This Year's NBC Musical...- Page 6
This Year's NBC Musical...
This Year's NBC Musical...#125
Posted: 1/20/14 at 12:16amMary J. Blige as The Fairygod Mother would have been incredible. It's unfortunate that they couldn't work it out. I wonder who they had their eye on for Cinderella. I hope they can get her on board for next year.
This Year's NBC Musical...#126
Posted: 1/20/14 at 12:27amIt never ceases to amaze me. SO many people on this board think they are going to cast Broadway musical ensemble members as the leads in this production. MARK MY WORDS: They will get STARS to play both Peter and Captain Hook.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
This Year's NBC Musical...#127
Posted: 1/20/14 at 12:28am
I think Bieber has too much "swag" to even consider prancing around like this.
Really? I'm sure he's dying to show his prancing skills.
This Year's NBC Musical...#128
Posted: 1/20/14 at 12:45am
I did some research about the original play and the 1954/55 musical.
Yes, there was an English law that did not allow children to perform onstage after a certain hour. This is one of the reasons Peter Pan was played by a woman. In fact, Michael and the Lost Boys were also played by women. The original production was a successful and was revived several times. The play toured the country for a decade. In the original production, Tinker Bell was created by light and an off-stage mirror.
The Mary Martin version originated in California and was produced by Edwin Lester. He obtained the rights to the play. There were only a few songs. The production was not a success. When Jerome Robbins joined the production, more songs were add and the production was turned into a full musical. When the show came to Broadway, NBC helped produce it and in return, the show was done on TV.
Looking on IBDB, no book writer is listed. The credit reads, "Based on the play by James M. Barrie." Perhaps, a writer, not Douglas Carter Beane, will be hired to create a new book for the production and some of the songs could be kept and others dropped.
A new version of the story is currently running at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon. It's called Wendy and Peter Pan. Peter is played by a male actor. Here's a link. http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/wendy-and-peter-pan/
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
This Year's NBC Musical...#129
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:19am
I just hope the attention doesn't turn completely towards the "racist" number.
Will they cut Ugg-a-Wugg?
This Year's NBC Musical...#130
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:25amMaybe Jonah Verdon who is playing Ben/Lisa twin in Disaster! can play Peter. I know he can sing and play male/female
This Year's NBC Musical...#131
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:34amNobody was out picketing the last half a dozen Cathy Rigby tours which used Ugg a Wugg.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
This Year's NBC Musical...#132
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:43am
Nobody was out picketing the last half a dozen Cathy Rigby tours which used Ugg a Wugg.
Only this time they will have...20 million more people watching?
I still think it won't make it to the live airing.
This Year's NBC Musical...#133
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:48amSome people might say they should have cut the entire revival but I believe they cut the song "I'm an Indian, Too" from the Bernadette Peters ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
This Year's NBC Musical...#134
Posted: 1/20/14 at 1:52amI just don't see NBC risking a controversy for one musical number. SOM didn't transfer intact either.
This Year's NBC Musical...#135
Posted: 1/20/14 at 2:07amIf they present it in such an authentic way as the Rigby production, I am sure it will be fine. But if they go all out peace pipe and all, there could be problems. Either way I still think it shows a close bond between the two groups. I'm interested to see if they'll keep the outdated lyrics in the Indian dance. Hee has and all.
This Year's NBC Musical...#136
Posted: 1/20/14 at 2:18am
If they're serious about casting a male performer as Peter, I think any one of the following would be perfect: Daniel Radcliffe; Nick Jonas; or Jeremy Jordan.
All 3 have genuine talent, and Jonas and Jordan have worked with NBC and Zadan and Meron before.
This Year's NBC Musical...#137
Posted: 1/20/14 at 2:20am
I highly doubt that "Ugg-A-Wugg" will be in the broadcast, to be honest.
Also, while people might not be familiar with this version, people are certainly familiar with the story of Peter Pan. And I can't speak for everyone, but I'm 23 and I grew up with the Mary Martin version. We had a VHS copy (yes, a VHS copy! shocking!) all through my childhood, and even though the DVD is quite difficult to find, I believe the whole thing is available on Youtube.
