Woman in White cancels Chicago previews!

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 8:52am

I just read this in the CHicago Tribune this morning. Dammit! So it looks like Fiddler must be announcing a closing soon (if not already, i dotn know) and the Minskoff must be opening up. The article claimed that it would open straight on Bway in November and skip the out of town preview period. Well now the Bway in Chicago season really sucks. Dr. Doolittle, here Chicago comes!

[lna]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 8:59am

I read something that suggested that Woman in White was expected to go into the Marriott Marquis. Can't remember exactly where, but it was in the last few days. I think the suggestion was that there'd be time for a limited run show to go in, now that La Cage is closing.

[Lori]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:09am

I feel badly for those in Chicago looking forward to seeing WIW, but I sure hope the immediate transfer to B-Way means that Michael Ball will be joining Maria Friedman in NYC. Straight from Patience into WIW...that would be a dream come true!

[midtowngym]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:11am

has anyone seen Anthony Edwards?

[Lori]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:32am

It's actually Anthony Andrews, not Edwards. Haven't seen him but the posters on some of the West End Boards who have were not overly enthusiastic. Sounded as if his acting was fine but the vocals were not that impressive (and I have heard a clip of him singing "A Gift For Living Well" and would have to concur on that point).

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 09:32 AM

[kec]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:33am

Ina, here is the thread you're thinking of: https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=853928#1128099

I, too, hope that MB will be reprising his role as Count Fosco in NYC in November as opposed to next spring!

[midtowngym]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:35am

Oops! You're right! Anthony Edwards is on american television.
Well, i passed the WIW theatre on my last trip and thought "Where has HE been since Brideshead Revisited." I mean, Jermey Irons...
Exactly like Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari from 'Bosom Buddies' in 1981.

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 09:35 AM

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:40am

I saw Antony Andrews in WIW on my last London trip. He was ok, not exceptional, not terrible. But then again that was my opinion for the whole show !

[kec]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 9:48am

Actually, midtowngym, AA has been on the London stage in the last few years. I think his last role was Professor Higgins in a revival of My Fair Lady.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 10:57am

The Chicago tryout for this show never made a lot of sense to me, at least not for the very lengthy engagement they originally announced. Though I imagine the show (which I loved in London) will be refined for NYC -- I hardly think its going to be drastically retooled. Going straight to NYC probably makes a lot more sense. It's a big show. Out of town engagements are expensive.

[jo]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:06am

I agree - that makes sense. Were there ever major shows which transfered from the West End which went through lengthy out-of-town tryouts? Was the engagement for Whistle Down the Wind in Washington DC considered a tryout or a North American premiere?

Any new buzz on who might be in the Broadway cast and which theater might house WIW?

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 11:06 AM

[sharon1]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:25am

Saves me a trip to Chicago. Can't wait to see it

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:28am

grrr I was pissed when I saw the headline on playbill.com! I wonder what broadway in chicago will replace it with.

[Pinguin]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:32am

Sucks for Chicago, but NYC will appreciate the new blood.

(ew, that just sounds gross)

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:02pm

" The show will be housed at the Marquis Theatre, which is available as of the end of this month with the closing of La Cage aux Folles." - Theatremania.com

The link to the full article is below.
The Woman in White Will Skip Chicago and Head Straight to Broadway

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:02pm

It also mentions that no casting has been announced for the Broadway production.

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 12:02 PM

[timote316]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:27pm

True, no casting, but ALW would be dumb to not bring over Friedman at the very least - she got rave reviews in London (if I'm not mistaken).

[lna]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 12:40pm

Lori, I hadn't checked in again until now, and I just finished suggesting that idea to some friends (from NYC Opera to Broadway); I mean, Michael Ball would already be here, and rehearsal would probably start soon after Patience ends.

kec, that wasn't where I read about the Marquis. It was a sentence, buried in an article somewhere. But thanks.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:01pm

November, eh? Looks like I need to plan another trip to NYC. I can't wait to find out who'll be in the cast! Michael Ball would be great...

~Rosalynn

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 1:52pm

*curses in a million different languages*

I'm so dissapointed it's not funny... this was one of the musicals in Chicago that I was truly looking forward to in it's upcoming season, since I didn't see much else I would enjoy.

Though there still may be hope because it's still up on the site and nowhere else does it have that it's been cancelled. Including on the Woman in White official site, and on Broadway in Chicago.

[sharon1]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 4:03pm

I just hope it is Friedman and Ball

[RYANWOODS]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 4:40pm

The cast only save the show - since the star cast left - WIW has been going futher down the hill in London - Poor Ruthie Henshall ( a great actress - love her!) has been bought in to this yawn-full show...! Perhaps if it opens here the WE one will close and we can have spamalot or something GOOD overhere!

[kec]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 4:59pm

It's my understanding that Ruthie Henshell doesn't start until July 11. The last day for both Maria Friedman and Martin Crewes is July 9. I believe the rest of the original cast is still there as well, with only Anthony Andrews as Count Fosco being the "new" person, so to speak.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 5:11pm

There are going to be a lot of pissed off season ticket holders in Chicago.

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 6:06pm

When I saw "Woman in White" in London back in January I had a chance to speak briefly with Maria Friedman, and it SOUNDED like she was going to be coming with the show. As I recall, she used the phrase "we're transferring in November." Granted, that could be the big group 'we'... but it'd be AWESOME if it was the we that included her. The she 'we'.