Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
#0Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/26/06 at 9:35pm
I never got a chance to see the recent revival of Cabaret but am now deep in rehearsals of a local production of that version. I never knew how dark and serious some of the changes and additions made the piece.
Ive seen the (godawful) John Stamos version of the opening and I'm curious as to how some of the other stunt casting choices affected the tone of the show. I can't imagine u'd get the same emotional performance that Natasha Richardson gives when you see someone like Molly Ringwald play Sally.
Stunt casting in Chicago for example has lead to some pleasant surprises...How were the different actors and actresses in Cabaret? (Teri Hatcher, Jane Leeves, Ringwald, Jon Secada, Neal Patrick Harris, Gine Gershon, etc...)
ILUVTOMG
Stand-by Joined: 8/8/06
#1re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/27/06 at 12:10ami saw the revival many MANY times and thought that alot of the replacements were very successful... gina gershon was a fascinating sally, neil patrick harris created his own emcee and it worked very well. jon secada, molly ringwald and brooke shields were less successful (and i like them both as performers - just not in this show). i actually like john stamos and jane leeves very much. i miss that production - i wish it could have run another 5 years. oh wait - if it had maybe ashlee simpson would be playing sally. forget it!
#2re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/27/06 at 10:20pmBUMP!
#3re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/27/06 at 10:21pmI thought Lea Thompson was excellent.
#4re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/27/06 at 10:23pmAaah I love Lea. She goes to my temple. I saw Adam Pascal and he fabulous. Not exactly stunt casting but definitly a way to bring a good name close the show out
jimnysf
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/10/05
#5re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/27/06 at 10:28pm
John Stamos,Jane Leeves,Polly Bergen and Hal Linden! What a fantastic cast. I saw them 5 times. I also saw, and liked, Molly Ringwald and Neil Patrick Harris a few times. I saw Andrea McArdle on the tour and did not care for her Sally or the production. It was in a big theatre and was not the same experience as Studio 54.
By the way, judging the performance of John Stamos based on a bootleg of the opening number that you saw somewhere is not really fair.
#6re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 2:33am
My friend saw many Sallys and he said that Brooke Shields made Sally a lot more comedic than any other actress, he said she was very different and he said she got laughs in many scenes other Sallys didn't. Anyways, I just heard her songs in the show and she was definitly not my favorite since I am used to Liza Minnelli's voice.
The CD with Natasha Richardson was painful to hear for me. I saw Jon Secada and Melina Karakaredes in the show and I was impressed by Secada, his singing was effortless and very different from his records, his voice was pure and beautiful. He acted the part really good I thought. Melina was just embarrassing, but I know a lot of BWW users loved her performance in the show, I felt like her singing was very green and the same about her acting and dancing, the British accent would come and go, I just found her not to be ready for Broadway.
#7re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 2:52am
Lea Thompson was wonderful and Gina Gershon was extraordinary in my opinion.
Debbie Gibson was a JOKE. A ****ing joke.
#8re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 4:30amI felt that way about Melina, it was a joke. I wasn't a big fan of the revival of Cabaret, I felt it was a little slow.
OrdinaryJukebox
Featured Actor Joined: 6/7/06
#9re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 7:58am
Joely Fisher gave the best performance as Sally, and I saw the show 4 times! Truly amazing to watch!
-Vincent
#10re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 10:11amI'll give mad props to Gina Gershon again. She was truly captivating, heart breaking and intense as Sally.
#11re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 10:17amI agree... I think that Gina is the most interesting Sally I've seen. I really loved her take.
#12re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 10:21am
You know, I recently conducted an interview with someone who many would have considered stunt casting. When I asked him about that term, he said that for many of the people in question, it's not stunt casting, but that a better term would be "star" casting. I tend to agree. Many times, the people who are considered "stunts" are quite capable of doing the role and have theater backgrounds (and/or are trying to expand their skills).
It would do a show a lot more damage to JUST stunt cast without concern for the part that's to be played.
Just a thought...
#13re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 11:56ammuscle23 - you do realize that Sally is not supposed to be a good singer?
#14re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 12:16pmOf course I do, Liza is an amazing Sally and I think she was the best one. Melina couldn't sing very well when I saw her. Her version of Cabaret sounded like a teenage girl singing in the shower(no technique)
BroomstickBoy
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/21/04
#15re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 6:37pm
I personally never cared for Liza Minelli as Sally. I prefer the type of Sally who's not a front and center "virtuoso" belter a la Minelli. Sally's a second rate cabaret singer, her acting is supposed to be the stronger point. You have to be captivated by this character, not set on how she sings and what her voice sounds like.
#16re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 6:49pmNeil Patrick Harris was SO good.
#17re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 8:58pm
Joely Fisher was great. Thank you for reminding me Vincent!
And who could forget Michael C Hall as the Emcee along with Joely? Wonderful.
#18re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 9:16pm
I agree with BroomstickBoy. And just to add, I think because I grew up listening to the Original Cast I found the role of Sally to be very sad and pitiful. Her version of Cabaret should not be a show stopper because of the notes she hits or how long she belts i.e. Liza Minnelli. I can not watch the end of the movie because of her horrible rendition of Cabaret. I compare the song to Tomorrow, it should not be a happy and uplifting song it is actually a sad song, and she is stuck in this awful Cabaret. Try to listen to Jill Hayworth if you haven't already.
BTW, I saw Susan Egan who was pretty excellent.
FoscasBohemianDream
Broadway Star Joined: 1/20/06
#19re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 9:28pm
I of course loved Liza Minnelli's Sally Bowles but her Sally could only work in Fosse's world, her singing is way too strong to work in Mende's version.
What worked about Natasha Richardson's vocals was that you were always aware that she would never be a major star, so it made her character more tragic.
I saw Teri Hatcher on tour and really liked her performance.
ILUVTOMG
Stand-by Joined: 8/8/06
#20re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 10:59pmhow could i have forgotten michael hall as the emcee????? brilliant! and sexy as hell. and snaps to joely fisher as sally. loved her. also liked kate shindle alot and wasn't expecting to (MISS AMERICA AS SALLY BOWLES??? HUH?). but she sang the hell out of it and is gorgeous.
#21re: Stunt Casting in the Cabaret Revival.
Posted: 8/28/06 at 11:31pm
I saw Susan Egan and Adam Pascal very close to the end of the run. Simply amazing. I wanted to mention her Sally but I didn't know if I should bring it up under the stunt casting thread.
If only producers would cast legit theatre talent like her all the time instead of using hollywood names. HAHA! I crack myself up!
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