BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS Coming to Broadway; Rob Ashford to Direct!

[_IrisTInkerbell]

CindersGolightly said: "Last I heard, Megan Hilty was attached to that. She talked about it in her recent AOL Build interview.

"

Ah, I saw that so that makes sense. But she since got the First Wives Club TV movie so maybe that got in the way of scheduling and she had to drop out?

[PalJoey]

 

I just hope they don't crap up the Tommy Tune/Thommie Walsh Aggie dance:

 

 

[QueenAlice]

I love Ms. Chenoweth but she would be painfully miscast in this.

[gypsy101]

that performance from the Tonys kind of offends me for some reason I can't put my finger on.

[Andreas2]

In Rob Ashford's defense, he did receive Best Choreography Tony nominations for both Promises, Promises & How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.  I wouldn't be surprised if she scored another nomination for his latest project.  I'm interested to see if he'll replicate choreography for The Aggie Song or if he'll put his own stamp in it. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Rob Ashford also won a Tony in 2002 for his choreography in Thoroughly Modern Millie. He had since received additional nominations for The Wedding Singer, Curtains, Cry-Baby, Promises, Promises, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (also for Best Direction of a Musical), and Evita.

[backwoodsbarbie]

Dolly can play all the parts...one woman show. In all seriousness, I'd like to see Leslie Kritzer or SRS as Mona. 

[Liza's Headband]

backwoodsbarbie said: "Dolly can play all the parts...one woman show. In all seriousness, I'd like to see Leslie Kritzer or SRS as Mona. 

 

"

 

No. 

[backwoodsbarbie]

Liza's Headband said: "backwoodsbarbie said: "Dolly can play all the parts...one woman show. In all seriousness, I'd like to see Leslie Kritzer or SRS as Mona. 

 

"

 

No. 

 

"

Thanks!

[Mr. Nowack]

Who is SRS, if I may ask?

[backwoodsbarbie]

Mr. Nowack said: "Who is SRS, if I may ask?

 

"

Sherie Rene Scott 

[gangtey]

Lots of people seem to think Best Little Whorehouse is crud, maybe because of the cruddy movie version. In the early 80s, we loved it so much when we saw the touring company in Boston starring Alexis Smith, we saw it again when it came to town with Carlin Glynn. It was a sweet, funny and enjoyable satire.

[Mr. Nowack]

OF COURSE! I ought to have known based on your icon haha. Wouldn't have thought of her as Mona but I can kinda see it.

I hardly think the movie is cruddy, I think it does a lot to make the story a bit more cohesive.

[EricMontreal22]

Andreas2 said: "In Rob Ashford's defense, he did receive Best Choreography Tony nominations for both Promises, Promises & How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.  I wouldn't be surprised if she scored another nomination for his latest project.  I'm interested to see if he'll replicate choreography for The Aggie Song or if he'll put his own stamp in it. 

 

"

Seeing as he didn't even replicate the much more famous (to fans with YouTube) Bennett Turkey Lurkey Time, why would anyone think he'd keep the original Aggie Song staging?

[jacobsnchz14]

Kristin Chenoweth is starring in a reading of this today, led by Ashford. In addition to Chenoweth as Miss Mona Stangley, the all-star lineup also includes Christopher Sieber as Melvin P. Thorpe, Jennifer Holliday as Jewel, Kevin McKidd as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, James Naughton as Governor, Kerry Butler as Doatsey Mae, Heléne Yorke as Angel and Greg Hildreth as Mayor Rufus Poindexter.

Rounding out the cast are Jim Newman, Madeline Brewer, Bob Gaynor, Darius Nichols, Ryan Andes, Peter Benson, Jared Dixon, Aaron Finley, Anthony Sagaria, Sam Simahk, Alex Michael Stoll, Krystal Joy Brown, Kate Marilley, Morgan Weed, Erica Sweany, Anne Horak, Ashley Park, Anna Eilinsfeld and Syndee Winters.

http://www.broadway.com/buzz/185321/chenos-at-the-chicken-ranch-kristin-chenoweth-headlines-all-star-the-best-little-whorehouse-in-texas-reading/

[ACL2006]

maybe they're aiming for a Spring 2017 target date if a theater is available?

[Auggie27]

The perfect Miss Mona: Carmen Cusack.  

[wish i were here2]

Noticed there's a lot of American Psycho alumni in this reading.

[bdn223]

There is no way they want to compete with Hello Dolly or Falsettos with another A-List Broadway company revival. This cast screams Tony bait, which will be next season will be about coronating Ms Middler. If had to guess they are aiming for a Fall 2017/Spring 2018 bow. 

[John Adams]

bdn223 said: "There is no way they want to compete with Hello Dolly or Falsettos with another A-List Broadway company revival."

Why not? The year Dolly won the Tony for Best Musical (1964), the competition included Funny Girl, High Spirits and She Loves Me. Fiddler also opened in 1964.

