“Casting a ‘Follies’ of the Future, With Beyoncé and Ben Platt - The New York Times” plus 1 more |
| Casting a ‘Follies’ of the Future, With Beyoncé and Ben Platt - The New York Times Posted: 31 Mar 2021 02:03 AM PDT  "Follies" is every musical theater nerd's favorite casting puzzle. It needs names that evoke nostalgia for the showbiz past but also skilled triple-threats who match the characters — and one another. Below, a look at performers who originated the six major roles, and a selection of those who followed over the last 50 years. Plus: Our dream cast for the 2046 revival, when "Follies" will be 75 and the nostalgia will be for today. Benjamin StoneDistinguished. Wealthy. Unfaithful. Depressed.Of all the original stars of "Follies," only John McMartin came without nostalgic baggage. He was a theater actor first — and that's how Ben, a philanthropist and retired politician, has been cast ever since. For the 2007 Encores! production, the four-time Tony nominee Victor Garber was Ben to Donna Murphy's Phyllis. The pair looked perfect together, like a president and first lady. For the 75th anniversary revival, Benjamin Walker, who has played Andrew Jackson onstage and Abraham Lincoln (vampire killer) on film, seems just right. Buddy PlummerManic. Sweaty. Unfaithful. Depressed.A former Hollywood hoofer — he played Will Parker in the movie of "Oklahoma!" — Gene Nelson was dead-on casting for the salesman unfortunate enough to be in love with his wife. When the New York Philharmonic produced a concert version for a gala in 1985, Mandy Patinkin took the role — and shook it for all it was worth. Sure, he's already got his mitts on the "Merrily We Roll Along" movie, but wasn't "Dear Evan Hansen" a de facto audition for Ben Platt to play this walking nervous breakdown, too?
Phyllis Rogers StoneElegant. Icy. Unfaithful. Angry.By 1971, Alexis Smith was long retired from Hollywood, where her aloof, glamorous aura made her a star of the 1940s. That persona (and timeline) made her perfect for Phyllis. Who better than Diana Rigg, that former Avenger, to take the role of a brilliantly imperious wife for the 1987 London premiere? Lucy is juicy. Jessie is dressy. Or so Phyllis sings, describing her two contrasting halves. Beyoncé is all that, and more. Case closed. Sally Durant PlummerFrilly. Romantic. Faithful. Nuts.In the 1950s, Dorothy Collins was a lovely B-list songbird on "Your Hit Parade." In 1971, she still had the voice — and despite a big smile, the acting chops to make Sally dark. Bernadette Peters took the role in the 2011 Broadway revival, stripping away Sally's social skin and turning darkness into madness. Ruthie Ann Miles won a Tony Award for her impassioned rendition of "Something Wonderful" in "The King and I." Sally's "Losing My Mind" is another ode to longing worthy of her heart-melting voice. Hattie WalkerIndomitable. Leather-Lunged. Ancient. Ageless.The former radio star Ethel Shutta was 74 when she originated the role — and debuted its great song "Broadway Baby"; her own Broadway debut was in 1922. For the 1985 concert, no one was going to get between Hattie and Elaine Stritch, who sang "Broadway Baby" for most of the next 30 years. In 2046, Bernadette Peters will be 98 — and look 48. Having already played Sally in the 2011 revival, she'll be perfect for a role she has never played except in real life. Carlotta CampionBruised. Tough. Hilarious. Still Here.Yvonne De Carlo, the best known member of the original cast, portrayed the former B-list star who sings "I'm Still Here." For the same 1985 concert, Carol Burnett — a bigger star than any of the "Follies" characters — was a curveball Carlotta. But no one could sell the setup for her big number better: "It was supposed to be a sad song, but it kept getting laughs." How much Carlotta was there in Kiki DuRayne of "Kiki & Herb" fame? More than a splash. In 2046 it'll be time for her creator, the cabaret chanteuse Justin Vivian Bond, to drink up, close the bar — and bring down the house. |
| Posted: 04 Mar 2021 12:00 AM PST By 2002, Beyoncé was already a megastar recording artist. She made her movie debut in Austin Powers in Goldmember as Foxxy Cleopatra, Austin (Mike Myers)'s partner in the '70s. Beyoncé's crossover was likely inevitable, but unfortunately there is a tragic reason she made the leap so soon. At the 2002 press junket for Austin Powers, Beyoncé explained how unfortunate events led her to make movies sooner than she expected to.  How old was Beyoncé in 'Austin Powers'?Beyoncé was only 21 when she played Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember. At the time, she said she was already getting movie offers. "I've gotten scripts and some offers, but never anything as wonderful or as huge as Austin Powers," she said. "Really, I wasn't planning on doing a movie anytime soon. But once they approached me with this, I couldn't really pass it up. I had to." RELATED: Beyoncé's 'Dreamgirls' Salary Was Less Than You'd Expect At the time of Austin Powers, there was still a stigma about singers becoming actors. Beyoncé understood why not everyone was cut out for both. "I think it has to be something that you are born with, the ability to act," she said. "Everybody that sings and performs can't act. And I didn't know if I could or not. That's why I was scared to get into it, because sometimes you think, 'OK, since I perform and I'm a successful singer, then I can be a successful actress.' But it's not something that everyone has. Either you got it or you don't, just like a voice or the ability to play basketball or whatever it is." Beyoncé made 'Austin Powers' while Destiny's Child was on holdBeyoncé was planning to give herself more time to become an actor. However, Austin Powers filmed in 2001. Coincidentally, she was supposed to go on tour with Destiny's Child, but tragedy postponed the tour.  "The hardest thing was the timing, because Destiny's Child was supposed to be on tour," she said. "But the crazy thing, September 11th happened, and we couldn't go out of the country. So we had to postpone the tour." She never gave up music for moviesBeyoncé made many more movies after Austin Powers including The Fighting Temptations, Dreamgirls, The Pink Panther, Cadillac Records, Obsessed and The Lion King. She knew she would always make time for both movies and music, and she has.  RELATED: Beyoncé Did Not Want to Kiss Her Co-Star in 1 of Her Early Movies "I do want to do both," she said. "I want to do more movies but I love music. The schedule is actually a lot easier, as far as the stability in waking up, going to work, coming back home. But there's nothing like the rush of a live performance. I love both but I want to see what I can do. I want to do a drama, I want to do something dark, I want to see what I like." Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records and Obsessed all fulfilled those desires. |
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