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Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway

Theatrefanboy1

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Featured Actor
joined:8/2/15

Featured Actor
joined:
8/2/15

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #1
Posted: 6/30/18 at 6:53pm

Merely has once again mentioned about her interest in returning to Broadway. I’m just wondering what roles you would like to see her in.

I’m wondering how she’d fair in Night, Mother. Now that Oprah is a no on that.

phinasamaj

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Swing
joined:6/26/18

Swing
joined:
6/26/18

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #2
Posted: 6/30/18 at 7:21pm

How good is her singing?

how about for plays Master Class

Updated On: 6/30/18 at 07:21 PM

GeorgeandDot

Broadway Legend
joined:12/13/16

Broadway Legend
joined:
12/13/16

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #3
Posted: 6/30/18 at 7:22pm

Didn't she say that she's only interested in doing something new?

phinasamaj

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Swing
joined:6/26/18

Swing
joined:
6/26/18

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #4
Posted: 6/30/18 at 7:26pm

Gypsy?

BrodyFosse123

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Broadway Legend
joined:2/27/06

Broadway Legend
joined:
2/27/06

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #5
Posted: 6/30/18 at 8:23pm

How good is her singing?

Seriously? The woman has sung in countless of her films from POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, DEATH BECOMES HER to the highest grossing movie musical of all time: MAMMA MIA! (her rendition of ABBA’s “The Winner Takes it All” is a Master Class in itself).

atuomala

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Broadway Star
joined:5/3/12

Broadway Star
joined:
5/3/12

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #6
Posted: 6/30/18 at 8:31pm

She's stated in the past that she'd prefer to do something new and not a revival.

"Mostly, I loved the size of these people's emotions. Nobody has emotions this size anymore. Outsized emotions. Operatic emotions. Kushemski and Vanda are like Tristan and Isolde, they're Paolo and Francesca. Nobody's in total thrall like this anymore. Nobody's overcome by passion like this, or goes through this kind of rage." Thomas, Venus in Fur

JBroadway

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Broadway Legend
joined:4/6/12

Broadway Legend
joined:
4/6/12

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #7
Posted: 6/30/18 at 8:47pm

I'd see her read the phonebook! Hope her Broadway return comes very soon, and I pray to god, whatever it is, that they have an affordable rush.

broadwayboy223

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Broadway Legend
joined:7/2/14

Broadway Legend
joined:
7/2/14

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #8
Posted: 6/30/18 at 8:59pm

Mama Rose, The Witch, all the big Sondheim roles. As for new work maybe she could do Sondheims new show? Or something with Jeannie Tesori

WayTooBroadway

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joined:1/11/10

Broadway Star
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1/11/10

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #9
Posted: 6/30/18 at 9:49pm

How about a new play or a new musical so a rising playwright can be given the voice s/he deserves on a Broadway stage?

Or the Wizard in Wicked.

"When the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you've written." -Stephen Sondheim

JMH2

Swing
joined:5/18/09

Swing
joined:
5/18/09

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #10
Posted: 7/1/18 at 12:28am

Wasn't there a rumor awhile back that she would be doing a new play by Tony Kushner in the near future based on his grandmother?

GeorgeandDot

Broadway Legend
joined:12/13/16

Broadway Legend
joined:
12/13/16

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #11
Posted: 7/1/18 at 12:39am

I've never understood the nasty comments about her singing. She's a very strong singer and is right up there with many of the Broadway actresses of her age. How come they can get away with singing like that and she can't? I call BS. Especially when her acting is as strong as it is.

I'd love to see her originate a Sondheim role. I know that she has been working with Kushner for a while on that play. I wonder what's going on with it.

Susanswerphone

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Leading Actor
joined:4/26/14

Leading Actor
joined:
4/26/14

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #12
Posted: 7/1/18 at 1:44am

I’d love to see her tackle Christine Mannon in Mourning Becomes Electra:The Musical.
Mamie could play Lavinia.

