THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA: The Musical- Page 6

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 6:19pm

Anne Hathaway hate is so 2012. Her performance in OCEAN’S 8 is nothing short of inspired, suggesting that she’s only getting better with age (and for the record, though I was left cold by everything about the LES MIS movie, Hathaway has been spectacular in so many movies and let’s not forget she got a rave from Brantley when she was in CARNIVAL at City Center).

Love the idea of Denee Benton as Andy.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 7:44pm

I thought Anne Hathaway received way too much hate in 2012. I also hated how that year so many people hating on her kept comparing her to the "genuine" and "authentic" Jennifer Lawrence as a way to yet again needlessly pit women against each other.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 8:59pm

I absolutely adore the idea of Denee Benton as Andy. We need someone who can imbue wide-eyed innocence with actual shadings and depth, which I thought Denee brought to Natasha and then some.

I’m interested in what they’ll do with the character of Emily, who could have been totally forgettable in the movie were it not for Emily Blunt’s genius comedic performance.

I agree with others that Miranda is not a character that immediately screams “musical.” A truly great musical number reveals inner life and the less I know about Miranda’s inner workings, the more effective she is. In the film, they obviously had to give Meryl more material because she’s Meryl, but I actually found the scenes where we learn more about “who she is” the least affecting.

Glad they added a female perspective to the creative team. I am *way* over all-male teams writing female stories.

Updated On: 7/2/18 at 08:59 PM

[Valentina3]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 9:05pm

I think this moment is very easy to musicalize - (where Miranda is being vulnerable about her impending divorce)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTTBkzvOdrI

I'm thinking of a 11'o clock "Pink" la War Paint kind of moment.

[emmettjordan]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 9:12pm

Kristin Chenoweth for Miranda 

Ashley Park as Emily 

Alison Luff as Andy? 

Christian Borle as the Stanley Tucci role?

 

 

Updated On: 7/2/18 at 09:12 PM

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 10:08pm

I don't know. I imagine they'll stick pretty close to the movie but aside from the cerulean speech, the movie leaves me cold. I guess maybe there could be a fun quick change montage but anything good about the book (which is far from high art and mainly consists of label/name-dropping) was abandoned for commercial storytelling and sentimentality. I think characterizing Andy as more of a lost millennial (book) vs. a plucky ingenue (movie) gives you more room to say something interesting. And car accident nonsense aside, I like that the book is more about her female friendship than eventually winning back the boyfriend she neglected and cheated on once.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 10:56pm

Kristin Chenoweth is way too distracting on so many levels (from singing to her speaking voice to her tiny stature) it would be impossible for general audiences to get past all this, especially with Meryl Streep in their consciousness.  Casting needs to be close enough to La Streep but not exact.   Kristin is WAY off the mark.  

Kristin for a one-night-concert, it would be clever (like Audra McDonald was as Deena Jones in the 2001 Actor’s Fund concert of DREAMGIRLS).  But in a full-scale Broadway production?   Um, no.  

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 11:17pm

I'm hoping for a Patti Lupone Miranda. She's got the right power and energy onstage for that part. Also, she's able to play such b*tchy characters, but also find such beautiful vulnerability within them. She's really the natural pick for this part. Meryl was understated and nuanced in her bitterness, Patti would be bolder and brassier, which I think would translate best onstage, especially in a Musical.

Ashley Park and Denee Benton as Emily and Andy. Titus Burgess as Nigel.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 11:26pm

The fashion world certainly doesn’t lend itself to bold and brassy. The understatedness Meryl brought to the film was a great mix of the real “Miranda,” Anna Wintour, and the rest of the fashion world at large. Patti is so wrong for this, I’m surprised anyone is even bringing her into the mix (although I know exactly why).

Love the thought of Miranda having a “Pink” moment. It was really the only reason to recommend War Paint, in my opinion. Christine Ebersole was wonderful and makes a perfect case for what Elton and Shaina could do, musically, for Miranda if they play their cards right.

