Miscast
April 21, 2017 7:45 AM   Subscribe

Carmen Cusack performs "You'll Be Back" from Hamilton at this year's Miscast gala celebrating 30 years of the MCC Theatre in New York. The goal of Miscast is to allow Broadway stars perform songs from roles in which they would NEVER be cast. Jennifer Holliday sings “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles. Brian D’Arcy James performs “Unusual Way” from Nine. Kelli O’Hara performs “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

MCC YouTube Channel
posted by roomthreeseventeen (15 comments total) 26 users marked this as a favorite
 
Thanks for this! The recent Tom and Jerry nonsense reminded me that "Pure Imagination" is actually a lovely song. When I was a kid, I didn't like it because I'd already read Dahl's book and I thought it was too sappy. Now I understand it better, and see that it can have a sinister edge if you want it to (but you don't have to).

Here's to miscasting!
posted by Countess Elena at 8:27 AM on April 21, 2017


OMG Jordan Fisher as Ti Moune, I need this miscast revival in my life noowwwwwwwwwwwwww
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:44 AM on April 21, 2017


Historically (literally), "Hamilton" owes a lot to "1776". Now imagine if there was MCC in 1969/1970 (when "1776" debuted) and someone said: "Let's have Harry Belafonte sing Jefferson in 'But Mr. Adams!'" The sheer open-mouthed, gaping shock of it all! What do they think this is, the Public Theatre?

What I'm saying is that today's "miscast" is tomorrow's million-dollar-a-month musical. I'm looking forward to the gender-flipped, race-reversed version of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" in 2035.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:08 AM on April 21, 2017 [3 favorites]


Historically (literally), "Hamilton" owes a lot to "1776". Now imagine if there was MCC in 1969/1970 (when "1776" debuted) and someone said: "Let's have Harry Belafonte sing Jefferson in 'But Mr. Adams!'" The sheer open-mouthed, gaping shock of it all! What do they think this is, the Public Theatre?

When we saw 1776 at Encores! about a year ago, the cast was all mixed-race, with a young Black actor whose costume was a hoodie and jeans playing the Courier.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:23 AM on April 21, 2017


When we saw 1776 at Encores! about a year ago, the cast was all mixed-race, with a young Black actor whose costume was a hoodie and jeans playing the Courier.

Excellent! And, just to clarify, my comment about "shock of it all" would have been from the perspective of a 1969-era audience which might not have taken well to, say, Thomas Jefferson being played by a black man.

I did feel that the Encores! revival of "1776" was kind of the "Atlantic Rim" knockoff to "Pacific Rim". "Can't get tickets to Hamilton? How about the same subject matter, sorta...."

Which is weird, since "1776" came first but is, well, rather dated.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:58 AM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


My mom always wanted me to sing "My Conviction" from Hair at the elementary school talent show.

My mom is weird, y'all.

(She also lobbied for Frank Mills as a more conservative option.)

I think my mom just regrets the fact that she graduated high school in 1967 and lived in a town 90 miles away from San Francisco, but chose to wear suits and go to the local community college instead.
posted by elsietheeel at 11:12 AM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


Ok, the three young boys from Kinky Boots, Les Mis, and School of Rock as the Schuyler Sisters (2016) is adorable!
posted by TwoStride at 2:07 PM on April 21, 2017 [4 favorites]


THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:20 PM on April 21, 2017


Where is my album of this, shut up and take my money!
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:39 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]


OMG, Laura Benanti as a teenage Valley Girl and Christopher Fitzgerald as "someone older and wiser telling you what to do."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:30 PM on April 21, 2017


Wait is this the thread where we post our favorite Miscast performances

"Jonathan Groff Channels His Inner Sutton Foster to Perform 'Anything Goes'"

Eight minutes of sheer joy (and tap dancing).
posted by kwaller at 11:10 PM on April 21, 2017 [2 favorites]


Dammit, you guys, I have stuff to do today! But for now:

A. Ham and ADA Barba: A Boy Like That (2014)
posted by Sweetie Darling at 5:09 AM on April 22, 2017 [1 favorite]


Aaron Tveit and Gavin Creel and "Take Me or Leave Me.

Norbert Leo Butz and company doing "It's All Over" and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:23 AM on April 22, 2017 [1 favorite]


Slide Some Oil To Me.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:33 AM on April 22, 2017


I love Miscast-type performances. Not just for the comedy or camp--they can also give a performer a chance to showcase their talent in a part they wouldn't otherwise be put it. And they can also be empowering and offer a totally new interpretation of a song outside its context. Like a black woman singing "I Am What I Am"--it's a wholly new but still wholly appropriate and equally defiant take.

I haven't seen the "You'll Be Back" performance--it's fantastic.

More:
Finally, my absolute favorite miscast features Tituss Burgess singing "And I Am Telling You".
posted by Anonymous at 10:34 AM on April 22, 2017


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