#51
Posted: 8/13/12 at 4:09pm
^ Jordan, thank you for making my day.
Second Stage revival of The Last 5 Years — Page 3
#52
Posted: 8/13/12 at 4:13pm
I don't know Jordan, the preview got sixteen million viewers. I'd say the show has a fighting chance :). To me Benanti looks too Jewish to play Cathy between the big nose, the complexion, and the occasional jew fro. Maybe i'm too harsh but that's my two cents.
#53
Posted: 8/13/12 at 5:24pm
Josh Young and Betsy Morgan please.
"Observe how bravely I conceal this dreadful dreadful shame I feel."
#54
Posted: 8/13/12 at 7:22pm
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 07:22 PM
#55
Posted: 8/13/12 at 7:33pm
I really love the idea of Megan Hilty as Cathy.
For Jamie, maybe just because I have a very real schoolboy crush on him, but I think Michael Arden would be fantastic. Plus, I imagine the visual of the two of them side by side would be rather beautiful!
For Jamie, maybe just because I have a very real schoolboy crush on him, but I think Michael Arden would be fantastic. Plus, I imagine the visual of the two of them side by side would be rather beautiful!
"I shall stay until the wind changes."
#56
Posted: 8/13/12 at 7:44pm
Arden would sing the sh#t out of that score.
#57
Posted: 8/13/12 at 7:57pm
Cathy is NOT Irish Catholic. In the original version done in Skokie, she was. Jamie's first number was completely different (see link below). JRB's ex-wife (who is of Irish ancestry)threatened legal action because their divorce agreement said he could not write aboutr their relationship. He relaced the original opening with "Shiksa Goddess" to remove the Irish Catholic references.
Of course, the accompaniment to "Climing Uphill" still sounds very Irish.
Jamie's original first song.
Of course, the accompaniment to "Climing Uphill" still sounds very Irish.
Jamie's original first song.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 07:57 PM
#58
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:04pm
Jon, you are incorrect. From the breakdown for the Second Stage production:
[JAMIE WELLERSTEIN] Male, 23-28: A Jewish novelist from upper-middle-class suburban New York. Smart, complicated; neither macho nor nerdy but a cocky romantic. Musically, James Taylor meets Elvis Costello meets Stephen Sondheim meets Steely Dan. PRINCIPAL.
[CATHERINE HIATT] Female, 26-31: An Irish-Catholic actress from a hard-luck shore town in eastern Virginia. Smart but insecure; fiercely loyal and ardently committed but distrustful of her talent and her beauty. Musically, Sheryl Crow meets Joan Baez meets Kelly Clarkson. PRINCIPAL.
[JAMIE WELLERSTEIN] Male, 23-28: A Jewish novelist from upper-middle-class suburban New York. Smart, complicated; neither macho nor nerdy but a cocky romantic. Musically, James Taylor meets Elvis Costello meets Stephen Sondheim meets Steely Dan. PRINCIPAL.
[CATHERINE HIATT] Female, 26-31: An Irish-Catholic actress from a hard-luck shore town in eastern Virginia. Smart but insecure; fiercely loyal and ardently committed but distrustful of her talent and her beauty. Musically, Sheryl Crow meets Joan Baez meets Kelly Clarkson. PRINCIPAL.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 08:04 PM
#60
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:11pm
That's the director's character breakdown, not JRB's. The SCRIPT says nothing about her being Irish... anymore.
He also cut out the section of "Climbing Uphill" where Cathy sings:
"I pray to the three patron saints of Irish actresses:
Mareen O'Hara, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Maureen McCormick."
For that matter, there is nothing about her age in the script.
He also cut out the section of "Climbing Uphill" where Cathy sings:
"I pray to the three patron saints of Irish actresses:
Mareen O'Hara, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Maureen McCormick."
For that matter, there is nothing about her age in the script.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 08:11 PM
#61
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:23pm
Um... Jason Robert Brown is the director for this production, so again, you are incorrect.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 08:23 PM
#62
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:32pm
I thought Colin Donnell too. I've heard Kacie Sheik, and much as I love her her voice is a bit too rock-sounding. Elizabeth Stanley?
I know you.
I know you.
I know you.
#63
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:36pm
Is this show/score actually worthy of a revival so soon? Or in general?
#64
Posted: 8/13/12 at 8:38pm
Elizabeth Stanley seems like one of the best suggestions in this thread.
#65
Posted: 8/13/12 at 9:03pm
Stanley would be incredible, but she is so much like Sherie Rene Scott (both physically and in performance style) that it probably wouldn't be wise to use her if this production has any hopes of separating itself from the definitive interpretations of the original.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#66
Posted: 8/13/12 at 9:44pm
I'd really like Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes because I thought they had crazy chemistry in Bonnie and Clyde. Also, Jeremy Jordan has the charisma to make Jamie likeable despite being a jerk.
It'd be cute if he did the show with Ashley Spencer, too.
I also love the idea of Celia Keenan-Bolger as Cathy.
It'd be cute if he did the show with Ashley Spencer, too.
I also love the idea of Celia Keenan-Bolger as Cathy.
Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!
#67
Posted: 8/13/12 at 10:04pm
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Jamie. Think about it.
And Caissie Levy as Cathy is also perfect.
And Caissie Levy as Cathy is also perfect.
"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
#68
Posted: 8/13/12 at 10:08pm
Lin isn't interested in taking on roles where he has to sing too much. He knows his voice isn't up to the rigors of eight shows a week.
