Who Needs to Stay on Broadway and who needs to be kicked off?

Bette Midler is HILARIOUS and has a beautiful voice. i definitely would support her coming back to broadway! maybe as Penny's mom in Hairspray...what's her name? i dunno, it's just an idea...small role, but Bette can make any role big!

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Patti Lupone!

Midler will be at Radio City again in October.

As far as Broadway is concerned, one wonders if there's any role she'd be willing to commit to for 8 shows a week for several months or more at this point in her career. Aside from anything else, she grossed nearly $50 million for just the first four months of her current tour, including over a million dollars a night at Radio City (in contrast, Lane and Broderick made about $1.6 million a piece for their 4 month return stint in the Producers earlier this year -- the highest salaries in Broadway history) -- not sure what role or show would prompt her to want to take a 95+% pay cut.

Second, if she were to come back, there's no way in hell she'd be a replacement in show, "Hairspray" or anything else. Perhaps, she could be coaxed into heading a major new show written specifically for her (are you listening Marc Shaiman?) or perhaps a revival of a show that she's particularly fond of (someone floated the idea a while ago of her bringing back "Hello Dolly" -- not sure if she ever seriously considered it, though).

It'd be great to see her tackle a real role in a musical, but someow I doubt she's still interested in the rigors of a Broadway run. However, her shows are practically musicals in and of themselves -- at least with those we can still see her in all of her glory.

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Updated On: 9/13/04 at 07:06 PM

Amen, Taryn. Amen.

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STAY: John Tartaglia, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Hunter Foster, Desmond Richardson, Brooke Tansley (good luck tomorrow night!)
RETURN: Hugh Jackman, Adam Pascal, Matt Caplan, Laura Bell Bundy, Patrick Wilson, Ann Reinking, Paige Davis, Heather Headley, Sherie Rene Scott
Leave: Drew Lachey
NEVER COME AGAIN: Scary Spice, Christy Carlson Romano, Micky Dolenz, Melanie Griffith (it's not on purpose, but I think it's funny that many of the "names" on Broadway, I think should stay away!)