Brooke Shields & Richard Chamberlain to Star in Premiere of THE EXORCIST

[ljay889]

Interesting casting. It's about time that Brooke does a play. I'd be interested in seeing this if it moved.

http://broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-Brooke-Shields-Richard-Chamberlain-to-Star-in-Premiere-of-THE-EXORCIST-at-Geffen-Playhouse-20120517#ixzz1vAiJAl92

[broadwaybabytn]

Directed by John Doyle...

[mybigsplash]

cue the pea soup.

[Mr Roxy]

Even Satan has to play his own instrument.

[egghumor]

As someone who has seen LOTS of Broadway bombs, if I had to name the absolute WORST play I saw on Broadway it would be John Pielmeier's SLEIGHT OF HAND. Shockingly bad. Since he's writing this thing (not a good idea to begin with, methinks) I wouldn't get my hopes up. I'm shocked to see that Harry Groener has agreed to appear in another Pielmeier play after what he experienced with SLEIGHT OF HAND. The only good thing to emerge from that debacle was the poster.

[Playbilly]

This casting is sure to turn heads.

[Jordan Catalano]

Will they sell crucifix's in the lobby?

[uncageg]

Jordan, they will sell holy water in logo sippy cups for 33.00.

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

What is Stephen Bogardus doing in this? (As in, does anyone know what his role is?)

[RippedMan]

I Just don't understand the idea of putting a popular (cult?) on stage. What's the appeal? Why not just watch the movie? It's not like they are adding thing to it.

[best12bars]

Why is twelve-year-old Regan being played by a college graduate? Doesn't that kinda kill the shock of it?

I actually like the idea of Brooke as Chris.

I have my doubts about this play, though. Big-time.

[lemiz1862]

Hi everyone!
As a long time lurker of the boards, this thread has finally got me to comment :). I work at the Geffen Playhouse, and I'm not going to lay out all of my theatre credentials to make you believe what I have to say, but I want to tell you guys how AWESOME this show is going to be.

(Sorry to be a total shill, but I'm really very excited about the production)

RippedMan, just so you know, this is not the movie in any way, but an adaptation of the original novel. The theatre will be transformed a la Follies, and although I'm not going to give away too much about the set and the show, the production will be totally eerie and in my opinion, scarier than the original movie.

Best12, we don't want audiences to have to watch an actual twelve-year-old masturbate, but Emily (who is playing Regan) looks like twelve-year-old on stage. Trust me :)

For some more info, I'm attaching a link to a talk back we did with the film director William Friedkin, the playwright John Pielmeier, and the Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney.
Talkback

[CurtainPullDowner]

I wish this was a musical.

[devonian.t]

with tap dancing devils

[Leadingplayer]

Bogardus plays one of the doctors.

[Nickhutson]

It's certainly a story Sondheim should adapt.

Excitingly - Teller (of Penn and Teller) is doing the illusions for this show.

[Borstalboy]

Well! This is a team-up I don't think anyone saw coming.

[doodlenyc]

I'm excited for this, though I'm not sure about Shields' casting. Hoping to be pleasantly surprised by her...it's a tough role!

I'm interested in more casting...Sharon, Karl and Kinderman.

[Playbilly]

Some minor characters in the novel were downplayed in the movie, so maybe they're going to emphasize them. If they are going the mystery route, (for good or ill)AGNES OF GOD might be a model.

[Bettyboy72]

A word of advice to the Geffen Playhouse. Don't use green lights for the vomit-the queens on this boards will have a hissy fit and never let it go. lol

[Vespertine1228]

Am I the only one who would be a little distracted by Brooke Shields in something like this? I can understand the desire to take the Ellen Burstyn role, but there's a reason horror movies usually star non-famous people. It takes the audience out of the scariness.

[SonofRobbieJ]

I don't know the book well, but I know the movie. Isn't the character supposed to be a movie star? I think Shields will be effective in that regard. Even more effective than Burstyn who never seeemed a movie star...even though she actually IS one.

[singingbackup]

Welcome lemiz1862 to the madness! Thanks for the info. I am very excited to see this and thrilled that it's here in LA. The Geffen does great work, so hopes are high.

[doodlenyc]

It's been a long time since I read the novel. I remember it being very close to the screenplay, except the sub plot involving Karl.

Interesting take on Sheilds, and Chris being a star, Robbie. Maybe it's a movie star versus glamour star kind of thing, but I felt like Chris was a great actress kind of star rather than a screen siren type. Burstyn, Blatty and Freidken seem to make that clear with her "preperation" during her working scenes, especially when the makeup person annoys her as she's about to begin filming the campus scene and questioning the writers of the film.

I'm hoping Shields is great, it just seems a daring choice.

[Borstalboy]

Interesting no one has mentioned Manouel Feliciano.

His denial of a Tony for the SWEENEY TODD revival sent this board into paroxysms that would make Pazuzu wrinkle his nose, once upon a time.

[Playbilly]

In the book the mother is a movie star, gone through a messy divorce, and perhaps a bit neglectful of the daughter. As great as Burstyn was, the character in the book was little deeper, with the arc of non-believer to believer. Shields may have the heft to pull it off --I haven't seen her on stage,, but it does seem a little miscasting.