Sweet Charity Tour, Starring Molly Ringwald, Gets a New Director - broadway.com

[TheatreGuy1980]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 5:40pm

Who decided to cast her in another musical?

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 5:55pm

Wow. This just may fix the flaws the revival had. Too bad they didn't get a new choreographer also!

I have a feeling the tour will be a big improvement from the Broadway revival.

By the way, Ringwald is not new to theatre.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 5:59pm

I don't see what the thread title has to do with the first post.

[justme2]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 7:16pm

either do I. Hasn't Ringwald been in other shows? I believe I asked this back when she was first cast, and people said she'd been in Cabaret and some other shows I can't recall right now.

It's coming to San Jose, and I will be seeing it to compare it to the NY version. I read the director is different but the show is not, as in Faris still directing Bobbie's version.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 7:36pm

Molly Ringwald has appeared on Broadway before. Like the previous poster said, she has done "Cabaret" (two seperate runs as Sally actually,) as well as some plays.

I think she is perfect for the role of Charity. She has that optimistic charm that you need for a character like that, and a suitable singing voice to boot! I look forward to seeing her in the role...

[Katurian2]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 7:53pm

She was also in the movie The Stand! *drools over Stephen King goodness*

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/16/06 at 7:57pm

I've seen Molly in two musicals (CABARET and TICK TICK BOOM) and both times she was excellent. Less of a singer and more of a "singing actress" though, but certainly capable of pulling it off. She's going to be great in CHARITY.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 1:38pm

I have a question..

since the tour got a new director, will the staging be different? Or will he basically follow Bobbie's staging from the Broadway revival?

Anyone know? I hope there will be some positive changes made for the tour.

[timote316]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:24pm

I never saw this announcement when it first made, but that's a good question, ljay.

Here's the announcement: http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=526282

While it says Bobbie will be credited as directing the Broadway production, it doesn't quite tell us much. I'd think that it is going to be Faris' own staging, but it really doesn't say. I'm curious too!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:26pm

I just hope Molly doesn't have the "crazy eyes" all the time while starring in this musical.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:30pm

she just needs to lose like 40 lbs

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:34pm

"she just needs to lose like 40 lbs" -Bwaybaby18-
That's just mean. A very inapropiate comment in a community where bulimia and anorexia are popular diseases.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:41pm

Not in Mollys case......

We all thought it at the Tonys, the girl is not dancer fit.

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:44pm

Well if she still has the crazy eyes, then I don't think her weight will be the audiences focus...

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 3:47pm

Ok enough about Molly's eyes!

I'm curious about the staging etc with the new director.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 4:14pm

It's typical of NetWorks tours that a new director comes in and that it's basically a rip-off of the Broadway production. Their non-Equity tour of "Cabaret" was a disgrace, although Allison Spratt was a great Sally.

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 5:29pm

It's actually NOT typical of NETworks to do that. Annie went out with Martin Charnin directing as well as Little Women with the original director....as well as Light In The Piazza going out with the original director.....

[kyle.]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 5:45pm

I agree with BwayBaby18, she looked like a coked out linebacker on the Tonys! The first thing I thought was, "You're going to be Charity Hope Valentine in a few months?!?!".

I thought she was a joke in Cabaret compared to other Sallys such as Richardson, Gershon, Thompson, etc.

At least Debbie Gibson isn't playing the role. Molly's the lesser of two evils in my book.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 5:48pm

The article states the reason why Bobbie was replaced, because he has another show to work on. And I'm sure the Weisslers know Bobbie was responsible for a lot of the problems with the revival, considering he is the director!

So I'm hoping things will improve for the show with a new director, and will be better recieved on tour.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:04pm

Kyle. thank you, for that amazing laugh. I think i love you.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:21pm

Ljay, in the article it says that Walter Bobbie will receive a special billing, that and the fact the rest of the creative team remains the same leads me to believe that the tour will be pretty much a recreation of the staging used for the Broadway show. I think that for the show to work they'd have to get rid of both Bobbie and Cilento. It is ironic that the director of an amazing revival like Chicago could create such a problematic piece as the revival of Sweet Charity.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:23pm

It directorally wasn't that bad.... alot of people hated the choreo.

At least Bobbie didn't make Charity look like a dumb whore. Even Fosse did that.

[JustAGuy]

Posted: 6/24/06 at 9:45pm

bump

[misto625]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:49pm

I know Amanda Watkins is supposed to play Nickie, I was wondering if anyone else heard who else had been cast.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/29/06 at 11:58pm

At least Bobbie didn't make Charity look like a dumb whore. Even Fosse did that.

- Huh?? Gwen Verdon, Shirley, and Debbie Allen never came off as dumb whores.

If anything they were directed to give the character a more earthy feel. Bobbie directed the character as a bubbly ditz.