ViniFromBrazil

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Understudy
joined:1/26/16

Understudy
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1/26/16

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #13
Posted: 7/1/18 at 9:27am

The matriarch/child in Cloud Nine.

jv92

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Broadway Legend
joined:11/4/05

Broadway Legend
joined:
11/4/05

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #14
Posted: 7/1/18 at 1:04pm

If she does consider a revival of a classic, how about THE VISIT (the Duerrenmatt play, not the K&E musical) with Kevin Kline as Schill? Even as a Shakespeare in the Park summer production? I am dying to see her play that brilliant,, glamorous old lady.

qolbinau

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Broadway Legend
joined:6/29/08

Broadway Legend
joined:
6/29/08

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #15
Posted: 7/1/18 at 1:43pm

GeorgeandDot said: "I've never understood the nasty comments about her singing. She's a very strong singer and is right up there with many of the Broadway actresses of her age. How come they can get away with singing like that and she can't? I call BS. Especially when her acting is as strong as it is.

I'd love to see her originate a Sondheim role. I know that she has been working with Kushner for a while on that play. I wonder what's going on with it."

Who gets away with it though? I don't know if Meryl is a strong a singer as the aging divas (e.g., Bernadette, Donna Murphy, obviously not LuPone). Chita and Angela are much older.

I must admit I don't think Meryl sounds like a strong singer EXCEPT for moments in Into the Woods that do sound exceptional...though cue a revisit to the conspiracy theories about whether it was actually Donna Murphy being layered onto her tracks.

And then we face the problem of singing live vs not in a studio, and singing 6-8 shows per week. I think there is cause for concern about her voice..

"It’s the fractured quality in [Bernadette Peters'] singing voice and line readings that puts across the character as someone for whom resentment is sliding into madness." - NYtimes on Follies (2011).

Updated On: 7/1/18 at 01:43 PM

benwilsonn.xo

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Chorus Member
joined:4/18/18

Chorus Member
joined:
4/18/18

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #16
Posted: 7/1/18 at 2:09pm

Mame, Mame, Mame

GeorgeandDot

Broadway Legend
joined:12/13/16

Broadway Legend
joined:
12/13/16

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #17
Posted: 7/1/18 at 2:19pm

I think her voice is in the same shape as Donna Murphy and Bernadette Peters right now. Patti out sings all of them simply because her voice somehow hasn't aged since Evita. It's shocking. Meryl's a much stronger singer than Bette Midler for sure. Meryl's a stunning actresses and her singing is very much so appropriate for a woman her age, especially in recent years. Her voices seems to have improved since Into the Woods. I know for a fact that she went through rigorous vocal training for that part and sang part of her music live on set and then sweetened it in the studio later. Her voice is strong enough that she could definitely sing a musical 8 times a week, especially one written in the sweet spot of her voice.

MichelleCraig

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joined:5/28/14

Broadway Star
joined:
5/28/14

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #18
Posted: 7/1/18 at 4:20pm

“Singing” in films is a lot different from singing live on Broadway X number of times a week. Maybe Meryl can manage it. We don’t know yet.

If she’s able, some of these suggestions are pretty great... “Mame”

IdinaBellFoster

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Broadway Legend
joined:11/5/06

Broadway Legend
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Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #19
Posted: 7/2/18 at 12:08pm

I agree that I've never understood the hate on Meryl's vocals.

I'd love Tesori and Kushner to write a new musical with her leading it.

"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards

SomethingPeculiar

Broadway Legend
joined:6/15/14

Broadway Legend
joined:
6/15/14

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #20
Posted: 7/2/18 at 12:24pm

I think the question is, could she sustain 8 shows a week (or even 7) in a musical?

I'd love to see her take on a new play...even better if it's by an emerging female writer (on Broadway, off-Broadway, or in the Park). She hasn't been onstage since 2006.

JBC3

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joined:4/9/17

Broadway Star
joined:
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Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #21
Posted: 7/2/18 at 1:05pm

She probably would not want to do it, but I would love to see her do a revival of August Osage.

She also would make an interesting Margaret Clark in a Piazza revival if she could sing it.

But something new from Kushner for her would be fantastic.

broadwayboy223

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joined:7/2/14

Broadway Legend
joined:
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Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #22
Posted: 7/2/18 at 1:07pm

I think its important to bring up that she did train with Bervely Sills voice teacher back in the day and if you at her work in the Florence Jenkins movie, it actually takes a lot of skill to sing that badly and do it without hurting yourself.

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2

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Broadway Legend
joined:1/22/14

Broadway Legend
joined:
1/22/14

Roles for Meryl Streep on Broadway #23
Posted: 7/2/18 at 1:13pm

I would love to see her in something really gritty and challenging and unexpected. Something more in the veins of Mother Courage.