Shoutout To Kelli O'Hara-Classic Roles!

She's great. I think it be cool if she did more temporary roles though and didn't stay in the golden age genre so much. The great thing about Kelli is her acting is just as amazing as her singing so i'd love to see her in something like Next to Normal as Diana. I think that would be a challenge vocally and acting-wise that could pay off even if she might be Miscast. I think she could pull it off.

I would like to see Kelli play either of the two Marias, Sound of Music or West Side Story. Not only wonderful songs, but she could stretch her acting chops. But, probably not just her age but her stature and bearing make it difficult to see her in the roles of two young girls who are not very worldly.

Stature and bearing? Just in the video I linked of the King and I press kickoff in London, although the rehearsal room is full of almost the entire cast, and Bartlett and Ken are there, Kelly pretty clearly seems to be running the proceedings. One Londoner already commented

The West End needs this shot of life and real quality and the queen that is Kelli O'Hara

One role I would really like her to take on would be Julie, in Show Boat. Here she could venture into territory into which her career has not taken her: the tragic. But the role is not big enough for her.

Given the liberties that everyone has taken with the second act of Show Boat over the decades, maybe Julie could be made the focus of that act (joking).

I'll settle for The Music Man, with the troublesome restriction that they must find someone of equal talent and stature to play Harold. There is a lot that can be mined out of this musical. Humor, pathos, romance and many excellent songs.

Do not forget, though, that if you ask of Kelli her favorite role, she will say without hesitation Francesca in Bridges. It will also be hinted that we have not seen the last of it. Probably a concert version of about a week's duration? Maybe they can rewrite the more objectionable parts of the book.

Updated On: 6/9/18 at 09:34 AM

I LOVE Kelli, but she is not latina and should not play Maria in West Side Story.

Yeah the classical soprano is definitely a dying breed on Broadway. Scores are more pop-related so can't really blame Kelli for finding every legit soprano role she can. They all just happen to be in the golden age.

This is also true for the Bass. These days Women's voices need to be lower for scores and men's voices need to be higher for scores. It's a shame. There's so many great bass and bass-baritone voices out there.

^ I really hope we will reach a point in this new belt-your-chest-voice-to-extinction phase where composers start writing for sopranos (and basses) again! We need more Adam Guettel!

OlBlueEyes said: "Polka Dot2 said: "I LOVE Kelli, but she is not latina and should not play Maria in West Side Story."

I love Joshua Henry, but he is not white and should not play the role of a lower class white carnival barker in a late 19th century New England Village, especially if the white man he is playing strikes his wife."

Except that nowhere in the Carousel script does it say anything about the race of Billy and in West Side Story it says in the first paragraph Maria is Puerto Rican.

I would love to see Kelli do some more musical comedy. I was completely surprised by her comedic chops in Nice Work.

I also wish someone would write an original musical for her and Carmen Cusack to star in together. I really hope we get to see her as Margaret Johnson in a Piazza revival too.

It still pains me that she did not get the Tony for playing Francesca. I wish she’d do a Bridges concert. I am really looking forward to her in the second season of the Accidental Wolf too.

Probably not. It's just not the type of material to be a box office hit. The movie was a hit at the time as was the novel, but it's been over twenty years the work hasn't really endured as a timeless classic of literature or film. The music may be beautiful, but it seems like a bunch of downer character ballads which we know doesn't result in long runs. A lot of shows with beautiful scores are in the same boat.

Updated On: 6/9/18 at 11:19 PM

I think she’d be a fantastic Aldonza! She’d obviously sing the hell out of it, but I also think it would be a fun acting departure from the typical soprano ingenue.

(I also really want a Bartlett Sher revival of Man of La Mancha, so...)

In regards to musical comedy, she'll get to show her chops next year in Kiss Me, Kate! Very excited to see what she does with a big comedic diva role (and with "I Hate Men".