Topic Who Will Replace Bernadette? from the General Chit-Chat forum.
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| Author | Topic: Who Will Replace Bernadette? |
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Anonymous
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205.188.209.x | posted: 11/10/2003 at 12:55:23 AM ET
When the sad day comes when Bernadette leaves Gypsy, who do you all think should replace her? It has to be a star and I wouldnt mind seeing Betty Buckley in Gypsy, Ive heard rumors that Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler and Betty Buckley will be approached....hmmm
|  moljul
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| posted: 11/10/2003 at 9:32:09 AM ET
Sadly, Liza can not sing the role any longer nor does she have the stamina to do 8 shows a week.
Betty Buckley played Rose in a recent production and Sondheim and Laurents apparently really disliked her interpretation. So the likelihood of asking her is slim.
I think Bette would be a great person to approach.
| BroadwayBabyGal
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5/8/2003 | posted: 11/10/2003 at 12:59:48 PM ET
What about Lorna?
~*Jessica*~
| moljul
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| posted: 11/10/2003 at 1:15:51 PM ET
Not enough of a box office name. In fact very little box office power at all. It has to be a combination of a big name, a tremendous actress with a great voice and the stamina to do a killer role 8 times a week. There are several wonderful Broadway actresses out there who have everything but the name. Finding the total package will be the tough part.
| Karen
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5/3/2002 | posted: 11/10/2003 at 1:26:26 PM ET
Lorna Luft did play the part in a production at the University of Richmond in Virginia about a year ago, although I never heard what the crirical response was. To be perfectly honest, and of course this is just my personal opinion, a) she's not good enough b) she's not well-known enough. I like Lorna and have followed her career from the beginning, but she's simply not a major performing talent. I loved her book, and two years ago I went to see her in concert doing that show she has called Songs My Mother Taught Me. I took my copy of the book along so I could get it signed at the stage door. Well, I never made it to the stage door because her performance was so disappointing that I really couldn't face her. (I'm not good at giving insincere compliments). She wasn't bad, mind you, just blah. Her singing was adequate, but she had absolutely no stage presence. How someone can be the sister and daughter of two of the most charismatic performers of all time, and end up with negative charisma is slightly baffling. I think she's cognizant of her limitations, because I remember somewhere in her book she said if she weren't related to who she was she'd probably be something like a junior high school music teacher in Minnesota. At least her life seems a lot happier and more stable than poor Judy's and Liza's. Gypsy is going to require a powerhouse of a talent, and Lorna isn't it. I've gotten to the point where I almost feel this production isn't going to be viable without Bernadette.
| Karen
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5/3/2002 | posted: 11/10/2003 at 1:30:00 PM ET
Moljul, I was writing my message at the same time you posted. Sorry for the little bit of duplication in my post.
|  Jean
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6/7/2003 | posted: 11/10/2003 at 1:42:02 PM ET
I've gotten to the point where I almost feel this production isn't going to be viable without Bernadette.
You know, Karen, I was thinking that very thing--I hate to be negative and hopefully the producers will find a suitable replacement, but...
I think Moljul laid it out very well; just one more qualification...the next Rose will, I imagine, need to be approved by lots of people, not just the director/producers, so that might be a limiting factor.
| moljul
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| posted: 11/10/2003 at 2:45:06 PM ET
No problem, Karen. Obviously brilliant minds thinking alike and at the same time too. 
I think there are a couple of possibilities to replace Bernadette. The previosly mentioned Bette Midler would be a great one. Arthur Laurents apparently didn't like her Rose on film but chalked it up to poor direction. Apparently the director was dying during the filming. I also think Megan Mullaly of Will and Grace would be great and would go with the new, younger, sexier Rose of this production. There was someone else mentioned on All That Chat (the conversation comes up every couple of weeks there) but I can't for the life of me remember who it was.
