So, How Is Christie Brinkley Doing as "Roxie Hart"?- Page 4

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 12:54pm

I believe the distinction should be: a "name" ex-model with no talent for performing.

It's not because she's an ex-model -- its because she is in no way equipped to be on stage.

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:03pm

Agreed.

[KimmySwimmy]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:13pm

Went to see it last night...had family in town and my niece wanted to see Chicago (she's 16 and slowly discovering musicals other than Wicked...i'm helping her along) so the two of us went. I actually forgot Christie Brinkley was in it until we went to the box office to get tickets yesterday morning.

From the moment she came on stage it was cringeworthy. Her singing was not good and the choreography was barely there. When she did dance, it was kind of half assed...especially when she was on stage with the rest of the cast. There was way more shoulder shimmying than there should have been.

There were a few moments when I felt her acting was somewhat decent, but that's about it. I'm baffled as to why they would cast her...she didn't even get applause when she came out. I wouldn't even qualify this as stunt casting.

Overall, my niece enjoyed the show. After watching tons of videos on YouTube, she loved seeing the Fosse choreography live on stage and she really liked Amra Faye Wright.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:16pm

I am honestly baffled how this stunt cast came into being. I've understood all the rest, yea, even unto Melanie Griffith and George Hamilton, but how did this come to pass? Did the Weisslers contact her? Seems unlikely. They are not stupid people. Why would she want to expose her to the kind of ridicule even she must have known was coming? Not to mention the rigors of eight shows a week. Even Brooke Shields, who was assuredly not equipped for the role singing and dancing-wise, but who made up for it with her acting, took a lot of flack for assaying the role. Christie had to know she would get crucified.

That said, can we declare a moratorium on the character assassination of Ms Brinkley? She may well be awful at playing Roxie, but I have no interst in her personal life or what her ex-husband has to say about her.

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:24pm

What character assassantion? I only commented on her performance. BTW, she does look beautiful, on the positive side.
Maybe there should be an award like the Razzies for B'way?!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:35pm

I agree -- for a woman near 60 she looked INCREDIBLE! Hell for a woman near most any age, she looked great.

There was a bit of nastiness about her personally earlier in the thread.

As far as why would SHE want to do it? Why did Eddie Murphy release an album? Because his people convinced him he was good and capable. I don't know who told Brinkley that she'd be wonderful, but perhaps someone who believed that they could turn anyone into an actor -- because how hard could THAT be?

And yes, there is a difference between casting the wrong person (just because s/he is a name), and a person that shouldn't be cast in anything -- just because they ARE a name.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:36pm

I wasn't talking to you, bud. I will say you're a little shrill on the subject though. No, I don't think we do need an award like the Razzies (although I think one does exist already - I could be wrong.

There's enough negativity floating around as it is.

[BroadwayTravis]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 1:57pm

Too bad. I'm sure she's a nice woman and I give her props for moving out of her comfort zone, but you don't do it on Broadway. I'm sorry but the standards and talent is so high on those stages. I can totally see how the cast probably feel frustrated.

Of course always loved the show. This revival has sustained by stunt casting which has been interesting. However, if it is at a point of getting inappropriate performers, its time to give the B-List up and comers a shot and see how it plays and sustains at the box office. At this point it's more for the tourist crowd. Sadly, may be a sign that it's time to close.

It would never happen, but would be interesting to see at least a very limited run of Renee Z. She did better than expected...not sure how a stage transfer would be.

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 2:00pm

Wow, sorry, didn't mean to come off as shrill. It also appears that others agree with me. Check the first post for shrill. I guess I just needed a forum to vent as I took my dad and sister (who traveled many miles for a visit) and expected a modicum of professionalism. Oh, and my dad, who is a musician, LOVED the band!

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 2:49pm

I didn't see the first post as shrill at all, but shrillness comes in many forms and can be in the eye of the beholder. It's more about the repetition of how BAD she is that gets me, but possibly I was counting your double post. In any case, no harm in venting, and I'm glad your dad enjoyed the orchestra. They have always had the best musicians, and many of them have been with the show for a VERY long time. If you see the show with some frequency, as I often have the occasion to do, you'll notice that the band throws in all sorts of extra bits, particularly during the entre act of act 2.


eta: I don't disagree with you either, and at least you got (I hope) proffessionalism from the band, the rest of the cast, and well, everyone but Ms Brinkly?

Updated On: 5/22/11 at 02:49 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 3:04pm

Yes, the rest of the cast was excellent. And my dad noted that many of the musicians had gray hair. We were wondering how long they stay with a particular show?
My double post was an accident on my part.
I don't mean to belabor this, but I'm curious, what did I write that you considered shrill? (I have never posted like this before, believe it or not!)
I don't mean to be offensive in any manner...

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 3:08pm

@bud2: Let me take the blame here for being being "shrill". I was the one who passed on Peter Cook's comment about his ex-wife. I think that's what ghostlight was alluding to.

Sorry!

Updated On: 5/22/11 at 03:08 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 3:44pm

Thanks, Dollypop, but I'm not so sure!

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 3:48pm

Is there any chance Bebe could be persuaded to revisit the role of "Velma"? Thoughts? She's only 52. from RC in Austin, Texas

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 4:50pm

Huh. I posted a response to you, bud, but it didn't show up. First of all, I'm not offended. You have every right to vent. Mostly I wasn't referring to you when it comes to shrillness, but since you ask: "Brinkley should be ashamed, as well as the greedy producers". Now it could be me, but I don't think anyone should be ashamed of taking a job and doing the best they can - which I think she is. It just turns out her best isn't nearly good enough. I don't think she should be ashamed of that. I do think that she should NEVER try it again. In any case, as I said before, the shrillness, for me, comes in the repetition and vehemence (and yes, I know the double post was an accident. I was joking about that).


