Who's Your Favorite "Edna" in HAIRSPRAY?- Page 2

[Flaunt It]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 6:38am

Blake is currently playing Edna at Music Theatre of Wichita

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 12:22pm

I love them all. But Bruce Vilanch was my favorite.
I have seen Bruce, Harvey, John and Blake.
Blake was hysterical and the only Edna I interviewed on CAMERA.
He is so nice and I loved his performance. Pinette was very good also.
Bruce cracked me up with his side jokes. I think Bruce is the funniest man alive.
Blake Hammond is such a sweetheart. I also saw him in a funny reading and he played a man who turned into a crab. Love, him!
I do love Harvey and think he did a great job as Edna. Updated On: 8/18/07 at 12:22 PM

[Hank]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 6:48pm

Divine and Harvey, I love them both, even though they're so different.
I love the movie musical too, except for Travolta. He looks hideous, his voice just doesn't fit the part (too masculine), and even his dancing, which was his strong point in his earlier movies, does not cut it here.
Sorry, I haven't seen any of the Broadway replacements, or touring Ednas, so I have to limit it to these three.

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 8:22pm

Love you, Hank. We agree again.
Blake Hammond is the nicest of the Edna's. Harvey and Bruce are legends.
Bruce needs to bring back his one man show that played at Westbeth.
Bruce is a g-d.

[LuPonatic]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 9:04pm

I have only seen Bruce Vilanch and John Pinette, besides the movies actors, and I have to say I really love John Travolta's Edna. Maybe because with his I actually forget it's a man playing the part! of the stage Ednas I've seen, I choose John Pinette. I thought Bruce Vilanch was TERRIBLE! his acting was terrible, and he even flubbed what seemed like adlibs in Timeless To Me. He was not funny to me!

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 9:19pm

I saw Bruce twice and he was TIMELESS TO ME.
The man just cracks me up. Travolta was the worst Edna I have ever seen. Just my two cents.

[Chason]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 9:50pm

The one I can't "stand" is Harvey Fierstein. I know he's a great actor, and watching him singing on stage was probably a real treat. Listening to him on the OBC CD is like nails on a chalkboard. I'm glad that now there is a movie soundtrack, and John Travolta is pretty inoffensive. Fierstein on the OBC sounds like he's singing through one of those throat boxes, for people who no longer have an actual voice!

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 9:58pm

Harvey has heart. His voice is not perfect but for that role a voice is not needed. He plays the role with heart and a deep soul. Harvey was the most passionate Edna on the stage. (HE REALLY WAS INCREDIBLE) It was about his passion and presence.
I adore his Edna. He might be a complete DIVA when you meet him but his EDNA was fabulous.
Travolta has no heart or soul as Edna.
Travolta plays Edna as a house frau, dull boring housewife.
YAWN.
Give me passion anyday over selling out.

[JP2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 10:00pm

I completely disagree. :)

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 10:09pm

JP,
That makes horse races. I adore Harvey's Edna. They didn't use him because he played the role like the legend DIVNE(May the DIVINE ONE REST IN PEACE)
Travolta plays the role as a woman not a man in drag.
John Waters was trying to stir things up in the original film and Marc Shaiman and Scott were following John Waters dream with the show on Broadway.
The show on Broadway is one of the greatest shows ever created!(In my opinion it shows that you don't have to be a thin, skinny nasty blonde to be special)
The new movie sold out.

Just my two cents.
Updated On: 8/18/07 at 10:09 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 10:12pm

"as was his addition of those glasses for Edna"

That was not Blakes addition. Those were Bruces, and since Blake was his understudy, he got the same ones that we made for Bruce.

My favorites are all of the Edna's I gave 'birth' to:
Bruce Vilanch
Blake Hammond
John Pinette
Dale Calandra
Kenny Morris

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 10:16pm

I love you DIVA OH YES I DO.
LOVE U.
XOXOOXXO
C

[Mrs.LinkLarkin2]

Posted: 8/18/07 at 11:40pm

Blake Hammond and Travolta

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 9:03am

Yessir, I'm aware that Bruce (Vilanch) added the glasses. I was simply saying I was glad Blake chose to use them for HIS Edna as well.