The list is short and getting that person to commit will be tough. I agree there is a very good possibility that the show will close when Bernadette ends her contract. Of course, I'm not sure that would be a bad thing. It seems all the Gypsy revivals end shortly after their original Rose leaves the part. That's why its known as the Angela Landbury Gypsy, the Tyne Daly Gypsy, etc. Let's face it, this show doesn't get revived on Broadway just for the sake of reviving the show, it's revived to give another actress (who has reached the point in her career to be Rose) the chance to do it on Broadway.
| Crick
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3/6/2003 | posted: 11/10/2003 at 8:23:36 PM ET
After seeing Patti Lupone in her "Coulda Woulda Shoulda" concert this weekend, I think she would be an incredible Rose. But I can't see her coming into a show that she didn't open. (BTW, no one sings "Don't Cry for me Argentina" better.  )
|  mrbig
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| posted: 11/10/2003 at 9:35:53 PM ET
Patti did replace Zoe C. in Master Class several years back. So, it could happen!
mrbig from big d
"No matter what you say, Children Will Listen..."
|  Broadwaybaby17
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Alabama | posted: 11/10/2003 at 10:31:53 PM ET
Hey Mr. Big! Long time no see! Ahhh Patti would be perfect!
Bump it with a trumpet!
| RobRamos
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4/1/2003 | posted: 11/11/2003 at 3:50:13 PM ET
I agree that Patti LuPone would be phenomenal. Her voice is in absolutely incredible shape, and she is known for her physical stamina. As for Bette Midler, I just thought I would add that when Arthur Laurents received an award from Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE) just a few days ago, they showed a selection of clips from his work, and after a Bette Midler scene was shown, he exclaimed, "God, she was AWFUL in that role!", which got the audience howling with laughter. We must also be realistic and consider the fact that Bette begins her concert tour in early December, and the tour is planned for several months, with a slew of Spring/Summer dates being worked out in 2004. And it seems unlikely that she would return to Broadway for an 8-show-per-week schedule, having not done that since she was in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF back in the late 1960's. So I will have to keep my fingers crossed for Patti LuPone, altough I have a distict feeling that the show will be closing with Bernadette's departure. If it does run and the cast changes, I vote for Debbie Gibson as Louise! She played the role with Betty Buckley, and she was superb. Plus, she looks phenomenal.
| moljul
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| posted: 11/11/2003 at 4:34:24 PM ET
I'll start off my post by saying I'm not a big Patti Lupone fan so I have absolutely no desire to see her in the role. But trying to keep impartial here: It seems Patti has said she doesn't want to commit to a big 8 show a week musical. I've heard that and not from any great source or anything but I've heard it few times so I think it has the possibility of being true. The last time she was on Broadway was Noises Off which was more of an ensemble piece and not a musical so that kind of backs up that theory. Plus she doesn't have the best reputation for being easy to work with.
You are absolutely correct about Bette, Rob. It's a long shot.
Oh well, I guess we will wait and see.
|  Christine-NYC
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| posted: 11/11/2003 at 4:39:48 PM ET
I think Andrea Martin has the look and stamina for the role, but I don't know how great her singing voice is? I never did get to see her in Oklahoma...and even from the clips they showed on tv from that production, she had to lay on a heavy accent and her songs did not require belting.
I think she would be an interesting choice. Unfortunately, not a big enough name. 
<3CMH<3
| moljul
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| posted: 11/11/2003 at 5:04:04 PM ET
I don't think she has that strong of a voice. And I've never seen her in such a huge dramatic role. Is she capable of carrying off the acting? Really don't know. Also, though I love Andrea Martin and I mean no disrespect, I don't know if she is "pretty" enough for the role.
| jmslsu01
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northern VA | posted: 11/12/2003 at 12:23:28 AM ET
Patti LuPone has a young son-he's about 12,I think-and a committed run in a show is hard on the family,and apparently her son let her know that in not so many words during Noises Off. Now that he's getting older,that may change.
Jenn
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