Is there now only room for one show per year that is allowed to make money (or even be worth seeing) on Broadway?

I'm a Kristin Chenoweth fan, but I'd prefer Auggie27's suggestion of Carmen Cusack for Miss Mona. Either actress would be more than fine performing the "standout" Mona songs, but when I think about songs like, "Girl, You're a Woman", or "Bus to Amarillo", Cusack has an earthiness that I've not heard Chenoweth display as yet.

Especially with a song like "Girl, You're a Woman" (which can be construed as offensive to women in the 21st century), the way to make it work is to sing it as honestly and 'earthy' as possible. To my ears, Kristen Chenoweth sounds more 'trained'.

I don't know if Cusack would want to risk possibly type-casting herself in a role with similar vocal style to Bright Star, though.

[Auggie27]

I agree, it's too close to Alice Murphy, and at various points I could see glimmers of the wonderful Carlin Glynn in the performance (innate, not an intentional borrowing).  I thought of her because she'd let the songs rip, and also make the book scenes work.  Mona isn't vocally very challenging for anyone (Alexis Smith scored in it, and she was miscast; the limited-ranged Ann-Margaret probably had no problems singing it).  But it's the book scenes that matter, and they must be absolutely authentic. It's a beautifully written piece, scene by scene (I'm a southerner and found it one of the few musicals that captured both the lexicon and music in the spoken word -- "Bright Star" mostly did as well.)   Chenoweth, with OK roots, seemingly would be right.  But she lacks the world-weary rue. I'm well aware that she can act, and it's time for her to play women, not girl-women.  Still, I don't see much in her take.  

If Cusack wasn't now a truely budding star, she'd knock "Doatsy Mae" out of the park, wouldn't she?  Still one of the most perfect songs ever written in counterpoint (kind of "The Miller's Son" for this show.)  

[_IrisTInkerbell]

I have a question. This reading apparently took place at Playwrights Horizons (there are a bunch of instagram photos that tagged it there, both from yesterday and rehearsal the day before). I wasn't really familiar with the work Playwrights does, I read about them, and their mission is to exclusively produce NEW works, and this is a revival.

Am I wrong, and Playwrights does revivals occasionally, or is it possible that they just rented out rehearsal space at Playwrights without being associated with them/produced by them?

 

As far was casting Kristin in this goes, give her a chance to proof what she can do with it. I'm always happy when actors aren't typecast and are given the chance to play a variety of characters/qualities. I don't know the show, but Kristin does identify deeply with her southern roots, and for example released both a country-pop record and an album of inspiration-christian music which is both very un-broadway and represents that side of her. Having seen her in concert, I know that she can be very raw, emotional and "un-acted", a far cry from the type roles she is most known for. Just my two cents.

[John Adams]

_IrisTInkerbell said: "As far was casting Kristin in this goes, give her a chance to proof what she can do with it. [...] I don't know the show, but Kristin does identify deeply with her southern roots, and for example released both a country-pop record and an album of inspiration-christian music [...] "

The 'country-pop' and 'inspirational-christian music' CDs you mentioned are why I have the opinion I do. Those CDs were opportunities to "proof" herself in those styles - although I don't think of her as bread dough!

To my mind, Kristen Chenoweth is always going to remain the incredibly talented performer she's always been (and seemingly from TV interviews, a genuinely lovely person to boot). But there is Carmen Cusack, standing right over there, in almost that same spotlight...

I can't ignore she's there. For this role, I would just prefer Carmen Cusack.

 

[_IrisTInkerbell]

On a little different note, my friend just watched the movie and found very different words to describe the character of Mona than "earthy", "bad-ass" came up, and that you need serious comedic timing (which I have yet see Carmen do, Alice just wasn't that type roll). I don't know how different from the stage show the movie is though, and I like I said, I have yet to see either so I won't impose any judgement in either direction. I just thought it was funny that opinions went so far apart.

I loved Carmen in Bright Star btw, and I'm sure she'll back on Broadway in another great role in no time! You can't ignore a talent like that for long.

[Kad]

_IrisTInkerbell said: "I have a question. This reading apparently took place at Playwrights Horizons (there are a bunch of instagram photos that tagged it there, both from yesterday and rehearsal the day before). I wasn't really familiar with the work Playwrights does, I read about them, and their mission is to exclusively produce NEW works, and this is a revival.

Am I wrong, and Playwrights does revivals occasionally, or is it possible that they just rented out rehearsal space at Playwrights without being associated with them/produced by them?"

 

Playwrights Horizons (along with numerous other prominent theatre companies such as Signature, Roundabout, and Lincoln Center) have studio/rehearsal spaces that can be rented out to anybody. It isn't being produced by Playwrights.

 

[_IrisTInkerbell]

Thanks, Kad!