Thanks, Dolly, for 'fessing up regarding the personal aspects of complaints about Ms Brinkley. Passing along the words of her ex seemed a little much to me. And as dramamama mentioned, there was earlier unpleasantness.

It really depends on the show as to how long the musicians stay, bud, and how open the company is to musicians going away and coming back, but a lot of Chicago's musicians are sidemen and tour. At least three have been with the show (on and off) since the beginning.

FANatic, very little chance Bebe will revisit Velma. Since her surgery, she can no longer perform the choreography.
Updated On: 5/22/11 at 04:50 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 5:22pm

Okay, Ghostlight2, thanks for the clarification. But you don't think that:

"Her performance was the worst thing I've EVER seen on a b'way stage. Bar none. She doesn't even belong on a stage for dinner theater in Wyoming for an audience of sheep.

The choreography is practically non-existent, and she is still horrid doing it. Her vocals are weak, off key and lacking any sort of professionalism. Her acting is the poster child for what not to do.

She dragged the rest of the cast down with her and my heart went out to them. How awful it must be for them.


..was a little bit more shrill than she should "be ashamed"? Really?! I don't think I've been repetitive or vehement; just replying to comments... And I gave everyone else kudos.

And I would definitely be ashamed if I forgot my lines in a leading role on Broadway knowing how much money the audience spent on tickets, in what could have been their only, or first, experience seeing a Broadway production.

And I have to ask, have you seen the show with her in it?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 5:57pm

I think you're quoting dramamama's first post, and no, that was a pretty honest and heartfelt post, and she had essentially just come from the show after bringing other people to it and was still smarting (ok, so maybe the sheep/Wyoming/dinner theater thing was a bit much, but she was on a roll. Understandable). I'm not interested in shrillness dick-sizing here. I don't think you were out of line. I don't think you are wrong to post your feelings. I did think you were a little shrill. So what? It's only one person's opinion. Don't sweat it.

"And I have to ask, have you seen the show with her in it?"

I hadn't seen her at the time this thread started, but have seen her many, many times since. Why do you ask?

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:23pm

You've seen CB many, many times since? In what?

I asked if you've seen her in "Chicago" because you're commenting on a perfomrance/performer that you may or may not have seen.

And my post wasn't honest and heartfelt after just seeing it on Thursday?

You still haven't stated how I was shrill...

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:33pm

Sweetheart, if you reread the posts, I wasn't initially referring to you at all. In fact, I've already said that. It was only after you pressed me on how I thought that you might be a little shrill that I came up with the example, which I have already provided. You just don't happen to agree with me. So what? I never said your post wasn't heartfelt and honest, and I think you're being a little oversensitive here. Not to mention, now you really are getting shrill - and paranoid. I wasn't talking about you. Not initially. It's nothing personal, and was just my impression.

"You've seen CB many, many times since? In what?"

Chicago, of course. Is she in anything else?

Updated On: 5/22/11 at 06:33 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:41pm

And how was she? From paranoid me.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 6:54pm

Honest to GOD! Have you read the thread? I have said I agree with you. I have said she cannot be compared in nearly any way to Brooke Shields. I have said "her best isn't nearly good enough". I have said she "should NEVER" (in ALLCAPS!! no less) "try this again". Is that not clear enough for you? What more do you need for clarification in order for you to understand what I thought of her performance? I could sit you down and give you a play-by-play of everything I thought was wrong with her being on that stage, but all evidence to the contrary at the moment, I really don't think either of us has that kind of time. What would be the point? She's incredibly ill-suited for this. Everyone knows this. Did anyone really ever expect her to be even passable? I, for one, would have been gobsmacked. She didn't disappoint. She was every bit as bad as I expected her to be, even though I went in with an open mind.

It was a terribly misguided effort. As Dramamama suggested, she probably allowed someone to convince her that she could pull off something that she could not. She tried. She failed. Spectacularly. She stuck with it. She tried. She did not just quit. I really have to give her that much credit. She isn't making enough money on this to want to have to put up with the ridicule. No one is that clueless. This has to have been a hard thing for her to try, and having tried and failed, stuck with it.

It is good to be reminded now and again, that if it was that easy, anyone could do it.



Updated On: 5/22/11 at 06:54 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 7:34pm

Brooke Shields, what? Yes, I've read the thread and you never actually stated that you have seen Christie Brinkly in Chicago on Broadway, or when, unless I'm missing a post. Enough said, we seem to agree anyway, and I've apparently become addicted to posting here, most likely to the chagrin of others! Sorry! Good conversing with you, and have a good evening!

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 7:52pm

LOL, bud, welcome to BWW. It's Sunday night and I apparently needed the exercise. No harm, no foul. As it happens, I never commented on Brinkley or her performance at all in any way until you asked me directly. Until then I had only commented on other posters.

Have a great night, and in the future, try not to look for insult where none is intended, because you'll find it everywhere here..

See you on the boards.
Updated On: 5/22/11 at 07:52 PM

[bud2]

Posted: 5/22/11 at 8:06pm

Amen!

[egghumor]

Posted: 5/25/11 at 2:58am

With this latest outburst of Weissler Chicago casting, I'm beginning to envision the final weeks of the show's long run with Paris Hilton playing Roxie – She'll cuddle! She'll coo! She'll terpsichore! She'll express emotions from A to B!
PARIS SIZZLES CHICAGO!

Hey, maybe they'll even throw in a complementary hotel room for the night with the purchase of a pair of premium orchestra seats.
Updated On: 5/25/11 at 02:58 AM