Why didn't they hire Bernadette in the first place? — Page 2

Because Catherine Zeta-Jones is the greatest stage actress since Helen Effin' Morgan. Don't you read these boards???

---

And she had a supporting role in "Annie" (as Tim Curry's sister, no less!) with Carol Burnett.

LOL Carol Burnett and Tim Curry played brother and sister in Annie. If Tim and Bernadette's characters were siblings, well, that would just be icky.

Jones is probably more marketable to tourists than Peters might be a reason.

---

This thread looks to be a lock that CZJ should of got the nod.

Does anyone know if ALNM has recouped yet?

Having actually seen them in their roles, I can say you're dead freaking wrong.

---

In regards to byebyebaby's comment about the average person not know who Bernadette Peters is, I disagree. I knew who she was before I became a theatre goer. My parents know who she is and they don't pay attention to B'way.

If people don't know the name directly or her work directly, they know the beautiful woman with the curly red locks :)

---

I've known who Bernadette was all my life. Part of that was probably the Muppet Show though

---

INTO THE WOODS

Kids, if they had wanted to do it Nunn's preferred way, Hannah Waddingham would have repeated role. (Why do you think they did all that work to get her here earlier in Spamalot?)

But this is Broadway, babies. While art matters, it is a for-profit business. No one does it to lose money. The reason this show got on is because of Zeta-Jones as Desiree. Lansbury was probably a key to get CZJ to sign, but still it was CZJ's name that sold the tickets.

Look at La Cage for another example. Rave reviews in London for the show and especially for Douglas Hodge. What was got it on in NYC? Kelsey Grammer signing on to play Georges. THAT is the big name ... at least to producers and, my guess is, for and most audience members too.

Peters are Stritch are, in this case, a good replacement cast. They'll sell some tickets to the curious, and hopefully Stritch will learn her lines. But had they gotten them, a team like Gwyneth Paltrow and Blythe Danner would have gotten a lot more ink. (And would have been amazing, IMHO).