Spring 2017 Broadway Preview

Y'all know that if there is anything I love in this world it is a great diva turn, and this spring on Broadway we will have a plethora. We have Bette in Hello Dolly, Patti & Christine in War Paint, Glenn in Sunset Boulevard...the list goes on! But who will win that TONY? I'm not going to preview all of the winter and spring offerings, but I am going to highlight a few that really excited me!

Sunset Boulevard
Palace Theatre
Previews begin February 2nd
I always look for the drama in all aspects of life and this show brings it in the form of shade that will be thrown by Patti LuPone from the Nederlander. She famously threw a floor lamp out of her dressing room window when Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber fired her from the London Production in the mid-90s. Thanks to a successful lawsuit, Patti has a beautiful pool in Connecticut. I am looking forward to some star power and screlting from Ms. Close who will not be TONY eligible.

Sunday in the Park with George
Hudson Theatre
Previews begin February 2nd 
I have loved Annaleigh Ashford ever since I saw her buying chips in a 7-11 in Chicago with my mom. She was so sweet to me at the Wicked stage door when I told her that I was at Legally Blonde the day that Laura Bell Bundy's wig fell off during the Bend & Snap. Continuing with the Chicago connection, a few years later on my annual vacation I saw the famous Seurat painting and sat and stared at it for an hour while listening to the cast recording. This is one of the most beautiful scores in Broadway history. I was so upset to have missed it at City Center and I think we are all in for a real treat. This is a limited engagement so get those credit cards out!

Come From Away
Schoenfeld Theatre
Previews begin February 18th
I've heard fabulous things about this show from friends who saw it in DC during the out of town tryout. The subject matter is incredibly intriguing. I'm not going to lie, the casting isn't making me do somersaults, but I'm hoping that the material will knock my socks off.

War Paint
Nederlander Theatre
Previews begin March 7th
Two two-time TONY winners in a musical about makeup mavens...I am so exited for this that I don't even know what to do with myself. I missed the out of town tryout in Chicago by about a week and I was really broken up about. Luckily for me, these broads are coming to the Great White Way. I would die to be involved in this production and get to hear about the drama between Patti and Christine. I am having dreams about the costumes and the makeup. And hello, there is a song called "Pink"...sign me up! Are the Nederlander ceilings high enough for all this Divatude? Who will Antoinette Perry prefer?

The Little Foxes
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
Previews begin March 29th
Cynthia Nixon and Laura Linney star in a play about greedy Southern Belles. What could be better? To make it more interesting, they will be alternating in the roles of Regina and Birdie. Honestly, when you're as talented as these two, you need a challenge.

Hello Dolly!
Shubert Theatre
Previews begin March 15th
This is so exciting there's an exclamation point in the title. Bette Midler hasn't done a musical on Broadway in 700 years and this is the moment Kweens have been waiting for. I'm going to be completely honest and tell you that I don't really even like this show, but I would see Bette in a musical about coal miners...end of story.

Musical Theatre Monday

This is a new weekly feature I'm adding to keep me engaged with theatre fans! Here are a few musical theatre songs & scenes I'm currently obsessed with. Enjoy!




Sherie Rene Scott: "I Know The Truth," AIDA




Laura Benanti & Patti Lupone: "The Dressing Room Scene," Gypsy





Laura Benanti, Patti LuPone, Sherie Rene Scott: "On The Verge," Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

A Toast To That Invincible Bunch: My Review of Company

Please dont' think it blasphemous when I say that Company is not my favorite Sondheim musical because I found the New York Philharmonic's production, which I saw in a humble movie theatre, to be impeccably done. It is technically a "staged concert," though my only previous experience with the show is the 2006 Broadway production directed by John Doyle in minimalist fashion. Because this show centers around everyday upper-middle class white folk, the simple staging suits it best. I know this phrase is tossed around a lot, even by me, but I really look at Company as "a play with music." There aren't too many showstoppers or flashy dance breaks, but the book and the story really shine. We open with bachelor Bobby's (Neil Patrick Harris) friends hiding in his apartment to surprise him for his 35th birthday. The play is not linear; it uses a series of vignettes to show Bobby's exploration of marriage through the lens of his married friends and three girlfriends.

