WT---Donna Murphy
WT---Donna Murphy
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#0WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:34amI 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.
#1re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:55amI don't believe she was "fired" her contract was up.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#2re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 8:59amOh, 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
Chorus Member Joined: 8/1/04
#3re: WT---Donna Murphy
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?
#4re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 9:47amI 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.
#5re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:51amDonna 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...
#6re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:16amAfter the show last night, someone asked the stage mgr if Donna was leaving in the near future; he said he did not know.....
pitrepower
Understudy Joined: 7/25/03
#7re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:08pmDonna'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
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/13/04
#8re: WT---Donna Murphy
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
Chorus Member Joined: 8/1/04
#9re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 12:36pmWhat t.v. deal did Jennifer get? - I was thinking it was Donna who got a t.v. deal. Maybe I'm confused.
pitrepower
Understudy Joined: 7/25/03
#10re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 3:36pmJennifer'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
Broadway Star Joined: 6/11/03
#11re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 5:39pmWill the "cadets" be able to throw Brooke around like they do with Donna? Brooke is a big girl!!!
#12re: WT---Donna Murphy
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?
Elphie6689
Stand-by Joined: 7/24/04
#13re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 8/26/04 at 10:36pmI saw her last night too... she was AMAZING!!
Jasey
Chorus Member Joined: 8/1/04
#14re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/1/04 at 10:14amAnyone 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.
#15re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/1/04 at 1:12pmdonna was out last night when i saw the show but im not a fan of hers so i was glad. her understudy was good
#16re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/1/04 at 11:32pmlinda mugelton was great as ruth, im glad i got to she her.
virgil blessing2
Leading Actor Joined: 7/12/04
#17re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:49amwaitwaitWAIT. brooke shields is going to play RUTH? whatwhatWHAT!? r we SURE of this?"??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#18re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:53am
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/88009.html
virgil blessing2
Leading Actor Joined: 7/12/04
#19re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/2/04 at 2:58amI'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
popcultureboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/23/03
#20re: WT---Donna Murphy
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.
#22re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/16/04 at 12:58pmNot yet, still hoping!
cmleidi
Broadway Star Joined: 9/27/03
#23re: WT---Donna Murphy
Posted: 9/16/04 at 2:38pmIt'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?
#24re: WT---Donna Murphy
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 ...
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