Who is replacing Olivo?- Page 4

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 5:12pm

legit never heard of her, which is great. never understood why they'd want a Name when the show has been selling out without any. 

heres hoping she can make it through the horribly toxic racist environment that Olivo was forced to flee from. i cant wait to see her.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 6:00pm

Some people had some pretty strong feelings about my earlier post...Just so you know, AEA used to have strict rules about this, and would allow outside actors (usually Brits) to perform on Broadway only if they were a "star," and usually they had to do a tit for tat sort of thing where an American actor would get to do a West End production.

I'm sure Mendoza is great. I'm also sure that there are literally 1,000 American actresses who are also POC and would have played the part just as well. But I guess that's show biz...she's worked with both Baz Luhrman and Alex Timbers before, and they went with someone they know. That's how it usually goes. But if I were a New York-based musical theatre actress I'd be pretty pissed.

Updated On: 8/2/21 at 06:00 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 6:11pm

Luckily you are not so I guess the world continues to spin.

Congratulations to Natalie!

[ajh]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 6:35pm

Natalie Mendoza was utterly sensational as Imelda in the London version of Here Lies Love at the National Theatre, again for Alex Timbers. I was really astonished that she wasn’t Olivier Award nominated for it. Saw her in it half a dozen times, and she was always terrific.

She’s stunningly good: rangy, belty voice, incredible, magnetic stage presence and very very beautiful.  She’s gonna be a thrilling Satine.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 6:37pm

Not without controversy, for what it's worth, but Arielle Jacobs got to open as Princess Jasmine in Australia. I'm pretty sure everyone who's played Bob in Come From Away in Australia has been American (and I think Gene Weygandt is there right now). As previously mentioned, Gabrielle McClinton opened as the Leading Player. It's fine.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:05pm

Sutton Ross said: "Luckily you are not so I guess the world continues to spin.

Congratulations to Natalie! "


Pro of anonymous online discussion forums: you can have public discourse on controversial subjects without personal or professional repercussions.

Con of anonymous online discussion forums: people are much more likely to be unnecessarily rude.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:05pm

Double post

Updated On: 8/2/21 at 07:05 PM

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:05pm

Double post 

Updated On: 8/2/21 at 07:05 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:15pm

Con of anonymous online discussion forums: people are much more likely to be unnecessarily rude.

Oh my God, I KNOW. Have you seen this comment someone left? Sooooo rude!

She's Australian? They couldn't give the part to an American actor? I don't want to be all "They're takin' our jerbs!" but...
 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:42pm

I don’t find his comment rude at all. That’s a valid concern.

But to his point, I think it’s all gotten more lax in the past few years but I’m sure there are still lots of stipulations and stuff. For instance, I didn’t see anyone care that Barks opened “Pretty Woman” here? I wish they’d do more switching around because I’d love to see more West End/Australians, and as an American, I’d love to play the West End, etc.

She’s going to be great in the part. I don’t mind Olivio but she felt stiff and her chemistry with Tveit was paper thin.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:43pm

Sutton, you seem like such a fun, charming person. What a pity we shall never meet! I am quite sure we would be best of friends.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 7:57pm

100% bb. 

[Playbill_Trash]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 10:39pm

Didn’t Natalie Mendoza get injured while playing Arachne in Spider-Man? A cable fell on her head while suspended in a harness?

Interesting that she’d be willing to do a role where her grand entrance is literally being lowered from the rafters on a trapeze bar…

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 10:41pm

Yes

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/theater/29spider.html

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/2/21 at 11:45pm

This seems far more safe.

[A Director]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 5:31am

I'm sure Mendoza is great. I'm also sure that there are literally 1,000 American actresses who are also POC and would have played the part just as well. But I guess that's show biz...she's worked with both Baz Luhrman and Alex Timbers before, and they went with someone they know. That's how it usually goes. But if I were a New York-based musical theatre actress I'd be pretty pissed."

Have you seen the musical?  If not, do you know what creative team is looking for when casting the role? How are you sure there are literally 1,000 American actresses who are also POC and would  have played the part just as well?  Have you seen the work of all 1,000 actresses?  Why 1,000? For all you know, there could be 1,001 or 1,002 or higher.  Oh, by the way, today men and women who act are called actors.

