COMPANY starring Katrina Lenk and Patti LuPone will open March 22 - Page 18

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 6:04pm

Up In One said: "With Lenk and LuPone on board ..."


Isn’t it safe to assume Patti isn’t onboard given the repeated suggestions that Rosalie Craig & Jonathan Bailey won’t be transferring? Aside from previously having quit musicals after War Paint she did, quite unequivocally state she wouldn’t carry on with Company without those leads - which she also followed through with in her Les Mis days. 

[ItsKatrina]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 6:10pm

LuPone is doing the Broadway run.

[binau]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 6:28pm

Theatrefanboy1 said: "I guess I’m the only one hoping for Richard fleeshman to transfer. "

Definitely. It wouldn’t come across on the cast recording but very fun & endearing performance with a very attractive man that will be hard to replace. 

Also: those earlier comments re ‘another hundred people’ is so true. Probably the weakest part. AND the character DOES seem very gay with his camp British accent, mannerisms and some of the lines. I think a new actor could fix this but the idea of putting a woman back here actually could work too. Not sure what this would do to the vocals of ‘you could drive a person crazy’, lyrics of ‘have I got a guy for you’ or lyrics of ‘poor baby’ though (even if the central date in that context is still a man). It would be a little messy I think. It’d be hard. 

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 8:21pm

Another Hundred People as a whole scene in this production just does not work. PJ, as a character, takes the obnoxiously endearing Marta and turns her into a very campy, arrogant stereotype- and thus ends up twisting the humor into something completely different, and in my opinion, inferior to his female counterpart. Another Hundred People, unlike many of the other songs not involving Bobby/ie, Joanne, and Amy/Jamie, is incredibly difficult to separate from Marta, as that is pretty much the only moment we see of her in the show, and it’s a moment that should leave a lasting impression. The staging (although I like the concept, the execution is not pleasing) of the song and interpretation of the character really does not do that, and I hope Marianne Elliot reconsiders that whole section.

I think ultimately having the trio of lovers be a mix of male and female would benefit the point the characters are trying to get across, which is essentially that Bobbie needs to choose her future and settle down. Having a mix of genders included would, yes, complicate the vocals and staging, but I don’t think it’s impossible to pull off. Bobbie being involved with both men and women would add another interesting, if heavy-handed, layer to the driving theme of “choosing”, but this production is not noticeably subtle about their themes either way.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 8:22pm

ukpuppetboy said: "Up In One said: "With Lenk and LuPone on board ..."


Isn’t it safe to assume Patti isn’t onboard given the repeated suggestions that Rosalie Craig & Jonathan Bailey won’t be transferring? Aside from previously having quit musicals after War Paint she did, quite unequivocally state she wouldn’t carry on with Company without those leads - which she also followed through with in her Les Mis days."

I think the difference is that Craig and Bailey’s involvement supposedly fell apart during negotiations. If the producers had snubbed them all together, that would be a different story.

[Impossible2]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 8:30pm

QueenAlice said: "

One example of something I think should be looked at again for the states are Bobbi’s three boyfriends who in London basically came across as homosexual- partly because of casting and partly because they were essentially performing material written for three women. Sure it’s a “kick” seeing them take on the roles, but again I was left with the feeling that these parts would never have been conceived like this if they were written to be played by men."

That was literally my favourite part of the show and I totally disagree x

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:20pm

Perhaps it was just my experience as a woman watching it, but I felt like the boyfriends came off like a good performance at “Broadway Backwards.” Tons of fun, but not at all believable in regards to what is realistic in relationship to male love interests for a female protagonist. If George Firth were still alive he would undoubtedly have done some significant revamping to the book. Are there any other women on this board who saw the production? I’m really curious what you all thought.

Updated On: 8/16/19 at 09:20 PM

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:32pm

ljay889 said: "I think the difference is that Craig and Bailey’s involvement supposedly fell apart during negotiations. If the producers had snubbed them all together, that would be a different story."

Obviously it remains to be seen but I took Patti’s stance as being the same as with Les Miserables - that she enjoyed her time with the original company/production too much to risk marring that experience with a different one. Irrespective of who the replacements were and why it came about. But we shall see in due course.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:40pm

fwiw Matt Tamanini hinted on Broadway Radio that there would be a Company announcement sometime this upcoming week, though no clue if it's just the official announcement of the transfer or cast as well.

[ItsKatrina]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:44pm

chrishuyen said: "fwiw Matt Tamanini hinted on Broadway Radio that there would be a Company announcement sometime this upcoming week, though no clue if it's just the official announcement of the transfer or cast as well."

Transfer, theatre, and cast are being announced next week 

:) 

[Impossible2]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:58pm

QueenAlice said: "Perhaps it was just my experience as a woman watching it, but I felt like the boyfriends came off like a good performance at “Broadway Backwards.” Tons of fun,but not at all believable in regards to what is realistic in relationship to male love interests for a female protagonist. IfGeorge Firth werestill alive he would undoubtedly have done some significant revamping to the book.Are there any other women on this board who saw the production? I’m really curious what you all thought."

