Stephanie J. Block as Cassie in ACL- Page 2

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:39am

jewishboy has a very good point. With the McKechnie choreography in place, and NOT the revised Ann Reinking, it is going to be incredibly difficult to cast the role, because of how unique McKechnie's body is. That's really where Charlotte looses it, is she's a legs dancer.

Personally, I hope Goldwyn doesn't replace as Cassie, if her Val can't find her way out of a paper bag, I shudder at what her Cassie might be.

All said, I would like to see Block in the role, I think she could be really good, I would RATHER see an unknown, or have Bebe return to it, she's still a safe age, I mean, if Reinking can do it in Cali last fall....

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:47am

Stephanie also did a lot of dancing before broadway...


She was Polly in Crazy for You and did random lead singer/dancer things early in her career.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 9:36am

The casting suggestions on BWW this morning are absolutely surreal. SURREAL.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 10:09am

Maybe I'll try out for Cassie. I took ballet for 2 years. And I know that I'm not the most amazing singer, but I'm sure that'll be all right once they see my dancing skills.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 11:17am

Stephanie just happens to be the one performer that I wouldn't be suprised if she took on just about any role.

I think she'd make a great Val Jean. LOL



no but honestly, I pretty much think she can do anything.

[FallintoLight]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 11:21am

Did you SEE her in BFO? she CAN dance! For those of you who haven't seen her dance I understand why you would think she couldn't do it. I believe she considers dance her least strong of the three (singing, acting, dancing) but that doesn't mean she's not still good. She did a lot of shows that have involved dance and more dance than just Wicked.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 11:32am

To echo MB, SURREAL. I felt like this in the Sarah Jessica Parker for Charity Hope Valentine thread.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 11:36am

I personally think Ruthie Henshall and Caroline O'Connor wud be great replacements, the latter have already done the role in the 1st UK Tour of the show! But of course Ruthie wud be too busy with her new show in Paris!

[Spacedog78]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:45pm

Honestly I think that SJB as Cassie is a terrible idea. I do not like her singing voive and I really did not like her as Elphaba at all, and she was never in the ensemble of Wicked so I don't know where that rumor came from.

[Popular]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 2:49pm

Actually, she WAS in the ensemble when it was in it's previews in San Francisco and would've continued to be in the ensmble in NY while covering for Idina if Boy From Oz hadn't come along.


pictures of ensemble Steph from her site Updated On: 2/25/07 at 02:49 PM

[Horton]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:00pm

I have only two years of dance, but when I was in a production of ACL we used the original Chorogrpahy. Yes it was difficult, but i just had to work on it outside of rehersals, and I was fine.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:01pm

I'm with Michael Bennett on this one (both the poster and the late director). No.
Nothing against her, great talented girl, but come on, Donna McKechnie, Ann Reinking, Wanda Ritcher, Charlotte D'Amboisse...and Stephanie J. Block???

[ILUVTOMG]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:04pm

i'd rather see H&R Block play Cassie

[Popular]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:12pm

To be honest I like the idea of her originating more roles after PQ.

YENTL anyone? Someone needs to be writing her into a musical version of YENTL :)

[FallintoLight]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 3:47pm

Agreed Popular!

I'd like to see her do Funny Girl personally. Revive the show. She's damn good in that role! But I'm sure I'm going to get people telling me she's too old. haha! I PERSONALLY think she'd be amazing despite age!

Spacedog78 - So sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy her. Updated On: 2/25/07 at 03:47 PM

[mauriposa]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:06pm

I'm with Popular. When I saw PQ in Chicago a couple of months ago, I disliked the show, but I left with high hopes for Stephanie J. Block in the future. I really do think that she has what it takes to originate (or revive) strong parts. I would be disappointed if she took a job as a replacement immediately following PQ.

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 2/25/07 at 4:39pm

People think of the oddest casting choices here. I think Stephanie's great but, Cassie is a definitive no in my opinion. She is a strong singer and actress.I don't think she has the type of dance training to do 'Music and the Mirrors'. Anyway, she will be originating the title role in a large musical and I can't see her replacing anytime soon.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 11:29am

While I think that Block would be able to produce a great "Music and the Mirror" vocally, she doesn't have the dance ability to sustain the choreography (even if she is as good as others seem to think in that department.)

"I'd like to see her do Funny Girl personally. Revive the show. She's damn good in that role! But I'm sure I'm going to get people telling me she's too old. haha! I PERSONALLY think she'd be amazing despite age!"

If "Funny Girl" gets revived any day soon, I'd want Julia Murney as Fanny Brice. If her "People" at the Actor's Fund Benefit concert is any indication, she'd be a knockout in the role.

Updated On: 2/28/07 at 11:29 AM

[Josephine2]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 12:42pm

I saw both "The Boy From Oz" and "Wicked." I am also familiar with the dancing in "A Chorus Line." I'm not here to say that Stephanie Block wouldn't make a great Cassie. I just want to point out that...

(a) In "Wicked," not all of the ensemble members have to dance. They do have singers who do "movement," which cannot be compared to the dancing required of Cassie.

(b) The dancing done by the Liza character in "The Boy From Oz" was more stylistic and less technical. Stephanie was fantastic at this choreography, but it (once again) is much different than the type of dancing required of Cassie.

As I said before, I'm not trying to argue one way or another about Stephanie's ability to perform Cassie. I'm just trying to illustrate that is difficult to (accuarately) determine her ability to execute Michael Bennett's choreography based on her performance of two other such different styles/techniques.
Updated On: 2/28/07 at 12:42 PM

[pippin2]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:35pm

Is it just me or do people picture Sutton Foster in EVERY role imaginable on this board. I understand she is an immense talent, but what's next, Sutton Foster in Hamlet?

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 1:37pm

if SJB joined ACL as cassie it really would be a MESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS; i dont like her at all.

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 3:57pm

methinks some people have lost touch with all reality!!!

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/28/07 at 4:02pm

Is it just me or do people picture Sutton Foster in EVERY role imaginable on this board. I understand she is an immense talent, but what's next, Sutton Foster in Hamlet?

- LMAO. I love you. You are right!

[stepkickkickleapkick]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 12:14am

WHAT?!

[stepkickkickleapkick]

Posted: 3/3/07 at 12:16am

Jessica Lee Goldyn as Cassie?! You're crazy. She is like 20 years old.