"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Also, I doubt that the move to Broadway for GIANT is in any way guaranteed. Lazar has a young family, so perhaps he's chosen to do something that is a guaranteed source of long-term income.
Either that or it is just a limited engagement and he'd do both.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Giant isn't supposedly playing the Public this fall. It's a done deal. And a six-month contract for Lazar would still conflict with it, since it starts previews October 26.
Who knows what's happened with casting since it debuted, though. One would think Lazar would have stuck with it if he were able to.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
What a strange career move, to become the 367th actor to play that nothing role. I wonder if he needs money badly.
And I'm sure there will be a line down the block to become the 368th Sam once Lazar leaves. Sometimes people do favor a steady income over art. I can't say I blame them.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
I agree with you that it's a waste of his talent, which is considerable. But I understand the impetus for steady employment. I would have preferred to see him in GIANT, though.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
As strange as this casting is, I'm just excited to get people in the roles who can actually sing them. With the exception of Lisa Brescia, most of the current leads are sounding pretty strained.
Nothing matters but knowing nothing matters. ~ Wicked
Everything in life is only for now. ~ Avenue Q
There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as my last. ~ Rent
I mean, between Aaron, Graham Rowat, and Felicia Finley, they are casting the leads young. Felicia is way too young to be playing Tanya. I assumed Aaron would be playing Sky, not that it's a good role for him, but rather because of his age.
At 34, Aaron Lazar is far too young to be playing Sam (he's only nine years older than Christy Altomare, who's playing his potential daughter,) but how is Felicia Finley way too young to be playing Tanya? She's 41, which isn't all that much different than most actresses who play the role.
It seems like relatively brief leaves of absence are common at MAMMA MIA!, so Lazar could very well be doing a stint short enough that he could remain involved with GIANT at The Public come the fall.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
I'll see Aaron Lazar in anything. He was SO much better than Matthew Morrison in PIAZZA, shone in TALE OF TWO CITIES and NIGHT MUSIC and was in fun, fine voice in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDS.
I'd just prefer he'd be in something other than MAMMA MIA, but so it goes. And I hope GIANT is still on his horizon.
I just feel like Tanya is older than 41. I feel like Judy always read older than 41. And Christine Baranski played the part in the movie when she was 56. And Felicia reads FAR younger than her age.
"At 34, Aaron Lazar is far too young to be playing Sam (he's only nine years older than Christy Altomare, who's playing his potential daughter,) but how is Felicia Finley way too young to be playing Tanya?"
This is indeed a strange casting choice and its possible that they make Lazar look older. But this is not the only time that something like this happened. In Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End revival of 'The Sound of Music', Sophie Bould, who played Liesl, was one year older than Connie Fisher, who played Maria. Also, the same thing happened with their replacements Amy Lennox and Summer Strallen. Lennox was older than Strallen. Updated On: 2/15/13 at 02:38 PM
I love Aaron Lazar and I agree with you, mamaleh, and think he was better than Morrison in PIAZZA by leaps and bounds. I didn't get to see him in A TALE OF TWO CITIES but it was great to see him again in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES.
I had been thinking of going back to see MAMMA MIA! now that McLane is taking over the lead, but was kind of on the fence about it. When I saw the news article about Lazar and Finley, I was much more excited and I'll be making my first return trip to the show since September 2006. I didn't recognize her name, but when I googled Christy Altomare, I was delighted to see that she was the girl who played "Sue Snell" in the CARRIE revival. I thought she was wonderful in that and really deserving of a great role. "Sophie" might not be a plum role but I really think she will do well and hopefully it springboards her into other great options.
What great replacement casting overall, though. For once it seems like a fresh group!