Updated On: 7/2/18 at 11:26 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 11:48pm

LuPone couldn’t be more wrong for Miranda. She’s a marvelous actor, but she’s also big and brassy and the opposite of understated. Chenoweth (whom I adore) would be so incredibly miscast — we don’t need another PROMISES, PROMISES situation. Remember that Streep’s key to playing Miranda was her decision to never scream or raise her voice (based on her experience with directors like Clint Eastwood). I’m not saying other actresses need to do the same thing, but Streep’s performance surely defined how that role will be played in the future.

Apart from Murphy and Krakowski (and Neuwirth, who could play Miranda in her sleep), someone else who comes to mind is Catherine Zeta-Jones, a Tony winner who is regal and could easily sell the icy and the vulnerable dimensions of Miranda with ease. I’d love to see her back on Broadway in a new show.

[Tag]

Posted: 7/2/18 at 11:56pm

^You're never going to see another A-list celeb tackling this role (they wouldn't touch it, it's Meryl's role).  So it won't be Zeta-Jones, or anyone of that stature.  You'll get an A-list Broadway star.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 12:02am

Tag said: "^You're never going to see another A-list celeb tackling this role(they wouldn't touch it, it's Meryl's role). So it won't be Zeta-Jones, or anyone of that stature. You'll get an A-list Broadway star."

That makes sense, Tag, and I agree. I’d actually prefer an A-list Broadway star, but I wish more movie stars were willing to support brand new musicals.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 12:13am

Is Vanessa Williams all wrong for this? I feel like when they adapt movies, Broadway tends to go for "more attractive" people in the roles. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 4:36am

While I dont understand your reasoning, I love the idea of Williams!

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 7:30am

LOVE Ashley Park as Emily. Please make that happen.

I feel like people will hate me for this, but the only person I want as Andy is Patti Murin. I think she's just about as perfect for this as you can get.

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 8:03am

Love the Denee suggestion for Andy - it would be perfect.

My out of the box (and slightly young) thought for Miranda would be Jenn Colella. It’s a different role for her, but I’d love to see see what she could do with it - and she could pull off just about anything.

I also think Cynthia Erivo and Idina Menzel could be good Mirandas if they do skew younger.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 9:48am

Depending on how the score is written, if it's not too much of a vocal range for Miranda, then I can see them trying to court a bigger movie actress above a certain age to play Miranda. It could be the role that revitalizes their career AND it would be a meaty one. Honestly, none of the big name stage actors mentioned in this thread fit the bill while I can think of a lot for Andy and Emily and others. I also like the lost Millennial and female friendship angle that someone said the book was more about than the whole boyfriend thing. I wonder if lost Millennial is too tired though. It's about to be 2020 and I wonder if that might become passe. 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 10:33am

Bernadette Peters could successfully play cold, nuanced, and bitter. She's also believable as a fashion queen. While I would welcome a younger Miranda I do think there's a shortage of new rewarding roles for older women. I know though that this board has determined that Peters doesn't have her voice anymore, which is pretty ridiculous. We don't really know what this score will require.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 10:57am

Oh, just had an idea....Beanie Feldstein as Andy?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 11:17am

Oh, just had an idea....Beanie Feldstein as Andy?

Seriously?  Do you even know the plot of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA or what the cliche''d shallow mentality of the fashion industry, which is what underscores the story?   

Having Beanie play Andy is like having Justin Timberlake play Seaweed in HAIRSPRAY.  

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 11:28am

CindersGolightly said: "I feel like people will hate me for this, but the only person I want as Andy is Patti Murin. I think she's just about as perfect for this as you can get."

No. 

[MaryShelleyDuvall]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 11:56am

BrodyFosse123 said: Having Beanie play Andy is like having Justin Timberlake play Seaweed in HAIRSPRAY."

I agree that this casting doesn't feel like a fit, but I'm not sure that I get this parallel 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 12:05pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Oh, just had an idea....Beanie Feldstein as Andy?

Seriously? Do you even know the plot of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA or what the cliche''d shallow mentality of the fashion industry,which is what underscores the story?"

That’s exactly why I suggested her. Calm down a little, babe. We disagree, it’s fine.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 12:09pm

Karen Akers, only because she has the Anna Wintour bob. 

Updated On: 7/3/18 at 12:09 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 7/3/18 at 12:11pm

I'm so glad ya'll aren't casting directors.  Eeeshh