilona has two wonderful solo songs, "I Resolve" in Act 1 and "A Trip to the Library" in Act 2. "
Oh yes! I Resolve is also a terrific song, but I think A Trip to the Library is among my favorite book or character songs in all of musical theater.
Why don't message boards have a "like" option?!
Things I'd like to "like" tonight:
1) All the love for "She Loves Me" and enthusiasm for this revival on this thread. The broadwayworld.com where we celebrate theatre is the broadwayworld.com of my dreams. (Okay, actually, hopefully, in my dreams, my real life is too exciting for me to ever be reading online message boards.)
2) aj88 for calling "She Loves Me" "the closest thing out there to being 'the perfect musical'. I believe I've used this exact phrase before, without the "closest thing out there" part.
3) LizzieCurrie's reply (#28.) to the question about Rene Auberjonois. Have you clicked on the link Lizzie posted? CLICK ON THE LINK LIZZIE POSTED! Hilarious.
4) The fact that "eaticecream" wrote "Jane WOW this season is happening" (very likely in reaction to the casting of a Jane Krakowski) and I immediately, genuinely assumed "Jane WOW" was an expression the kids were using these days.
5) CarlosAlberto's post #46 in its entirety. The photo, the text, just the whole thing. "She's proven she has range." I mean, I'm assuming we all laughed at your post, Carlos, but I'd really like to "like" it to let you know I thought it was funny. Jane WOW was it funny.
and, finally
6) another revival of "She Loves Me" directed by Scott Ellis. I loved the original Roundabout revival. What a great year for Harnick and Bock fans. This AND a Bartlett Sher revival of "Fiddler on the Roof", which also has me very excited.
Updated On: 7/17/15 at 01:16 AMBroadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
henrikegerman, by "dark" I didn't necessarily mean brunette or raven. A deep auburn like Morris's would be good! Again, it's just me being aesthetically picky...Krakowski (physically) strikes me as being more of a quirky ingenue.
There are plenty of blond Italians. And nothing about Krakowski's performance -- which you obviously didn't see -- was "quirky" or ingenue-like. She was a revelation, evidenced by the clean sweep she made that awards season.
EchoParker, for years I have said that SHE LOVES ME is the perfect musical.
Only recently have I equivocated.
And that's due to the current London production of GYPSY, which is by leaps and bounds the very best production of GYPSY I have ever seen (and I've seen many).
It has finally convinced me that GYPSY may, indeed, be even more accomplished than SHE LOVES ME
My comments are generating interesting replies. I clicked on the link LizzieCurry posted, which was directed at me, and I chuckled...
And LarryD2, I've admitted that I didn't see the 2003 revival of NINE, as I was only 10 years old at the time. I never said that Krakowski gave a bad performance. If anything I was saying that she played against the type I would "picture" her as.
Ado, what gives you your near indelible image of Carla? Anita Morris? Penelope Cruz in the movie of Nine?
Carla was originally played - brilliantly! - by the great - and very blonde! - Sandra Milo in 8 1/2.
I ask not to put you on the spot but because I am extremely interested in what makes so many people so often fix on a particular idea of what a character should be, both physically and psychically (with some of these offered criteria being far more persuasive than others).
It often seems to me that because we are so captivated by a particular performance, we equate what that artist brought to the role with what his or her role must irreducibly forever be.... but the premise is often, frankly, unmerited.
Simple are the ways of love...
I include myself in this. After Shelley Burch, Laura Benanti, and most prominently, Claudia Cardinale, I had a great deal of difficulty accepting Nicole Kidman (or anyone, for that mattter, who isn't a soulfully alluring warmly gorgeous brunette) as Claudia.
Here I am speaking of how I received the news of Kidman's casting. Not of how I responded to her after seeing the movie; which is another matter, and though perhaps a somewhat related one, only somewhat: I thought she was ok, just (but then again the movie wasn't very good anyway, so what difference did it really make?)
I couldn't help, however, wonder, what it might have been like if, more in lines with my well-worn impressions (from Aimee and Cardinale, among others), Cotillard and Kidman had switched roles. As it happens, Cotillard, who seems an ideal fit for Claudia, was, to my mind, a very successful Luisa (she was, in fact, the best thing about the movie) and Cruz, who is quite different physically from any Carla I'd ever seen, was also quite good.
You aren't putting me on the spot, henrik. I'm about to get a bit personal here- and this probably will sound very weird- but I guess I feel strongly about what Carla should be like because I like the character so much. And if I were to be "typecast" in the show, Carla would be "my" role. I suppose, at its heart, my feelings about her are a projection of how I'D (as an actor) interpret the part.
HOWEVER- it doesn't mean I don't or can't appreciate different spins on a role. I could go into a long speech about this, but I don't want the thread to go too off-topic...
^Interesting, just like the way I've felt about "MY roles," e.g. Edmund Tyrone in LONG DAY'S JOURNEY or Stine in CITY OF ANGELS.... I can't picture either of them blonde either.
So, I'm guessing they'll put Radnor and Krakowski above the title because of their star status. Most likely Benanti too since she's the lead along with Radnor, and since she's becoming more and more well-known. Will they want to put anyone else above the title?
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/2/14
Anyone know why Kelli isn't doing this? Laura will be great but I'm in love with Kelli's rendition of Will He Like Me.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
So, I'm guessing they'll put Radnor and Krakowski above the title because of their star status. Most likely Benanti too since she's the lead along with Radnor, and since she's becoming more and more well-known.
Benanti will certainly be above the title. Amalia is the leading female role in the show, whereas Ilona is a (strong) supporting role.
"Anyone know why Kelli isn't doing this? Laura will be great but I'm in love with Kelli's rendition of Will He Like Me."
I also would love to see Kelli doing She Loves Me. She has said before that she's planning on being with King and I for as long as she can. Then she's taking a break.
http://www.broadway.com/buzz/181597/tony-winner-michael-mcgrath-will-join-laura-benanti-jane-krakowski-more-in-she-loves-me-on-broadway/
^ Called it.
Here's the Playbill article as well:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/on-the-twentieth-century-star-will-head-to-broadway-revival-of-she-loves-me-starring-laura-benanti-354442
*happy dance*
As I said, there's no such thing as too much Michael McGrath. Lol.
Between this and Noises Off, Roundabout is gonna be getting too much of my money next year. And to think On the 20th Century was actually the first show I saw with them...
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/2/10
The casting for this in unreal. I could not be more excited to see this ....
One of my favorite shows and yes - near perfection. YAY.
Chorus Member Joined: 7/28/08
Should anyone be looking for it, audio from the reading is on y-o-u-t-u-b-e.
Everyone is great, even Radnor is very good.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
What do you mean, "Even Radnor"? He's quite an accomplished actor whose great comedic performances in "How I Met Your Mother" were, IMHO, largely overlooked because of constant grandstanding by another cast member with three initials. I have no doubt Radnor will be a stellar Georg.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
Apparently Josh Radnor has left and will be replaced by Zachary Levi.
Wow, love this cast so much already. Zachary was great in First Date.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/06
Yes, he was terrifically charming in First Date. And it must fit in with his Heroes Reborn filming
While both are good, I definitely prefer this casting. Now I'm even more excited for this
Very interesting. Based on what I've heard, I think Levi is more right for the role vocally (though I think Radnor would have sung it well too). Having seen them both live, it seems to me that Levi is also the more dynamic performer. I'm excited to see him, though I would have also like to see Josh.
To me, Josh Radnor and Zachary Levi are basically interchangable, so...
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