Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London

I'm pretty sure JRB said he does not like "State Road 21" and it was included out of pressure from a Producer so I hope that will be the first to go.

Updated On: 5/7/19 at 02:31 PM

SomethingPeculiar said: "I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?"

It'll be a Strallen.

ljay889 said: "it’s going to be disappointing to hear that lush score played by 7 pieces."

The Broadway orchestration of Bridges was only 10 pieces! Cut the percussion, one of the guitars, and one of the violas and it would sound perfectly fine.

I'm pulling for Ramin to do this.

I would have to agree with you. The score was so carefully crafted to O’hara’s vocal ability and range. It would be a shame to hear the songs lowered or belted. Does anyone know how Elizabeth Stanley sang the role on tour?

Updated On: 5/13/19 at 10:37 AM

qolbinau said: "I'm pretty sure JRB said he does not like "State Road 21" and it was included out of pressure from a Producer so I hope that will be the first to go.

"

"SR21" needs to stay, if only for the daughter's line, "I had seven corn dogs and I think I might die!"

I vehemently disagree that the numbers for the supporting characters should be cut. Most of them aren't even full songs and JBR did a brilliant job of finding reasons for the supporting characters to sing. Cut those numbers and you are left with two ballads (however great) for the leads and two hours of them looking at each other with cow eyes!

And when, at the end, Francesca sings, "And what I did, I did for love", it's important to know what she loved.

If they want to rewrite it as a 2-character musical, that's another matter, but I don't think they should expect such a project to be more successful than the version that played on Broadway and on tour.

"Does anyone know how Elizabeth Stanley sang the role on tour?"

We were crazy in love with Kelli O'Hara's performance on Bway, so were a little apprehensive about seeing Stanley at the Ahmanson 2 years later. It was a very different animal. Lots more sideways humor than Kelli brought. Didn't believe Stanley's Italian accent at all. Where Kelli's voice has a warm cello-like quality to it, even in the high notes, Stanley seemed to make the part a real soprano's, which I found odd. Lots of volume but that magical timbre Kelli brought was missing.

Even so, the power of this amazing show and score still shone through. No musical has earned our tears more.

SomethingPeculiar said: "I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?...."

With all due respect, the musical play cannot have been set in the "late 30s". Both Francesca and her husband sing about meeting in Italy at the end of WWII. So they met in 1945, 1944 at the earliest. Since their oldest kid is starting his senior year in high school, the visit from the photographer must occur no earlier than the early 1960s.