As an FYI, at the R&H concert at 92Y last night, Ted Chapin (of the R&H Organization) confirmed the long-standing rumor that "The King and I" will be staged at Lincoln Center next spring. No further details were given. Exciting stuff!
Kelli has mentioned doing this in recent interviews. Obviously nothing officially announced, but Barlett is essentially doing this FOR Kelli. I assume she's going straight from Merry Widow at the Met to this.
Kate Baldwin really would be an incredibly lovely Anna.
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
She's awfully young for the role. Most people who play it are in their late 40s, early 50s. There is a reason for that-the gravitas the role requires. I'm not sure I buy into it with her, as brilliant as she was in Bridges.
Well I agree. I mean, O'Hara has the ingenue thing going on that suited Julie Jordan and Nellie Forbush, and would suit Laurey. But Anna is R&H's real woman role, so I understand where you're coming from. Murphy had an older quality to her. But maybe this is where O'Hara can revitalize the character and give it another edge. I know when Elaine Paige did the role (she was probably in her 40s/50s at the time) in London in the 2000s, many said she was too matronly, and I'd agree with that. There has to be something for the King to find attractive about Anna. Really excited about the possibility of all of this. Excited to see if it's Sher directing, what he does with the show.
Laura Osnes is and reads far too young for Anna. Though I think Laura Benanti could be a lovely Anna. But Sher seem to think only one soprano is worth casting in basically anything he directs, so it'll be O'Hara.
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
In reality, Anna's son was only 5-years-old when they arrived in Bangkok. But obviously he is cast older in stage productions. Also, Anna was only around 25 when Louis was born. If Louis is around 8-10 in the stage production, then Anna should not be much older than 35.
Frankly, Bartlett Sher's appeal is wearing thin on me. There are other directors out there who are just as good, if not better. I would love it if Lincoln Center would get someone else. He just seems to want to go through the R&H catalog and do the same casting throughout.
Also, re: Anna's age: Gertrude Lawrence, the original Anna, was over 50 when she played the role, and subsequent Annas have been older as well (Donna Murphy might well have been the youngest, but read as more 'mature'). The musical isn't meant to be a realistic history lesson. The character is an independent, mature woman with a worldly sense about her (which is why the role is usually not played by someone in their 30s). You need someone with an air of sophistication about her.
I bet he'll bring in some opera people for the other roles.
Updated On: 4/7/14 at 12:10 PM
I just don't understand what Kelli O'Hara has to do to make people more open to her casting in projects. It seems every time she's cast in something, most people go "Oh I can't see her in the role" and just about every time she comes out and blows us all away. If she ends up being Anna, and she probably will be, then I look forward to seeing her interpretation. Yes, there are other actresses who could be lovely Anna's as well, but why do we have to put down O'Hara, one of the finest musical theatre actresses working today, to make that point?
And I think that Sher will do a great job with this. I personally believe his strong suit is revivals and King and I seems like a perfect fit for him. No matter what, we at least know that this production will look and sound gorgeous.
"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.
I just don't understand what Kelli O'Hara has to do to make people more open to her casting in projects. It seems every time she's cast in something, most people go "Oh I can't see her in the role" and just about every time she comes out and blows us all away. If she ends up being Anna, and she probably will be, then I look forward to seeing her interpretation. Yes, there are other actresses who could be lovely Anna's as well, but why do we have to put down O'Hara, one of the finest musical theatre actresses working today, to make that point?
And I think that Sher will do a great job with this. I personally believe his strong suit is revivals and King and I seems like a perfect fit for him. No matter what, we at least know that this production will look and sound gorgeous.
I've personally never been a fan of O'Hara, outside of her stunning voice. She isn't engaging to me as a personality or an actor, and so I find it odd that she's the go-to soprano when I can think of several sopranos in her age range that I find more interesting and engaging.
That being said, I do actually think Sher will do an excellent job with the show. I just would like to see him work with another leading lady.
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
Anna, by the way, is not a soprano role. It's actually not a singing role at all. So Sher would not be getting her for her singing talents, that's for sure. Lady Thiang and Tuptim are the two heavy-duty singing roles, and as someone else mentioned, this production will most likely benefit from the import of strong operatic singers that Sher has worked with in the past.