TARZAN Casting

[belter08]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:20pm

Well, just talked to a dissapointed friend (who made it all the way to the final callback) and have some TARZAN news to share. Apparently the creative staff still haven't found their Tarzan. They had 4 potentials for the role and 5 understudies. They all sang for Phil and all got vetoed out based on their voices. He said they even saw a newcomer for the role who was a Calvin Klein model and sounded outstanding, but even he got cut.

All these guys had the look, the physicality and the acting chops, but had strong legit beautiful voices instead of the hard pop/rock that the team wants. Probably why Matthew Morrison isn't attached anymore. (That man has one of the most beautiful voices I've heard, but after seeing PIAZZA I don't know if he has the rock-type voice.)

They even had another audition last thursday to bring back a whole bunch of people that they had only heard once or twice, but still nothing. Now that the Narrator and Tarzan roles have been combined, they really are looking for someone who sounds just like Phil Collins but also looks like a Tarzan and has a beautiful body.

Man, after auditioning several hundred people plus all of the agent submissions you'd think they would've found a bunch of people who would be perfect. This sound like a red flag to anyone else? Especially added onto the news that a costume and scene designer is directing.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:23pm

The music ISN'T that good....they should start looking for a name.

I really don't think the Disney name could carry this show as it did Lion King.

I know a lot of people (non theatre people) who saw TLK because of the movie, etc.

I don't know many people interested in Tarzan, outside this site.

[incendiary_wit]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:27pm

You throw Adam Pasca in a loincloth, I don't care how bad the songs are, I like when the songs are good (like Rent and Aida) but I'll live. I will hitchhike my behind up to New York if only to gawk at him.

(And yes, I am a fangirl. and yes, I am shallow. Glad we got that cleared up)

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:29pm

Nice to see you talk about something other than Adam, i_w

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:38pm

I had a gut feeling from the start that this production would flop...with just a spark that it'll be like CATS: a show with a fanbase that the majority hates, but gets a long run and is successful.

If that makes sense.

It seems to me they don't know how they're going to do this show. First there is just Tarzan, then a Narrator, and now a combined Narrator and Tarzan. There is no concept! They just want to do a Phil Collins musical, and Tarzan was very successful as a film ($171 million in 1999).

"Trashin' The Camp" will be a great STOMP-like number. I don't see how the rest of the show will be stage.

I just don't get it. And I don't see an artistic vision. Not looking good.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:40pm

Mmm...Adam...

[Thenardier]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:44pm

I think they should have someone else write the music.

[magruder]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:48pm

REALLY early to start screaming flop, Capn.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 5:54pm

I think TARZAN has room to be visually stunning, but I too question the real marketability of the show.

According to the IMDB, the film of TARZAN had a $150,000,000 budget, which makes a $171,000,000 profit domestically only a minor success and pretty far down the totum pole of Disney hits, especially combared to THE LION KING, LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and even POCOHONTAS which all managed to rake in considerably higher total gross (box office combined with video sales).

The good news is that Disney is running out of cartoon musicals to put on stage. Apparently the "classics" like CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE, SLEEPING BEAUTY all have rights issues tied to them which would make it difficult to do them on Broadway.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:13pm

If they need the essential rock-type voice, they should go for Adam Pascal! His popularity is pretty high, considering his success and fame in RENT and Aida, and he definitely has the voice for it. He also just starred in RENT, as everyone on this board knows... plus, by the way things are looking, they are going to need a name. It really stinks that Matt Morrison didn't make it, but Adam Pascal they should definitely ask!!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:14pm

Yeah and he already has the hairstyle...

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:18pm

love Adam's hair long!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:27pm

TARZAN had a budget of $130m and made over $171m in the U.S., and $448m+ worldwide.

Not as good as LION KING, but not bad, either.

[PhantomMag234]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:39pm

Who do you think will play Jane? My guess is they might pick Sutton Foster.
Updated On: 7/5/05 at 06:39 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:42pm

I think they should scarp this and do POCOHONTAS, way better music. I don't like Phil Collins at all; however, this show does intrigue me, but I doubt i'd get the Cast Recording. Didn't they do a tour of Cinderella? Or was that not Disney owned?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:45pm

Don't confuse Rodger's & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA with Disney's film.

I say they scrap this, don't bother with Pocahontas yet, and concentrate on bring Poppins over, doing Little Mermaid, and a revival of AIDA in 2010.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:46pm

I thought rumors of Lauren Bell Bundy was in the works for Jane. But I would love it if Sutton Foster was chosen instead.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:47pm

Why? Jane doesn't sing, people!!

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:48pm

Are you sure? I thought they were adding songs and such to make Tarzan more musically...

If not, then never mind

[PhantomMag234]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 6:48pm

Laura Bell Bundy played Jane in the reading back in 2004!

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:25pm

I don't know for sure. In the film, no one sang. Then I heard all the songs were to be sung by a "Narrator." Now Tarzan is both roles??

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:47pm

Yea I heard that it was going to be given as Tarzan taking over as the narrator, and they were adding in songs with {?} Phil Collins helping or something like that.

[moonys_autumn]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 10:09pm

I don't understand how they would have Tarzan sing some of the songs... the one song "Son of Man" is like... speaking to him.. sort of... I don't know, I guess we'll have to wait and see.
I must say I am more excited for Little Mermaid, but I'd also like to see Hunchback here.. love the music in that movie... but that's just me.

[futurewinnerbud]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 10:24pm

I am excited. Living in Southern California, and having a disneyland annual pass, I've gotten to take in Snow White- the Musical and Aladdin a few times. Both are pretty solid. Snow White is absolutely breathtaking in my opinion. It works so well on stage. With Patrick Stewart as the Mirror (and the mirror effect they've empoloyed is awe-striking) and great actors always playing the leading roles- If this show got worked on a little bit, I'd say this would work really well here or even in London. Aladdin... no. Its good, but not great.

Newsies needs a stage production.

Tarzan will work, it'll be like Aida I feel like. It wont be as huge fo a hit as Lion King or B & the B, but it'll still have a substantial run and some big success. It'll run a little less than Aida, and will close for whatever comes after Poppin's fly over from the west end and Little Mermaid.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 10:26pm

I think I am more excited for Mary Poppins