Posted: 2/12/18 at 3:12pm
Betty was fantastic in Grey Gardens. Sure, it might not have been the warmest role, but it was very comedic and she hit all the marks. I think she will be great.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 3:23pm
What's with all these 'elderly' dames playing and being suggested to play Dolly.
Dolly has no children to remind us she is a certain age, just a widow.
Lowering the age considerably for Dolly AND Horace would bring in a new dynamic and open up the roles to a whole new[existing] range of comedic and singing talents.
It's like the last harrah[?] of roles; play Dolly and die happy---[or exhausted].
Posted: 2/12/18 at 3:31pm
Glad to hear that some think Buckley still sounds good; the last two times I heard her (last fall and in 2016), she was often flat, and her voice had what I would call an extreme barking quality. It's always been a dry, hard-edged voice, but I found it pretty unpleasant much of the time in recent hearings.
Updated On: 2/12/18 at 03:31 PM
Posted: 2/12/18 at 3:47pm
DAME said: "Dollypop said: "A friend of mine was an understudy for an Off Broadway comedy that Buckley was starring in. My buddy went on several times in different roles, so I saw the show quite a few times. At one performance Buckley's part was played by her understudy, who was superior to Buckley in every way.
Betty Buckley just lacks warmth and humor."
Dollypop: when was this? For me she has gotten warmer with age. But I can’t imagine she was castings first choice ."
It was about 5 or 6 years ago.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 4:15pm
newintown said: "Glad to hear that some think Buckley still sounds good; the last two times I heard her (last fall and in 2016), she was often flat, and her voice had what Iwould call an extreme barking quality. It's always been a dry, hard-edged voice, but I found it pretty unpleasant much of thetime in recent hearings."
I personally find her voice unrecognisable these days. In its peak (e.g., Cats, Carrie, Sunset) it is one of my favourites. It’s so dark/piercing/thrilling. I can’t imagine her then or especially now playing this role - maybe if they change the story and have Dolly convincing Horace to marry her by pulling a knife and holding it to his throat.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:02pm
hellobroadway said: "Does anyone know if this tour will stop in Atlanta?"
Our season gets announced on the 15th
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:11pm
SweetLips said: "What's with all these 'elderly' dames playing and being suggested to play Dolly.
Dolly has no children to remind us she is a certain age, just a widow.
Lowering the age considerably for Dolly AND Horace would bring in a new dynamic and open up the roles to a whole new[existing] range of comedic and singing talents.
It's like the last harrah[?] of roles; play Dolly and die happy---[or exhausted]."
There was a production in the UK a few years ago and Janie Dee (who was Phyllis in the National's Follies this year) played Dolly. She brought exactly what you've suggested to the role - a vibrancy and a sexuality that is usually missing. This is what made Streisand's Dolly so compelling to me. But yes this production seems to be latching on to this grand-dame notion. My question is - will we ever see LuPone do the role?
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:12pm
I certainly thought Donna Murphy had a vibrancy and sexuality to her Dolly.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:24pm
Did anyone here see Buckley's Dear World in 2013? That's the only Jerry Herman role I know of her playing.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:33pm
I'd slap a baby to see Lupone on the role. She's got the comedic chops and the vocals/acting. She'd rock it. But I'm not sure she'd replace, etc.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:51pm
I have great respect for Betty Buckley and her talents, but this casting choice is just bizarre and seems out of left field...I just can't see her in the role. Also surprised she would take on a tour at this stage in her career, but I guess if the money is right!
Posted: 2/12/18 at 5:57pm
RippedMan said: "I'd slap a baby to see Lupone on the role. She's got the comedic chops and the vocals/acting. She'd rock it. But I'm not sure she'd replace, etc."
I want LuPone to close the production a la Merman, so badly.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 6:38pm
LuPone will be in London doing Company soon, so I'm not sure logistically how she could ever close this production - unfortunately!
Posted: 2/12/18 at 6:41pm
SweetLips said: "What's with all these 'elderly' dames playing and being suggested to play Dolly.
Dolly has no children to remind us she is a certain age, just a widow.
Lowering the age considerably for Dolly AND Horace would bring in a new dynamic and open up the roles to a whole new[existing] range of comedic and singing talents.
It's like the last harrah[?] of roles; play Dolly and die happy---[or exhausted]."
What a stupid observation. I am thrilled they are giving some of our older divas some Dolly glory. G-d knows we do not need Idina Menzel or whatever in Hello Dolly.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 6:43pm
Posted: 2/12/18 at 6:53pm
Posted: 2/12/18 at 7:02pm
Love Betty, but I was hoping for Rachel York.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 7:03pm
Some queens!
Betty will be fantastic.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 7:13pm
Betty will be great. Who would be a good Horace to her Dolly? I think someone like Michael Mulheren would be a good match.
Posted: 2/12/18 at 7:18pm
David10086 said: "PS -I think Christine Baranski would have been a wonderful 'Dolly'. Too bad she's not touring with it. She would have brought the warmth and humor with it."
I would absolutely love to see Baranski in the role! She could conceivably take on the role in New York since she films The Good Fight here. I've been waiting for her to make a return to the stage and what a coup it would be if it was in Dolly! (I also thought she would have made an interesting replacement for Laurie Metcalf in A Doll's House, Part 2).
Posted: 2/12/18 at 7:20pm
Posted: 2/12/18 at 8:03pm
Jordan Catalano said: "I can tell you that as of right now, LuPone has ZERO interest of playing Dolly and unless something absolutely drastic happens to make her change her mind, it will not happen. She has made this crystal clear to people."
What people? Who are the people that seem to know everything and are always wrong?
Posted: 2/12/18 at 8:10pm
While it's always good to be skeptical about what we read here, Jordan typically seems to have more insider knowledge than most when it comes to these things haha (though this information could be gained simply by asking her at a stage door).
Posted: 2/12/18 at 9:10pm
