NYC Theater insider thinks “ancient play” will be Salome with Armitage as Herod
I got this via email the other day from someone who prefers to remain unidentified, self-identified as “someone who works in NY theater.” I can neither confirm nor deny, and I haven’t been following the details of the buildup to this summer’s production of Salome in DC, but I thought it was an interesting argument.
I have been meaning to write to tip you off that I am 99% sure that the “ancient play” Richard may do in NY (Broadway, perhaps) will likely be Salome, with RA playing Herod. Yael Farber is currently casting a production to be done in Washington DC. There is a workshop first, then a production some months later. All indications are that Farber will work on the play to shape it (while Richard continues his TV and film work) in hopes that it will be an artistic success. Then, the promise of Richard’s name will lure investors. Besides Richard’s hints, the main reason I believe this is because casting is NOT looking for a name for Herod in the Washington production, just an actor who is right and has a resume. Typically such a production would try to get a namey actor in a role that size (not a film star or someone like RA but someone known). I believe it is also possible that one of NY’s subscription theatres (Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Club or Lincoln Center) could put it into their season, which would give them the flexibility to choose a time period that suits Richard’s and Yael’s schedule. If you want me to present additional info, let me know what facts you need and I’ll try to get them.
So, what else would we need to know, gang?
Me + Richard Armitage 
This’ll be interesting if it happens because Al Pacino will be playing Herod in London in 2016.
LikeLike
More intriguing developments! I am so far behind on everything (like reading your last eight or nine posts) I have no idea what to ask. Unless it’s if someone would like to buy a kidney so I might have some hope of seeing RA on stage here in the US. 😉
LikeLike
Où que vous soyez, j’espère qu’un greffon ABO HLA compatible , vous soit très rapidement offert . Non seulement pour que vous puissiez devenir assez indépendante pour suivre la carrière de Richard Armitage comme vous le souhaitez , mais aussi pour croquer la vie à pleine dents . Désormais mes pensées seront pour vous , quand j’ouvrirai ma page d’ordinateur préférée .
LikeLike
Wherever you are , I hope a graft ABO HLA compatible would be very quickly offered . Not only to become enough independant to follow Richard Armitage’s carrer as you want to , but to chew full tooth life . Now when I ‘ll open my favourite computer page, my thoughts will be for you .
LikeLike
I really don’t know. I kind of would rather it was Euripides than Wilde but who knows what Farber will do with it. In any case I am sure what it is, will be interesting, and it can be fun to speculate 🙂
LikeLike
Sussing these things out is always entertaining…
LikeLike
Herod is not unlike John Proctor — in the sense of being tempted and giving in to temptation — although to be fair, from the perspective of the Gospels he was debauched. Then again, from what I remember of Hellenistic history, back in the day, his family’s marital politics were unsurprising from the Greek or Roman perspective but would have seemed horridly scandalous from the perspective of the Jews. I should probably defer to the expert (you) here, though.
LikeLike
The poor Herodians – everyone hated on the Hellenized Jews. The sources for this story are so slanted – the Gospel writers vilify Herod to contrast him with the new order, Josephus is a Jewish historian working under the thumb of the Roman imperial house…not an unvarnished account of Herod to be found as far as I can see…
When in doubt…make stuff up (It’s ancient history – who’s gonna check?) 😉
LikeLike
I don’t know enough about the behind the scenes and investment in productions to ask an intelligent question. Does it make a diference that theatres mentioned are subscription types? It seems a Greek play is a good guess. How many ancient plays are there ? Roman,Chinese, Viking, Persian or Indian or anything. How many ancient plays are commercially viable? I have no idea but it is fun to speculate.
LikeLike
Very excited. Will NOT miss his next stage performancde.
LikeLike
It sounds interesting. However, I’m somewhat confused. Unless Yaël is thinking of staging this play more than once, Salomé was meant for this year’s season at the Shakespeare Theatre Co. in Washington.
Richard’s said recently he’s probably going to work with Yaël in 2016 or 2017. http://www.hmv.com/video/richard-armitage-interview-hobbit-hannibal-spooks
LikeLike
yes, the person making the assertion said that Armitage would join the production after it leaves DC.
LikeLike
Sounds pretty convincing. Do we actually need to know more? Well, the thing that interests me is, how long or short before a play’s opening do they actually announce the definite cast?
Thanks to your unidentified theatre insider!
LikeLike
Intriguing! And yes, I would also be interested in knowing when we’d know for sure…
LikeLike
Hm, sounds interesting.. even though not my favourite ancient subject by a mile (but i do like Strauss’ opera version). In my case the critical questions would be when and how far in advance are we likely to know? In any case sounds like i should try to start saving asap…
LikeLike
I saw Salome in the 70’s as a ballet; it involved nudity 🙂
The decapitated head on a plate made the most impression then.
So, if I understand correctly, Herod will be played by a yet unidentified actor in DC, and then the play may move on to NY, where Armitage is to play Herod?