Neil Patrick Harris is not the egotistical, set-in-his-ways Bobby seen in many productions, but rather he seems genuinely open to considering marriage. Throughout the play Bobby visits four couples where he learns important lessons about marriage, almost as if he were Ebeneezer Scrooge but without the ghosts. The first couple we are introduced to is Sarah (Martha Plimpton) & Harry (Stephen Colbert) who are both "on the wagon". They bicker about how long they'be been free from their addictions, his to alcohol and hers to food, while Bobby tries to intervene and assuage the situation. Colbert is a classic example of why Sondheim is for actors who sing rather than singers who act. He may not be a songbird, but comic timing, well that he has down pat. He and Plimpton have a kinetic chemistry that radiates from the silver screen, particularly when their witty repartee escalates into a hilarious karate match. Despite their fighting, they look forward to sleeping next to one another, which is Bobby's first lesson about marriage.

Susan (Jill Paice) & Peter (Craig Bierko) are the Southern Belle-Ivy League power couple and both actors do a fine job with relatively small parts. Susan is so charming that Bobby "wants to be the first to know when Peter leaves her". To his surprise they tell him they are divorcing. For Bobby, their divorce makes him even more cynical about marriage. Though Bobby is more of an observer and rarely comments on the marital problems of his friends, it is easy to see that Harris' wheels are always turning. He is taking stock of his friends though he cannot yet process what he's seen.

Next we meet Jenny (Jennifer Laura Thompson) and David (Jon Cryer) as they are lighting a joint with Bobby. Thompson is a very giddy Jenny, reminiscent of what she did with Glinda in Wicked, and Cryer is spot on as the very dry David. Jenny is uber-conservative and never swears, but when she is high, David takes great joy in hearing her repeat his obscenities. Bobby finds this charming, especially when David tells him that Jenny doesn't really enjoy pot, but she does it to please him.

You Could Drive A Person Crazy,  one of the more hum-able numbers from the show is a trio performed by Bobby's girlfriends Marta (Anika Noni Rose), April (Christina Hendricks), and Kathy (Chrissie Whitehead) as they discuss his skittish and noncommittal ways. He is their "hobby" and they're "giving  him up". The choreography is simple, but Whitehead stands out as the one with the most formal dance training and leaves the other two in the dust. Though Rose and Hendricks make up for the lack of dance technique in acting and presence, this number could've used more rehearsal. Rose's Marta is the standout among the three overall and her Another Hundred People is a highlight of the show. When she speaks of her love for the city and its energy I truly felt it, even in the movie theatre.

The act ends with Amy (Katie Finneran) & Paul (Aaron Lazar) on their wedding day. Amy has cold feet and can't stand the thought of being faithful to one man for the rest of her life. Amy is one of those roles that can be so tacky with the wrong actress but it is in good hands with Finneran and her Not Getting Married Today  is the best I've ever heard. Harris makes it quite clear that Bobby has feelings for Amy and he all but encourages her to call off the marriage. This is a cruel realization that Amy is off the market as she decides to marry Paul.

Act II kicks off back at Bobby's party and he blows out the candles followed by Side by Side, a song and dance number where he and all his friends sing about the joys of partnership. The choreography is based on call and response between the two-somes and it is a rude awakening for Bobby when he has nobody to finish his steps.

Hendricks' April relies heavily on flighty-ness and though its cute at the beginning, it slows the pace and by the end of Barcelona, you feel you've been watching the same scene for an hour. Things pick up when Bobby takes Marta to visit newly divorced Susan & Peter who are still living together. She is so excited by the prospect of a live-in divorce and adds that to the list of things she loves about New York City.

The penultimate scene is the show, features everyone's favorite number, The Ladies Who Lunch performed by Patti LuPone as Joanne. In between toasting her first and second husbands, she takes time to recognize that special class of women who "lounge in their caftans planning a brunch on their own behalf." LuPone can command any stage large or small and this is a perfect diva role for her. She puts her own spin on this number that is so closely connected with Elaine Stritch. She really takes her time and each lyric is crystal clear. She approaches it more as a scene than a song and its much more about diction and pacing than pitch and vibrato. She has the tall order of playing two roles: the real Joanne that her husband Larry (Jim Walton) is privy to and the more brassy abrasive Joanne that the rest of the world sees. She does each one impeccably well and the shift in her eyes when Larry tells Bobby that he hopes he can meet the real Joanne one day is a thing of beauty.

