Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

#1

Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 12:15pm

since we got the news of MERRILY coming back to Broadway, I've been thinking about potential actors who will assume the roles of Charlie and Frank.

Who should it be??

#2

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 12:30pm

Not Michael Cerveris. He's had too many good Sondheim roles.

I would love unknowns for the three leads. Not likely, but I can dream.

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Personally, I think I have too much bloom.

#3

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 12:38pm

Hunter Foster would make a wonderful Frank.

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Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

#4

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 12:44pm

Daniel evans won the Olivier award for playing either of the roles, and already has a connection with Roundabout.

#5

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:12pm

I adore Daniel Evans but I am sure there are plenty of American actors who can handle the roles.

#6

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:17pm

From the clips I've seen, I'd want to see Raul do Charlie again. Any takers for Mara Davi as Mary?

#7

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:19pm

Michael Arden as Frank
John Galllagher Jr, as Charlie

#8

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:19pm

Any guy who doesn't have a teenager girl groupie following.

#9

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:31pm

I agree with Michael Arden (I don't think Hunter Foster is right for this show). How about Christoper J. Hanke as Charlie?

#10

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:41pm

Hanke ain't quirky enough,

#11

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:41pm

A second for Raul as Charlie. His "Franklin Shepard Inc" was brilliant!

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Merrily we roll along, roll along...

#12

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:45pm

Raul.

Hands down.

Is Denis O' Hare too old for the role? I'm not familiar with the show.
I know he has said that he has sworn off musicals, but he also said he would do a musical if it had an edge to it, and I'm sure he would jump at the opportunity to do Sondheim.

#13

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:46pm

O'Hare is entirely too old. The show ends with them as teenagers.

#14

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:49pm

O'Hare couldn't sing the role.

Danielle Ferland for Mary PLEASE!

RE: Arden and HankeThis casting would be perfect for Harold Prince's Merrily but I'm pretty sure Lapine will be casting older.

#15

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:53pm

My bad!

I've never had the chance to familiarize myself entirely with the show. Please forgive me for my ignorance.

In that case, Raul would probably be too old (now and moreso in 2010) as well. It's a shame...

Gavin Creel maybe? Though I'm not sure if he's a strong enough actor...

#16

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:54pm

Michael Arden as Frank
John Galllagher Jr, as Charlie

That's a fascinating combination.
And I'd definitely like to see the revival done with actors their age.

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[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.

#17

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 7:56pm

I know he has said that he has sworn off musicals

Really? That's sad to hear.

Michael Arden would do really well with the show, I think, but he looks awfully young. (I mean, he is, but he really looks it.) His look would certainly be an advantage for where the show ends up, but could he believably do the beginning?

I'd love the opportunity to see Raúl do Merrily live. I wonder if he would do it again? He'd be forty in 2010. He doesn't look old at all, IMO, but to believably play a teenager, who knows.

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A work of art is an invitation to love.

Updated On: 5/11/08 at 07:56 PM

#18

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:00pm

Does anything about this face say "New York Jewish neurotic"?

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Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

#19

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:05pm

No, that's what I mean't.

We really have to know which way they are going to really guess cast.
Because no actor can realistically play the ages required, you either go young or older.

But I believe Arden and Gallagher are good enough actors to pull it off as originally written.

#20

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:10pm

Experience has shown the show is more successful if you cast actors in their mid to late 30's, since they are supposed to be around 40 at the beginning of the show. By the end, when they are supposed to be teens, the audience has accepted the convention of the show. Audiences will resist a bunch of 22 year olds acting sophisticated and middle-aged in the first scene.

#21

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:11pm

That's a really good point.

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A work of art is an invitation to love.

#22

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:14pm

Lapine has directed the show before with 30-40ish actors. I assume he'll repeat this on Broadway. Sondheim wasn't in love with the baby face actor concept and I don't think this has changed. Point is-actors as young as Arden and Gallagher lack the life experience to make the older age scenes believable both visually and emotionally.

And despite his Tony win, Gallagher could never sing a Sondheim show.

#23

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:45pm

True, true (to Smaxie). How about Butz as Frank? Charlie is harder. Butz might even be able to do Charlie as well.

#24

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 8:49pm

I'd love to see Raúl as well... I adore it when he sings Sondheim. Sadly, he may be too old.
John Gallagher Jr. is a very interesting suggestion that may work. I'd be interested to see how he could handle Sondheim.

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"As we all should probably have learned by now, to be a Stephen Sondheim fan is to have one's heart broken at regular intervals" - Frank Rich

Dearest, how can this be so? You were dead, you know. - Candide

Oh my god, this show has everything! Half naked guys and girl on girl action! - [title of show]

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Updated On: 5/11/08 at 08:49 PM

#25

re: Who should play Charlie & Frank in MWRA revival

Posted: 5/11/08 at 9:06pm

tellybox, Mara Davi is much more of a Beth than a Mary.

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Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.