Who would make a good Tevye?- Page 2

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 6:44am

I saw Mandy play Tevye at Kansas University way back when he was in college and I was five years old. I kid you not.

I saw him in Man of La Mancha there, as well. Then he left for Julliard along with Nancy Opel (can't remember if she played Golde in their Fiddler or not, but I believe she was in it).

Ken Marsolais, who was a professor at KU took them with him when he joined the Julliard faculty in their new drama school. Ken later produced (Tony and Pulitzer Prize -winning) The Shadow Box, and Mandy was cast in it, making an early Broadway appearance in his career. Love the KU connections.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 8:36am

That's awesome, best.

Just out of curiosity: how was twenty-year-old Mandy's Tevye to your five-year-old mind?

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 8:44am

I love the idea of Robin Williams. I think many people can imagine how they'd expect him to play the role, but I think he could surprise. The thought of Nathan Lane playing the part makes me ill. I think Judy Kuhn could be a terrific Golde.

I think Lauren Ambrose should play Tzeitel.

[AC126748]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 8:45am

Never! She's not Jewish enough! And no one can ever top the Jewishness of the last revival's Tzeitel, Sally Murphy!

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 8:57am

"Just out of curiosity: how was twenty-year-old Mandy's Tevye to your five-year-old mind?"

Well, first of all, it was a five-year-old mind, just as you said. I don't recall realizing he was twenty. He just seemed "old" to me. He was very good, and everyone thought so.

I went to see plays a lot at that age because my parents were both in theatre. We'd recently moved to Kansas (my mom's hometown) from NYC, so my dad could get his masters degree at KU, and my mom was in the resident acting company at the university. She wasn't in Fiddler, but I did see her in Gypsy with Don Johnson playing Tulsa. They had a great theatre department back them. Mom also played Ruth in Blythe Spirit that year. It was a bit of a change for her, having come from NYC where she had already been on Broadway. But they were so ready for a change from the "big city life," and wanted to take a break while Dad went back to school.

They just happened to get there when a rock-solid theatre program was in place. Mandy, Nancy, Don, Ken, and many others who went on to have successful careers in theatre, film, and TV.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:00am

I would love to see Russell Crowe as Tevye. He has a great look for the role now and would likely be heartbreaking in the role. Opposite Juliette Lewis as Golde.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:04am

Russell Crowe just looks so Anglo-Saxon WASPy. Nothing Middle-European about him. I can't picture it, although I'm sure he'd play it well.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:07am

Russell Crowe just looks so Anglo-Saxon WASPy. Nothing Middle-European about him. I can't picture it, although I'm sure he'd play it well.

Just give him a full beard and no one will know where he's from.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:09am

LOL

I suppose you could put a big beard on Zac Efron or Jennifer Hudson, and they could play it, too.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:17am

I like the idea of Zefron as Tevye. Can Patti LuPone play Fruma Sarah?

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:19am

Only if you put a beard on her.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:21am

I keep thinking about Eddie Izzard's bit about the Old Testament being a book of big f*ck-all beards. Maybe HE can play Tevye.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:31am

Zefron, though clearly not right for Tevye, at least at this stage of his life, actually is Jewish. But, you're half right, Jennifer Hudson is not.

Moreover, disagree that Crowe doesn't have the looks for the role, or to be convincing as this particular Ashkenazi. He looks completely right for Tevye in body type, hirsuteness, and in every other way. Not everyone from the Pale looked like Nehemiah Persoff.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:39am

No, but we're talking about casting here.

Paul Newman was Jewish, but you'd never cast him as Tevye or Fagin simply because of his ethnic background. It's all about looking the part.

This thread is racist.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:49am

Film star Dennis Morgan was constantly playing Irish. He was an Irish tenor, starred in the movie My Wild Irish Rose .. and guess what? He was Swedish. Spoke the language fluently, too.

J. Carrol Naish was a wonderful character actor in many movies. He always played Italians or Italian-Americans. He starred on TV in the series "Life With Luigi." And guess what? He was of Irish decent. Not Italian at all.

Bill Dana was always playing Mexican or Latin-Americans on TV. He created the ongoing part of "Jose Jimenez" on the Ed Sullivan Show. Guess what? He was a Hungarian Jew.

This is about how you "look," aka your type. Not about your background. It's all an illusion anyway.

This thread is still racist. And Patti still has to wear a beard if she wants to play Fruma Sarah.

Updated On: 8/2/11 at 09:49 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:50am

good one, best 12. And, if I'm permitted some goodnatured payback, "oh, for crap's sake."

Actually, my comments about Efron and Hudson weren't all that serious.

But, Exhibit A: the pic of Crowe at link. Not only does he look like half the Saturday morning daveners at my hometown schul, he IS Tevye.

And we have Russeleh the Actor! Updated On: 8/2/11 at 09:50 AM

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:52am

And Patti still has to wear a beard if she wants to play Fruma Sarah.

I think it should be a revival of beards. Can we get Katie Holmes in it somehow?

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:53am

I don't think he looks like Tevye in that photo. But he's starting to look a lot like Jonathan Winters.

Jesus.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:55am

Or maybe I meant to say ... "Jonathan Winters as Jesus."

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:56am

Next, you're going to tell me that Jackie Chan can't play Tevye.

This thread is lacist.

[ggersten]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 9:59am

More half serious/half fantastical thoughts:

Andrew Rannells or Lin Manuel Miranda as Motel.

Aaron Tveit as Perchik.

Emily Skinner as Golde.

Kelli O'Hara as Hodel. (Put a wig on her)

Definitely Jackie Hoffman as Yente. Although, I have an image of Stritch as well. Of course, any "older" crusty character creates the need for Stritch. And so what if she forgets a few lines here and there.

And, please not Norbert as Tevye. I do think Robin Williams would be an inspired choice though - and I would pay to see what he would do. Since Mostel was known for not sticking to the script, Williams is a natural follow.

And I thought of Lupone as Frume Sarah before seeing it here- but Best is right - she needs a beard.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 10:03am

I loved Patti's Fruma Sarah when she played it in "Candide," so I'm on board with that bit of casting.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 10:05am

She wasn't wear a beard that time, though, Reggie.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 10:16am

Patti's Fruma Sarah was less successful when she played it in Noises Off.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 8/2/11 at 11:41am

Seconding all the votes for Robin Williams, and willing to throw money into the pot as an investor as well.