I don't think Verdon could have done the accent — her English accent in Redhead was not at all convincing, but for that show it didn't need to be — or that she could have sung it at that point in her career. As JereNYC says below, her singing became very limited over time. I agree that otherwise she might have brought interesting qualities to the role.
I responded to bobby2 about Andrews.
Georgia Brown probably would have needed some big vocal adjustments made to the role and would not have been a draw. Admittedly, Loudon needed one vocal adjustment, but otherwise she could sing it, although she wasn't really able to do the accent.
Cleo Laine is an interesting idea, but although she might have been very good in the role, I don't think even she was the kind of draw that would have been needed for Broadway audiences. Penny Fuller would have brought three people to the box office, which is perhaps more than Julia McKenzie (who did later play it to acclaim in London) would have brought. Millicent Martin (who I think never played the role) would have brought seven people to the box office. She probably would have been very good, but it would have died a very quick death unless Paul Newman had played Sweeney opposite her. Fuller and McKenzie might also have seemed a bit young for the role at the time. |