The final scene leaves Bobby very confused and Harris seems quite pained as he thinks of everything bad that there is about marriage. "Someone to hold you too close, someone to hurt you too deep, someone to sit in your chair and ruin your sleep." His friends coax him from afar to realize that all of this elements of relationships that he perceives to be negative are just simple reminders that he is alive, something that he has been alone too long to remember. This transitions seamlessly to Being Alive, the emotional heart of the show. Sondheim is a master of the 11 o'clock number. Almost all of his shows feature an emotional catharsis where the protagonist learns a (sometimes hard to stomach) lesson. In Sunday in the Park With George, its Move On and in Into The Woods its Children Will Listen. Its the same as Losing My Mind in Follies  and Send In The Clowns in A Little Night Music.

We never really know what happens to Bobby but back in his apartment his friends leave, thinking he has forgotten about his party, and he reemerges to sit in his chair and grin before the lights go out. A pessimist may think that Bobby has pulled the wool over his friends' eyes and decided to remain alone even after they've shown him the "joys" of marriage. But I like to think that Bobby has finally grown up and realized that he can't make it on his own.

2011 Outer Critics Circle Nominees

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY PLAYBengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Good People
The Motherf**ker With the Hat
War Horse

OUTSTANDING NEW BROADWAY MUSICALThe Book of Mormon
Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Sister Act
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY PLAYBlood From a Stone
Kin
Other Desert Cities
The Other Place

OUTSTANDING NEW OFF-BROADWAY MUSICALFreckleface Strawberry
In Transit
The Kid
Tomorrow Morning

OUTSTANDING NEW SCORE(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
The Book of Mormon
Catch Me If You Can
Sister Act
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Born Yesterday
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Merchant of Venice
The Normal Heart

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL(Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Anything Goes
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Hello Again
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A PLAYMarianne Elliott & Tom Morris War Horse
Emma Rice Brief Encounter
Anna D. Shapiro The Motherf**cker With the Hat
Daniel Sullivan Good People

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR OF A MUSICALRob Ashford How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Kathleen Marshall Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw & Trey Parker The Book of Mormon
Jerry Zaks Sister Act

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHERRob Ashford How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Ross Coleman Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Kathleen Marshall Anything Goes
Casey Nicholaw The Book of Mormon

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN(Play or Musical)
Desmond Heeley The Importance of Being Earnest
Derek McLane Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Neil Murray Brief Encounter
Todd Rosenthal The Motherf**ker With the Hat

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN(Play or Musical)
Lez Brotherston Sister Act
Tim Chappel & Lizzie Gardiner Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Desmond Heeley The Importance of Being Earnest
Lizz Wolf Baby It's You!

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN(Play or Musical)
Paule Constable War Horse
Natasha Katz Sister Act
David Lander Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Malcolm Rippeth Brief Encounter

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A PLAYReed Birney The Dream of the Burning Boy
Bobby Cannavale The Motherf**ker With the Hat
Joe Mantello The Normal Heart
Al Pacino The Merchant of Venice
Mark Rylance Jerusalem

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A PLAYNina Arianda Born Yesterday
Edie Falco The House of Blue Leaves
Judith Light Lombardi
Frances McDormand Good People
Laurie Metcalf The Other Place

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A MUSICALNorbert Leo Butz Catch Me If You Can
Josh Gad The Book of Mormon
Daniel Radcliffe How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Tony Sheldon Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Aaron Tveit Catch Me If You Can

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A MUSICALVictoria Clark Sister Act
Sutton Foster Anything Goes
Beth Leavel Baby It's You!
Patina Miller Sister Act
Donna Murphy The People in the Picture

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAYBrian Bedford The Importance of Being Earnest
Evan Jonigkeit High
Stacy Keach Other Desert Cities
Seth Numrich War Horse
Yul Vázquez The Motherf**ker With the Hat

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAYRenée Elise Goldsberry Good People
Linda Lavin Other Desert Cities
Estelle Parsons Good People
Alison Pill The House of Blue Leaves
Elizabeth Rodriguez The Motherf**ker With the Hat

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICALColin Donnell Anything Goes
Adam Godley Anything Goes
Chester Gregory Sister Act
John Larroquette How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
John McMartin Anything Goes