I have to say this was my first time seeing the show (I'm not a huge fan of Sondheim) and though I really enjoyed it, in the end I had absolutely no idea what it was even supposed to be about beyond a single woman whose friends were all trying to get her hitched.

The whole thing seemed rooted in some kind of weird fantasy realm with the staging/lighting/direction, so no the guys didn't seem out of place or strange at all to me in the context of this particular staging.

 

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 9:59pm

Perhaps I’ve just missed it, but where has LuPone said that she would only transfer with the production of Craig and Bailey transferred as well? This was a major triumph for LuPone in London, and I can’t imagine her, at this point in her career, turning down the chance to repeat the role on Broadway even if the rest of the cast were the Muppets.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 10:01pm

Perhaps I’ve just missed it, but where has LuPone said that she would only transfer with the production of Craig and Bailey transferred as well? This was a major triumph for LuPone in London, and I can’t imagine her, at this point in her career, turning down the chance to repeat the role on Broadway even if the rest of the cast were the Muppets.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 10:48pm

She said in an interview “certain cast members would have to join her” for her to transfer. I don’t remember her specifying Craig and Bailey, but they’re obviously who she was referring to.

Patti is known for playing hardball, but I’m not surprised she didn’t follow through with her word this time. I couldn’t imagine she’d pass up a Broadway transfer of a major Sondheim revival, and the 50th anniversary of the show itself.

[ItsKatrina]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 10:55pm

Patti knows she's picking up the 2020 Tony for Featured Actress and Rosalie was offered to take the role to Broadway but it fell through on Rosalie's end.

Updated On: 8/16/19 at 10:55 PM

[DoTheDood]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 11:04pm

ljay889 said: "Patti is known for playing hardball, but I’m not surprised she didn’t follow through with her word this time. I couldn’t imagine she’d pass up a Broadway transfer of a major Sondheim revival, and the 50th anniversary of the show itself."

Not to mention the show is opening around Sondheim's 90th birthday, I mean there is probably going to be more to his birthday (likely a concert like his 80th), but I doubt she would want to decline with how important this show/the man is.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/16/19 at 11:28pm

DoTheDood said: "ljay889 said: "Patti is known for playing hardball, but I’m not surprised she didn’t follow through with her word this time. I couldn’t imagine she’d pass up a Broadway transfer of a major Sondheim revival, and the 50th anniversary of the show itself."

Not to mention the show is opening aroundSondheim's 90th birthday, I mean there is probably going to be more to his birthday (likely a concert like his 80th), but I doubt she would want to decline with how important this show/the man is."

Yep. Completely agreed. 

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 12:08am

Forget the cast, is someone working on the clunky book moments, like that second scene with Peter and Susan?

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 12:19am

orangeskittles said: "Forget the cast, is someone working on the clunky book moments, like that second scene with Peter and Susan?"

Yep. I'm on it. 

[Dolly80]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 12:44am

Rosalie was told pretty early on that she wouldn’t be going with it. So there you go.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 12:46am

ItsKatrina said: "Patti knows she's picking up the 2020 Tony for Featured Actress and Rosalie was offered to take the role to Broadway but it fell through on Rosalie's end."

 

Nope- you are totally wrong on that.

[ItsKatrina]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 1:10am

Dolly80 said: "ItsKatrina said: "Patti knows she's picking up the 2020 Tony for Featured Actress and Rosalie was offered to take the role to Broadway but it fell through on Rosalie's end."



Nope- you are totally wrong on that."

I trust my sources but if you say so! 

[BJR]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 9:09am

ljay889 said: "Patti is known for playing hardball, but I’m not surprised she didn’t follow through with her word this time. I couldn’t imagine she’d pass up a Broadway transfer of a major Sondheim revival, and the 50th anniversary of the show itself."

Agreed. She has to know this is a special moment. How many more Sondheim revivals on Broadway will she get to do, especially if I may be so frank, while we're lucky enough to have him with us?

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/17/19 at 10:11am

BJR said: "ljay889 said: "Patti is known for playing hardball, but I’m not surprised she didn’t follow through with her word this time. I couldn’t imagine she’d pass up a Broadway transfer of a major Sondheim revival, and the 50th anniversary of the show itself."

Agreed. She has to know this is a special moment. How many more Sondheim revivals on Broadway will she get to do, especially if I may be so frank, while we're lucky enough to have him with us?"

Absolutely. There is so much prestige involved with this production. A game-changing revival of a landmark musical during its 50th anniversary. Plus Sondheim’s 90th Birthday, this is going to be a very special event. I can’t wait!

[binau]

Posted: 8/18/19 at 4:35am

Don't want to create a new thread for this, but I'm re-listening to the Evita OBC and it almost is scary to listen to LuPone because it sounds like the same voice she has in 2019! When you listen to say Bernadette in 1974-1984 it's very much 'young Bernadette'. But LuPone could as well have headed to the recording studio during Company and recorded the OBC Evita. It's incredible.