So--who will replace Bernadette?- Page 10

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 4:18pm

^ Pfft, I heard her recently and she sounds great! She's always had a different voice...

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 4:31pm

^Yes in a Small one off concert appearance, with her on arrangements suited to her current vocal shape. In a full eight show a week run in rigorous musical she would be a wreck.

[binau]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 4:34pm

Crazed fan or Hater trying to get Ripley to sing herself to death. A fine line!

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 4:42pm

Crazed fan judging by previous post.

[blaxx]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 4:59pm

"...Messing was the original Harper in workshops/readings of Angels in America. So something tells me she could act it."

Debra Messing was just finishing grad school when MILLENNIUM APPROACHES opened on Broadway. Both parts had already premiered in California. Since Messing went to school in New York and the play was developed on the West Coast (first at the Eureka in San Francisco), I don't see how the above statement can be correct. (Maybe she did some readings in NYC while the show was being prepped for Broadway, but she was much too young to actually play Harper.)

She talked about this when Will & Grace was on Inside the Actor's Studio. She was doing her Masters when Kushner was developing workshops for Perestroika. He cast NYU Masters students for a few weeks and for this workshop only.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 6:18pm

^^^^Got it, blaxx. That makes sense. It was the word "original" that I was disputing.

I SAW the first workshop of half of PERESTROIKA in L.A. and I promise you, Messing was not on stage. MILLENNIUM had been read and workshopped in SF even before that.

But that Kushner used Messing in readings while he rewrote for Broadway seems entirely possible. She was still too young to play the part, a good nine years younger than Marcia Gay Harden who originated the role on Broadway during Messing's last year of grad school.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 6:26pm

"^ Pfft, I heard her recently and she sounds great! She's always had a different voice..."

Perhaps you meant to "pfft" at some post other than mine, Someone. I never said Mullally (or Messing) was lacking in vocal chops. On the contrary, I love Mullally's solo albums. But she sings with a big, brassy belt that has nothing to do with Sally's "average, ordinary housewife" character. That's why I think she makes more sense, at least vocally, for Carlotta.

Is it possible that Mullally can sing in an entirely different way? And not act 'feisty' as she usually does? Maybe. But thus far, nobody has given me an example of her doing either. Which is why the casting choice seems so random.

I'm honesty asking WHY Mullally as Sally? I don't understand the custom here of endlessly listing opinions without supporting reasoning, and then scoffing at people who ask for the thinking behind an opinion.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 8:03pm

Gaveston i have listed reasons, at the begging of season six of will and grace when karen learns that stan will remain in prison due to insider trading, she is told this in the conjugal vist room i believe, karen is emottionally hurt, devestaed despite her disbain of stan. Her following scene at the bar is particularly moving and led me to truly consider her as sally. Also i believe during season six when she sang 'a house is not a home' she did not belt and still sounded amazing.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 10:27pm

Sorry, random person, I understood you to say that Mullally can be moving in serious scenes; I saw those W&G episodes and I agree. I just don't see what that has to do with Sally, other than the fact that Mullally doesn't always play caricatures.

I'm sure she wouldn't be the worst Sally in the world; I just don't see the specific quality that says "Sally" to you and others. But I really appreciate your explanation, I do.

And all that being said, I'm sure I'd be very happy to see Miss Mullally live in anything, whether or not she was exactly right for the role. I do think she is amazing.

Updated On: 1/7/12 at 10:27 PM

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 10:33pm

Yes but it's more its a womens reaction as her illusions are shattered, just like sallys are in the final scene, the bar is a woman trying to search for that missing something in her life that she needs and needs desperatly and she is taking in so easily by the possibility of this hole being filled, similair to sally with ben. I know it's sounds overanalyzing but it's true, and those are the qualties that make me and others think of her as sally.

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:58am

Gaveston, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean Megan, I was replying to someone about Ripley sucking. It gets annoying hearing all the haters. I actually like Megan Mulally and agree that she could be an interesting Sally. I just suck at replying to threads here so I made it confusion. Sorry!

