Dream Casting the Hello, Dolly Revival

On the same day that the Internet blew up with news that psuedo-celeb Sophia Grace has been cast as Little Red Ridinghood in the film version of Into the Woods, came news that Kristin Chenoweth is in talks to head a revival of Hello, Dolly!  While I could proably write pages about the casting of Into the Woods, I spent the day with my head in the clouds thinking about who would be great in a Cheno-led Dolly.

Here's what I came up with!  Please feel free to write in and tell me who else you'd like to see...




As Dolly Levi

Kristin Chenowewth

As Horace Vandergelder

Norbert Leo Butz

As Irene Malloy

           

Kate Baldwin or Ashley Brown or Betsy Wolfe

As Cornelius Hackl

Matt Bomer or Zachary Levi

As Minnie Faye

Allison Case or Kara Lindsay

As Barnaby Tucker

Ben Fankhauser or Jay Armstrong Johnson or Cody Williams

As Ambrose Kemper

Erik Altemus or Andy Mills or Ryan Steele

As Ermengarde

Laurie Veldheer

As Rudolph, the Head Waiter at Harmonia Gardens

Brandon Rubendall or Charlie Williams

As the Waiters at Harmonia Gardens

All of the Newsies Past and Present

Jeff

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CD Review: Matilda (Original London Cast Recording)

Though by the end of the season last season it all seemed to come down to two scores - Kinky Boots and Matilda, I think a few other scores were just as worthy of consideration.  Be that as it may, I can understand why camps for both shows are so fervent in their passion for each.  And I enjoyed both for several different reasons.  I'll discuss the former another time, but for now I'll discuss the latter; of the two, though, Matilda is my favorite in terms of pushing the art form.

Grade: A

Title: Matilda

Artist: The Original London Cast 

Label: Royal Shakespeare Company Records

Number: RSCE 002

Format: Single CD

Case: Single Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 26 pages.  Cover and sleeve design by aka. Production photos by Manuel Harlan, additional photos by Stewart Hemley.  Liner notes by Tim Minchin. Album produced by Tim Minchin and Chris Nightingale.

THE BIGGEST REASONS THAT YOU NEED TO ADD THIS TO YOUR COLLECTION:

A.  Find out what you missed at the Shubert Theatre.  I know I am not alone in feeling that I missed a great deal of the song lyrics (especially) as I watched the show due to a - I'll be kind - muddy sound mix, and some over zealous accents screamed by the largely American cast.  Thematically, Matilda is very word-driven.  The child is eons smarter than her parents and uses words as her weapons of mass destruction.  Two of the driving forces of positivity in her life are also word-centric, one a teacher, the other a librarian.  Unfortunately, the recording does not completely get rid of that feeling of missing something in a show that relies so much on the words.  Thank goodness for the complete lyrics!

B.  This score is worthy of study and needs to be paid attention.  All of the above said, not unlike many a Sondheim score, this one requires repeated listening in order to really "get" what is going on.  (Before you write, I'm not suggesting that this is on that level, but rather that simply hearing it a few times won't reveal its many treasures.)  Minchin's music often has the feel of a children's album; its "energy numbers" are bouncy and rhythm-based, the slower numbers suggest the easy melodies and tempos of lullabys.  But it is his lyrics that are the real bounty here.  Rarely has a score been so tied to its source - he captures the anarchy and rebellion of Roald Dahl's children characters, the words so character driven, you can tell who is who without benefit of seeing the show or reading the booklet, and the themes and realities of Matilda's world are never, ever forgotten.  Much has been said about what has and has not been included from Dahl's novel, but one cannot blame Tim Minchin. His score - music and lyrics - are both an extension of the source and a stand-on-its-own musical theatre masterpiece in the making.

C. The recording preserves 2 Tony-nominated performances.  While all of the performances on this cast recording are pretty terrific, I think it is a shame that, like Billy Elliot, the Broadway company will not be preserved.  I'd love to hear Lesli Margerhita tear her way through "Loud," and Tony winner Gabriel Ebert's "Telly."  Still, the much talked about star turn of Bertie Carvel is here in all of its gender-bending glory - though it does stand out how little he really sings as Miss Trunchbull (2 company numbers).  Of course, there is substantially more to the role, scene-wise.  And to that end, let the CD continue to play after track 17 seems to be over...  Much less seems to have been said about Lauren Ward's Miss Honey.  I'll venture to say that outside of Matilda herself, Ward had the most challenging role in the show.  She's rarely off stage, so much happens to her.  When she has her moments, they are big -  2 solos, a charming duet ("My House") and parts in several group numbers.  And all of this while she has to play the quiet wallflower/doormat!  So, I'm glad we have those two performances.

