Stamos, Gershon, Houdyshell, Irwin Will Put on a Happy Face in Broadway Birdie- Page 2

[Lamc16]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 1:51pm

I'm most excited about Bill Irwin. He's terrific.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 1:51pm

Perhaps I should rent SHOWGIRLS to assess Ms. Gershon's dancing ability...

[sally1112]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 2:18pm

Absolutely agree that Tony Yazbeck would be a perfect Conrad. I actually opened this thread to see what people were saying about the casting of Conrad.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 2:24pm

Crystal Connors is Rosie... Thank you Jesus.

Not gonna lie i wanna see her do it!

[PattiLover]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 2:41pm

I think I'm the only one who finds this news exciting. Gina Gershon is crazy and I love her.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 2:55pm

Underwhelmed by the Gina Gershon news. I was one that was hoping Andrea Burns.

Haven't all these folks done a show with the Roundabout before (not sure about Houdyshell)? Couldn't they expand a bit.

I hope they cast wonderfully talented unknowns as Conrad and Kim.

[figaroindy]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 2:57pm

I swear this has been discussed ad nauseum on here before - Rosie ISN'T supposed to be Latin - that's WHY Spanish Rose is a funny number - she's going to pretend to be Spanish just to annoy Albert's mother....she's from Allentown, PA and says so in the script.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:02pm

Rosie is supposed to have LATIN origins. As in her ancestors were from Spain but she herself was born in America. While we're not looking for someone with a thick accent, we were hoping that they might cast someone with latin roots.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:04pm

In fact, I don't see how the character works if played by an actress with no Hispanic background whatsoever. Lame.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:07pm

They should just go back to the show's roots and rewrite the song as "Polish Rose." As much as I love Gershon, and hope she surprises me, I'm very put off by this casting.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:11pm

Wikpedia says Gershon plays the jews harp professionally.
I forgot she did CABARET, how was her singing voice?
I think she actually looks the part, If Maria can be Brazillian than Rose Alverez can be a Jew from LA.
(I was also hoping for Burns but they went in a whole different direction).

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:14pm

If Maria can be Brazillian than Rose Alverez can be a Jew from LA.

???

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:19pm

CPD- There are some videos of Gershon's Sally on youtube. Pretty good. Not the best, but very solid.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:20pm

If Maria can be Brazillian than Rose Alverez can be a Jew from LA.

Brazilian? Try Argentinian.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:20pm

or Evita can be an Italian from Long Island? or a blonde from North London?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:25pm

You really don't see the difference?

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:26pm

This is different.

Mae doesn't approve of her because of her background - they're not pretending to give us the illusion of being a character from another country, but a joke that revolves around race.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:28pm

Not to mention that Evita takes place IN Argentina, and ALL of the characters are Argentine.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:28pm

oops!
my bad, Argentinian.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:35pm

Vanessa Williams is black...
Updated On: 4/2/09 at 03:35 PM

[fflagg]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:35pm

A C-level cast. Spend the money and get Jennifer Lopez to be Rosie.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:41pm

"I'll be more Espanole that Abbe Lane."

Abbe Lane was a Jew from Brooklyn.

"Not Danish
Not British
Not Swedish
Not Yiddish
It's Spanish Rosa!"

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:41pm

"Vanessa Williams is black... "
Yes, and Janet Leigh was white. Were either right for the role? No.

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:47pm

I'll be more Espanole that Abbe Lane."

Abbe Lane was a Jew from Brooklyn.

"Not Danish
Not British
Not Swedish
Not Yiddish
It's Spanish Rosa!"


The joke is that, even if she DOES have a Hispanic background (Alvarez!), she is just as American as Mae, but of course Mae doesn't get that and labels her as if she had immigrated from a land she's not from.

If they were not to hire an actress of hispanic background, at least someone who can certainly pass as one.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/2/09 at 3:55pm

It's a sad thing that a regional theatre feels they need "names" like Stamos and Gershon to sell tickets. This should be the perfect opportunity to cast the right people in the roles. If Bailey Hanks is Kim this will prove to be more disappointing casting than the Guys and Dolls revival. Sad, because I had really high hopes for this long overdue revival.