next Fran in Promises Promises?- Page 3

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 4:37pm

A couple of random names, these probably would not sell tickets, but be ideal replacements.

Laura Bell Bundy
Ashley Brown

[callitquits]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 5:48pm

I doubt this would ever happen, but I would KILL to see Zooey Deschanel play Fran.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 6:16pm

"A couple of random names, these probably would not sell tickets, but be ideal replacements.

Laura Bell Bundy
Ashley Brown"

I would say Laura Bell Bundy would be a bigger name, but would her voice be good a la pre-Legally Blonde?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 9:57pm

Sally Murphy is almost 50 - come on now - they might as well just get Judy Kuhn if they are going to do something as ridiculous as that.

I heard elsewhere that Jennifer Love Hewitt was being considered.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 11:08pm

Didn't Jennifer Love Hewitt make a comment in the press recently about having a stage opportunity in the works following her television show's cancellation? I remember people here assuming it was something like CHICAGO.

While she hasn't done all that diverse a work load, I think she'd be quite ideally cast as Fran. She's cute, charismatic, has a strong singing voice, and would provide some recognizable name credibility to the box office.

She'd certainly be much more appropriate for the role than Chenoweth ever was.

Updated On: 7/17/10 at 11:08 PM

[backwoodsbarbie]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 12:17am

I actually love the idea of Laura Bell Bundy. I think she has the youthful quality that Kristin lacked (I love you Kristin)!

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 2:55am

It'll be someone with box office appeal - with the grosses the show is currently making, the producers would be nutty if they didn't find someone with a name as big or bigger than Chenoweth's.

Also, don't expect it to be someone younger- the part has been re-conceptualized a la Angie Dickinson.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 2:59am

After Chenoweth's pans, I imagine they will go for someone younger who also has box office appeal.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 3:19am

That's a good point, Ljay, but honestly, I don't think the reviews mattered to these producers at all, and won't in the future. It's not like Chenoweth's pans are making those grosses any worse. It's all about the casting appeal.

This show is a perfect case of great producing - tourist friendly star casting, great marketing, one of the best (and super-recognizable) scores ever, well-timed (with the Mad Men fad), athletic and energetic choreography that to the untrained eye looks impressive and fun - they're in pretty good shape. Provided Cheno's replacement has a solid musical background, I think they'll continue to stay that way.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:09am

Sally Murphy is almost 50 - come on now - they might as well just get Judy Kuhn if they are going to do something as ridiculous as that.

And Kristin is 42 as of this week and, forgive me, has been looking her age lately--Sally is 47 and reads much younger. Your point?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:11am

I would LOVE seeing Love onstage in this. I've been a fan of hers since my Kids Incorporated days. I don't know how much of a draw she is on Broadway or if she can fill that barn, but I'd certainly be there a few times to cheer her on.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 1:40pm

Jennifer Love Hewitt needs to be shot in her bedazzled vagina.

But back to topic, I think the problem with getting someone of caliber in the role is that aside from the two numbers put in to flesh it the role, it's just not a good role and not one that really brings out the magic in a performer. You see the sweat on Cheno's face trying to make that role work, and even with one of our best in the that role, it's ultimately forgettable, especially after Finneran brings down the house.

So it's a tough hill to climb, for not a lot of reward, so I don't think that star-casting wise, aside from a C- or D-Lister who doesn't mind am inauspicious Broadway debut, they're better off going with a Broadway trooper who will get a higher profile role on their resume.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 9:48pm

"I think Morrison is wrong for the role"

I agree 100%. As much as I love him, I don't see him as any more "Chuck" than many think Sean isn't. can John Hamm sing?

I love Carey Mulligan so much. She is very talented. An oscar nominee but not a huge name in the US. I would love to see her in this.

ljay, you don't think Katie winning the Tony sold any tickets at all? i am not being sarcastic, just asking. i thought it may have gotten people to go as well....oscar nods and wins can do that too.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 9:51pm

AC1 - my point being you don't 'fix' a problem of an actress too old for the female lead by replacing her with a no-name actress that is even older!

Sally Murphy would have been a good Fran pre or immediately post CAROUSEL in 1994.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:51pm

Aren't there like 8 new large new broadway shows lined up to take over The Broadway Theater? Do you guys really still think it will last past September with nothing new announced yet?

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:58pm

It doesn't matter how many shows are lined up for the Broadway Theatre. If the producers wanna stay open, they will, and from a friend of mine who works on the show, they did already cast a new Fran, and it is a much more well-known person, although she couldn't tell me who.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:35pm

guess an announcement should be coming soon then since September is only 6 weeks away. Seems like a gamble to not have announced a "much more well-known person".

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 11:48pm

I think Hayes' name is selling the majority of tickets. Not Cheno's. We'll see. I hope they're able to have a nice healthy run and, at the very least, recoup.

[PReeves2]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 12:04am

I think you're right Mildred. shouldn't they be close to recouping at this point? certainly hope for everyone involved that the job lasts as long as it can.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:26am

Close to recouping? It hasn't been opened that long at all.

I MIGHT venture a guess that if the replacement is a "name" they don't want to hurt current ticket sales by announcing someone bigger than Cheno. (Really just a random thought.)

This could be a show that they pull in gads of short run (3-6 month) replacements to keep it going.

Time will tell.

[kooky]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 8:51am

Julia Murney

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 2:02pm

I just think Jennifer Love Hewitt can't really act, I wonder how she'd handle herself on stage.
My number one pick is Kristen Bell, someone who's incredibly personable, has name recognition and also stage experience. I'd love to see her as Fran, she's adorable.
It'd never happen, but great out of the box casting would be the brilliant Anika Noni Rose (I've never seen the actual show, just THE APARTMENT, can't remember if there's a specific mention of her ethnicity).

[newintown]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 2:09pm

Goldie Hawn.


Or Judi Dench, maybe.


That's it.

[AC126748]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 2:14pm

It'd never happen, but great out of the box casting would be the brilliant Anika Noni Rose (I've never seen the actual show, just THE APARTMENT, can't remember if there's a specific mention of her ethnicity).

It's mentioned several times in the show that Fran is Polish, but I guess if there's an all-black STREETCAR in the works, it really doesn't matter. Rose would surely sing the hell out of those songs; might be a bit too intense for the character, but I've heard worse ideas.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 2:26pm

Thanks, AC. I figured that would come up (her being Polish), I can't remember if it comes up in the movie too, maybe it does. Oh well. I just think Rose singing those songs would be fantastic and she's so charismatic.