As for Corine2 -- apparently you missed the boat on the character of Edna Turnblad. John Waters wrote her as a 'real' woman -- never was it intended for it to be a drag role or a man playing a woman. The gift from him to Divine was that it was NOT to be a 'drag' role -- he wanted Divine to play it as a 'real' woman never once going for the 'drag' intonations as before. This was also the same intentions when the Broadway idea occurred -- Edna was written AS a woman and was to be acted and performed AS a woman. Any 'drag' implications was to be completely eliminated in performance. The fact that they chose to cast male actors for Edna was in homage to Divine and per John Waters request, as he is consultant to the stage show AND the current film-adaption. Harvey and all the other actors playing Edna have always played her as a woman -- not a 'man dressed like a woman'. John Travolta is following the original idea, which you obviously were totally out-of-the-loop with.

If you need contact info for John Waters to clue you in on the whole Edna Turnblad issue, let me know.

Also, all this is mentioned in numerous documentary profiles on John Waters and Divine.

[BroadwayBelle2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 12:49pm

Harvey Firestein of course!

[wicked4life51]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 3:40pm

HARVEY

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/19/07 at 4:12pm

Brody Fosse,
I did not know this. Well, then all I can say is I preferred DIVINE, BRUCE AND Harvey's approach at the role. They did not seem like they played the role as a woman and I liked it better.
They just made the role more fun and funnier.
I would take the drag approach. It just works better in my opinion.

Wacky and wonderful in my opinion. Also Harvey's voice sounded more Jewish and he is just a riot in the role. Travolta's fake accent was more annoying than Harvey's. Guess it is all a matter of taste. Give me Harvey over Travolta every single day.
And Bruce is even funnier in my opinion (and Bruce can sing)

[2373]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 1:01pm

So, I saw Hairspray (the movie) last night. I have never seen it before and have never seen the Broadway production even though I live right here in the city.

I was born and raised in Baltimore and am a purist so I didn’t see the need to see the musical version as the original John Water’s film with Divine is perfection but I broke down and saw it.And boy, am I glad I did.

I loved it! It was fabulous.

The best part (for me) was Travolta doing our Baltimore accent. It’s a Dundalk accent really (a small, blue collar section of Baltimore City) and it is VERY difficult to master but I laughed hysterically (as did the rest of the Baltimore audience) every time he opened his mouth.

So, 2 questions regarding this:

1. Did all of you NOT from Baltimore know this accent was a Baltimore accent or were you just very confused as to why he was speaking like that?

2. Do the onstage “Edna’s” attempt a Baltimore accent?

[Jonny boy]

Posted: 8/20/07 at 1:13pm

I would have to say Bruce Vilanch was my favorite also!
John Travolta: the worst by far!!!!

[Chason]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 2:25am

"I would have to say Bruce Vilanch was my favorite also!
John Travolta: the worst by far!!!!"

When I saw HAIRSPRAY Paul Vought was in the Edna role. He was GR8! I've never seen Vilanch - so I reserve an opinion on him, of course.
I disagree on Travolta, no doubt. I never even SAW the actual Travolta! I saw an Edna that was sweet and funny... and touching. Thumbs up! He's a big part in why HAIRSPRAY, the movie, is so such a hit!

[WickedBoy2]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 9:02am

I think maybe....... Micheal Ball

[jo]

Posted: 8/25/07 at 9:39am

Yes, WickedBoy2 --

I have seen Harvey and John T -- but I am quite excited about the prospect of watching Michael Ball interpret and sing the role of Edna

[defyingravity07]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 11:27pm

My favoite would have to Jerry O'Boyle from the current tour. Also after watching John Pinette's stand up special today he pulled out a picture of him as Edna how was he? I expect him to have been amazing from the singing he did on one of his stand up CD.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/6/08 at 11:29pm

On stage I've seen Bruce Vilanch, Paul Vogt, and George Wendt. Of the three of them I'd have to say Paul.

[MungoGypsy8232]

Posted: 7/7/08 at 12:45am

I've enjoyed both George Wendt and Paul Vogt for different reasons!