OUTSTANDING FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICALLaura Benanti Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Nikki M. James The Book of Mormon
Patti LuPone Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Marla Mindelle Sister Act
Laura Osnes Anything Goes

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCEDaniel Beaty Through the Night
Mike Birbiglia My Girlfriend's Boyfriend
John Leguizamo Ghetto Klown
Michael Shannon Mistakes Were Made

JOHN GASSNER AWARD(Presented for an American play, preferably by a new playwright)
Amy Herzog After the Revolution
Matthew Lopez The Whipping Man
David West Read The Dream of the Burning Boy
Kim Rosenstock Tigers Be Still

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDSEllen Barkin for her Outstanding Broadway Debut in The Normal Heart

Adrian Kohler with Basil Jones for Handspring Puppet Company Puppet Design, Fabrication and Direction for War Horse

Read more: http://broadwayworld.com/article/2011-Outer-Critics-Circle-Nominations-Announced-SISTER-ACT-Leads-20110426#ixzz1KdyylRxW

2010: The Year I Saw All Of My Broadway Idols On Stage!

For me as a theatre-goer, 2010 was a year of firsts, my first time seeing my idols on stage that is.


My quest to see all of my musical theatre heroes started in May when I saw Kristin Chenoweth in Promises, Promises. We had these tickets particularly far in advance but Kristin gave us a little scare the week we were set to see the show, announcing on twitter that she was sick and would be missing shows. Luckily, she was well enough to perform the night we had tickets and seeing her live was unreal such a special experience for me. I've loved Kristin since before I can remember but I just happened to miss her in Wicked and The Apple Tree but was so grateful to have caught her in Promises, Promises. 

Read my review of Promises Promises here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/06/promises-promises.html

Barbara Cook is a performer that I have come to admire more recently than some of the others. I started listening to Barbara after Kristin Chenoweth mentioned in an interview that she was "her idol." After purchasing one of her  albums, I understood why. As a fellow soprano, I related to Barbara and her recording of "Glitter and Be Gay" was my savior when I was learning this complicated aria. While Sondheim on Sondheim had its flaws, it was the perfect vehicle to showcase Cook because while her coloratura notes are gone, she is still the master of interpreting a lyric, and that is exactly the kind of singer that Sondheim requires.


Read my review of Sondheim on Sondheim here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/06/roundabout-theatre-companys-sondheim-on.html

I've said this many times, but prior to seeing Everyday Rapture, I was not a fan of Sherie Rene Scott. I went to the show because a good friend of mine was a big fan and needless to say I was blown away by Sherie. Yes she has talent, but many people have talent. What really struck me about her was her commitment to the show and her performance energy. Having seen her later in the year in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, where she clearly was not as committed to the piece, I realized just how important it is that an actor is invested in the work and how much of a difference that makes to an audience.

Read my review of Everyday Rapture here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/07/what-would-judy-do.html

When I heard that Bernadette Peters may be replacing Catherine Zeta-Jones in A Little Night Music, I held off seeing the show and I am so glad I waited. Bernadette was a revelation in the role of Desiree and I have never been so captivated by a performer. I idolize Bernadette in a big way, but oddly enough, I was only star struck for a moment. After the initial exhilaration wore off, she was no longer Bernadette Peters, but rather she became the character of Desiree Armfeldt. Her Send in the Clowns was phenomenal, but I remember it more as a scene than as a song. And in my opinion, forsaking the vocals for the character is the mark of a true actress. For the price of that one theatre ticket, I saw a remarkable performance and took an acting class from a legend. How often can you say that?

Read my review of A Little Night Music here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/09/barbie-award-for-acting-song-miss.html

I will probably never forgive myself for missing Kelli O'Hara in South Pacific (I saw Laura Osnes as Nellie) but I was fortunate enough to see her in concert at the Kennedy Center this season. I'm actually glad that my experience with Kelli was in concert because her voice is simply divine and you get to hear more songs in a concert than in a musical. Because I am a soprano, most of my repertoire is from the Golden Age of Broadway and Kelli happened to perform songs mostly from that genre so it was like a master class for me in that respect. I  thoroughly enjoyed her musical selections and I felt that I got to know her a little better through her banter between songs, and though she was cheesy at times, my goodness was she genuine. I think she truly is a cockeyed optimist.


