Senational News - Dreyfuss out and Nathan lane IN London Producers — Page 3

Nathan needs that kind of money the way Bush needs oil. I doubt he's doing it for the money, as nice a piece of change as it is.

Clearly a difference in perspectives, people. Let's just hope he remains in good health, at the very least because there are very few comedic theater legends walking around these days.

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Heart: You are right that he doesn't need the money and when he did the 2nd run of the Producers and there was a flap over the money they were being paid, Lane made it clear that he was going to use this money to do some riskier projects like The Frogs and Butley (which he hopes to bring to Broadway in 2005). That's where the money will go but even if he were sitting home flipping through Jaguar catalogues and eating caviar, at a certain point, money doesn't seduce anymore.

For those to whom the money seems to be the temptation, that is the be all and end all I guess but something tells me Lane would rather be at Roundabout doing a new drama by Terrence McNally.

But since Dreyfuss has gotten his own press over the past two days by freely admitting he sucked...I guess for now, Lane will be seen on the London stage.

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This is MAJOR proof of what a wonderful and loyal friend Nathan Lane is,"Yes, Mel I'll put my health at risk and stamina to the test to correct another TP casting mistake and creative stumble!"

I'm tired of people knocking him, my Lord, look at what he's done in the last year alone theater-wise. The Frogs was a timely and artistic delight.

Hopefully he'll get a new McNally play at the Roundabout, and a few moments to flip thru that Jaguar catalogue very soon!

What IS Terrence McNally up to these days, anyway?

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Lane's interview with Reidel from today's Post:

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/30688.htm


Now that we have it straight from his lips (via phone of course) can we accept the real reason he agreed to do this?

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Heart: Something tells me lane is a bit too busy to be lurking here right now but I'm sure he feels the good vibes coming at him

:)

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Rath, maybe money wasn't mentioned it's because money may actually be a secondary concern here? Sometimes when your back is to the wall you HAVE to do something as a favor...not because you are really dying to do it...and may actually LOATHE the idea of doing it at all.

Mel should install Nathan in the grandest suite at the Ritz and wait on him hand and foot for saving his ass. Again.

Two interesting points: "The greatest musical comedy actor of our era, Lane is becoming identified with role of Max Bialystock in the way Yul Brynner was idenitified with the King in "The King and I" and Carol Channing was identified with Dolly Levi in "Hello, Dolly!" — you simply can't imagine anyone else in the part." Personally, I think Nathan is more terrified than pleased at this thought.

"Alarm bells should have gone off in the offices of the producers of "The Producers" earlier this year, when Dreyfuss appeared on Broadway in "Sly Fox," a show in the same comic universe of "The Producers."

Brooks has to shoulder much of the responsibility for selecting Dreyfuss in the first place.

He asked the actor to play the part after he heard from friends that Dreyfuss had seen "The Producers" in New York and told mutual friends that it would "be fun" to play Max Bialystock.

That's a pretty flip approach to one of the most demanding roles in the musical theater today."

THANK YOU, Michael Reidel. OK, you've been an asshole in the past - but I'm glad you are telling the truth here now. Keep it up!

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Updated On: 10/20/04 at 11:30 AM

Heart: I'm laughing over your comment about his having to join the witness protection program but that's close to being true, right? Perhaps he'll have to go on one of those plastic surgery shows and have his face redone so Mel won't recognize him.

And, I thought exactly the same thing recently: God Bless Anne!

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I'm happy for London that they will get to see Nathan do his "thing"!

Isn't his co-star the actor he worked with in the film "Mouse Hunt"?

Anyway, I'm also very interested to hear how Conleth Hill performs. He's a great one! Hope to read reports from those lucky enough to be able to see this!