TOO OLD For the Role?

Musical Theatre Frenzy said: "Carol Channing was 73 when she played Dolly Levi in the 1994 revival of Hello, Dolly!.

At what point should a performer just say, "Thank You For Your Interest, But I Think I'm Too Old to be believable in that part." ?"

I said the same thing last year - as I saw Channing in her "Dolly tour" back in 1994 (and she was excellent). Back then, I recall the critics asking "Is she too old?" and not one review went out without mentioning her name. Yet, she won rave reviews from everyone.

Now we have Midler at 73, Peters at 70 in the same role. Critics seem to mention their age as a side note, if at all. It's not the 'attention getter'. Granted, 73 today is different from 25 years ago, but 73 is 73.

I saw Carol Channing in 1994 and at age 73, she looked, sounded and moved like a fragile grandma.

Bette, at 71, was running, moving and dancing as fresh as when she was in her 40s. Only her singing showed it’s limitations but physically she was still the Bette Midler we’ve known for decades.

Bernadette has no description. Physically she’s still 25 years old. Like Bette, vocally is where we saw her limitations.

So there's still hope for Sarah Jessica Parker reprising her Annie???
Kidding.

Having SJP play Miss Hannigan in a one-night-only benefit concert staging would be iconic. She still honors ANNIE enormously and attends ALL reunions and special events involving ANNIE and also makes herself available for all documentaries regarding ANNIE.

NOTE: for the young ones: 13 year old Sarah Jessica Parker was part of the 1st replacement cast of Broadway's ANNIE in 1978 -- she replaced Shelley Bruce in the role of July when Shelley was promoted to Annie, replacing the original Annie: Andrea McArdle. A year later, at 14, Sarah was promoted to Annie - replacing Shelley Bruce. Sarah played the role until the Summer of 1979.







Sarah Jessica Parker with Andrea McArdle in 2016:


13 year old Sarah Jessica Parker as orphan July:

I disagree with those who say they saw Carol Channing in Dolly in 94- and she was excellent. She certainly was not excellent in the performance I saw. True- the audience went bananas for her- but the performance was very raggedy- she could hardly sing- or dance- and she was clearly way past her prime. Like I LOVE YOU JUDY at some of Garland's past her prime performances- and I love Judy and wish I could have seen her- the Channing performances were basically a love fest for her fans- and there is nothing wrong with that. I have never been a big fan of Channing- or of Dolly- though I was glad I saw Bette- from the third row center- and enjoyed her- the show for me is too filled with caricatures to be a real fave of mine. But, many performers are able to perform with skill and artistry- way past their 70's- Tony Bennett I guess is the gold standard. He is fabulous- and not just for his age- he is still able to credibly perform and is a marvel.

Updated On: 6/26/18 at 11:45 AM

Dance Nation off broadway has actresses ranging from their 20’s to their 60’s playing 13 year old girls.

In Melbourne we have a theatre company called The Production Company that does short runs of professional musicals, usually revivals of popular classics, usually with excellent casts. In 2016 however they did Funny Girl, starring Caroline O’Connor playing Fanny Brice at the age of 54. While Caroline O’Connor is unquestionably a fantastic performer, I actually thought it was insulting to the show, the audience and Caroline herself to cast her in a role that was so inappropriate for her age just for the sake of nostalgia (she had played the role in the company’s inaugural season in 1999).

I'm usually all for someone such as Carol Channing reprising an iconic role even when she's too old for it, but still, 63-year-old Cathy Rigby singing "I Won't Grow Up" as Peter Pan was a little much.

I also think it's a really interesting discussion to have, considering hollywood's habit of casting actresses as young as they possibly can against male costars twice their age. I think it's fantastic that broadway actresses clearly do not get shut out of good roles once they hit 35, and perhaps other industries could learn a lot from it

Unless I missed it, Mary Martin in THE SOUND OF MUSIC is one of the best examples. She was about twenty years older than the character she played. Surprisingly, to listen to Martin singing the role one would not think she was in forties. She has a girlish quality that you don't hear with other recorded Marias (Fredrica Von Stade, June Bronhill and Jean Bayless). Andrews, IMO, was the best choice for the film role. Though younger than Martin, it was mentioned Doris Day was offered the movie but at 43 years old even she was way too old for the part. Andrews was perfection.

Ravenclaw said: "Fascinating the all the names mentioned so far in this thread are female performers. Just wanted to point it out and offer that Richard Chamberlain, at 64, was too old to play Captain Von Trapp opposite 19-year-old Laura Benanti."

I mean, while I agree it was a little creepy, the real Captain Von Trapp was 58 at the time The Sound of Music is set, so it's not like 64 is that much older.

something that has bugged me for a while is how we seem to be so accepting of ageism but when it comes to race or sexuality people are all over it. I remember when the whole Kevin Spacey thing ignited and the scenes in a movie were reshot with Christopher Plummer no one was questioning why an older actor wasn't cast in the first place. why is it acceptable to use prosthetics when there are plenty of older actors who could play the role and who often don't get a shot as Hollywood is so youth orientated

People also seem to be so happy to mock and stereotype older audience members, again that wouldn't happen with other sections of society.

Dolly Levy isn't a role I associate with an age personally so someone in their 70s seems just as believable as Barbra was in the movie. Something like Frozen however probably does require it's two leads to be closer to a certain age

BrodyFosse123 said: "Jennifer Holliday (now 57) continues to play Effie White in productions of DREAMGIRLS, a role she originated on Broadway in 1981 when she was 21 years old.





"

Hasn't she retired Effie tho? I think the last time she did it was 2012 right?