So--who will replace Bernadette?- Page 6

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 10:56pm

Cybill Shepard as Carlotta -- whoever said it, forgive me -- strikes me as inspired. She looked like an ex-show girl, and could negotiate the song nicely. And she'd even look fine in the Elaine Paige gown.

I heard Maxwell isn't going either.

So I'd still like to see Vanessa Williams as Phyllis. Not really too young, and I think she'd nail "Lucy and Jesse."

Opposite her, Rebecca Luker as Sally? She's married to Buddy. Luker and Williams would like right together.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:02pm

Cybil Shepard was rumored for the Encores! concert in 2007, but we got stuck with Baranski.....

If Maxwell doesn't transfer, Vanessa Williams would be an amazing replacement. Desperate Housewives will be done by then.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:07pm

It seems like a trend on here to suggest actors completely out of the age range for these characters. The only reason it works with Bernadette is because she legitimately passes for 49-years-old.

I hope you're not referring to Ebersole here, ljay. As far as I'm concerned, Ebersole reads younger than Bernadette does. In Grey Gardens, Big Edie is supposed to be 46 or 47 in Act I, and I thought Christine seemed younger than that already. I've never thought, every time I've seen her in the past decade, that Bernadette reads young on stage. Regardless of how she looks, I don't think she ACTS like a young person. I always feel like I'm watching someone older trying to make herself seem younger. But if Bernadette can pull off Sally, Ebersole certainly can.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:12pm

I think Ebersole is probably the single best idea.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:14pm

And qolbinau, with all due respect, you have to remember that Bernadette's bright red hair, which she CERTAINLY dyes, does her a lot of favors. If in the picture you posted her hair had been even slightly graying, you would not be saying she looks 49. Hair dye is a wonderful thing that way.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:20pm

No I am not referring to Ebersole. I am referring to the suggestions of Sally Field, Joanna Gleason, Martin Short, etc.

Ebersole is 58, but I'd be interested in seeing her Sally. She's a bit tall (sorry, Sally being tiny is important to me) - but I'd definitely give her a chance.
Updated On: 12/23/11 at 11:20 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:35pm

Got it. Yah, I don't really understand the Sally Field idea (or really Martin Short for that matter). I think Gleason MIGHT be able to read young enough, but it would certainly take a little more work than it does for Bernadette.

[AMH]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:42pm

I like the idea of Martin Short as Buddy. Would be very interesting to see his interpretation of the character.

Bernadette's bright red hair, which she CERTAINLY dyes, does her a lot of favors.

Yes, Bernadette's hair is dyed. So what? She looks fantastic. Good for her.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 12/23/11 at 11:56pm

Take it easy, AMH. It wasn't an insult. I was merely making the point that if she DIDN'T dye her hair, she WOULD'T look so young. You don't have to get so defensive about everything regarding Bernadette. It's not like I'm sitting here saying "well her beauty is unnatural so it doesn't count!!!"

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 12:56am

Martin Short was brilliant in DAMAGES, I'd love to see his take on Buddy, he'd simply be fantastic! Such inspired casting.
Sally Field would be fantastic in a movie version, I doubt she has the vocal stamina to sing the role of Sally 8 times a week. A movie version that adjusted the ages for whatever cast ended up doing it would be great.
And yes, Vanessa Williams would be a great Phyllis, and if DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES isn't done, she should just abandon that awful sinking ship anyway.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 1:06am

Christine Ebersole is one of the rare few who I think could actually play either Sally or Phyllis (her dual performances in GREY GARDENS alone suggest the traits required of both roles.)

That being said, I'm surprised to see so many people endorsing her as Sally, because I think she's probably more ideally suited to Phyllis, particularly because of the striking elegance that she always seems to embody (there's a reason she's made an entire career of playing high society women.) Her natural poise, presence, and dry wit are completely perfect for the type of humor Phyllis needs to land- I imagine she would probably be a pretty happy medium between the ice queen portrayal of someone like Alexis Smith and the warmer, more volatile portrayal of someone like Jan Maxwell. She's also quite statuesque, which lends itself well to the role.

But hell- she would probably even be a dynamite Carlotta, though she's never really had to belt like that before. Regardless, I'd love to see her do the show.

Updated On: 12/24/11 at 01:06 AM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 1:08am

Maybe Lavin will go back in.

Actually, I think Teri Hatcher would make a lovely Sally, provided she could sing the part. Teri has that every woman quality about her and would be believable as a former showgirl. Maybe her and Williams could do it.

Actually Lynda Carter might make a nice Carlotta. She could never sing the whole show 8 times a week, but she could do justice to Carlotta and could still play a vamp.

To the person who suggested Carrie Fisher-give me a break. Carlotta needs to be a MILF in some respects with all the talking she does about men.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 1:18am

Actually, I think Teri Hatcher would make a lovely Sally, provided she could sing the part. Teri has that every woman quality about her and would be believable as a former showgirl. Maybe her and Williams could do it.

