WT---Donna Murphy

[Unknown User]

WT---Donna Murphy#0

Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:34am

I saw "Wonderful Town" last night (again) and I believe one of the reasons that the music is betterin person than the album is the incredible facial expressions & movements of Donna Murphy. She adds so much life to the score------The audience went wild for her last night and you could tell she appreciated it. Why did they "fire"(?) her? IMO---this show could sink (faster) w/o her presence-----She is the heart and soul! (Jennifer W. is also extremely talented). I personally cannot imagine Brooke Shield replacing Donna---but I guess time will tell.

[mominator]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#1

Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:55am

I don't believe she was "fired" her contract was up.

"All I ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism -- it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." Conan O'Brien

[Unknown User]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#2

Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:59am

Oh, my error---I thought her contract was up later in October, but it makes more sense that it was up in Sept. and she just didn't renew it. Thank-U (BTW---I meant ShieldS not Shield)

[Jasey]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#3

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:10am

I really really liked seeing Wonderful Town and it seemed to me that Donna Murphy IS the show! I thoroughly enjoyed her in this. I think it will be interesting to see what Brooke Shields does with this role and how much is changed with songs, choreography, etc. She may have a completely different take on the character and it may be just as fun an interesting but in a different way.

Has anyone heard about Jennifer Westfeldt? Is she staying with the show?

[musicgal04]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#4

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:47am

I don't think Jennifer Westfeldt will around much longer either. Perhaps they are not looking for a "name" replacement, so her leaving isn't as big.

[tthomas76]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#5

Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:51am

Donna was soooo great in the show! Jennifer was wonderful as well... It will be sad to see Donna go... She put soooo much energy in the show and Jennifer did a swell job as well... I wish I could see it again before Donna leaves but being in Indiana can't just run there...

[Spiritoflaw]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#6

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:16am

After the show last night, someone asked the stage mgr if Donna was leaving in the near future; he said he did not know.....

"If you walked on the moon or you flew by a star, is that any more remarkable than here where you are? Who would have thought it?" W. E. Kennon

[pitrepower]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#7

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:08pm

Donna's contract is not actually up until the end of October...from what I have heard..the producers used an "out" in her contract in order to replace Donna with Brooke (in order to try and get more money). But yes, Donna is the heart and soul of that show. She is simply perfect in that role! I'm just not sure how Brooke is going to do it. And as for Jennifer..no idea if she is leaving soon...she did just get that tv deal though.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#8

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:13pm

I saw Donnas understudy (Linda Muggleston) who sounded JUST like Donna and I thought she was excellent. Jennifer W. was amazing and before seeing CoC, she was my choice to win Best Supp Actress. She was wonderful.

The show itself was boring and blah. The songs were not at all catchy but they did, as Kathleen Marshall so perfectly pointed out, sound like New York. It had such an odd beat, but it sounded like New York if you know what I mean.

Boring show, excellent cast.

[Jasey]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#9

Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:36pm

What t.v. deal did Jennifer get? - I was thinking it was Donna who got a t.v. deal. Maybe I'm confused.

[pitrepower]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#10

Posted: 8/26/04 at 3:36pm

Jennifer's tv deal was announced on playbill.com..the link is: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/87987.html Donna has a tv show deal too, it's called My 11:30...she is reworking the pilot this coming November for a chance at a midseason pickup.

[Sunfish]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#11

Posted: 8/26/04 at 5:39pm

Will the "cadets" be able to throw Brooke around like they do with Donna? Brooke is a big girl!!!

[AvalonSkysStudios]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#12

Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:09pm

good question. they might need more sailors.
someone ought to call Spain or wherever they are
from. They're gonna need more men.

is brooke capable of being a physical comedian? i
did care much for that show "Susan" or whatever the name
was. never got into it.

but lets see what brooke can do.
is she really ready to fill the shoes of Donna just yet?

I am not myself, but i become a character in itself, to only hope that my transformation is not of me, but of whom i characterize myself to be..

[Elphie6689]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#13

Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:36pm

I saw her last night too... she was AMAZING!!

"And if I'm flying solo.. at least I'm flying free..."

[Jasey]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#14

Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:14am

Anyone have any new information on whether Jennifer is staying or leaving the show? I would like to see it again with Brooke in it, but if they are replacing Jennifer too, I may wait until both of the roles are cast.

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#15

Posted: 9/1/04 at 1:12pm

donna was out last night when i saw the show but im not a fan of hers so i was glad. her understudy was good

"gimme a bottle of bourbon and half a chicken and i'll conquer the world!"

[johny0828]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#16

Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:32pm

linda mugelton was great as ruth, im glad i got to she her.

[virgil blessing2]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#17

Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:49am

waitwaitWAIT. brooke shields is going to play RUTH? whatwhatWHAT!? r we SURE of this?"??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

"I am not 'a' Eunice Burns. I am THE Eunice Burns!!!"

[MargoChanning]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#18

Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:53am

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/88009.html

"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie [http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/] "The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney

[virgil blessing2]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#19

Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:58am

I'm sure Brooke is a lovely person and she can be a spiffy comedian, but I can imagine her playing RUTH as much as I can fathom that Christina Applegate gal playing CHARITY. (Again, Christina is a great wit at times, but I don't see her singing and dancing her a** off, 2 hours non-stop, 8 times a week for many mos.) Can we say "trainwrecks waiting to happen?" Well, to each his/her own, I suppose. To quote the film Ferris Bueller: "I WEEP for the FUTURE." lol

"I am not 'a' Eunice Burns. I am THE Eunice Burns!!!"

[popcultureboy]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#20

Posted: 9/2/04 at 8:21am

Can we say "trainwrecks waiting to happen?"

No, you can say trainwreck, singular. Brooke Shields has already demonstrated that she really really really can't sing. Christina Applegate is an unknown quantity as far as stage goes and I am really hoping she pulls it off.

Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.

[ken8631]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#21

Posted: 9/16/04 at 11:22am

Is she back yet?

[Spiritoflaw]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#22

Posted: 9/16/04 at 12:58pm

Not yet, still hoping!

"If you walked on the moon or you flew by a star, is that any more remarkable than here where you are? Who would have thought it?" W. E. Kennon

[cmleidi]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#23

Posted: 9/16/04 at 2:38pm

It's been mentioned in some of the articles, but could Murphy be financially liable for missing so many performances? I think the total is up to 70, but I've lost count. Does she still get paid for doing nothing?

[AvalonSkysStudios]

re: WT---Donna Murphy#24

Posted: 9/16/04 at 4:49pm

i have to wonder about that too...
if an actor on a contract is liable
for fines for missing performances not
scheduled w/ the contract...
interesting ...

I am not myself, but i become a character in itself, to only hope that my transformation is not of me, but of whom i characterize myself to be..