Just announced on the Today Show! Al will be playing the role of Joe from October 5 to November 11. On the today show he said he would be doing shows everyday, but according to Broadway.com, he will not be performing Saturday or Sunday matinees.
As soon as I saw them tease the announcement I said in the Waitress casting thread that it would be somebody from their show. I was hoping for Kathie Lee as Joe.
It’s definitely strange casting to say the least, but I’m sure that Bareilles and co. will work with him to help learn the role, since they do a great job to ensure nobody makes a mockery of the project.
Plus, he has only one song (“Take It From An Old Man”) and it’s mostly soft-spoken. I’m sure he can handle it.
I have to say I’m intrigued
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Worst idea ever (hope I’m wrong). It’s a role that requires limited dancing/singing as I recall, correct? So, maybe... Still...when I saw this just on Facebook I thought it was a joke piece from The Onion.
On top of that, I’m appreciative that they continued to recast with such diversity in regards to race and ethnicity since this gives precedent to future productions that literally anybody can play they roles with no barriers
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I'll admit, when I saw Larry Marshall play Old Joe, I was curious how well a black Old Joe would be received- the character is innocuous enough when played by a white guy, but inches into "Magical Negro" territory when cast as a person of color. Fortunately it's not like the show steers too hard into that characterization, and I think the "sassy, horny, advice-giving old black man who solves the hero's problem in the end and then disappears" trope will be less obvious when Jenna is also black.
And the role of Larry Murphy at this performance will be played by Anthony Bourdain. Seriously though, why are they putting a weatherman on Broadway?? I really thought this was a joke
This just smells of desperation. Just announce a January closing already with Bareilles returning.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
HamilHansen said: "Oh dear, what are we going to get next? Kendrick Lamar as Thomas Jefferson? Steve Carell as Alfred Doolittle? TOMMY WISEAU AS ELPHABA?"
Uh, two out of three of those sound like great ideas.
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