You may be onto something here. Too bad Sally is quite a difficult role to sing.

To the person who suggested Carrie Fisher-give me a break. Carlotta needs to be a MILF in some respects with all the talking she does about men.

Thank you. When it comes to this show, I really think people just throw out really random names, without considering if they're right for the character.

Updated On: 12/24/11 at 01:18 AM

[AMH]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 1:47am

It's not like I'm sitting here saying "well her beauty is unnatural so it doesn't count!!!"

That's how the comment came across to me at first, but point taken. I also have dyed hair so I guess I did get a little defensive. My apologies.

[pinoyidol2006]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 2:06am

I say Liz Callaway. There's a sweetness to her voice that's so heartbreaking when she sings "Losing My Mind."

[My Oh My]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 2:11am

Valerie Perri

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 2:23am

Teri Hatcher as Sally? I see her more as a Carlotta, especially given the career she's had, I can totally see her singing "first, you're another sloe-eyed vamp, then someone's mother, then you're camp." And how great would it be to have an actress who hasn't Botoxed the hell out of her face as Sally? (It makes more sense for Phyllis or Carlotta)
And I've said this a million times on other threads but just like Ljay gets defensive about Sally, I get really annoyed when people randomly suggest actresses for Carlotta just because they sing a song that's titled "I'm Still Here." There's more to the role than the one song. Didn't someone suggest Elaine Stritch once?

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 3:16am

Terri Hatcher as Sally is pretty inspired. She was able to handle the score of Cabaret pretty well, but just about anyone can (and has) handle that score. Not sure if she has the upper register required, but acting wise, she be a very interesting choice.

[egghumor]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 4:37am

Despite some wild suggestions, in truth, I think everyone is wrong (myself included). The LA Sally and the LA Phyllis (and probably a couple of other roles as well) will be women not previously mentioned in this thread. The casting announcement of these roles is every bit as exciting as most of the upcoming shows of the New York season.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 7:33am

the one and only Kristin Chenoweth...might be interesting if she took the role...

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 7:33am

kristin chenoweth

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 8:15am

I love Cheno, but she's too young and I don't know if she has the acting chops.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 9:52am

While I don't think Sally has to be particularly tiny, I also think Christine is too tall for the role. Unless Kristen Johnston is playing Phyllis (not necessarily a bad idea). Of course, Ebersole as Phyllis is a perfectly fine idea. The only problem with that is that unless one casts a truly terrific singer as Sally (a Vicky Clark or a Patti Cohenour), Ebersole as Phyllis would feel like a total rip off - because that great voice you'd want to hear as Sally would be so close yet so far.

Blair Brown IS one of the rare few who is right for both roles. A glamor girl leading lady in her youth a la Alexis Smith. A great actress who can play the despair and longing, and wit, of either role, and convince as either a middle class Phoenix housewife or a 5th Avenue Hypthenated Harriett. And while she may not be Dorothy Collins or Barbara Cook, she's certainly a good enough singer (again provided Phyllis isn't overcast with someone who, like Christine, has one of the great voices of our time)



Updated On: 12/24/11 at 09:52 AM

[theeatah]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 10:03am

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't theatre in LA lack the cachet of Broadway/the West End etc.? Would performers currently riding relatively high in TV/Film (Chenoweth, Williams, even Sally Field) be keen to join an LA run that's not a Broadway tryout?

As for Carrie Fisher being a ridiculous option. I think she's quite the opposite.

Regardless of whether one finds, or ever found, her sexy, she WAS a sex symbol to a whole generation of men (the metal bikini etc.). And God does she have experience of being disparaged as a "former" looker (Elton John, Jabba The Hut comparisons). She's never been a highly regarded actress (Hello Yvonne De Carlo!). She was a chorus girl (Irene). She's wisecracking, and anyone who's seen her on Craig Ferguson knows she can do "lusty"/"frisky".

As for the MILF aspect, Fisher' lost a lot of weight and she looks pretty damn good these days. And quite frankly, her facial features are more on the conventional side of good looking than Dolores Gray, Elaine Paige, Ann Miller etc. With the right styling, she could look great in the role.

Lastly, I was really struck by her recent singing (HBO's Wishful Drinking, Oprah), which seemed to me appealingly earnest in contrast to her humourous persona. I'd really like to her hear interpet the more poignant parts of I'm Still Here (the Depression, Reno... and Pills etc.).

In short, I think Carrie Fisher could be the real deal as Carlotta.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 12/24/11 at 11:54am

All of this talk of Vicki Clark reminds me of just how incredible she really was. For my money, her and Donna Murphy provided the best sung versions of their character's material that we're likely to ever see.

While Maxwell and Peters turned in beautiful work in this production (the former much more so,) it would be nice if, should the need to replace both arise, they use singers in the L.A. production who can do righter by the score, though obviously without sacrificing any of the acting required of the material.