[Jman383]

Hey there guys, I just wanted some opinions about something. Can Crocker be played by a Nathan Lane (physically similar anyways), character-type actor? Mind you, I can do sensitive and puppy-love very well, but I'm just wondering. Normally I'd wanna play Moon, but we have THE perfect actor at my school who has a deep, intimidating bass voice for him, but for Crocker, I'm basically the only decent tenor actor we've got. Could it work?

[Salome]

No Crocker is the William Gaxton and Moon the Victor Moore of the team.
(the famous musical theatre pair that created the roles)

in modren terms think Billy as Matt Broderick and Moon as Nathan Lane

or Billy the young Dan Ackroyd and Moon John Belishi.

If I were you I';d go for Lord Evelyn its the best male role in the show hands down.

[Jman383]

Right, but despite the fact I am bigger, does that just defeat the entire character? I mean, the biggest parallel I can draw to my mind is Horton from Seussical; someone who is typically bigger, but is a soft, kind hearted and shy lead like Crocker.

As for sizes though, I did happen to see a bigger Erma (my good friend Jenny) and it worked out just fine. Couldn't this work the same?

[star2ballie]

[Beagle On Stage]

To me, more than anything it sounds like you're worried about not fitting the physical type the role usually is. You could probably get away with it physically. But Allie is right that you would need to stretch in the acting department - this is not a demure role.

Since you really want to be Moon, though (bear in mind, that's not a shy role either), why can't you go for that? I don't know which version you're doing, and I don't know the 87 one very well, but there's nothing vocally required in the 62 one that would require a bass voice (nor a tenor voice on Billy, for that matter).

[Salome]

Easy to Love and All Thrpough The Night go into tenor range.

Easy to love gets very high.

and yes. Billy is not shy he is outward, crazy and very egocentric.

[Lepitot]

All Through the Night goes into tenor? I can sing all the notes in that, and I can barely sing an Eb...

Are you sure it goes that high? I thought Billy was for the most part a high baritone.

[star2ballie]

Billy is the epitome of a tenor role. My then boyfriend was Billy, and was a trained tenor, and still have to work his upper range because especially "Easy to Love" was really, really high.

I wouldn't doubt Salome on this stuff. She knows Porter better than probably anyone on here.

[Jman383]

Well, I apologize for the confusion. When I saw Anything Goes Billy was neither crazy nor egocentric, just determined. And I also apologize for using the word "shy", but what I meant basically is that he's intimidated by Evelyn. Whether it be by money, or the fact Evelyn has the one thing he wants (Hope), he still feels somewhat below him. As for the acting, I think I'd be fine at the part, I mean, out of the three (acting, singing and dancing), I'm most certainly an actor above anything else.

As for "Easy to Love" I did notice that this goes quite high, but as I was singing along with it, it didn't seem like anything too unmanageable. Ab's maybe? I don't know the exact notes, but like I said, I don't think it would be anything impossible for me. On a typical good day, Bb's arent even that tough for me, but we'd have to see on this particular song. One never knows until they actually sing the song.

But thanks for the help guys, I really do appreciate it. And yes, the physicality is what I'm most worried about if we do this show. I mean, I remember last year when we did Crazy for You, I lost 30lbs just because I wanted to play Lank, but then I got stuck with Everett and it turned out for nothing (though I wound up liking Everett SO much more by the end). So losing weight is never really an impossibility for me I guess, the real question is why I don't do more of it right now, haha.

But in any case, has anyone ever seen a slightly heavier Billy either in a hs or comm. production?

P.S. This is the Crocker I saw (along with my friend Jenny as Erma), but I'll admit, the Moonface annoyed the HELL out of me. He was a freshman who had done like 1 show prior... but oh well:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ENFGHuT2loY

Enjoy!

[PappyCat]

I don't see why Billy needs to be skinny...As long as the personality is right.

[Lepitot]

[Jman383]

If we do do the show, it'd have to be the 1987 version, seeing as it's the best. The others though do not have "Easy to Love" which is the song in question.

[Lepitot]

Eh, I didn't like the 1987 version. My school did the one with Bonnie and Let's Misbehave. The same year we saw another schools production, and though the production wasn't bad I didn't enjoy it. The songs were in different places. And the parts were often switched around...Hope sang Billy's DeLovely line and Billy sang Hope's...and it was like that the entire show.