Read my review of Kelli's concert here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/10/kelli-ohara-in-concert-at-kennedy.html

The Broadway show I saw most recently was Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and it marked my first live experience with Patti LuPone. Though I wished I'd seen her in a better show where she was the star, like Gypsy, Patti has that rare ability to turn any role into a star performance. I recall the hilights of the show being Patti with a gun, Patti on a motorcycle, and Patti hanging from the proscenium. What I love most about Patti is her respect for the theatre and her commitment to preserving it as a high art form. Her respect for the theatre translates into her performance and from this show and from Patti, I learned that the actor's job is to commit to the character and deliver an engaging performance, regardless of how good or bad the show is.

Read my review of Women on the Verge here: http://backstagebarbie.blogspot.com/2010/11/women-on-verge-of-nervous-breakdown.html

This was just a brief overview of my experiences with my Broadway idols in 2010. Check back throughout the week for posts dedicated to each of these divas and what it is exactly that I love about them!

Broadway.com | See Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney! Behind the Scenes at the Anything Goes Photo Shoot

One of Broadway's favorite darlings, Sutton Foster, prepares to play the role of Reno Sweeney in Roundabout Theatre Company's spring production of Anything Goes. In taking on this part, she steps into shoes previously filled by the likes of Ethel Merman and Patti LuPone. Tickets are available now at telecharge.com and the show hits the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in March of 2011. Foster is also joined by fellow Tony winner Joel Grey.

Broadway.com | See Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney! Behind the Scenes at the Anything Goes Photo Shoot

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

The three most exciting things about great musicals should be the score, the book, and the performances. Well in the case of Lincoln Center Theater's production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown based on Pedro Almodovar's film of the same name, the three big highlights are Patti LuPone with a gun, Patti LuPone on a motorcycle, and Sherie Rene Scott singing next to a burning bed. To say that this show relies too heavily on its special effects is a gross understatement. I'm afraid that director Barlett Sher, who did a stellar job with the recent revival of South Pacific, missed the mark with this show. The use of projections to further the story is an attempt to make up for holes in the book and the score, but then that is simply a cop out for sub-par material. Sher underestimates the intelligence of the audience and presumes that we need to actually see a moving street scene on the scrim to believe the taxi is moving. The very idea behind theatre is that the audience will suspend disbelief and use their imagination to fill in the blanks.

Composer David Yazbek who delivered hits with The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels fails to write one hummable tune, aside from the act I closer "On the Verge." The lyrics are just as forgettable and a week after seeing the show, I can't remember a single line except "Welcome to the edge, to the verge," which the title practically gives us anyway. Having not seen the film, it is difficult for me to judge Jeffrey Lane's book because it is challenging to tell what is from the source material and what was written by Lane himself. There are certainly holes in the plot and loose ends are never tied up. For example, in the song "Mother's Day" Pepa's (Sherie Rene Scott) mother is introduced but is never addressed again in the play, leaving the audience hanging without a resolution. Also, we are led to believe that the uptight Carlos (Justin Guarini) has left his fiance for Candela (Laura Benanti), yet she has been flighty and noncommittal in the past and all he really wants is monogamy and security, so why choose her?

In terms of performance, Benanti in the role of Candela steals the show, turning a small part into a star turn. Her true commitment to the character is evident not only in her speech patterns but also in her body language and her walk, or well, her prance. We truly believe that she is a scatterbrained but lovable model who honestly would fall for a terrorist. Patti LuPone as Lucia gives a dominating performance as usual and her starpower speaks for itself. She is the only actor to get entrance applause and though the material given to her is shallow, she tries her damnedest to give life to this stock character and I did sympathize with her greatly. Sherie Rene Scott in the role of Pepa is tough for me to critique because I saw her at her finest in Everyday Rapture and nothing could ever live up to that. We get the sense in this show that Scott is unhappy as an actor because she does not seem to commit to this role as she has to others. Her Spanish accent is not as strong as that of other actors and in many of her songs, she drops it entirely. It doesn't help that she is given the weakest material of any character and while Pepa is supposed to be the central character, the one that we all root for, we feel no sympathy for her. But then again, I hate to fault Miss Scott for the problems with the book and the lyrics. Her singing is perfectly enjoyable in the show, but with the ballads she is given by Yazbek, she has no opportunity to show off her fabulous belt, which is what makes her truly special. Brian Stokes Mitchell as Ivan is in perfect voice and is lovely as always, though his character does nothing to further the plot and could be eliminated entirely. Guarini in his Broadway debut is surprisingly strong as Carlos and his confusion between his commitment to his fiance Marisa (Nikka Graff Lanzarone) and his infatuation with Candela is palpable.

