Theater queens rejoice! Well, the genuine ones who don’t claim Wicked as their favorite musical. Broadway will be sending out clowns this December when Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music gets its first American revival since the original 1973 production. Not only will the legendary, five-time-Tony-winning Angela Lansbury be playing the role of Madame Armfelft (could you just die at the thought of her doing “Liaisons”?), Velma Kelley herself – no, not Bebe “Lilith” Neuwirth – Catherine Zeta-Jones will be playing the lead role of Desiree.
At first, I wondered if homegirl could handle a number like “Send in the Clowns.” Then I remembered how she vocally twerked it out for “All That Jazz” in Chicago. And before she was hollering at T-Mobile, the Welsh vixen was an accomplished stage actress.
What this theater mo wants to know now is who will play Fredrika, Desiree’s neglected daughter, and Charlotte, the lovelorn wife played to perfection by the scene stealing Diana Rigg in the 1978 film version. Aside from “Send in the Clowns”, those two characters have the show’s best numbers (watch Diana Rigg lay it down on “Every Day a Little Death”). It’s a shame Audra McDonald is a bit too old to play Fredrika because she can bust out “The Glamorous Life.”
– Dr. Queerlove
How gay Dr. Queer Love. Of course you had to. I love it.
Please the BEST song in that musical is “the Miller’s Son” The best hook-up song of all time.
There was a fabulous version of A Little Night Music at Center Stage here in Baltimore about a year and a half ago. The cast included Barbara Walsh, Stephen Bogardus, Sarah Uriarte Berry, Polly Bergen… it was really well done. I thought for sure it was headed to NYC but I guess not. That whole cast was great. except for Maxwell Caulfield.
But in any event, I’d love to see Catherine Zeta-Jones onstage. After the film version of Chicago I figured it was only a matter of time.
My favorite songs are “You Must Meet My Wife” (“let me get my hat and my knife”) and “Every Day a Little Death”.
I have to say though, that I don’t care for the “Wicked” reference. I love Sondheim and have most of his cast recordings, but I also love “Wicked” – I don’t care if it’s not as complicated musically or lyrically, it never fails to touch me.