Megan Mullally to star in Kathleen Marshall’s ANYTHING GOES in London

[JBroadway]

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Megan-Mullally-to-Lead-Reimagined-ANYTHING-GOES-from-Kathleen-Marshall-20201119

Billed as a “reimagining,”  but from the quote in the article, it sounds more like a “retooling” or “revisal” of the 2011 revival. Hard to imagine Kathleen Marshall really “reimagining” Anything Goes, but we’ll see. Mullally is an unconventional choice for Reno but I bet she’ll be amazing.

 

[bwayobsessed]

Hopefully they’ll fix the treatment of the Chinese characters

[Jordan Catalano]

Perfect timing! I’ll be arriving the week it starts!

[Jordan Levinson]

It's revivals like this that will breathe new life into live theatre post-pandemic. With Anything Goes, yes, there are issues of racism and yellow face to address (Luke and John), but I believe Marshall will do something about it. I'd be shocked if she ignores this issue during a time period where countless amounts of people are advocating for social justice.

As for Mullally, I'm sure London audiences will get a kick out of her.

 

[ACL2006]

I'm not sure Mullally can tap, so maybe she'll be more of a LuPone type of Reno? Just seems like an odd choice.

[jimmycurry01]

ACL2006 said: "I'm not sure Mullally can tap, so maybe she'll be more of a LuPone type of Reno? Just seems like an odd choice."

The role wasn't really created for a tapper. Ethel Merman could certainly sing, and was a pretty good actress, but was not known for her dancing. I don't believe that most Renos were particularly strong dancers, Sutton Foster notwithstanding.

[blaxx]

Yet, she'll be almost 65 at the time of opening. It is a strange choice.

[Jordan Catalano]

It’s being billed as a “reimagined” production so it might not be a strange choice at all. My tix are booked and I’m stoked!

[Joviedamian]

"reimagined"...I heard this time the ship is docked.

[qolbinau]

I’m also stoked - the show is easy fun and Megan is funny with a pleasant voice.. I’ve already seen it a couple of times with ‘right’ casting (including Sutton) so happy for something different.

[BrodyFosse123]

“Re-imagining” = Reno Sweeney doesn’t dance in this production. Yes, Mullally is a trained dancer (former ballerina), but she probably isn’t up to doing the expected dance sections 8 times a week. They creatively compromised.

[fashionguru_23]

I assume like others above me that a "reimagining" means that they are going to go in and "fix" the issues that would no longer be "accepted" by today's audience. 

This leads me to think about other shows in the same boat (pun not intended). I know that Encores was working on the "retooled" Throughly Modern Millie. I can only assume that if we ever get a major revival of Mame, Ito will be changed. I mean, maybe even just cut the accent. His part isn't incredibly large.

[quizking101]

I’m honestly sad I can’t see this. Cole Porter is just the right amount of camp for Mullally and she will go full in.

[Jordan Catalano]

This is exactly the type of show/casting that will help get people back to the theatre.

[Call_me_jorge]

Is Roundabout involved in this at all? The website has no information on who is producing except that it’s in association with The Barbican

[Sutton Ross]

Sounds like a damn good time. 

[morosco]

Call_me_jorge said: "Is Roundabout involved in this at all? The website has no information on who producing expect that it’s in association with The Barbican"

I don't know anything (and I could be wrong) but if the Roundabout has any say in this production I wonder if they were hesitant about her casting after she left them in a lurch in 2010.

She'll be magical in the role.

[Call_me_jorge]

morosco said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Is Roundabout involved in this at all? The website has no information on who producing expect that it’s in association with The Barbican"

I don't know anything (and I could be wrong) but if the Roundabout has any say in this production I wonder if they were hesitant about her casting after she left them in a lurch in 2010.

She'll be magical in the role."

Totally forgot about their past! Thanks for pointing that out. Probably not, then.

[Jordan Catalano]

I swear I read in one of the articles yesterday that this is in association with RSC.

[JBroadway]

I likewise don't claim to know what the actual situation is here. But it seems to me that, in the likely scenario that RTC gets some form of billing on this production, it wouldn't necessarily mean that they are actively involved with it. It seems like there would likely just be a note in the program saying "Produced in association with Roundabout" for contractual reasons, because the production originated with them, and it's being done with their cooperation (but not necessarily their hands-on involvement). Again, I'm not an expert on this, but based on past experience, this strikes me as the most likely scenario. Happy to be corrected. 

I hadn't heard of the Roundabout/Mullally dispute, but I looked it up just now. I agree that, based on that situation, it's plausible that Roundabout would refrain from reaching out to her if they were in control of the casting. But given that it seemed to be an isolated conflict between Mullally and Mantello, I would hope that Haimes and Mullaly wouldn't hold a decade-long grudge against each other as a result. Especially not one that's strong enough to block Marshall from hiring Mullally if Marshall requested it. But who really knows? But regardless, like I said above, I doubt Roundabout will be very hands-on with this run. 

[BizBuzz]

No involvement with Roundabout or RSC. It’s based on the 2011 Broadway revival but it will be a new production, produced by Trafalgar Entertainment.