#69
Posted: 8/13/12 at 10:09pm
Lin-Manuel Miranda as a character largely defined by his Jewish identity? Also, if he proved anything in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, it's that he absolutely cannot sing, let alone a score this difficult. Colin Donnell is closer to what it should be, but he's unavailable due to a television series.
Caissie Levy would be a dream vocally, but I worry that her acting lacks the range of versatility that's so critical for Cathy. There's a hard edge to the comedic moments that's really, really tough. Laura Osnes (who's also unavailable) is very much an ingenue. I could never see her playing someone who's so riddled with such profound self-doubt and neuroses. Celia Keenan-Bolger could pull it off in terms of acting, but there's no way she could sing it (I don't know if she could have when she was at her strongest vocally either.)
The suggestion of Lindsay Mendez is the most intriguing one I've seen in this thread so far. I also like the idea of someone like Haven Burton or Kristen Bell, who I know is itching to get back on stage again.
Caissie Levy would be a dream vocally, but I worry that her acting lacks the range of versatility that's so critical for Cathy. There's a hard edge to the comedic moments that's really, really tough. Laura Osnes (who's also unavailable) is very much an ingenue. I could never see her playing someone who's so riddled with such profound self-doubt and neuroses. Celia Keenan-Bolger could pull it off in terms of acting, but there's no way she could sing it (I don't know if she could have when she was at her strongest vocally either.)
The suggestion of Lindsay Mendez is the most intriguing one I've seen in this thread so far. I also like the idea of someone like Haven Burton or Kristen Bell, who I know is itching to get back on stage again.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 10:09 PM
#70
Posted: 8/13/12 at 10:33pm
Norbert was so damn good in that show that he made the nearly-impossible look easy. Jamie is written well, sure, but I can't think of anyone who could pull off the vocals, acting, and comedy like he did, and with such ease and charisma that he even overwhelmed Sherie...no easy feat. His whole performance is so well-preserved on the CD.
I can think of 15 women who could play Cathy but not one guy who could measure up to Norbert.
Everyone in town ages 20-40 will be lining up for this one. They'll get a great cast, although JRB directing will be a tricky proposition for the actors.
Betcha he hires Lauren Kennedy, although as acclaimed as she was and as attached as she is to this role, Sherie's performance was leagues beyond Lauren's if you simply compare the "Summer in Ohio" videos on YouTube.
The only other person in town I know of who got close to being cast in the original was Kate Shindle, who was impractical because of the height difference, but one of the producers talked to a mutual friend of mine (out of school, probably) about how he "almost" hired her for the job.
If it were mine to cast, out of everyone mentioned in this thread, I'd probably lean toward Mendez.
I can think of 15 women who could play Cathy but not one guy who could measure up to Norbert.
Everyone in town ages 20-40 will be lining up for this one. They'll get a great cast, although JRB directing will be a tricky proposition for the actors.
Betcha he hires Lauren Kennedy, although as acclaimed as she was and as attached as she is to this role, Sherie's performance was leagues beyond Lauren's if you simply compare the "Summer in Ohio" videos on YouTube.
The only other person in town I know of who got close to being cast in the original was Kate Shindle, who was impractical because of the height difference, but one of the producers talked to a mutual friend of mine (out of school, probably) about how he "almost" hired her for the job.
If it were mine to cast, out of everyone mentioned in this thread, I'd probably lean toward Mendez.
#71
Posted: 8/13/12 at 10:45pm
I would love to see Kate do the role, that would be amazing. I don't think he'd lean towards Lauren, she's already recorded almost all of the songs or her performance of them are on youtube. What's the attraction to see her do it again? Plus JRB has a lot of actress friends and they aren't trying to get him to cast them...
#72
Posted: 8/13/12 at 11:20pm
Sure, but none of Jason's other actress friends created the role and were supposed to transfer with it until he landed in court. She was committed to another project, forcing her to withdraw. Plus they've had an enduring relationship since, which I don't think he's matched with another female performer (although he's been mixing it up lately with Shoshana and Anika etc etc etc).
Annaleigh Ashford or Elizabeth Stanley would also be very good, as some others have suggested. Benanti is good for almost everything...but this? I don't see it.
Cathy the actress has to have star quality for the show to be balanced. But the actress also has to know how to hide it, so that Cathy the character is believable.
This would be a great stretch for Sutton Foster with the right director...but I don't know that the right director is Jason Robert Brown.
Kendra Kassenbaum?
Annaleigh Ashford or Elizabeth Stanley would also be very good, as some others have suggested. Benanti is good for almost everything...but this? I don't see it.
Cathy the actress has to have star quality for the show to be balanced. But the actress also has to know how to hide it, so that Cathy the character is believable.
This would be a great stretch for Sutton Foster with the right director...but I don't know that the right director is Jason Robert Brown.
Kendra Kassenbaum?
#73
Posted: 8/13/12 at 11:22pm
Celia can't execute the score but Kristen Bell can? I've never seen anything to suggest she has a voice up to this role as much as I like her.
If she was available, I would love Betsy Wolfe to take on the role. I also think the idea of Anika Noni Rose or another more ethnic actress is intriguing. I think she could kill it.
If she was available, I would love Betsy Wolfe to take on the role. I also think the idea of Anika Noni Rose or another more ethnic actress is intriguing. I think she could kill it.
Updated On: 8/13/12 at 11:22 PM
#75
Posted: 8/13/12 at 11:33pm
Kendra KASSEBAUM would be really good in the part vocally and also acting-wise, but I think she's a little too old. I mean, she's about to play Diana in Next to Normal.
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