Bette Midler as Dolly
Bette Midler as Dolly
#1Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:20pmOkay, enough of the MAME rumors. Michael Riedel said it on TheatreTalk, Bette as Dolly. Much better show, much better role for her. Absolutely. It would sell out, just as the original did, and run for years, with a long line of great replacement Dollys.
behindthescenes2
Stand-by Joined: 7/30/12
#2Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:25pmNo, stupid and absolutely ridiculous suggestion. Dolly GALLAGHER Levi - did he not see the movie? Carol Channing and Shirley Booth...hello...Pearl Bailey when it is all black cast..if you want a Jewish person to play her then everyone must be jewish..give us a break with this crap
behindthescenes2
Stand-by Joined: 7/30/12
#2Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:25pmNo, stupid and absolutely ridiculous suggestion. Dolly GALLAGHER Levi - did he not see the movie? Carol Channing and Shirley Booth...hello...Pearl Bailey when it is all black cast..if you want a Jewish person to play her then everyone must be jewish..give us a break with this crap
#3Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:27pmIf that's not irony, then it's a really ugly statement.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Londonskyguy
Featured Actor Joined: 7/24/06
#4Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:31pmI am still waiting for a Patti LuPone "Dolly", but Bette would be great!!!!
behindthescenes2
Stand-by Joined: 7/30/12
#5Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:35pmIt doesn't make sense..and the irony is that she is an Irish Matchmaker...jesus h. christ enough of this pc mess...Streisand was the worst Dolly - it doesn't make sense to do it that way unless everyone is of the same ilk...especially if you do it as a period piece. Come on...ugly? Sometimes the truth is ugly and sometimes it cleans things up. Don't get your panties in a wad and all twisted up. If she is up to doing it and able to do it Irish then hurrah. Remember Molina in Fiddler and ALL the complaints of him not being Jewish enough? So now, don't start calling me a racist. Just back off.
#6Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:37pmYou are a nasty piece of work.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#7Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:40pm
Wowzers!
Besides JCWS random song lyrics, that is the nastiest thing I think I've read on BWW.
Updated On: 5/20/13 at 10:40 PM
#8Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:42pm
I totally disagree. It's wrong because she's Jewish? Are you living in the 18th century? And how can you compare a 20-something Streisand, whose "Jewishness" had nothing to do with her being miscast. In case you don't remember, Dolly was played by a long list of great (and some not so great) actresses. One of my faves is still Molly Picon in Philadelphia,
And Midler is many things, and if you've seen her as Mengers, you might have noticed that she's a damned good stage actress.
Sticks and stones...
#9Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:43pm
Who's to say that Dolly wasn't raised Jewish and married a Gallagher before marrying Ephram Levi? Ruth Gordon always seemed like a Jewish Yente to me and she set the template in The Matchmaker, so why shouldn't Bette go full-on Yente?
I think Bette as Dolly is exactly the right casting for her. I was never a big fan of her actressy speech patterns onstage or screen, but for once, Dolly is artificial enough for it to work here.
Hearing "Before the Parade..." and "So Long Dearie" in her voice just makes me smile.
behindthescenes2
Stand-by Joined: 7/30/12
#10Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:45pmNot because she is Jewish..wow..because I don't think she can do it, and no one is a bigger fan of her than I am, but sometimes some people are not right for the role....and yes Streisand did Dolly like Fanny Brice and that is why she was miscast, because that is what she can do. Would she have been better in My Fair Lady or Camelot?
#11Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:47pmFor the film they cut "Gallagher" and Streisand played it simply as "Mrs. Dolly Levi." -- problem solved.
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#12Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:48pm
no one is a bigger fan of her than I am
I'm going to go ahead and say that's not true
behindthescenes2
Stand-by Joined: 7/30/12
#13Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:50pm
Okay then my opinion is in the minority. I agree that to hear her sing songs from the show might be great, but for me the role is wrong for her
#14Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:50pm
Unfortunately, Hello Dolly! is an intricate examination of cultural and racial politics turning the 1890s and so the ethnicity of Dolly is integral to-
oh wait it's a romantic farce nevermind.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#15Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 10:56pmHow can you say Barbra was the worst Dolly?! She killed in that film!!
#16Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:07pm
behindthescenes, Jerry Herman has based the female characters in his shows on his mother. That's a fact, feel free to do your own research.
In case you're unaware, Jerry Herman is Jewish and his mother was quite religious. I am not even going to get into the last name Levi (although others have touched on it).
Your argument is invalid.
Formerly: WishingOnlyWounds2 - Broadway Legend - Joined: 9/25/08
#17Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:36pm
Bette Midler is a Jew.
Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as
a Carol Channing is?
If you ****Bette, does she not bleed?
If you tickle Bette, does she not laugh?
If you poison Bette, does she not die?
And if you wrong Bette, shall she not revenge?
If Bette is like Carol Channing in the rest, she will resemble Shirley Booth in that.
Wynbish
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/27/12
#18Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:38pm
If you ****Bette, does she not bleed?
I know the speech, so I know that it is Prick
But my mind went to a place
#19Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:45pmHaha!
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
#20Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:49pmI would prefer Bette in a revival of Mame, if just because I prefer the score, but I would be utterly thrilled if this happened. I just really want to see her in a wonderful musical comedy.
#21Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/20/13 at 11:52pmBring it on! She'll be better cast here than in Mame or when she was Rose in Gypsy. It's a broad character and she does best with those.
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#22Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:00am
I would gladly give my good right nut to see Bette Live in a good production of DOLLY.
And Cher in MAME too.
#23Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:16am
CHER as MAME? You've GOT to be joking. Mame is a high born blue blood. Cher is gutter trash, and always will be.
Cher cannot play Mame Dennis. Sorry.
#24Bette Midler as Dolly
Posted: 5/21/13 at 12:33amThe general public couldn't give a hoot about the nationality/race [or gender] of Dolly--they would be coming to see Bette Midler sing her tits off and wise-crack all those throw-away lines that make this piece such joyous fun.If you want legit.,do the Matchmaker[without Bette].
