What shows "could have starred" Carol Channing?
What shows "could have starred" Carol Channing?
What shows "could have starred" Carol Channing?#0
Posted: 10/24/03 at 1:39pm
Mendelbaum wrote recently about how Channing's career was largely Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Hello, Dolly!
Given Channing's unique talents, what shows are we familiar with that we would have liked to have seen her star in or think it likely that she "could have starred" in?
Mame, of course, and she would have been fun as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls.
She would have been interesting as Carlotta singing I'm Still Here in Follies and also as Joanne doing The Ladies Who Lunch in Company. How about Miss Hannigan in Annie?
I do, I do?
Applause?
re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#1
Posted: 10/24/03 at 1:50pmObviously, she could easily have been the Lady in Red in Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf." And anybody who doesn't think so is a racist.
Joined: 12/31/69
re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#2
Posted: 10/24/03 at 1:53pm
I would have killed to see Channing take on Angel in RENT...
I mean could you just hear that opening line in Channing Voice:
"You ok, honey...""
That would have been something....
re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#3
Posted: 10/24/03 at 1:58pm
Definitely Mame, and maybe Aunt Eller in "Oklahoma." 
I would have loved to see her play Rose in Gypsy at some point in her life 
but now I'm afraid it's too late. I can totally picture her version of "Rose's Turn" and the monologue that comes before it.
re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#4
Posted: 10/24/03 at 1:59pm
There are people who want to see MORE shows with Carol Channing in them?
Go figure.
re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#5
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:00pmCarol Channing IS Von Crolock! Actually I think the last ill-fated Broadway run of ANNIE would of been a success if Miss Channing was Miss Hannigan.
Joined: 12/31/69
re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#6
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:01pmfosca!!!!
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#7
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:10pm
When I was a mere princess at the tender age of sixteen, I did a production of Sweeney Todd. Backstage, I entertained my fellow ensemble members with my rendition of 'Worst Pies in London' as Carol Channing.
She would have been glorious.
Joined: 12/31/69
re: re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#8
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:19pm
Joined: 12/31/69
re: re: re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#9
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:22pm
MAYBE HAIR!???
When the mooooon is in the seeeeeeeevvvventh...oh RASPBERRIES!
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
re: re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#10
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:26pm
One of my oldest friends does Carol Channing as Aldonza. This sees your Mrs. Lovett and raises you at least one.
She could have done Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit or the musical of same, High Spirits. Cora Hoover Hooper perhaps?
She could do a terrific Hattie Walker these days.
Carol also toured in The Millionairess by Shaw which is a very good comic role for a star-with-a-personality of which Carol has in spades.
Lest we forget Carol had a few dogs in there too: Four on a Garden, Legends, and The Bed Before Yesterday, all plays, to name three. The first had a difficult tryout and closed after about two months in NY. The last two never made it into town. The national tour of Sugar Babies with Bobby Morse closed after a couple of cities. Then the public wanted Mickey Rooney or nobody.
Lorelei was covered earlier this month on this very board.
re: re: re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#11
Posted: 10/24/03 at 2:59pmAsk Dollypop.
Understudy Joined: 5/15/03
re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#12
Posted: 10/24/03 at 3:20pmHow about "Little shop of Horrors" she could still do Audrey II, Feed me, I don't remember eating corn. I think she would have be a perfect Audrey many years ago.
re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#13
Posted: 10/24/03 at 5:19pm
I would have killed to see Channing take on Angel in RENT...
I mean could you just hear that opening line in Channing Voice:
"You ok, honey...""
holy crap, thats the scariest mental image i've ever had!! but it still made me laugh LOL
Seriosuly tho, WHO told this woman to sing!?!? i swear her voice scared the crap out of me when I was a little kid and saw her in that wacky 80's Alice in Wonderland remake...
She just should NOT be allowed to sing ::shudder:::
re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#14
Posted: 10/24/03 at 6:18pm
Think of the money the Rent producers would save on false eyelashes. And the leap to the table would be a cliff-hanger every single performance.
re: re: re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#15
Posted: 10/24/03 at 6:26pm
That Wacky 80's Alice in Wonderland remake was called "Through the Looking Glass." It scared the crap out of me as a child. lol
I swear, for weeks I kept thinking a Jabarwocky (sp?) was gonna come through the mirror and get me.
I don't remember any other actor that was in it, but I always rememberred Carol Channing as the Queen dressed in white.
Leading Actor Joined: 9/4/03
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#17
Posted: 10/25/03 at 10:51am
The producers of the original CAN CAN really wanted TGC to play Pistache--the role that went to Lilo.
TGC would have made a marvelous Mame.
At this point in her career, I'd love to see her as one of the Brewster sisters in ARSENIC AND OLD LACE.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/24/03
re: re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#18
Posted: 10/25/03 at 1:23pm
anyone see THE VAMP with her? i bet Miriam did. And if you're interested in LEGENDS, get Kirkwood's book on it. Great read. There's been a rumor for a while that Gary Beach who co-starred on the tour wanted to bring it in again in revival (replacing poor Mary Martin, of course, and probably CC as well).
i agree about ARSENIC.
re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#19
Posted: 10/25/03 at 1:33pm
For the enchanting Channing these days, it would be fun to see:
Ida in 70 Girls, 70
Bertha in Pippin
Mother Cavendish in The Royal Family
re: re: What shows 'could have starred' Carol Channing?#20
Posted: 10/25/03 at 1:57pmGarry, remember the time you announced to everybody on Broadway.com that Carol's son Channing visited that message board regularly? Good times, good times.
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