You are not going to believe this, girls, but, then, why should any of us be surprised???? This summer--from July 3 through August 12--the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, CA is going to present a stage adaption of--are you ready for this????--"The Exorcist"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And, honey wait, it gets better!!!! Brooke Shields is going to be playing the Ellen Burstyn role of Chris MacNeil, the actress, whose daughter, Regan (played by Emily Yetter,; who the hell is she? And how old is she??? Bet this won't do for her, what it did for Linda Blair!!!!) undergoes the horrifying experience of demonic possession. Oh, and the title role, namely Father Merrin, played in the film by Max Von Sydow (who, at 82, is still very much alive; you have to wonder why he is not playing it. On the other hand, maybe he was asked, and wisely turned it down; after being nominated for an Oscar at his age, I am sure he can smell a stinker when it crosses his way!!!!) will now be played by former "Dr. Kildare" heart throb, Richard Chamberlain. Who is no stranger to playing a priest, either, having scored big several decades ago in the pivotal role in the miniseries "The Thorn Birds!!!"
The rest of the cast is made up of unknowns, but what a creative team is assembling this project. The written adaptation is by John Pielmier, best known still for "Agnes Of God," so in some ways he is apt; the direction is going to be by Sondheim deconstructionist (though I say bastardizer) John Doyle!!!! I have to wonder; will Regan now do the spider walk down the stairs, while playing the piccolo?????
What in the name of God, or Satan, are these people thinking??? The movie is definitive, and Burstyn's performance is grounded in the reality of powerlessness in the face of her child's plight; Brooke Sheilds, talented though she is, especially with comedy, is hardly a world beater as a dramatic actress, so how can she possibly measure up???? Chamberlain may very well acquit himself minus any embarrassment, but, from the looks of it, this project looks to be the biggest camp disaster in the making since the 1988 Broadway musical version of "Carrie." And you just know "The Exorcist's" summer engagement at the Geffen, is a testing ground for whether or not they bring it to New York!!!! Girls, I hope they do, because after last winter's disappointment with the revised "Carrie," theater audiences are craving a camp delight....and this may just be it!!!!!!
Of course, you better believe I am ticked off that the role of Regan has already been cast: I have always wanted to play that. Hell, I feel like that, some of the time!!!! And it is NOT menopause, darlings!!!!! But, so far I see nothing about the casting of another plum role here I have always coveted--Mrs. Karas!!!!!! I could do her to a tee!!!!! Her signature line, written above, I can render perfectly!!!! What a camp fest that would be, loves!!!! And you would all get comps!!!!!!
So, this "Exorcist" is definitely one to keep an eye on, though who would have thought, nearly 40 years later, it would find its way to the stage. Mother of Mercy!!!!!
Could "Rosemary's Baby" be next????? Horrors!!!!!!!!!!!!
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