Encores! Off-Center Casting?

LimelightMike Profile Photo
LimelightMike
#1Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 4:47pm

Sutton's VIOLET aside, any inkling as to who's being courted for the inaugural production of Blitzstein's CRADLE?

Noel&Cole
#2Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:12pm

Is the off-Broadway in a smaller venue? Or are they really doing off-Broadway material in the approx 3000 seat City Center Theatre?

givesmevoice Profile Photo
givesmevoice
#2Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:13pm

It looks like they're not selling the balcony seats, so that'll bring the size of the audience down considerably.


When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

AC126748 Profile Photo
AC126748
#3Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:16pm

They're selling balcony seats for VIOLET. I imagine if the other two shows sell well in advance they'll open the balcony.

No idea who they'll cast, but I'd love to see Leslie Kritzer as Moll in CRADLE WILL ROCK.


"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

LimelightMike Profile Photo
LimelightMike
#4Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:29pm

I'm not all *that* familiar with the piece. Who is the male lead in the show?

givesmevoice Profile Photo
givesmevoice
#5Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:49pm

I know that the Acting Company's recording cuts some of Joe Worker's earlier, non-singing parts, but based on that I'd say the two biggest male parts would be Joe Worker and Mister Mister. The Moll is the largest female part, but she's still a large supporting role. (the whole thing seems to be largely an ensemble piece)


When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

LimelightMike Profile Photo
LimelightMike
#6Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/15/13 at 5:55pm

^ That's what I gather.

I've since done my homework on the show, for a while now, but still piecing it together. SO looking forward to this! Encores! Off-Center Casting?

Enjolras77 Profile Photo
Enjolras77
#7Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/22/13 at 3:21pm

I wonder if they are going to perform "Cradle" with piano only (as per tradition) or if they are going to use full orchestrations? I would love to hear Blitzstein's original orchestrations.

I'm also very eager to see who is cast in this.


"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man

givesmevoice Profile Photo
givesmevoice
#8Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/22/13 at 3:42pm

I was also wondering whether Cradle was going to be done with only the piano or with the full orchestrations. Wasn't there a production recently that used the orchestrations, or am I confusing that with something else?

(I'm actually torn between wanting to see it with the traditional piano or with the full orchestrations.)


When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

Enjolras77 Profile Photo
Enjolras77
#9Encores! Off-Center Casting?
Posted: 4/22/13 at 4:03pm

According to the City Center website, Cradle was performed at City Center with full orchestrations for the first time in 1947 with Bernstein conducting. (Wonder if this is foreshadowing?)

The only other one I am aware of (and my knowledge is at best limited) was a 1960 radio broadcast by the NY City Opera (per Wikipedia). There are some clips from this broadcast on YouTube.


"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man