Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch and Mister Sondheim. AT LAST.

Much has been written online about the recent decision to cancel the closing of the Broadway revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. This show, one that I have loved from the moment I saw it, was due to close with the departure of its' stars, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Miss Angela Lansbury. It was an assumption on everyone's part that the reason for the closing was that there simply wasn't a replacement cast great enough to warrant the continuation of the production.

Not so.

The chatteratti all had ideas about who would make a good Desiree Armfeldt and who would be a good match as her mother, Leonora. Everyone had an idea and everyone had an argument. My best friend Brady and I joined in on this fun speculation, in private. It's a fantasy. It's a game. Among our discussions we liked Donna Murphy as Desiree but hadn't a thought for a good Madame Armfeldt. We liked Marion Cotillard as the younger Armfeldt and Leslie Caron as the older. We, especially, liked Michelle Pfeiffer as Desiree and Julie Christie as her mother. Pat's dream casting was Julianne Moore and Julie Andrews as mother and daughter. It's all a fantasy.

Well, the fantasy has become a reality.

For two weeks it was rumoured; then, finally, it was announced that two Broadway legends would be taking over the roles.

Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch will be on the Broadway stage together for the first time.

That is, indeed, the most thrilling bit of casting to hit the Great White Way in a very long time.

And the chatteratti are up in arms about it.

These people who complained that Catherine Zeta-Jones was too young to play Desiree can, now, only complain that Bernadette Peters is too old. Or their complaint is that she is "wrong" for the part. Or their complaint is that Elaine Stritch is tough hard edged for her part. It is just one (stupid) complaint after another.

Yes. I said STUPID.

I can't believe that these inane people want to argue about this instead of focusing on the joy of the occasion. Here we have two LEGENDARY Broadway talents going into a LEGENDARY Broadway musical by a LEGENDARY Broadway composer. That is reason for all of us to jump for joy. Some people have never seen these two ladies perform. Some may have seen one, some may have seen the other; now we can all see them TOGETHER. Not only that, they are probably the two most visible, the two most popular, the two greatest interpreters of his work; and neither of them has actually been in a Sondheim show in decades (approximately two for Bernadette, three for Elaine). I don't want to dismiss Barbara Cook or Angela Lansbury as great interpreters of Mister Sondheim's work. Neither do I want to pass over all of the other artists who have done bangarang jobs of singing his songs... BUT it is difficult to deny that when you say the name Bernadette Peters, you think of Stephen Sondheim. She originated roles in two of his most important, most beloved works and has continued to perform his songs in concert, these last twenty years, since her appearance in INTO THE WOODS, her last Sondheim show. And who can deny that Elaine Stritch is, in fact, what you think of when you hear the name COMPANY. Oh, sure. We also think of Pamela Meyer and Raoul Esparza for their work in versions of that musical... But if you say COMPANY, people think of The Ladies Who Lunch and THAT has Elaine Stritch all over it. Then there is her performance of the song Broadway Baby from the FOLLIES concert - another one that people always remember. I have actually never seen Miss Stritch's club act, so I cannot say whether or not she performs any Sondheim in it; but she did in her Tony win AT LIBERTY. It cannot be denied and it must be said: these two women and Sondheim belong together. Now, they are all together at the same time.

I'm not sure about this, either; but I think this might be the first time either of them have replaced on Broadway. Significant. I mean, imagine the scene. There is all this talk about who will replace CZJ (as Miss Jones has come to be known on Broadway) and Miss Lansbury. No replacement can be found. Closing notice is announced. A brilliant actress ( on tv, her GREY'S ANATOMY episode still haunts me; on film, please consider her amazing SLAVE OF NEW YORK ) and savvy business woman says to herself "call them". That's what the rumour around town is. It was widely circulated that a "major star has contacted the producers of A Little Night Music about replacing CZJ". So can you picture that? Here is a major star, a great actress and one of the most beautiful women OF ALL TIME calling up to offer to do replacement work - and I bet they never even considered her because they figured she wouldn't do replacement work. Here is a legendary talent and beauty who is (admittedly) older than the role should be played... we might never have had the chance to see her brilliance in the role, just as she might never have had the chance to play the part. Now, because of IMDB, no celebrity's age is private anymore. We all know how old Glynnis Johns was when she played the part. Ditto, CZJ, ditto Elizabeth Taylor, ditto Judi Dench, ditto Jean Simmons, ditto Amy Irving, ditto Lois Nettleton, ditto Judith Ivey, ditto Leslie Uggams, ditto Betty Buckley, ditto Christine Ebersole, ditto Blair Brown, ditto Sally Ann Howes... the list is endless. There has been artistic liscence taken with the age of Desiree Armfeldt and always will be, as long as there are lovely and talented actresses who want to play her and as long as there are audiences who want to see them play her. At least this time we have an actress playing her who may BE older than Desiree is but who LOOKS like she is exactly the right age. I mean, let's face it: Bernadette Peters has not only not aged in 30 years, she has gotten more beautiful. I believe she is youthening, as we all age around her.

I think I am making my point here. I am thrilled and excited about this news. I cannot wait to see Bernadette Peters play this part. And I disagree, wholeheartedly, with anyone who says Elaine Stritch will not make a good Leonora Armfeldt. We're talking about one of the greatest actresses ever here - I mean, I think I read somewhere that she was Noel Coward's personal favourite and THAT is NO cheap letter of reference! The thing about Elaine Stritch is that she can say or do anything she wants because she has confidence in who she is and what she is about; just like any member of the European aristocracy. A european royal can cuss and skinny dip and sit on the ground, eating a picnic lunch because they KNOW their blood is blue. Madame Armfeldt is not royalty by blood. She's an ex courtesan who married into money. She can be hard around the edges (and, indeed, I think SHOULD be) as well as being elegant. That, like The Ladies Who Lunch, has Elaine Stritch written all over it.

My friend Jose had a Facebook status message, the day that the casting was, officially, announced; it claimed that anyone who wasn't excited by the casting of Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch had no right calling themselves a theater person.

I think that says it all.

Get on board folks! It's gonna be a great, a Great, A GREAT ride.

Miss it at your peril

Please note that I found the photos in this story online. I don't know who took them.