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 10:51am

someone there's a difference between 'sucking' and just not being up to it. Sure ripley is fine doing a one night concert that she can change the arrangements to help her. In a SONDHEIM show with ridiclous high soprano notes in a demanding role like sally Right NOW. She is not ready. In a few years with rest she will be. That year is not this year.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:33pm

random person, thank you. I see what you mean now. I would only add that through most of FOLLIES, Sally isn't letting go of illusions but clinging tightly to them. I'd be afraid that Mullally's portrayal of Karen Walker has conditioned audiences to find her funny, even when she isn't trying to be. That could be fatal with Sally, who is actually pretty ridiculous to begin with. (Again, no disrespect intended to Mullally; I think she's a major talent.)

someone.else's, you don't suck and you don't owe me an apology. Sometimes our posts get crossed and it isn't clear to what we are referring. I just wanted to figure it out and I appreciate your kind response.

Updated On: 1/8/12 at 02:33 PM

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 6:33pm

I saw the show again today and the thought of replacements kept going through my mind. If "names" aren't a huge priority then how about Danny's wife, Rebecca Luker for Sally? I think she could pull it off, maybe a bit non-showy, but would sing it very well.

Also, Beth Leavel for Phyllis?

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 6:40pm

Different idea Messing for Phyllis if they want a name who could proably fit it in if she's town already for smash...

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 6:42pm

Technically, at 41, Messing is still too young to play Phyllis. Sally mentions being 49 IIRC; I don't think Phyllis can be any younger.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 9:05pm

Yes, but i think she could read older, i think on here we tend to be harsher on people playing older, but not so much younger, when it usualy works better to play older. Plus as long as the rest of the cast looked around the same age, i don't think we'd have complaints.

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 6:53am

Second phyllis could go older i mean sally mentions her being very homesick, and a mess in new york. Similair emotions to a young girl away from home for the first time. And as Sally does not share reflections on going through that it is possible for phyllis to be a little younger than sally.

[broadwayboy2]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 7:59am

Cher as Carlotta.

[FrauleinKost]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 10:36am

As for Mullally--well, I've seen just about everything she's ever done, heard every song (her albums with her band, in addition to seeing her in concert numerous times), and--she has a wide, WIDE range. Not just vocally, but she's extremely versatile. That's what's always impressed me about her--that versatility.

Would love to see her as Sally, and trust me I hate "stunt casting" or seeing TV/film people in Broadway roles, but Megan does have a fairly rich theatre background, and, well, I think she'd be great.

(plus, this would be so bizarre because, growing up, I had giant crushes on both Bernadette Peters and Megan Mullally. World are colliding...)

Updated On: 1/9/12 at 10:36 AM

[SingOutLouise2]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 10:47am

Haven't they already collided? Didn't they play sister on Will and Grace?

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 10:50am

I haven't been following this thread diligently, but I love blaxx's early suggestion of Alison Fraser. Wonderful actress, unique voice, and she could really tap into all the facets on Sally's character.

[SingOutLouise2]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 1:10pm

Sarah Jessica Parker as Sally and Kim Cattrall as Phyllis

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 2:24pm

Alison Fraser is a great idea and I didn't see blaxx's original post. Thanks for bringing it up again, AC.

random person, Sally says she was 19 when she was in the Follies "30 years ago". I don't see how Phyllis can be much younger than that.

And while Messing probably could play a decade older, I'd be surprised if she is willing to do so. She's already on the cusp of the age when roles for women start to dry up, but she looks great and can still play women in their thirties. Why rush things?

[random person 112]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 6:36pm

I would say if she's on the cusp that's more reason to take on phyllis, and i'm not saying much younger i'm a saying a year or two at most. That way it would be even more interesting to see sally refer to her as 'a queen or something' second, Alexis Smith got huge notices for playing phyllis and it even revitalized her career, third it's a great dramatic role a chance to be recognized as a serious actress.