 

[Jakeevan942]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 7:42am

It's worth noting the show is produced by Global Creatures, an Australian company. It doesn't surprise me that they would bring an Australian principal over here.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 10:50am

Makes sense. I think Baritone was just talking from a Union standpoint.

But I think the swapping of actors these days is a little more fluid than in the past. Wouldn’t surprise me if she opened the Australian company down the line.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 11:16am

Playbill_Trash said: "Didn’t Natalie Mendoza get injured while playing Arachne in Spider-Man? A cable fell on her head while suspended in a harness?

Interesting that she’d be willing to do a role where her grand entrance is literally being lowered from the rafters on a trapeze bar…"

Why?....not everyone gets gun shy from one bad experience. And even if she was, that was a decade ago!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 12:29pm

Ooops...double post!

Updated On: 8/3/21 at 12:29 PM

[Dolly80]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 7:00pm

JDonaghy4 said: "legit never heard of her, which is great. never understood why they'd want a Name when the show has been selling out without any.

heres hoping she can make it through the horribly toxic racist environment that Olivo was forced to flee from. i cant wait to see her."

What are you on about?

I’m sure they are pretty delighted to be getting such a fabulous new Satine. 

[Lin Olivo Burns]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 7:26pm

I remember the days when Toni Collette was set to replace Natasha Richardson as Sally Bowles in the Marshall/Mendes revival of Cabaret but AEA would not allow it because she wasn’t an American citizen and apparently did not fit their very arbitrary definition of a “star” (even though she was an Academy Award nominee at the time already). While I would have preferred someone like Jasmine Cephas Jones (not being familiar with Mendoza’s work at all), I am glad AEA has relaxed. It sounds like Mendoza is the right fit for the part and the fact she appeared in the original film is pretty neat.

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 9:40pm

Dolly80 said: "SmoothLover said: "Marcia Wallace"

Who is she?

I was joking. Marcia Wallace played Bob Newhart’s secretary on the original Newhart show and then went on to the dinner theatre circuit. I believe she is with the angels.

 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 10:10pm

A Director said: "
I'm sure Mendoza is great. I'm also sure that there are literally 1,000 American actresses who are also POC and would have played the part just as well. But I guess that's show biz...she's worked with both Baz Luhrman and Alex Timbers before, and they went with someone they know. That's how it usually goes. But if I were a New York-based musical theatre actress I'd be pretty pissed."

Have you seen the musical? If not, do you know what creative team is looking for when casting the role? How are you sure there are literally 1,000 American actresses who are also POC and would have played the part just as well? Have you seen the work of all 1,000 actresses? Why 1,000? For all you know, there could be 1,001 or 1,002 or higher. Oh, by the way, today men and women who act are called actors.

"

Actually, there was a very recent (and costly) scientific study of American actresses...sorry - female actors - between the ages of 25 and 45 who identify as both female and BIPOC. The research was performed as a joint venture between Columbia, UCLA, upper-middle class suburban New Yorkers, and the producers and director of Moulin Rogue. After extensive review of the participants' vocal range, quality, and versatility, coupled an in-depth analysis of multiple socio-sexual qualities including "charm," "charisma," and "chemistry" (with both Aaron Tveit and his understudies), it was concluded that there are precisely 1,097 female actors in the United States who scored in either the "satisfactory" or "excellent" range in regards to their ability to play Satine on Broadway.

As it turned out however, after viewing the results of the study, Baz Luhrman and Alex Timbers, while having martinis at Sardis, discussed the matter for precisely 3.5 minutes before they simultaneously threw their hands up in the air and loudly declared to the entire second floor of the restaurant, "F*ck it, let's just go with someone we know," and the next morning Mendoza was flown over on the producers' dime from Australia to New York City to sign her contract and join rehearsals for the Broadway production.

As a consolation prize, the top scoring American actors from the study were sent a heartfelt, emoji-filled email encouraging them to come see the show when it reopens with a 10% discount on tickets. The email also included a friendly reminder to update their federal unemployment claims if they haven't done so in the last ninety days, as well as $50 gift certificates to Applebee's.

Not everyone gets to be a sparkling diamond, but that's showbiz, am I right?

[greensgreens]

Posted: 8/3/21 at 10:13pm