D. The Stand Out Numbers.  For me, these are the numbers that stand out, and get repeat play when I have the CD on the player: the exciting opener, "Miracle." "Naughy" by Matilda, the hilarious "Loud" sung by Mrs. Wormwood and Rudolpho, the doozie of an act closer "Bruce," and my three favorite numbers, Matilda's "Quiet," the finale, "Revolting Children," and the song that chokes me up (even as I type this), "When I Grow Up."

Listening to the cast recording makes me look even more forward to my return visit to the land where the small triumph over the larger than life, and where it is OK to long for NOT growing up entirely.

(Photos from both the London and Broadway productions.)

Jeff

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Catching Up with Broadway's Anna Kendrick

Fifteen years ago, the musical High Society posted its closing notice at the St. James Theatre, where it would eventually en d its run on August 30, 1998.  Despite a score made up of classic Cole Porter songs, and a cast that included Tony winner Randy Graff, Stephen Bougardus, Melissa Errico, the late Daniel McDonald, and theatre legend John McMartin, the show failed to ignite either the critics or the box office.  It did garner 2 two Tony nominations, though, one for McMartin, the other for an unknown 12 year-old scene-stealing spitfire named Anna Kendrick. She was (and remains) the third youngest nominee ever.  Sadly, she hasn't been back since.  But it isn't like she hasn't been busy making a name for herself - and the stage hasn't been all that far behind, either.

With Daniel McDonald in High Society

In New York City Opera's A Little Night Music

Since 1998, she's been in a number of films, including a little trilogy called The Twilight Saga, and even an Oscar-nominated turn in the George Clooney film Up and Away.

The Twilight Saga

Up and Away

One of her more recent successes is the college glee club comedy Pitch Perfect, which has given the singing actress her very first Billboard charting Top Ten single (this week it is #8 on the Top 100), "Cups." (Interesting side note: it is also the shortest single in chart history at 1:17 (album version) and it is actually a remake of a 1931 folk song called "When I'm Gone."

What to Expect When You Are Expecting

Pitch Perfect

But, theatre fans, don't despair!  Even though she hasn't trod the boards in 15 years, she's done a number of theatre-related projects including 2003's Camp, which includes Kendrick doing a killer rendition of "The Ladies Who Lunch." (I've seen worse by adult actresses.)  And, as we all know, she just wrapped filming The Last 5 Years with fellow Tony-nominee, Broadway darling Jeremy Jordan.  And she's apparently in talks to star as Cinderella in the film version of Into the Woods.

Camp

The Last 5 Years

I have a feeling that eventually, she will find her way back to Broadway.  And maybe this time, she'll win that Tony!

Jeff
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Rainy Days...

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S HOT OR NOT POLL, 

FEATURING SOUL DOCTOR! 

CLICK THE SHOW LOGO TO YOUR RIGHT 

AND SCROLL DOWN AFTER THE CAST PICTURES! 

CAST YOUR VOTE BY SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 AT NOON!

I don't know how this summer has been where you live, but, at my house, after a sweltering heat wave, we had a good week and a half of cooler days and low humidty.  In short, the last 10 days have been spectacular!  Then, this morning, I was awakened bu the patter of rain drops on my window.  DEPRESSING.  Right?  So, how do I cheer up?  OK, I'm a complete Broadway AND statistics nerd.  And so, I got online, found out that there have been MANY Broadway songs with the word "rain" in them.  Here are a few, plus a few play titles to get my/our mind/s off the ugly outside.

3 "Rain"-y Shows:

A Steady Rain

Three Days of Rain

and, of course, Rain

5 Broadway Shows That Have a Song Called "Rain" In Them:

• Be Yourself - 1925 - 93 performances
• The Vogues of 1924 - 1924 - 114 performances

• Ghost: The Musical - 2012 - 175 performances

• Once On This Island - 1990 - 488 performances

• Fela! - 2009 - 529 performances

The Top 10 Broadway Rain Songs (Not Simply Called "Rain" That Is)*

10. "Come Rain or Shine" - 272 performances total - Dream, St. Louis Woman, Barbara Cook**

9. "Singin' in the Rain" - 405 performances - Singin' in the Rain

8. "The Rain Song" - 453 performances - 110 in the Shade (Original + 1 Revival)

7. "It's Raining Men" - 549 performances - Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Original)

6. "Rain on the Roof" - 872 performances - Follies (Original + 2 Revivals)

5. "River in the Rain" - 1122 performnces - Big River (Original + 1 Revival)

4. "Don't Rain on My Parade" - 1365 performances - Funny Girl (Original)

3. "The Rain in Spain" - 3406 performances - My Fair Lady (Original + 3 Revivals)

2. "It's Raining on Prom Night" - 5518 performances - Grease (Original + 2 Revivals)

1. "A Little Fall of Rain" - 7171 performances - Les Miserables (Original + 1 Revival)

* - Performance totals include all preview and performance numbers for all original productions, plus any revivals.

** - The same song, "Come Rain or Shine," appeared in 3 shows.  Their totals are combined.

Stay dry!

Jeff

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