I'm not the first person to say this and I won't be the last, but this show would have benefited greatly from an out of town tryout. Performing the show in another city, away from New York critics, would have given Sher and the creative team a chance to hear audience reactions and correct some of the show's problems. The actors also would have had more time to experiment with making their characters less generic. This show is a limited engagement and will end in January, and I just get the feeling that the creative team realized the show would never live up to the hype it inevitably received due to its all-star cast and creators. However, because they didn't have to worry about the show's ability to sustain a long Broadway run, they settled for mediocrity. The box office sales may prove me wrong, but I feel pretty confident in saying that this is one limited engagement that will not extend.

Barbie's Showtune of the Day #17: Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy

I have nothing to say about this other than watch and be amazed. Its Patti, its Audra, its fierce!

Roles They Could Have Had

I've been reading a lot lately about prominent actors that audition for or were considered for parts in Broadway shows or movie musicals that either turned down or were denied the roles. I find this fascinating because I think we all feel that once you reach a certain point in your acting career, you can have any role you want. Well prepare to be surprised, because some of these names are big, I'm talking Patti LuPone and Meryl Streep big. Some of these casting situations are confirmed by the actors and some are just rumors, but nonetheless they are all juicy

• West Side Story (film)-Elvis was offered the role of Tony but his manager turned it down as "Elvis only does Elvis movies"
• Sunday in the Park with George-Patti LuPone auditioned to replace Bernadette Peters as Dot/Marie but was denied the role
• A Little Night Music(Broadway revival)-Patti LuPone reportedly contacted director Trevor Nunn about playing the role of Desiree but he never returned her call
• A Little Night Music(Broadway revival)-Broadway heavy hitters Sherie Rene Scott, Marin Mazzie, and Victoria Clark were considered for the role of Desiree but producers decided to go the way of "star casting" with Catherine Zeta Jones; Laura Benanti was also offered the role of Charlotte but turned it down to star in In the Next Room/The Vibrator Play
• Crazy For You-Karen Ziemba was up for the female lead but lost to Jodi Benson; Ziemba later toured with the show and was much more acclaimed in the role than Benson
• Wicked-Stephanie J Block played Elphaba in the first workshop but was later recast by Idina Menzel
• Thoroughly Modern Millie-Kristen Chenoweth was cast as the original Millie, but left to film her sitcom Kristin and was recast but Erin Dilly and ultimately Sutton Foster
• Little Shop of Horrors-Nathan Lane and Faith Prince were considered for the original Seymour and Audrey but neither got the part; ironically both were later cast together in the revival of Guys and Dolls
• Sunset Boulevard-Hollywood stars Meryl Streep, Faye Dunaway, and Barbra Streisand were considered for the role of Norma, which was ultimately played by Patti LuPone in London and Glenn Close in LA and New York
• Into the Woods-Patti LuPone reportedly auditioned to play the Witch, but it was given to Bernadette Peters
• Wicked-Sara Ramirez was considered for Elphaba before Idina Menzel was hired
• The Rocky Horror Show (revival)-Matthew Morrison was offered the role of Rocky but turned it down to be in a boy band; when the band failed he joined the production in the chorus
• Grease (movie)- Henry Winkler was offered the role of Danny but he turned it down because "it was too similar to the Fonz"
• Sunday in the Park with George- Kelsey Grammer played a soldier when the show debuted off-Broadway but left to play Frasier on Cheers
• Sweeney Todd (film)- Meryl Streep was offered Mrs. Lovett but turned it down to do the film version of Mama Mia
• Young Frankenstein- All 4 principle actors from Will & Grace auditioned, but only Megan Mullaly was cast, in the role of Elizabeth
• Wicked- Mandy Moore received an offer to replace Chenoweth as Glinda, but "didn't want to follow someone like Kristin"
• Hello Dolly- Ethel Merman was offered the role of Dolly Levi but turned it down and it went to Carol Channing; ironically Merman later played the role as the final  Broadway replacement and the last role of her career
• Passion- Patti LuPone was offered the role of Fosca but turned it down to do Sunset Boulevard in London
• Cabaret-Madonna seriously considered playing Sally in the revival but turned it down for "security reasons"; Anne Heche was rumored to headline the first national tour but the role ultimately went to Terri Hatcher
• Sweet Charity (revival)- Brittney Spears turned down the offer to replace Christina Applegate as Charity
• Moulin Rouge (film)- Renee Zellweger was on the short list for the Nicole Kidman role but ultimately lost out
• Chicago (film)- Kristin Chenoweth lost the role of Mary Sunshine to Christine Baranski and was also considered for Roxie; Catherine Zeta-Jones was cast and given the choice of Roxie or Velma
• Wicked- John Gallagher was considered for a role in the original production but told producers he "could never do musicals"
• Ragtime- LaChanze was almost cast as Sarah until the producers insisted in Audra McDonald
• The Light in the Piazza- Celia Keenan-Bolger was the original Clara out of town but producers thought she "read as too young" and promoted Kelli O'Hara to play Clara after originally playing Franca
• Evita (film)- It seems like everybody in New York and Hollywood was considered for this film role, from Patti LuPone to Michelle Pfeiffer but it ultimately went to Madonna
• American Idiot- Constantine Maroulis played the role of St. Jimmy in workshops until Tony Vincent joined the production

