What could bring Fantasia back to Bwy?

After last night's smoking hot Grammy performance from Fantasia Barrino, I got to wondering what could bring her back to Broadway?

I'm guessing the tribute to Tina Turner, with a little speech beforehand from Oprah was originally envisioned somewhat as promotion for their film, but that died at the box office pretty quickly & the film got few Oscar nods.

But, Fantasia's talent & enegy was undeniable in a performance that was unparalleled by almost anyone else last night.  Billie Eilesh & Miley Cyrus gave good performances,  but the other pop queens last night were rather mundane.

Only Fantasia left me saying, "Wow, she'd be fantastic to see live!"

So... what could be a good vehicle for her now?

I thought for sure she'd be getting the Oscar, so not to even get nominated feels like the whole team fumbled that one. 

I'd love to see her do Caroline or Change. Maybe the part would finally get a Tony.

inception said: "After last night's smoking hot Grammy performance from Fantasia Barrino, I got to wondering what could bring her back to Broadway?

I'm guessing the tribute to Tina Turner, with a little speech beforehand from Oprah was originally envisioned somewhat as promotion for their film, but that died at the box office pretty quickly & the film got few Oscar nods.

But, Fantasia's talent & energy was undeniable in a performance that was unparalleled by almost anyone else last night. Billie Eilesh & Miley Cyrus gave good performances, but the other pop queens last night were rather mundane.


I guess you missed seeing Tracy Chapman and ESPECIALLY Joni Mitchell perform?  Annie Lennox was pretty incredible too (until they cut her off). 

The entire In Memoriam section was HORRIBLY directed.  All the cutaways to the audience and performers instead of letting us actually see the names and faces of those who left us.  It was great, howver, that they included Chita! 

RippedMan said: "I thought for sure she'd be getting the Oscar, so not to even get nominated feels like the whole team fumbled that one. I'd love to see her do Caroline or Change. Maybe the part would finally get a Tony."

That movie failed her. Her one big moment to uncork (I'm Here) was ruined by the script surrounding it, and the choice of setting, direction, and cinematography. She tries her best in it, but I doubt she was even in the top 10 Lead Actress contenders by the time voting came around.

Broadway's a tough game even for a supporting role, and I wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to return.

Updated On: 2/5/24 at 01:25 PM

I was convinced she was a shoo-in for the Oscar; the fact that she didn't even receive a organic weed seeds amazon nomination suggests a misstep on our team's part.

It would be fantastic to watch her take on "Caroline, or Change." Perhaps that role could secure her a Tony at last.

Updated On: 2/15/24 at 01:48 PM

KarenValentine'sheadband said: "Interesting. I found her Tina tribute underwhelming at best last night."

"At best"? Really? It was pretty stellar save for the awkward walking through the tables. 

FWIW, it was well-reported that The Grammys were actively negotiating with Beyonce for the Tina tribute, but it didn't come to fruition. Some even saying talks went up to a few days before the ceremony. So, while I found the tribute to be pretty great, Fantasia was not the first choice. 

east side story said: "Fantasia said recently that she expected the phone to ring a lot during and following her run in the original production, and it rarely did, if ever, according to her. She was certain all that hardwork would be parlayed into other opportunities, that more people would sit up and take notice, but it did not happen that way for her."
 

It's both easy to sympathize and hard to quantify comments like this without knowing what she was expecting, what her agents/management were doing behind the scenes, her personal life, working relationships...etc.

Just looking at her career post-COLOR PURPLE on Bway, this looks pretty busy:

• She released albums in 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2019.
• In 2010 she had a 26-city concert tour (playing venues like the Beacon). Maybe she would have preferred a larger-scale tour, but that all depends on audience demand and album sales.
• A few cities of the COLOR PURPLE national tour.
• In 2010 she had 2 seasons of a reality series surrounding her and her family.
• After Midnight in fall 2013 to winter 2014.
• She gave birth in 2011 and 2021.
• One-off concerts, awards shows, IDOL things.

In terms of her acting career, if she wanted to transition into film/TV in 2008, it's unlikely she'd get a straight-up offer without auditioning. If her agents weren't being aggressive, and if she didn't want to self tape or go to in-person appointments, I can't really blame people for not casting her. And if she isn't the first choice (or even 3rd choice) for a certain project, there's a chance someone else gets it before her, considering how tough it is for Black women in the entertainment biz.

In terms of Broadway, developing a new work can suck up years of an actor's time (hence why we rarely see stars originating in new musicals). Depending on the show, they might also want her to audition or do a "work session." On quick glance, Color Purple sales increased by an average of approx $350K a week when she joined the company, which is a solid addition to the respectable business it was doing before she joined.

We also can't discount the racism of 2008 vs now. Had Cynthia Erivo played Celie in 2007 instead of 2016, her career trajectory might have resembled something more like LaChanze instead of becoming an Oscar-nominated film star who produces her own projects.

Curious if she’s been approached as a replacement in Chicago. I’m sure she could handle it.

An Uber?

I highly doubt Fantasia would agree to be the umpteenth Mama Morton replacement. That wouldn't seem like a wise career choice. 

A revival like Caroline (although it was recently revived) or something original that suits her unique talent would make much more sense. 

Let her do a stint as Persephone in Hadestown 

Quinn Wilson said: "Let her do a stint as Persephone in Hadestown"

What about Hermes?

Something I thought about was a revival of Ain't Misbehavin,  but I don't think it would sell well nowadays - it just feels too 80's, even though they were trying to replicate the '20's or '30's originally.