I’m puzzled by this: “…a namey actor in a role that size (not a film star or someone like RA but someone known).” The implicature of it, that is. Herod is a big role, and RA is not well-enough known? And that’s why he’s to play the part, because he can “lure investors”? Sorry, it’s probably my English, but I don’t really get the argument.
Anyway, it may well be – Certainly interesting. And I wonder (like so many others here) when we’ll know:-)
LikeLike
What about nudity in the play? 🙂 And who would it be, Salome or “Others”??? (Yes, I’m shallow 😉
LikeLike
No, the person was trying to say that they are simply looking an actor to fill the role in DC and don’t care about his reputation. If they put a known actor in the DC production, the person is implying, that would imply they weren’t looking for a name actor for the NY production. The DC theater has already agreed to Salome; investors in NY would have to be sold in part on the basis of Armitage’s name.
LikeLike
As I shall be in NYC at the end of September (a birthday treat to myself) I would love to see him on Broadway, however realistic me doubts this will happen. Herod doesn’t appear to me to be a physical role I imagine him to be overweight and sloth like not the kind of role RA had described when he spoke of getting more physical.
LikeLike
I don’t think there’s anything about the role that suggests Herod needs to be overweight.
LikeLike
So his head stays on its place, right? 😉 That’s great!
LikeLike
Yeah, Herod doesn’t die in this one, lol
LikeLike
I was wondering from the start why they weren’t searching for JOHN THE BAPTIST in the casting calls … isn’t HE to appear in a major role in the play? … Salome is trying to seduce him as far as I remember from Ken Russell’s film version. And because he doesn’t give in, his head ends up on a platter … sounds perfect for following his “The 1001 on screen deaths of Richard Armitage” project 😉
LikeLike
… er, or “on stage” deaths for that matter 😉
LikeLike
Yes….was thinking more along the lines of John the Baptist for Armitage too…and, he’d be killed (true to form 😦 ). To have Herod instead is interesting! I will not miss this one, that’s for sure. But the head on the plate is rather hard to swallow, I guess his mind is into severed parts now anyway. ..lol.
LikeLike
good one!
LikeLike
I would love any other ideas about timetable or possible venues…. and I just want to make sure I’m following the logic here. So the Herod for DC would be something like a placeholder, for Richard to step in for the Broadway run? Am I close?
I’m also curious about what Nadja brought up re: John the Baptist role… is that completely settled? I think this is very exciting! 🙂
LikeLike
re: Herod for DC — yes. re: John the Baptist — I don’t know.
LikeLike
And yes, thanks so much to your “insider”!!
LikeLike
New plays go through a long process of try-outs before ever making it to NY. While this production of “Salome” is based on the Wilde play, the online information is clear about its being YF’s adaptation of the story. Essentially that means it will be a work in progress for a while. Using a reputable theatre company like DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Co. to work out the process is not unusual. It is established with proven talent, so there will be an audience that follows it, and there is an established budget to work with. Big names with the salary demands that go with the big names don’t usually participate at this level. They come in later when the production is actually slated for Broadway. Many kinks have to be worked out before presenting the production to backers and that is done all along the way in the process. A VERY big budget is required to mount a production in NY. It looks as if they are anticipating good things for this show if it’s calendar is being established so securely now. According to the cast breakdown online, nudity is being required of all the leads. That may or may not change by the time the show gets to NY. Some roles may grow larger, some may be diminished or disappear altogether. New characters may be created as well. It is a wonderful creative process! What would really be exciting is to see the show in DC and compare it to the NY production when and if that materializes! 😃
LikeLike
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for tickets to this here in DC then.
LikeLike
Really cool! Thanks for sharing these speculations. Just to be sure I have it right, we are speculating that Salome is going to go through it’s initial run in D.C. this year, and if successful, possibly move to Broadway in 2016 or 2017 and that is when RA might have a leading role. Learn so much in this fandom- I didn’t know that shows often went through an initial season without necessarily a big name before they were considered for New York and brought in the bigger name actors.
LikeLike
Well-known or well-established plays don’t necessarily go through that try-out process. But new and/or experimental plays (like this one appears to be) most certainly go through a “tightening” process that can take time. Refining decisions that are made can involve replacing whole casts or crew, sometimes. Some new plays are presented in different venues in different parts of the country to test them before a variety of audiences, although it doesn’t sound like “Salome” will fall into that category. It has to be good enough to convince people with money to invest that money in the production. Backers need to be convinced that the show will give them a good return on their investment. I’d love to go to DC and see what YF has created. Experiencing a newly created piece by someone with her talent would be a rare joy! 🎭 😃
LikeLike
[…] NYC Theater insider thinks “ancient play” will be Salome with Richard Armitage as Herod. Speculation on Armitage’s plans for a play with Yaël Farber (May 12, 2015). […]
LikeLike
2015 at “me + richard armitage” in review, part one | Me + Richard Armitage said this on January 1, 2016 at 6:35 pm |