Why didn't they hire Bernadette in the first place?

[WOSQ]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:39am

The question begs.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:40am

Because they didn't.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:41am

Nunn was too strict about the age thing the first time around. They made the right decision by having CZJ open the show.

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:12am

Money.

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:27am

As has been argued before, Bernadette, while fairly well known, would not have been able to bring in the business that CZJ did to really get this show up there in the grosses. With that, along with the significant draw of Angela, the producers knew they had a somewhat safe bet.

And even though Bernadette is proving to be an absolute revelation in this role, I still would bet that the numbers for her and Elaine's run will be lower than that of CZJ/Angela.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:35am

The average person does not know who Bernedette is.

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:39am

I don't know who Bernedette is, either

Actually, I think more of the middle-aged to older tourists know who she is than people think.
Updated On: 7/14/10 at 10:39 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:44am

Middle-aged and up? Sure. But only younger theatre fans know who she is.

CZJ is a movie star now. Not 30 years ago.

So, as Q said ... money.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:44am

Yeah, but she is still not the big name you would need for a Sondheim revival to not flop.
Updated On: 7/14/10 at 10:44 AM

[Jon]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:49am

Was Bernadette ever really a "movie star"? She made two films - THE JERK and SILENT MOVIE - that made money. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN was a flop.

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:51am

Oh, I'm not arguing - hence my 'money' answer. I just think she actually does have some mainstream recognition, as opposed to some others that get touted as 'stars' around here.

[byebyebaby12]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:55am

Well, if you count Anastasia. But that was just her voice.

[TreyKenyon]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 11:04am

I think the best way to classify her fame is "recognition" and not much else. I'm fairly confident that if you showed someone a picture of her, they would probably say they know the face but couldn't tell you the name, let alone what she has done in her career.

[Brick]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 12:49pm

The reason they didn't hire, indeed why they never even saw her, was because Nunn wanted this production cast younger. Period.

Money and Fame are certainly factors when casting the lead roles in a Broadway show. But in this case, Bernadette and others her age weren't even seen. That is why she wasn't cast.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:05pm

Lets not for get in ANNIE!

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:09pm

No matter how you feel about the decision, and I am an avid Bernadette fan, it was the right decision. A show like Night Music would have never gotten mounted on broadway without CZJ.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:09pm

Funny how she was recognizable enough to open SONG & DANCE, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, THE GOODBYE GIRL and GYPSY. So what's the deal now?

[Just_John]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:20pm

They asked Angela Lansbury if she would do the show first and she said she would under one condition, they get a bigger star to play Desiree. Only then did CZJ come into the picture. I wouldn't say Bernadette Peters is a bigger star then Angela, maybe on the same level, but certainly not bigger.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:27pm

"Funny how she was recognizable enough to open SONG & DANCE, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, THE GOODBYE GIRL and GYPSY. So what's the deal now?"

Times have changed. And how many of those made a profit back?

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:31pm

The deal now is that Broadway is no longer the social institution it once was. Everything now is driven by tourist traffic and how best to sell a show to an audience that does not regularly indulge in theatre. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a big movie star. Bernadette Peters, while well-known, is not.

It doesn't matter why she didn't open the show. It's over and done with. We have her now and she's absolutely divine. The show was pretty damn close to sold out last night, so let's be happy about that.

[LansburyLuPone]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:37pm

CZJ did a great job, I thought. She was on the London stage from the time she was eleven years old and has plenty of theatrical experience. It will be interesting to see Bernadette take the role on, too.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 1:54pm

Two of those shows you listed are revivals, Carlos. Another was the newest from Andrew Lloyd Webber. In no way am I slagging her, but I don't think her name (even though I'd say she was a bigger name then than now) is what got most of those shows to the stage.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 2:01pm

Catherine Zeta-Jones was brilliant in Night Music.

[jpbran]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 2:01pm

[bundy5000]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 2:06pm

I think get CZJ was the right choice not just for money reasons but maybe she just fit the part, I was at the performance last night and it seemed CZJ enjoyed the part a tiny bit more , to me at least, although bernadette had more stage presence. Every time she came on stage I smiled much more than Cathrine