Why on earth does Reno sing I Get A Kick Out Of You at the beginning? In our version it was right before Anything Goes...

Oh well. It's probably becasue the first version is often the one you like best that I like it more.

Musicnotes says Easy to Love only goes up to an E...

Anyway, a bigger Billy Crocker isn't a big deal, as long as you play the part correctly.

[Salome]

the 87 is closer ot thew original. it makes no sense to put I Get ac Kick out of You mid show. the song is about Billy not Evelyn.

plus Lets Step Out,Lets Misbehave, an\d Heaven Hop were not in the original 1934 version they were added for the 1962 revival.

the 62 version isnt bad song wise..but it cant compare to the 87 version which took the original 1934 versiuon and really fleshed it out.

i wish they would just discontinue liscencing the 62 version already.

[Lepitot]

Why? I loved the 62 version.

Couldn't stand the 87 version. I thought it was too long/ more drawn out, and more blunt at times.

[Salome]

the 1987 version is shorter. it has more character development. in other words you are watching full fleshed out characters not cartoons.,.

and the humor is wittier and more classy.

[Jman383]

Yeah, I have both the cast recordings to these shows, and though the quality is obviously better on the '87, I still likethe arrangment and placement on it better than the '62 as Salome said.

Oh and yes, Reno sings "I Got a Kick Outta You" to Billy in the beginning, establishing the fact she likes him, and thus her motive for getting him on the ship in the first place. Thats the way I understood it at least.

And besides, from what I've heard on the cds and seen performed, Erma is a MUCH better character than Bonnie, and has a MUCH better song.

[Lepitot]

Eh, I hated Erma. And I wasn't that fond of Buddie Beware.

The only thing I liked better about the 87 version was the sailor songs, and that Whitney had a bigger part.

[Jman383]

Oh really? That's like my favorite song in the entire show! The best version I've ever heard of it is a good friend of mine Annali, who was 14 in this (she's AMAZING don't be fooled by her age):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTlYF_DVDB8

Maybe that might get you to like it? Haha, if not, oh well!

[Salome]

ermaa and bonnie are the same character!@
the only differencr is Erma get teh better song. Buddy Beware. whih is cole at his witiest.

Porter himself said that Heaven hop and lets step out z9written for revues in the 20s and not anything goes) were two of his least favorite songs. you can argue with the writer.

[Lepitot]

the performance was really good. I still can't stand the song.

Very impressive for 14. Defying Gravity was good, too. Hard sogn for a 14 year old!

[Salome]

how can you not adore lyrics like

"since the day i was weened
i'm a caviar feind"

or

"other girl's luxeries
are my nessesities
so buddy beware"

come on its so much better than

"up in heavans happy portals
where the parties never stop
all tyhe deboinare imortals
do a dance called the heavan hop"


seriously.

[Lepitot]

Overall I like Heaven Hop FAR better. The music is more catchy. I think Buddie Beware sounds flat or something. I just don't like it. It bothers me.

[Salome]

its far from flat. go home and listen to it 20 times in a row. heaven hop is by Porter's own admission..a weak song.

[Jman383]

I agree with Salome. Heaven Hop is just too annoying and nonsensical. Like Salome said, the lyrics to Buddie Beware are amazing. Personally, I love me some money hungry selfish bitches. Ha, that song is practically Karen Walker's theme song from Will & Grace.

P.S. Did you enjoy the recording I posted of the song Salome? I'm sure it's nothing in comparison to what you've heard, but again, she's only 14.
But note, its not from the actual show, it's from an American Idol-like contest for Musical Theatre... she won first place for the 13-15 division winning $500.

[Lepitot]

I don't care what Porter thinks. I personally don't like Buddie Beware. I can understand why you like it.

But, I'm not going to listen to it over and over again. I've heard it twice now, I didn't like it either time.

500 dollars is a nice chunk of change!

[Salome]

ooohh twice! i'll alert the media.

[Lepitot]

lol.

Well, I didn't enjoy it either time. I'm not going to keep listening to it. It doesn't do anything for me.