Stockard Channing in TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

[CarlosAlberto]

Look what I found! Just thought I'd share. Stockard Channing as "Julia" in the 1972 musical, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. She started out as a chorus member and wound up replacing Diana Davila as "Julia" and heading the national tour of the show.

Here she is with Clifton Davis, Jonelle Allen and Larry Kert as "Proteus".

I thought it was interesting they chose Channing as "Julia" in this version anyway is supposed to be Spanish. The Queen of Latin Soul, La Lupe was originally cast in the Broadway production (replacing Carla Pinza from the Delacorte production), she was fired after 3 performances and replaced by Diana Davila. Once Davila departed Channing was given the role.

[Gothampc]

Which is interesting, because I never thought Stockard had that great of a voice.

[justoldbill]

Talent and presence often trump ethnicity. The fact that Verona was "San Juan" and Milan was "New York" wasn't the overriding focus of the show. The real effect was in the rainbow of casting. Remember, Eglamore was generally cast as Asian and with an Asian performer.

[egghumor]

Hi, Carlos!

So glad to know from another thread that you too, are a big fan of TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA as am I. We are a disliked bunch in some circles. I remember being so enthralled by the show that I cancelled what I had planned to see the next night, and returned to VERONA. Obviously, Stockard Channing did indeed, play Julia during the run, but when I saw the show in July, 1972, Diana Davila had just departed and she was replaced by Taro Meyer, whom I saw -- and LOVED!

Someone commented on Channing's singing voice... I come from the school of theatergoers who would rather see a good actor in a musical role who sings adequately, over a great, pitch-perfect singer who cannot act the role very well. That being said, I too, have found it rather perplexing when Stockard Channing snagged some leading musical roles. I don't think she lasted long in THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, and when she took over for Liza in THE RINK, the show closed within two weeks.

I realize she received a Tony nomination for her performance in PAL JOEY a few years ago, but all my friends who saw the production were not impressed by Ms. Channing -- but they all loved Martha Plimpton.

[CarlosAlberto]

Hi egghumor! Yes I am guilty as charged...I am a big fan of TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA! What's not to love? NIGHT LETTER, WHERE'S NORTH?, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, BRING ALL THE BOYS BACK HOME, CALA LILY LADY, LOVE'S REVENGE, WHAT A NICE IDEA...so many great songs in this show!

I loved it when I first heard the Original Broadway Cast Album...Raul Julia is a personal hero of mine and the rest of the cast is good, except I think Diana Davila is the weakest link of the bunch...I can't imagine Stockard could have been much worse.

[CarlosAlberto]

Here is the Queen of Latin Soul: La Lupe (pronounced: La Loop-Hay), she was cast in the role of "Julia" when the show transfered to Broadway after the Delacorte Central Park engagement, replacing Carla Pinza. She only played 3 performances before being replaced by Diana Davila,




LA LUPE : QUEEN OF LATIN SOUL DOCUMENTARY ORIGINALLY AIRED ON PBS

[CarlosAlberto]

Here's the original "Julia" - Carla Pinza with Raul Julia and Jerry Stiller in the original Delacorte Theater production for the Public Theater. This version toured all five boroughs in the Public Theater's Mobile Unit before transferring to Broadway.

[CarlosAlberto]

Here are the Original Broadway leads:

Raul Julia as Proteus
Diana Davila as Julia
Jonelle Allen as Sylvia
Clifton Davis as Valentine

[CarlosAlberto]

Here are: Clifton Davis (Valentine), Jonelle Allen (Sylvia), Stockard Channing (Julia) and I believe this is Larry Kert as Proteus.

[CarlosAlberto]

Another shot of Stockard



Jacque Lynn Colton, Stockard Channing and Larry Kert

[darquegk]

Wow- it's weird seeing a young, slightly nerdy-hippie looking Raul Julia for the first time. To the people in college and grad school now, we know Julia was a legendary actor, but he lives on as a camp icon for his performances as Gomez Addams and M. Bison, in which he competes with Tim Curry for "hammiest actor of the nineties."

[CarlosAlberto]

Jonelle Allen and Clifton Davis

[CarlosAlberto]

Raul Julia and Diana Davila

[CarlosAlberto]

Original Delacorte cast featuring Raul Julia, Carla Pinza (holding tambourines) as Julia and to the far right, Miss Jonelle Allen as Sylvia - - Joseph Papp is kneeling to the far left.

[egghumor]

I did see Raul Julia and Jonelle Allen, but in addition to Taro Meyer as Julia, I saw Joe Morton play Valentine.

[CarlosAlberto]

The original Broadway cast by Al Hirschfeld: Clifton Davis, Jonelle Allen, Raul Julia and Diana Davila

[CarlosAlberto]

I'm jealous egghumor...I wish I had been old enough to see this when it opened!

[CarlosAlberto]

Here's the beautiful Taro Meyer who was a replacement "Julia" in the Broadway cast

[egghumor]

I was 17 at the time and it was a completely joyful experience -- just a perfect production in so many ways.

I also remember thinking the show sounded so much better in the theater than how it sounded on the cast recording. There's a slight flatness/deadness to the ABC Records production. It did not do the show justice.

[CarlosAlberto]

Hattie Winston replaced Jonelle Allen as "Sylvia" later in the run.

[CarlosAlberto]

@egghumor: It looks like a beautiful production all around. I loved it when I finally got to see it in 2005 at the Delacorte in Central Park. It was so much fun!!

[CarlosAlberto]

Swoon! Clifton Davis as Valentine.

[egghumor]

Talk about beautiful!!! Indeed, Clifton Davis was so delicious in his prime.

[egghumor]

I wish I could have seen the 2006 Delacorte production. I seem to remember that Rosario Dawson played Julia, yes? Who played the other roles? and who directed?

[CarlosAlberto]

Yes! I had such a huge crush on Mr. Davis when he was on "That's My Mama" and "Amen".


Here's pretty Diana Davila, who played "Julia":

[CarlosAlberto]

Renee Elise Goldsberry played Sylvia, Norm Lewis played Valentine, Oscar Isaac played Proteus, Rosario Dawson was Julia and Paolo Montalban played Eglamour in the 2005 revival