Fun Fact of the Day: Patti LuPone Releases A Memoir

This is exactly what theatre fans have been waiting for decades to hear...the innermost thoughts of our favorite diva, Patti LuPone. Not that Patti has ever been one to keep quiet, but there are certain stories that she has kept quiet over the years. She has been part of many a scandal in her rich theatrical career and when her memoir is released on September 14th, we will finally be privy to stories she has never told before. Highlights are certain to include her sordid past with Andrew Lloyd Webber, from Evita, "the score that she could never really sing," to the role of Normal Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, which Webber promised to Patti in the Broadway transfer and then gave to Glenn Close. While she has been part of her fair share of drama, nothing can put a damper on her amazing career and I know that I look forward to reading her story, which will surely range from hilarious to heartbreaking.

**In honor of Patti's memoir, don't forget to vote in my poll of the week for your favorite Patti performance!

Ode to a Broadway Star: Patti LuPone

I'm adding a new weekly feature to my blog: Ode to a Broadway Star. I'm starting off with the incomparable Patti LuPone. These are some of my favorite Patti moments and songs. She is out of this world fabulous and we should all bow down.

Buenos Aires, Evita (TONY awards)  Notice her effortless transitions from low notes to high belt


Don't Cry For Me Argentina, Evita Notice the great feathered dress and the high bun


God That's Good, Sweeney Todd Notice that Patti can dance while playing the Tuba


Rose's Turn, Gypsy There is a very special surprise about 16 seconds in...prepare to be LUPONED

Barbie's Showtune of the Day #1: I Dreamed a Dream

Every day there seems to be a certain musical theatre song that gets stuck in my head so I'm planning to add a song of the day feature to my daily blogging. I will try to post a youtube link to the song when available. So without further ado, my pick of the day, Miss Patti LuPone singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.

A Trio Of Broadway Alums Join Lincoln Center Theater's Newest Production

An announcement was just made that Broadway veterans Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Sherie Rene Scott will join Lincoln Center Theater's newest production--Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. The production, directed by Bartlett Sher, will begin previews at the Belasco theatre on October 2nd with an official opening date of Novemner 4th. The show features a score and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane. This casting is truly monumental, not only because LuPone and Scott were just featured in "My Fave Five Broadway Belters" list, but also because a group of actors of this caliber has not been assembled in years. Two-time TONY winner LuPone has recently been focusing on revivals, so this will be her first original role in decades. TONY-winner Mitchell also makes a return to Broadway after a several year hiatus. Two-time TONY nominee Scott is fresh off her triumphant original show Everyday Rapture and I am praying that this upcoming role may finally give her the TONY she deserves. I hear that both LuPone and Scott will be playing featured roles so without even seeing their performances or knowing the rest of the Broadway season, I predict these two Divas will battle it out for the top prize at the 2011 TONY awards.

