Will the Baranski MAME be a "revisal"?- Page 2
Will the Baranski MAME be a "revisal"?
#25re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:38pm
LF, by "revisal" they mean updating it so certain aspects that were acceptable when it first was produced but could be offensive nowadays are cut/changed.
Or, changing the book significantly as in the Sam Mendes reworking of CABARET.
#26re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:38pm
I believe an example of a revival is the current "La Cage."
An example of a revisal was the recent "Annie Get Your Gun" where they changed it from the orignial Ethel Merman production to make it politically correct.
#27re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:41pm
Ahh, thanks. I get it now.
What about the lovely lady in my icon as Vera?
Updated On: 3/2/05 at 12:41 PM
#28re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:53pmDING DING DING!! Give the lady a brass ring.
TheatreWhore75
Swing Joined: 2/19/05
#29re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:53pmI think Patti LuPone would make a fantastic Vera. I can hear her now, "I have an astronomical discovery for you, Mame. The man in the moon is a bitch!"
#30re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:55pmHow about Toni Collette as Vera?
NCGuy
Broadway Star Joined: 4/8/04
#31re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:56pmDid anyone see Kelly Bishop as Vera in the Paper Mill "Mame" with Christine Ebersole? How was she - that seems like perfect casting.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#32re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:57pmWhat about Michele Pawk as Vera? Is she too young?
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#34re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 12:59pmPawk is no younger than Collette or Ziemba.
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#35re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 1:07pmBaranski is gifted, sings well, looks great, but her Mame seems an unlikely commercial choice for a move to NY. It's hard to fathom people lining up with a hundred bucks a pop to see this show revived with her, on Broadway. The show very likely needs 'event casting' -- say, Cher -- to clean up. You might say 'the show is the star,' a la LA CAGE. But the latter isn't selling out anyway. To be fair, Lansbury was hardly a broadway name when she debuted in the role, most famous for MANCHURIAN and playing Elvis's Mom at 36. But with economics the way they are today... Maybe Baranski will be extraordinary she'll go through the roof. One problem with the musical -- the character of Mame isn't as funny as she was in the Russell film. Roz was hysterical, and the musical Mame is more 'madcap' than truly funny. Compare the scripts.
#36re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 1:32pm
Auggie27, but like the musical version of La Cage, the musical MAME has alot more heart than the original play or film, don't you think?
I still often think of Leslie Uggams singing If He Walked Into My Life Today at the Jerry Herman tribute at the Hollywood Bowl...She simply slayed everybody. I had never seen her give such a remarkable performance before.
VIETgrlTerifa
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/18/04
#37re: Will the Baranski MAME be a 'revisal'?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 1:39pmOT, but my favorite Baranski role was in Addams Family Values when she and Peter McNichol played camp councilers. Baranski annoys me in everything else, but I wouldn't pre-judge her regarding Mame.
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#38If you revise, how about some black folks in Mame's inner circle?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 1:41pm
Heart it has. And while we're on the subject of the great Uggams, (who's had too few shots at major musical roles, though i saw her in a stock production of CABARET 30 years ago...)
For a show about a worldly dame whose cocktail parties are supposed models of diversity ... MAME is always the white-est show in town. Wouldn't a black Vera work interestingly? If you want to track the politics of it, Vera is a musical theater star, and you could easily imagine Mame being her great pal in the 20s. Think of the Upsons greeting an African American Vera!
#39If you revise, how about some black folks in Mame's inner circle?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 1:45pmAuggie27, I love the thought of a black Vera, it could work........:)
GypsyRoseLee
Broadway Star Joined: 7/5/04
#40If you revise, how about some black folks in Mame's inner circle?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:18pmIn what ways is Mame politically incorrect?
robbiej
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#41If you revise, how about some black folks in Mame's inner circle?
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:28pm
In terms of Ito, it's a simple fix.
Hire an actor and make him do what BD Wong did in the Actor's Fund reading with Charles Busch. Instead of a bowing and scraping houseboy, he played him like he was the king of Siam. And it was a howl.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#42Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:44pm
My favorite Baranski role was as Bunny in "House of Blue Leaves".
Does anyone get the eerie feeling that they might consider Sarah Jessica Parker for Mame? It sends me into shock but she has audience draw, has done musicals and can wear nice clothes.
robbiej
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#43Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:47pmI think Parker would have made an ideal Charity if she coulda danced it.
#44Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:48pmBite your tongue, Gotham. She has Former-Child-Singer-Who-Can't-Sing-Anymore Syndrome.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#45Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:51pm
"She has Former-Child-Singer-Who-Can't-Sing-Anymore Syndrome."
You don't have to sing to be in a musical. Elaine Stritch made an entire career out of it. And the older a performer gets, the more people excuse their lack of musicality.
#46Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:54pmShe's not old enough to be excused. And she's no Stritch.
#47Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 4:59pm
My top 5 choices for Vera (in order):
1. Toni Collette (anything to get this goddess back on stage)
2. Michele Pawk (inspired!)
3. Karen Ziemba
4. Patti LuPone ( she could be a possible Mame as well)
5. Kelly Bishop (she was incredible at Paper Mill)
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#48Please don't Maim the show
Posted: 3/2/05 at 5:03pm
"She's not old enough to be excused. And she's no Stritch."
Parker looks 50. And she wears fur well.
Announcer: Sarah Jessica Parker *is* Mame
Videos