Who should play Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls?- Page 2

[the_white_page]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 10:50pm

Danny Burstein would be PERFECT in that role.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 10:54pm

I REALLY hope they go fat this time around unlike the last revival.

[jake6970]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 10:55pm

I don't know about acting wise, but Titus singing Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat would be seriously incredible.

[friedrichVT]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 11:00pm

It should be John Tracey Eagan or blake Hammond but it will be Titus...

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 11:08pm

I'll pass on Titus, and Michael Ball is not funny at all,IMO.
I love me some Walter Bobbie. Danny Burstein is okay too.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 11:13pm

I like the Danny idea and the Tituss one.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/18/08 at 11:13pm

John Tracey Egan is the only choice.
Unless it's already cast.

[hpeabody930]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 1:36am

Updated On: 11/19/08 at 01:36 AM

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 1:40am

...What about Norbs?

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 2:04am

OMG Ken Page would be great!

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 4:00am

LimelightMike-

Sorry to do this, but let's think about this for a second. If you were a Tony Award winning Broadway leading man who has created the lead role in 3 Broadway musicals would you think it would be a smart career move to play a "smallish" supporting character that sings 1 song, 1 duet and 1 trio in a revival? REALLY? I think not...

I think we all can assume "Norbs" will not be playing Nicely-Nicely in the Guys and Dolls.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 6:16am

Dude, man, why did I not think of John Treacy Egan? Guy would be perfect.

Tituss Burgess would be pretty great for the role singing-wise, but I kind of feel like he doesn't really fit the part.

[dg22894]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:04am

Tituss Burgess should stay with little mermaid
and
Kevin Chamberlin should be it

[Princeton78]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:29am

Why are people choosing mediocre singers? Vocally it's a very challenging part. If Nicely can't sing, then "Sit Down.." will sink. It's also not written anywhere that he has to be overweight, in fact, my favorite Nicely was the slim Walter Bobbie in the revival.

[AbbyNormal13]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:43am

John Treacy Egan would be great, as would Chris Fitzgerald
Updated On: 11/19/08 at 10:43 AM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:46am

Nicely's being overweight was a character choice established by Stubby Kaye. Bobbie was a radical change in the part.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 10:54am

I agree that a lot of the choices mentioned here are completely ridiculous. It is implied in the script that Nicely is a large or overweight man. He is always seen eating, and before he sings "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat", Big Julie says "Get up, you FAT water buffalo." The gag only works if he's of large stature. Walter Bobbie worked just fine, because he had the dynamic personality to do it. But the actor MUST be a phenominal singer, with superior comic timing, able to stop the show with their song, and a lot of the actors mentioned, at least to me, don't come across in that manner. But who knows? Guess we'll all wait and find out!

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:03am

Nicely doesn't HAVE to be overweight, but it IS suggested in the script and, traditionally, he has been played by larger, more round actors. I think that just adds to his charm and personality, but that's just me.

Regardless of size and weight, I just can't see Titus in this role. What a wasted opportunity for a more suitable actor. And seriously, Norbert Leo Butz? Aside from the above point that he'd never take the role, why would he even be considered for it? There's no connection there between character and actor at all.

Yes to Ken Page! That would be delightful. And yes to John Treacy Egan! He'd be a great fit.

[JasonM12480]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:35am

I agree on John Tracey Egan.

Ken Page would be good, although I think he's a *bit* too old at this point to play the role. And I doubt they'd bring in a big Broadway name like that at this point, when they seem to be going with a more avant garde cast, and a seemingly "darker" tone for this version.

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:41am

Absolutely. Ken Page is certainly not a realistic option, but in talking about actors of the right type and quality for Nicely (aside from his probably being too old, he's a nice thought.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 11:54am

Norbs? That's quite a ridiculous suggestion.

I know he is not a name but I'd love to see Eliseo Roman tackle the role at some point, perhaps not even in the original cast but as a possible replacement or an understudy track.

[Jon]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:42pm

I assume you all know that Ken Page played the role some 30 years ago, in the all black cast revival.

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:46pm

ray-andallthatjazz86:

You and I think alike... thank you for agreeing about the ridiculousness of "Norbs"

Also, I was going to mention but forgot the idea of Eliseo Roman (definitely the right body and voice) adds a "non-traditional" casting flare and from some of the clips on Legally Brown, it def seems he would be able to handle the comedy. I def like this idea...

[keithp]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:50pm

Ball is very funny in Hairspray.

[dg22894]

Posted: 11/19/08 at 7:18pm

Eliseo Roman would be good