Depending on who they cast as Peter and Hook, this could be really wonderful and I'm excited to see the outcome.
This Year's NBC Musical...#138
Posted: 1/20/14 at 2:25amMy top 3 choices for Hook/Mr. Darling would be Hugh Jackman, Christian Borle, and Neal Patrick Harris.
This Year's NBC Musical...#139
Posted: 1/20/14 at 2:59amNow that How I met your Mother is over, Neil Patrick Harris doesn't seem far fetched. Christian Borle would do wonder as Hook, but for this type of project I am thinking Smee. Give laura a reprise of Tender Shepard and you have a wonderful Mrs. Darling. Is Audra to old to play Liza?
This Year's NBC Musical...#140
Posted: 1/20/14 at 3:07am
"Is Audra to old to play Liza?"
In the productions I've seen Liza is supposed to be a girl not much older than Wendy, so, yes, she's probably too old to play that part.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/18/03
This Year's NBC Musical...#141
Posted: 1/20/14 at 5:13am
Wow. So much misinformation in this thread from so many people who consider themselves Barrie / Pan scholars and genuinely have no clue about the creation, evolution and how some of the traditions where adopted for this show.
Wow.
As far as Liza's age, Liza does not have a specific age range. Barrie describes Liza only as being so small in stature that you'd not believe her to be much more than Wendy's age. I'd have to look up the exact quote, but it is to the effect of "such a midget she looked" and looked "scarcely more than ten"..
The reason Liza has been depicted younger on stage is because people refer to the original production, where Martin's daughter, Heller Halliday, was cast as Liza and understudied Wendy.
Stand-by Joined: 8/7/08
This Year's NBC Musical...#142
Posted: 1/20/14 at 6:35amI think Kelsey Grammer would be a great Captain Hook. However I can see them casting someone like Blake Shelton in that role. I think Peter could be one of the members of the group New Direction.
This Year's NBC Musical...#144
Posted: 1/20/14 at 8:30amThis story is about a BOY who won't grow up. You can't cast a young man in his 20s. He's grown already. I would say 13 max. This is for TV, remember, not stage.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
This Year's NBC Musical...#145
Posted: 1/20/14 at 9:07am^Do you not remember how old Rolf looked...
This Year's NBC Musical...#146
Posted: 1/20/14 at 9:17am
Yeah, and everybody pointed it out, too. It was mentioned in all the reviews and quite a lot in social media. (He was also supposed to be 17 going on 18, not 12.)
I suppose they could just not care. But I wonder how much people will tune in, and how long they will stay with the show, if they hate everything from the first scene on.
Personally, I don't think this is going to draw the big numbers like The Sound of Music. It's almost too much of a kiddie show, instead of having universal appeal, like The Sound of Music.
The only way they'll get the big numbers is with big names as Pan and Hook. And I mean really big names that everybody knows and loves.
EDIT: There is a difference between involving the kids in the choice for a musical and catering to them. The Sound of Music is not a kiddie show, and it didn't cater to them. It just worked for them. That's a very big difference. Peter Pan is most definitely a children's show (certainly the way it's performed today). I think they're going to have to work hard to hold an adult's attention.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
This Year's NBC Musical...#147
Posted: 1/20/14 at 9:27am
"Personally, I don't think this is going to draw the big numbers like The Sound of Music. It's almost too much of a kiddie show, instead of having universal appeal, like The Sound of Music. "
I agree. I think R&H Cinderella would have been a better choice, especially with Blige in the picture. Phantom or Wizard of Oz would have been too.
This Year's NBC Musical...#149
Posted: 1/20/14 at 9:43am
Even if they deviate from the musical's tradition of having a female play Peter, the role is not going to go to a child or young adult.
For both safety and marketability reasons, we're likely looking at an adult - regardless of gender - in the title role, and it's not going to be an unknown that nobody's heard of.
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