I would love to see a total unknown take on Eliza, with stunt casting for the smaller roles if needed, or even Higgins. When was the last time we had a performer come out of nowhere and wow us? That'd be so great and exciting. But this is Clive Davis. The lead will almost certainly be someone who is famous outside of the theater world, so don't hold your breath for any Laura Osnes-esque casting notices. Clive's got the money and he won't dump it into a production starring Laura Osnes.
I doubt he'd do it but I'd like to see Kelsey Grammer as Pickering.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Clive Davis has made something of a legendary career discovering new talent. That article mentions he has been in 'talks' with two stars, but I wouldn't necessarily discredit the possibility Eliza could go to a relative unknown.
I agree with Jordan that likely you will need to see a major name attached as Higgins for this show to be a guaranteed major hit outside of a Lincoln Center production.
"Katherine Jenkins, an opera singer" Don't let any opera fans hear that.
Hugh Laurie would probably be great as Higgins since he's a singer/musician and can do funny and grumpy and he's sure a well known name, not to mention being actually British. Seems like Higgins has got to be British, anybody else would have a hard time being believable as a expert on British accents. He couldn't be too grumpy though, Higgins is charming too.
Note to Davis: Eliza needs to be a true soprano. Let's not replay the Martine Mccutcheon and Melissa Errico dramas.
Martine was absolutely wonderful on stage. With the exception of Jonathan Pryce, that revival was perfection. I also thought the show was rather boring until I saw that production. I'm pretty skeptical about Clive Davis coming anywhere close to it, much less improving on it.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
Longshot or not, it should still be Jessie Mueller. They don't need a star for Eliza necessarily at all. The name of the show will create buzz on its' own and they can cast a big name for Higgins.
I also thought of Victor Garber as Henry Higgins, but I don't think that Davis would want him either. But again he would be a good choice for Colonel Pickering.
"He's probably already tapped Taylor Swift to play the role."
I think Swift would better suited for Liesl in the upcoming televised version of 'The Sound of Music'. That role would be not be vocally challenging for her. But since that show has already secured Carrie Underwood I don't know if the producers are interested in casting more big names. But maybe they are.
No doubt about it, except that she couldn't sustain singing the role. She messed up her voice and had to leave the production earlier than expected.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Lea Michelle, she seems like an obvious choice to me. I will also love to see Sierra if she isn't too old. Robert de Niro would be beyond perfect for Higgings. This whole thing is getting me excited, it's about time we get a classic golden age musical on Broadway once again.
Say what you want about glee and Rachel Berry, but you'd have to be deaf and blind to say that Lea doesn't have talent. I think she's got one of the best, if not the best legit voice in pop today and she was a broadway star before appearing on tv.
I'd really love to see Laura Benanti as Eliza, I feel she was born to play this and Anna Loewens. Curious as to who these stars they mentioned are.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"