NYCC Grand Hotel

[matty159]

Yes, I know this has been mentioned in previous threads, but I find it odd that the production is two months away and we know nothing.

I am very much looking forward to it, but NYCC has already announced the Off-Center season and there is nothing about this which is hotly awaited. Is there any word on the street about this?

[deathofacatler]

I have that same question! I'm assuming that since the Hey, Look Me Over cast list came out 2-ish months before the show that it'll be the same for this and it'll come out pretty soon?

[QueenAlice]

It's not announced on the Encores web site, but apparently Josh Rhodes is directing and choreographing Grand Hotel. Slightly disappointing for those of us hoping for a recreation of Tommy Tune's brilliant original production, but I did think Rhodes work on Bright Star was very good, so he might be a good choice.

[Melissa25]

I loved Bright Star and thought the movement and choreography very special.  I am really looking forward to Grand Hotel at Encores! 

I also like the work that Josh Rhodes did on Rodgers and Hammerstien's Cinderella:

Link

 

 

 

[Robbie2]

Looking forward to it...LOVE the art work

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

*coughs politely*

[Mr. Nowack]

The same joke everyone made months and months ago when they released that artwork...

Umm any casting?? Anybody?? 5 weeks till the show. The Hey Look me Over press is done. What in the heck are they waiting for?!

[raddersons]

Mr. Nowack said: "Umm any casting?? Anybody?? 5 weeks till the show. The Hey Look me Over press is done. What in the heck are they waiting for?!"

Someone I know works at city center, apparently the audience from Hey Look Me Over fell asleep from being so bored at the last performance. They're still trying to clear them out. They got Carolee Carmello to bang that drum from Wildcat but it just made it worse.

[adamgreer]

Here's a cast list, but no mention of who is playing what role, so we get to guess:

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Encores-Announces-Cast-for-GRAND-HOTEL-20180214

[QueenAlice]

Really? They couldn't include a list of who is playing what role?

[GeorgeandDot]

Kind of an underwhelming cast, other than Uranowitz who is always sensational.

[TheSassySam]

Surely, Brandon Uranowitz is Otto?

[QueenAlice]

James Synder I assume is the Baron who is good casting.

These roles, honestly, are very specific. There aren't a lot of 'name' Broadway performers who are right for Otto, Elizaveta, etc. 

[AC126748]

I'm guessing Stephanie Styles is Flaemmchen and Natascia Diaz is Raffaela.

[QueenAlice]

Stephanie Styles must be Flemchen. Natasia Diaz is either Elizabeta or Rafaella.

[QueenAlice]

If Irina-Dvorovenko is Elizabeta, we get a real Russian ballet dancer in the role, which is great. And I assume they can drop the line that they added for Liliane that 'she is french - only her name is Russian.'

[AC126748]

Irina Dvorovenko is Elizaveta, as stated in the press release.

[QueenAlice]

Thanks for pointing that out.  Actually, as I look at it more, this cast seems entirely appropriate. The show is the star. I just hope Josh Rhodes can capture the Tommy Tune magic doing his own thing.

[little_sally]

Totally underwhelming for an Encores production but I adore Brandon Uranowitz.

[QueenAlice]

For those saying the casting is underwhelming, would you have suggested they cast?

[TheSassySam]

QueenAlice said: "For those saying the casting is underwhelming, would you have suggested they cast?"

I wanted Jane to reprise as Flaemmchen 

[QueenAlice]

But it’s not a reunion concert. Jane is 25 years too old for the role now lol

[AC126748]

The idea of Jane reprising Flaemmchen is ludicrous.

I'm happy with the casting overall but would have preferred Danny Burstein as Otto.

[QueenAlice]

I love Danny Burstein but, physically at least, he would be a big departure from the way the role was originally played in the musical. Most of this casting seems more or less in line with how this was cast in the Tommy Tune staging. Except that Natascia Diaz is tiny and the women who played Rafaella in the original were all over six foot tall.

[AC126748]

Uranowitz is certainly slighter, which is physically in line with Michael Jeter, but I don't think Burstein would be considered a radical departure. And besides, the point of a revival/new staging is not to slavishly reconstruct the original.