Producers of "Hello Dolly" NOT Giving Charity Perf For Actors Fund- Page 2
Producers of "Hello Dolly" NOT Giving Charity Perf For Actors Fund
Liza's Headband
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
#25Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:34am
I'm with Hogan on this. It falters without Midler. Just watch.
#26Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:40am
DAME said: "You know nothing."
Wrong as can be: I know what I think (which, incidentally, is what I said).
#27Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 11:41am
I'm also of the mind that the production closes when Bette leaves. It was devised and is being pitched and sold as a vehicle for her.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#28Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 2:04pm
It's sort of a no brainer that Bette is the reason for Dolly's success, and there is not any sort of celebrity equivalent who could replace her.
bear88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#29Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 3:04pm
As an agnostic on Hello, Dolly (I've never seen it), I am still very curious about its fate. The musical is being promoted as a Bette Midler vehicle, and yet it's received near-universal acclaim. Sure, Ben Brantley just talked about Midler, but many other reviews - and people on this board, not all of whom are longtime Dolly fans - have lauded the entire production.
If the show closes after Midler leaves, will it have recouped by then? Will audience demand just collapse even if a capable performer takes Midler's place? If the show is so great, and such a joy, why wouldn't it stick around?
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#30Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 3:54pm
HogansHero said: "DAME said: "You know nothing."
Wrong as can be: I know what I think (which, incidentally, is what I said).
"
Which means YOU KNOW NOTHING!
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
#31Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 6:00pm
While it will never reach the same kind of success - if Bernadette or LuPone [if War Paint slows down in a few months] was available surely the show might keep a float for a few more months? It doesn't seem absolutely impossible to me.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#32Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 6:43pm
Even setting aside all of the other considerations I would say getting either of them to go into the show as a replacement is absolutely impossible.
#33Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:18pm
In 1964, it was all about "Hello, Dolly!" In 2017' it is all about Bette Midler in "Hello, Dolly!"
It wasn't hard to keep the original production going strong with a parade of Dolly-capable actors, but you'd never be able to replace Bette Midler playing Bette Midler...for long. I do agree that there are a handful of performers that could keep it running for a short time after Bette leaves, but this production is all about Bette, not "Dolly"...
#34Producers of
Posted: 5/11/17 at 10:37pm
The show will absolutely close when Midler leaves. But I do think it's a little disingenuous and perhaps a bit disrespectful to 2-time Tony award winner Donna Murphy to suggest that the show "won't work" without Midler.
Of course she's not going to sell that well, and certainly isn't a long-term solution, but I think she's gonna give a great, albeit different from Midler, performance.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#35Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 12:19am
I'm super excited to see Midler, as a young gay man she's not really of "my generation," but i'm excited to see what all the fuss is about. But I grew up watching and rewatching Donna Murphy in "Passion," so I will absolutely be seeing her performance. While not a "powerhouse" vocalist, I think her acting is incredible.
bear88
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#36Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 3:36am
Sorry to be dense about this, but I really don't quite understand the idea of shutting the show down immediately when Bette Midler leaves.
Hello, Dolly is one of most famous and successful musicals in Broadway history. The reviews have been very favorable. And while there's more than a little nostalgia fueling all the enthusiasm, I have followed the Dolly boards here and not everyone who has liked this revival is just reliving the past. I certainly get that it's been promoted as a Bette Midler star vehicle, and that revivals have a shorter shelf life, but I had assumed Donna Murphy was around to take over if sales warranted.
Now it certainly could be true that interest in the show will fade quickly once Midler is gone. The producers admittedly don't seem to be thinking about a post-Midler future.
I am so accustomed to bigger musicals trying to emphasize the show being the star that I forget that some people just want to see a particular performer and don't think the show is worth seeing otherwise. I remember being surprised that Rudin pulled the plug on Shuffle Along so quickly when Audra McDonald left, especially because it was an ensemble show.
Living on the West Coast, I don't see big names in original casts (with the exception of Lena Hall on the Hedwig tour) unless I come to New York, so I must think about this a little differently. Shoot, I decided against seeing Waitress on Broadway last month because I know the musical will be coming to San Francisco next year. Unless I'm in New York, I don't think in terms of stars.
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
#37Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 8:00am
Carol Channing would have done the Actor's fund performance.
Jed2
Chorus Member Joined: 5/17/16
#38Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 8:31am
I imagine Bette Midler would also do the performance if asked - she is very charity focussed.
#40Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 8:35am
you folks have NO idea what you are talking about. Pure fantasy land.
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
#41Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 10:22am
Carol Channing would also do 8 shows a week.
I kid, I kid.
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#42Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:00am
I maintain that there is avery good chance she WILL do a actors fund before she leaves in January. She is a extremely charitable person and I don't think she will have any problems with adding one extra performance that week. She is a very agile, in shape, 71 year old. She is not frail or weak. Her decision to only do 7 shows a week instead of 8 has nothing to do with any of that. In her last tour she raised a good amount of money here in LA for APLA. And it seemed like every city she played something was going to charity. And if you look at the video of the Easter Bonnet competition when she awards Sunset Boulevard ; her comments reflect that she is very aware on how Sunset raised so much money.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
Updated On: 5/12/17 at 11:00 AM
#43Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:03am
Whether or not you personally believe the show will work/last without Midler, the producers are still looking into replacement Dollys. And that's a fact. Should they get a big enough name, I'm sure they can keep interest going for a time.
None of the Hedwig replacements sold as well as Neil Patrick Harris, but still generated interest and kept the show going (until they couldnt).
Peters has been approached to gauge interest (not sure why you think she wouldnt replace Hogan, since she replaced in A Little Night Music and was fabulous). They've also reached out to women beyond the typical Broadway leading ladies (including a certain country star who would absolutely sell like hot cakes should she decide to make the leap to Broadway).
#44Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:10am
"(including a certain country star who would absolutely sell like hot cakes should she decide to make the leap to Broadway)."
Dolly Parton???
#45Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:22am
@mayaudra... that was a quite different thing: Sondheim and no marketing as the CZJ show. This is the Bette Midler show, featuring Dolly Levi. For all the reasons that have been discussed I stand by my not gonna happen.
DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#46Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:35am
I worked with Dolly Parton this past summer when her tour stopped here. From what I saw she won't do this.
HUSSY POWER!
------ HUSSY POWER!
SmokeyLady
Broadway Star Joined: 10/29/14
#47Producers of
Posted: 5/12/17 at 11:39am
Bette will do a actors fund. The Boy From Oz actors fund I attended was 3 weeks before the show closed. I know you all want things right away. But you all just need to relax.
#48Producers of
Posted: 5/13/17 at 5:43pm
HogansHero said: "Even setting aside all of the other considerations I would say getting either of them to go into the show as a replacement is absolutely impossible.
"
How come? Bernadette has already replaced one Tony Award-Winning performance (A Little Night Music). Is it that hard to believe that she would be open to doing it again? The role is a lot of fun and won't challenge her. If the opportunity came up, why not?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
