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Perfect casting for a revival that never has happened |
After seeing Mary Poppins, I am convinced that Emily Blunt would make a great Mame. While the role has slowly gotten older, Angela Lansbury was 40 when it opened and, in the story itself, Mame takes in Patrick, who I think is supposed to be 8 when the show begins. Since he is her older brother's son, it is not unreasonable for Mame to be in her 30s. Vera would have to be younger, but Julie Harris was already considered a theatre actress for the ages in her 30s, so that could work, too. Finally, since Gooch does get pregnant the old-fashioned way, its is reasonable for her to be in her 20s or 30s.
Jarethan said: "After seeing Mary Poppins, I am convinced that Emily Blunt would make a great Mame. While the role has slowly gotten older, Angela Lansbury was 40 when it opened and, in the story itself, Mame takes in Patrick, who I think is supposed to be 8 when the show begins. Since he is her older brother's son, it is not unreasonable for Mame to be in her 30s. Vera would have to be younger, but Julie Harris was already considered a theatre actress for the ages in her 30s, so that could work,too. Finally, since Gooch does get pregnant the old-fashioned way, its is reasonable for her to be in her 20s or 30s."
I don't have any reasoning behind this, but now I want to see Mame with Emily Blunt, Patina Miller as Vera, and Bonnie Milligan as Gooch. Maybe wait another 5 years or so, but I'm all about it.

I’ve found myself listening to the Aida soundtrack a lot recently and would be down for a revival of it. A great casting for me would be:
- Nicolette Robinson as Aida
- Katharine McPhee as Amneris (she actually said in her Show Time interview with Wontorek that she had auditioned for Amneris for the Aida tour when she was at musical college but was probably too young for the role at the time).
- Ramin Karimloo as Radames - I’m obsessed with his voice!
.... Julie Andrews and cate Blanchett in a little night music (I guess I believe if I put it out into the world enough it will happen )
Aaron tveit And Cynthia erivo in Aida ... maybe with Katherine McPhee. I was always curious about lea Michele
Cher in Mame with either Meryl or Bette
Dolly Parton in hello, dolly
Barbra in gypsy ( I know shes been after making the film for years. I wonder if shed settle for a return to broadway in it)
Oprah and Audra in night mother
Lady gaga in Evita or funny girl
Jonathan Groff in Sunset Boulevard or titanic or Joseph
Next to Normal with Carmen Cusack as Diana, Austin Mckenzie as Gabe, Alexandra Socha as Natalie, and Andy Karl as Dan.
Don’t hold your breath on seeing Emily Blunt on stage in any musical as she’s stated recently while doing press for MARY POPPINS RETURNS that she has no interest nor has it ever been on her Bucket List to do a musical on stage. She’s quite aware of her vocal limitations and the demands of an 8 performances a week schedule. She’s definitely interested in returning to the stage in a play, but not a musical.


joined:6/4/09
joined:
6/4/09
LizzieCurry said: "Bonnie Milligan as Pennywise in Urinetown when she's age-appropriate! But I don't want to wait that long for Urinetown."
This!! Bring back Jeff McCarthy as Lockstock! To get a little buzz for the show... Andrew Rannells as Bobby.
Kristin Chenoweth as Carrie Pipperidge and Nellie Forbush.
Julia Murney as Diana in Next to Normal.
Marin Mazzie in Follies.
Alright, so I picked Dance of the Vampires, but more like Europe and less like NY... don't judge.
Generalities:
Pre-set in my head: smaller cast, smaller venue, smaller orchestra, shorter show. (Note to European followers on that last bit: more or less the 2009 revival version minus the new ending, and not the three-hour monstrosity it once was, as delightful as that would be to super-fans.)
Cast size is 20, with 5 ensemble men, 6 ensemble women, and Chagal / Magda / Rebecca / Herbert / Koukol doubling as ensemble when not in use as leads.
Cast:
Count von Krolock........Drew Sarich (I like the vibe he could project of a used-up rock star just beginning to age, young enough to be attractive to a young girl [i.e., lending an allure and sense of experience to Sarah's perception of him] and old enough that, even if he were mortal, there would be a disquieting sense of jaded cruelty about him)
Professor Abronsius.........Brent Spiner (I'm thinking less Albert Einstein spoof, as the European version normally has him, and more like Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, very "abrasive former college football star who wants to be admired for his brains"; besides, he's a lovely singer, way more versatile than people who only know him from Star Trek realize, and has Broadway credentials)
Alfred......Daniel Radcliffe (alright, hear me out: number one, he's done a lot of offbeat stage projects you don't expect him to do, with and without stars; number two, it's fine to cast a non-musical actor who can sing decently with help, because his being the least accomplished singer in the cast is an adorable character point; number three, "For Sarah" being kind of vocally underdeveloped but well-acted is a fair trade-off for some much needed star power to offset the existing flop stench)
Sarah......Taylor Iman Jones (pulled off very young very well in Head Over Heels, voice is in the right zone)
Chagal........Roger Bart (he could find more comedy in an old lech than being "Tevye but grabby," and what has he done lately anyway, let's give him some work)
Rebecca........Gelsey Bell (great character voice, has a good wispy look about her that can easily translate into faded with costuming, great comedic timing, unusual but very strong vocal range in general useful for filling out ensemble doubling)
Magda........Bonnie Milligan (a standout from Head Over Heels, just the belter this role needs)
Herbert........Brendon Urie (some more star power, and an established androgynous performer that makes the character less of a gay joke and more of a mind-freak for Alfred)
Koukol........Richard O'Brien (don't think Igor throwback, think more like the type of manservant described in Gothic novels, an eerie presence that cuts a silent but menacing figure, as in the Finnish productions; Riff-Raff without pushing it into camp, and great voice for "Carpe Noctem" if we give him that)
Spiner, Radcliffe, and Urie alone would make this a box office bonanza for millennials.
(Alternate for Abronsius is Jeremy Kushnier [has the cocky Gaston type I have in mind down pat] and alternate for Herbert is Jinkx Monsoon [prominent non-binary performer that has the vibe I'm looking for].)
Broadway Legend
joined: 5/1/05
Blocked: After Eight, suestorm, FindingNamo, david_fick, emlodik, lovebwy, Dave28282
I am so over Glenn Close in anything so I want Nicole Kidman and Jonathan Groff in the film version of Sunset Boulevard---thank you world.
joined:8/28/18
joined:
8/28/18
Posted: 1/17/19 at 10:18pm