Why was Laura Michelle Kelly not offered Mary Poppins...- Page 2

[leemac]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 12:38am

<>

If I remember rightly Gavin Lee has a US passport so there are no Equity issues.

I was told that Laura Michelle Kelly was a nightmare to work with and both Mckintosh and Tom Schumacher at Disney were glad to see the back of her.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 2:16am

"If I remember rightly Gavin Lee has a US passport so there are no Equity issues."

Unless he is a U.S. citizen, he cannot have a U.S. Passport. He needs a work visa, which these days aren't easy to get, so Equity isn't going to let him just come over and take the role away from an American without some type of exchange in place.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 2:16am

"If I remember rightly Gavin Lee has a US passport so there are no Equity issues."

Unless he is a U.S. citizen, he cannot have a U.S. Passport. He needs a work visa, which these days aren't easy to get, so Equity isn't going to let him just come over and take the role away from an American without some type of exchange in place.

[Elmokid]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 4:21am

doesn't he have an American wife, i thought he got married to her some months ago now.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 4:25am

I thought Laura Michelle Kelly was magnificant

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 7:32am

Original MARY POPPINS Reviews from London Critics
(excerpts on Laura Michelle Kelly)

Quentin Letts of The Daily Mail:

"Two things one never expected: Laura Michelle Kelly, in the lead role, is an entire category better than the great Julie Andrews; second, this stage version has much much more punch than the adored old film version."

------------------------------------------------------

The Independent:

"As for Laura Michelle Kelly in the title role, she's superbly tantalizing and enigmatic."

-----------------------------------------------------

Nicholas de Jongh of The Evening Standard:

"Miss Kelly's passionately sung Mary cuts such an enigmatic, elegant and emotionally detached figure that she rivets attention as she faces up to Haig's highly comic model of ill-tempered, anxiety-laden pomposity, whether at home or at the bank."

______________________________________________________

And, the American critic's review....

Ben Brantley, The New York Times:

"Will it strike anyone else that the young and pretty Ms. Kelly has been made up to look a bit like the late-career Joan Crawford - she of the hard, suffering smile and febrile eyes? I kept vaguely expecting the children in this super-nanny's care to exclaim, "Oh, please, no, nanny dearest!" ...

A more idiosyncratic star than Ms. Kelly might reconcile the disparity in tone ... this self-possessed actress (recently seen on Broadway in "Fiddler on the Roof") projects more assumed attitude than organic personality."

Reviews

Updated On: 9/4/06 at 07:32 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 9:18am

As others have said, usually "exchanges" have to occur for UK actors to be brought over. Wasn't the swap in this case getting Gavin Lee for MP and sending over Chris Sieber for the London company of "Spamalot"?

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 9:24am

I saw Laura in both Fiddler on broadway and in Mary Poppins here and enjoyed her in both, she certainly has a beautiful voice and personally I was glued to her performances !

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 9:37am

i thought she was the best part of FIDDLER and wished she was doing MARY POPPINS over here in the states...

[kenmarksnj]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 9:43am

why do you care so much? ashley brown is going to be fantastic and that's that.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 10:31am

Wasn't the swap in this case getting Gavin Lee for MP and sending over Chris Sieber for the London company of "Spamalot"?

No, it was Gavin Creel being sent to the UK Mary Poppins so that Lee could come here.

Seiber, I believe, is going because of Beale's prescence in the cast in December '05.

why do you care so much? ashley brown is going to be fantastic and that's that.

I have no doubt Brown will be wonderful, but I don't think it's ridiculous to ask why Kelly was not brought over. It's not a matter of she should have, but why didn't she(?).

[Funny Face]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:40am

Those reviews are interesting. It seems like the American audiences want a more "warm" and approachable Mary, when in reality that's not what the character is like, in the book or movie. That's what I always loved about her charcter and Julie Andrews performance, that she was very emotionally detached and mysterious and held propriety above all else, but was still endearing in a way.
That's why I just hope Disney doesn't turn her into Maria von Trapp, because Mary's whole allure is that she is the opposite of that.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 12:01pm

^Ben Brantely is almost alwyas particularily harsh. But that's my opinion, just as he ahs opinions on every show he sees.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 12:12pm

Brantley can be nice when he wants to be (think John Lloyd Young, Sutton in DROWSY, Michael Cerveris, Patti LuPone).

[allofmylife]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 1:09pm

Next to Jesus, Mary Poppins (and more precisely the Disney version) must be one of the most recognized trademarks in the world. The show was and is a big hit in London and it's being mounted by the man who owns half of The West End (in every way) and has had enormous hits on Broadway. I rthink this is one time old Ben could stay home and keep his grump in the closet. This show, like Beauty and the Beast will still be running when we retire.

I saw Laura in the role and she was exactly as starchy as the book called for. She could open the show here if they wanted her to.

Hell, a total unknown could and the show would still sell out for a long time.

[spaceful]

Posted: 9/30/06 at 4:35pm

I can answer that question cause I know her.
Despite rumours she and cameron are friends. She was dissapointed when she didn't get to come to the US with the show but I know shes very happy for Ashley.

I hope that clears a few things up .

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 9/30/06 at 4:38pm

And you know this how?

[Producer2]

Posted: 9/30/06 at 4:39pm

Brantley can be nice when he wants to be

think melanie griffith's rave!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 9/30/06 at 9:38pm

I can answer that question cause I know her.
Despite rumours she and cameron are friends. She was dissapointed when she didn't get to come to the US with the show but I know shes very happy for Ashley.

I hope that clears a few things up .

Sweetheart, it's going to take a bit more than that VAGUE statement to convince us of anything. You might as well have said nothing. Welcome, by the way.