why did Chita do "Casper"?

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/28/07 at 11:47pm

this tour came thru Dallas a couple of years ago and thankfully i had the flu and couldn't see it - but heard it was awful, so why would Chita Rivera put herself in the middle of it?

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 3/28/07 at 11:49pm

Money.

[D2]

Posted: 3/28/07 at 11:53pm

She may be a legend, but she's done her share of bad shows: MERLIN? BRING BACK BIRDIE? SHINBONE ALLEY? Among others.

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/28/07 at 11:58pm

there has to be more to it than just $, yes?

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:06am

I know and heard that there is a Cast Recording out somewhere but can not find it..does anyone have a copy?

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:12am

There is a cast recording out there, but it is of the London production which did not have Chita, or the same storyline, or the same songs and songwriters.

Rumor has it that she lost a lot of money in the stock market...

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:15am

Can someone tell me what this specific production was? Is this Casper the ghost? I always ask this question and never get an answer! What was this about!?

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:17am

Yep NLS, "Casper" is the ghost.

Here's a synopsis:
In Casper the Musical, Casper (Paul Tiesler) and his three uncles (LaParee Young, Jamie Torcellini, and Tim Hartman) are ghosts living in Casper's house. They can't "cross over" because Casper is waiting for his parents to return. Before Casper's father left, 50 years previously, he gave Casper the deed to the house, but Casper has forgotten where it is, and the house is set to be demolished by the government to build a highway. Everyone wants to find the deed - there are several reasons for this, but they are not all terribly clear. Magdalena Monteverde (Chita Rivera) is a radio host who wants the deed for a treasure she thinks she will find. She sets up a "reality show" style contest for kids, hoping they will find the deed and she can then take it. The kids in the house at night with the ghosts, the interference of the government representatives, Casper's search for a friend, and the conniving antics of Magdalena are jumbled together throughout the rest of the show.

[ggersten]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:19am

Oh, I thought it was about Caspar Weinberger, former head of Bechtel and Secretary of Defense who was pardoned by George H.W. Bush. That could have been popular in Texas. Ah well.

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:22am

wow i had NEVER heard of this before

You would think that if she needed work she coulda played some role in... I dunno Chicago or something (Mama Morton?) for a bit of course mayeb Caspar gave her a lot of money

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 12:27am

I beleive it was done at PCLO and there was a cast recording of that one...

But here is the link tot he London one..does anyone know who has it or how to get it..

http://www.sailor-marinero.com/related_casper.htm

[perfectliar]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 1:13am

From chitarivera.com:

Casper: The Friendly Musical starred Chita as villainess Magdalena MonteVerde. Widely regarded as an opportunity for the star to build her stamina in preparation for the Chicago premiere of the Terrence McNally, John Kander, and Fred Ebb musical adaptation of Durrenmatt’s The Visit, the show was a frivolous confection intended for children.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 8:35am

Oh, okay. Sounds a lot like the movie except for the kids thing.

Thanks!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 8:37am

Eric, I don't think she'd be interested in being the 35th Mama Morton replacement.

Updated On: 3/29/07 at 08:37 AM

[Piercemn]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 1:59pm

She has to do something to make her house payment, doesn't she? At least she has the energy to work at her age. So many retire from the stage when they're 70ish.

I admire her even when she does crap. She can help to elevate it somehow. Look at the way Ken Mandelbaum writes about Merlin. It was an awful show, but Chita was playing Morgana La Faye and was probably having a ball.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 3/29/07 at 2:55pm

[toomeytwopiece]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 12:39am

I saw her in MERLIN - it was my first Broadway show - and she was wonderful - and the show as actually a LOT of fun. CASPER looks like it was really cool and cute -- maybe she has a fantastical sense of humor, and a great imagination - she may have been attracted to the circus-like aspects of the show: the costumes, the cool lighting, special effects, etc.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 3:09am

Actually, the London one looks pretty cool.

Posted: 3/30/07 at 3:37am

I hate to admit it does look fun (but I'm a Chita worshipper who would probably pay to see her in anything be it Shogun the musical or any other infamous flop). A bit like a British style Pantomime with a famous actress in the villain role

[PersonofInterest]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 4:35am

I have to agree, I haven't heard the score, but those pictures look like Chita doing what Chita does best.

And I have to ALSO say that I LOVE Bring Back Birdie!

Posted: 3/30/07 at 5:33am

Also looks liek the show had a fair amount of Beefcake for a "family extravaganza"--I guess they knew what kinda audience they'd largely be pulling with Chita

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 8:34am

DFWTheatreGuy-
Chita was NOT in the show in Dallas. She was on vacation and Eartha Kitt stepped in for the Dallas stop. I know, I was there.

[LouieLovesTheater]

Posted: 3/30/07 at 9:28am

Look at those backdrops in the picture!! I swear those are the same backdrops that my high school production of Guys and Dolls.

The poster also makes it sound like Chita was playing Casper.

This was playing in London when I was there...if I had more time I would have liked to see it. I actually enjoyed the movie and if you take it for what it is...the musical might not be that bad.

[singerunlimited]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 9:01pm

Actually, she was in it in Dallas, because I was in the chorus of this show and saw her perform the role every day... Eartha Kitt had nothing to do with it

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/20/08 at 10:09pm

singer-
I *know* it wasn't Chita. I saw it with my school, and our teacher (who has/had an encyclopedic knowledge of all that is Batman) was so excited to be seeing a Catwoman.