Bernadette Peters as 'Dolly' in HELLO, DOLLY- Page 3

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 8:18am

Wasn't one of the reasons why Bette's tv show was cancelled was that she couldn't handle the production grind? Is she really ready for the grind?

That being said, I think she should be in a musical version of "Stella". Has the story of Stella Dallas ever been musicalized? It may be too close to Gypsy, but it provides good material for a powerhouse female lead and an ingenue.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 8:28am

Personally I would love to see Harriet Harris as Dolly. She's a very funny actress who can also be very touching. The show will sell itself they can go for a more Broadway name.

As for the musical version of Baby Jane, should it be written, I say Charles Busch and Harvey Fierstein.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 8:36am

Isn't there already a "Baby Jane" musical? As for Dolly, I think Peters would make an excellent one. Not so excellent Mame, however.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 8:40am

I've always been thinking about my dream casting for Auntie Mame (for the play, not "Mame")... 10 years ago, i thought Anne Bancroft would be great! Today, i'm thinking Wendy Malick!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:22am

My choice for Dolly? Georgia Engel. Remember, Dolly is a very funny lady who doesn't realize it. With that in mind, Georgia could pull it off.

JoAnn Worley might be fine, too!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 9:50am

I think I said the same thing a week or two ago. She would be a reason I would make a trip to see Dolly. I've never been a fan of the show.

[robbiej]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:01am

My one and only thought for the role of Mame is the GLORIOUS Goldie Hawn.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 12:50pm

OK robbiej, you've just given me a reason to see Mame.

Posted: 1/21/05 at 1:32pm

If you go the Goldie route, have a little 'Death Becomes Her' reunion and let Meryl play Vera.

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 1:49pm

Oh my god. Are you folks making up these rumors as you go along? Cher is doing Mame. The agreement is they will start production after she completes her farewell tour and a film commitment she has. Work is being done on the book of the show to make it more faithfull to the actual play. And they are also planning on having a broadway bound revival ( Baranski was rumored at some point) before it is made for tv. How do I know all this? Simple... I watch Oprah. Cher did two interviews with her last season and in both she talked about this project.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 1:54pm

Well, Cher better give Jerry Herman a call, because in an interview he gave a month or two ago (around the time the La Cage revival opened), he said that they were "actively" looking for Mames other than Cher for the tv movie.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 2:16pm

Well, it took a while and some googling to find it, but here, from justplaincher.com (a Cher fan site) is the Herman quote about Mame (from October 26, 2004):

"It's official; Cher and Streisand are both 'out' as far as the new movie incarnation of MAME is concerned. Cher was to star, Streisand was to executive produce with her production team.

"It's up for grabs" says creator Jerry Herman referring to a movie redux of his musical MAME. Herman was questioned about MAME this weekend, while visiting East Haddam (CT) at the Goodspeed Opera House where a revival of Herman's "MACK and MABEL" is under way.

According to Herman, he took one look at the early version of the script under Streisand's supervision and nixed the idea. He complains that Streisand took some liberties with the big chorus numbers, and changed them into solo versions for "Mame" (Cher) to sing. Says Herman, "She took 'It's Today' and turned it into a solo! A solo! It's a party song, and she turns it into a solo? I don't want to get into it."

Herman was more interested in talking about his new choice to play Mame. "What do you think about Catherine Zeta Jones as MAME?" he asked reporters. "She's funny and she's a real musical lady. I think it would be phenomenal". "

Now, personally, I think Catherine Zeta-Jones is all wrong (and a decade too young) for the part, but, regardless, the point is Cher is OUT as Mame.

[CurtainUp2]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 3:02pm

"Speaking of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, I always thought Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel would be perfect in 20 years or so."

Maybe in 20 years or so, but Liza and Lorna would be perfect right now! What dream casting!!! Liza and Lorna in "Baby Jane: The Musical".

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 3:05pm

Well; Herman does not own the tv rights.. but I will find out from one of my sources and post.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 3:24pm

Whew, thank goodness Dollypop didn't say Loretta Swit.

Seriously though, I love Georiga Engel. I think she's hysterical. She's been great on "Raymond". But don't you think she's a bit too soft? I don't think she's quite aggressive enought to play the part.

I really don't see Bernadette playing it either. Carol Channing is a tough act to follow and I don't think Bernadette will bring anything to the role.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 3:36pm

I could see Bette doing a rewrite of a Mae West film such as She Done Him Wrong or I'm No Angel. Both have potential for big brassy scores and huge productions. West's play "Sex" has delicious opportunities for a hilarious musicalized camp production.

Though I'm sure it would never be done, I think a musical version of Ruthless People (or it's original, Too Many Crooks) would be fantastic. The story is wonderful and the characters are ripe for musicalization.

Just throwing ideas out there, I think a female version of Heaven Can Wait has numerous opportunities .

Dinner at Eight could work, though it may be too much of an ensemble piece to feature Bette.




Baby Jane Musical

[JoshuaEads]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 4:36pm

I've always thought that Ellen Greene would be a sensational Dolly Levi; and if we go the "Pearl Bailey Route", how about Queen Latifah? Don't shoot me, just some ideas.

Love,
Joshie

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 4:37pm

I really don't think we'll see Bette doing eight (or even six)shows a week on Broadway anytime soon.

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 4:57pm

oh my god do you people not read?!
it's been reported quite awhile ago that none other than Victoria Principal will be starring in the "MAME" tele-pic.
they plan to use Lucille Ball's near-perfect vocals from the original movie to dub her.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 5:26pm

As long as we're going that route, how about Harvey Fierstein as Dolly, but all the songs are dubbed by Federika Von Stade.

I must say I do like the idea of Queen Latifah IF she could work with a dialect coach to get some of the modern street dialect out of her tone.

[alterego]

Posted: 1/21/05 at 11:55pm

Nnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! To Bernadette Peters doing Dolly. Let's give her a loonnnggggggggggg rest, then she can make a comeback. Queen Latifah is a great idea.

Talking of Cher and Midler. Cher is still doing the farewell tour, February and March in Australia and Midler's 'Brass' tour will be here in Oz in April/May.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 4:20pm

I could TOTALLY see it!

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 4:22pm

LOL. You like bumping posts from 2 years ago!

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 5:34pm

You can't win around here americanboy99, if you had posted a new thread some smartass "broadway legend" would have pointed out that there was a already a thread about this and snidely "suggest" you do a search. Dotcha love theatre lovers?

As for Peters a Dolly. No, please, no.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 6/18/07 at 5:39pm

I just gotta tell you, opening this up and seeing Margo's avatar, only to realize it was a years old thread, was a total kick in the gut.