**photo courtesy of Broadway.com

My Fave Five Broadway Belters

Patti Lupone
Need I say more? Well obviously I'm going to. This woman is stuffed to the gills with attitude and sass. She doesn't take any crap from anybody, and that intensity and passion comes out in her voice. Sure, she is known to be a bit of a diva and has even screamed at the occasional audience member for taking photos during performances, but my goodness can this broad belt! From the title role in Evita to Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and most recently, Mama Rose in Gypsy, she has played the roles that every actress dreams of taking on. Listen to "Buenos Aires" from Evita for a taste of Patti's belting.

Sherie Rene Scott
She burst onto the scene in 1993 as Sally Simpson in The Who's Tommy and hasn't looked back since. She is choosy when selecting theatre roles, careful to take on roles that truly show off her vocal skills. Highlights of her career include Amneris in AIDA, Cathy in The Last Five Years, Ursula in The Little Mermaid, and Christine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, where she ranges from sultry to quirky to heartbreaking. The best representation of Sherie as a performer is in her recent show Everyday Rapture, where she portrays a stylized version of her life story. Her range is incredible, from gospel and blues, to motown and ballads, but the most impressive thing...her crystal clear belt. She makes belting sound effortless, and any singer will tell you, it is certainly not an easy thing. Check out "My Strongest Suit" from AIDA for a great example of Sherie's soulful side.

Idina Menzel
Whether you know her as Maureen in Rent, Elphaba from Wicked, or Glee's Shelby Corcoran, you know Idina Menzel can belt her face off. She definitely doesn't have the clear effortless sound of some of these other ladies, but her powerful, rock sound has served her just fine. Fans love her sound and from personal experience, I know that she is quite thrilling live. For some, she is an acquired taste, and for others, her voice is a bit too grating and rough around the edges. But regardless, nobody can dispute that this lady can belt, and she can belt high. "Defying Gravity" from Wicked is a great example of Idina's belting range and soaring rock sound.

Stephanie J Block
She is certainly the least known of these five women, but in my own humble opinion, she has the best voice. She made her Broadway debut as Liza Minnelli in The Boy From Oz, and after being replaced by Idina Menzel for the Broadway production, went on to play Elphaba in the first national tour of Wicked. Recent roles have included Grace O'Malley in The Pirate Queen and Judy Bernly in 9to5: the musical. While some belters use sheer force to produce sound, Stephanie doesn't even sound like has to try to belt and I could listen to her for hours. This woman has unfortunately been a victim of the all too frequent "great performer, average show" syndrome with all of her Broadway endeavors resulting in flops, despite her outstanding performances. I have never seen a single performer live as many times as I've seen Stephanie and I will continue to see any production that has the privilege of casting her. This woman has so much to give to Broadway and I can only hope she gets a change to play a fabulous role in a blockbuster show. I'm crossing my fingers that she is offered the role of Fanny Brice in next year's revival of Funny Girl and maybe one day she will be Gypsy's next Mama Rose. Run, don't walk to listen to Stephanie sing "Get Out And Stay Out" from 9to5: the musical. Her voice will break your heart and lift you up all in the same song.

Ethel Merman
Last but not least, the woman who needs no introduction, the original Broadway belter, Ethel Merman. They broke the mold when they made this broad, and while we have some great voices on Broadway today, there will never be another Merman. She was bawdy, foul-mouthed, and the definition of the word "DIVA". She introduced audiences to some of the greatest musical theatre roles ever from Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun to Mama Rose in Gypsy. Other actresses went on to play these roles (Bernadette Peters played both) but none could erase the memory of the incomparable Merman. Her rendition of "Rose's Turn" is not to be missed. She was a machine and a work horse who rarely missed performances, if ever, and did it all before the age of microphones. That only intensified her greatness, as her belt was entirely natural with no help from amplification or auto-tuning. Because she had to produce enough volume to be heard in a Broadway house over a full orchestra, her voice lacked the nuance and detail of some of today's singers, but in any case, she was a revelation. There isn't a Broadway belter alive who wasn't influenced by Ethel Merman, and if they say they weren't they are lying, because my lord, they don't make them like that anymore.

Special thanks to Rick Westerkamp for contributing to this post!