hmm I thought the rumor was Colin Firth was to star...and it seems like Kelli is getting long in the tooth for this. No doubt she'll sing the score well though.
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As a total aside- A few weeks ago on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Carey Mulligan and Christoph Waltz were guests and James pitched that the two of them do MY FAIR LADY together. I'd rather see that.
I know a lot of people are going to come in here groaning about O'Hara's potential casting and about how there are other ingenues who could/should play the role, but I heard that Kelli was fantastic when she did the role with the Philharmonic. I hope this is true because I'd love to be able to see the performance.
Kelli is a beautiful woman, but she looks older than what she is. She's definitely too old to play Eliza, even if she was terrific when she did it 8 years ago.
O'Hara will be fine - if not glowing. But, Kelsey Grammer leaves me cold as Higgins. He can do the brusqueness and the imperiousness - but I don't know if he can do any of the softness. (However, I didn't see him in La Cage, so maybe he is capable).
If I were the producer, I'd spend the extra money and get Cumberbatch for Higgins.
The headline of this thread is not an accurate reflection of the linked article, which is based on a gossip site that simply says that the 2 of them are "eyeing" such a production. Note the absence of any mention of a producer.
Benanti, O'Hara, and Chenoweth are all too old for the role; it's like when Glenn Close played Nellie Forbush - anyone who is actually thinking (rather than just automatically/passively accepting their favorite diva in any role) will wonder why this mid-40's spinster is being called a "girl" constantly. Mueller isn't a soprano, so I'm not sure why her name even came up. Grammar is an elderly stodge who can only play one tv-sitcom character in different variations, none of them better than a 5th rate community theatre Higgins.
If this dusty show must have another commercial Broadway revival, why not find some talented Brits to do it (at least one of whom is just starting their career), like the original did? But putting one of the Broadway Old Gals in this is not unlike casting 50-something belter Mrs. Edie Schottenstein as Tuptim in the Cedar Rapids Little Theatre production of The King & I.
Julie Andrews was 21 when she played Eliza. Kelli will be 41 in 2017 if she plays her. I'm sure she'll sing the score perfectly but I'd rather see someone around that age range to play Eliza.
Broadway and theater in general doesn't pay much attention to ages.... just recently there was a thread about a 20+ actress being hired to portray Anne Frank.
...in the new Fiddler revival, the daughters who are getting husbands should be late teens and the actresses hired are in their 20's-30's. It would be unheard of for orthodox daughters to wait until that age to wed.
-when we saw Ms. Honey is Matilda, Lauren Ward portrayed her at 40 years old..while her replacements have been correctly younger and younger which suit the role as a teacher trying to find her way...
While it would be maybe appropriate to have a younger Eliza, i don't think it's a requirement of the role..and while my personal preference might be to see or not see Kelli in the role, I don't think it's a wrong choice.
Julie Andrews was 21. Christine Andreas was 25. Audrey Hepburn was 34. Kelli O'Hara is 39. These days 30 us the new 20. She looks great for her age and she can most definitely sing the score. If I had my pick I would choose Laura Osnes.