(Source: manhatttheatresource.forumcircle.com)
Well, well, well, looks like the rumours are true. The Frog Princess, Disney's (hopefully triumphant) return to 2-D cel animation, is (according to the casting call "an animated American fairy tale musical, set in New Orleans, in the 1920's Jazz Age."
Below is the cast sheet for various roles in the flick, and what Lasseter, Musker and Clements are looking for in voice actors. As the information notes, Disney's looking to start shooting this thing in January of 2007. Here are the characters, and who I would cast in the roles:
THE FROG PRINCESS . (Animated Feature Film)
- SAG Directors: John Musker, Ron Clements
- Composer: Randy Newman
- Shoot/Start Date: January 2007
SINGING ROLES:
- MADDY: A 19-year-old African American chambermaid. Bright, resourceful, ambitious, intense. A little too grown-up for her age. Dialect: Mild southern colloquial.
My choice? Beyonce Knowles - the obvious name. She can (definitely) sing, she can act. As Austin Powers: Goldmember and the upcoming Dreamgirls demonstrates, she has marquee value.
- CHARLOTTE: 18 years old. A spoiled, southern debutante. A diva. Comic "steel magnolia". Bossy but insecure. Dialect: Southern belle.
My choice? Brittany Murphy - Happy Feet proves that she does have a good set of pipes. She's from Atlanta, so she should be able to do "Southern belle."
- DR. DUVALIER: A 30-40 year old Voodoo magician/fortune teller. African American. Charming, charismatic, smooth and a sinister bad guy. Theatrical and grandiose. Dialect: Elegant, possibly New Orleans Creole.
My choice? Morgan Freeman - he's done musical theatre, he enjoys bad guy roles (when he can get them) and he has The Voice.
- MAMA ODIE: An elderly, 200 year old Voodoo priestess/fairy god-mother. African American. Broad, comic, eccentric. Benevolent, wise and all knowing. A mixture of Moms Mabley & Yoda. Dialect: Southern colloquial.
My choice? Della Reese - yeah, the Touched by an Angel lady. Another musical theatre veteran (been singing since the age of 6). A no-brainer as "benevolent, wise and all-knowing" and can do comedy.
- RAY: A 25-35 year old lovesick Cajun firefly. Warm, friendly, laid back and easygoing. Comically obtuse. Missing front tooth, has a lisp and occasionally speaks in Cajun French. LOOKING FOR AUTHENTIC CAJUN ACTORS.
My choice? Harry Connick Jr. - old for the role, but he's a great singer, acts and he is from New Orleans.
- LOUIS: A 20-40 year old Jazz singer alligator. Comic, manic, high strung. Can be African American or white. Has extraordinary jazz singing voice since he, in effect, "sold his soul" to get it. Dialect: New Orleans hipster.
My choice? Wayne Brady - comic, manic, high strung, great singing voice . . . need I say more?
NON-SINGING ROLES:
- PRINCE HARRY: A gregarious, fun-loving European Prince, in his early twenties. A young Cary Grant. Charming, witty but irresponsible and immature. Loves jazz. Dialect: British upper-class.
My choice? Insert any any twenty-something actor who can do a British accent. I went with Elijah Wood because he can do the accent (Lord of the Rings) and he has the acting range.
- LAWRENCE: Harry's pompous roly poly valet. In his forties. Stiff, snobbish and sarcastic. Secretly envious and resentful of Harry. Dialect: Overly affected British upper crust.
My choice? Stephen Fry - upper-class British accent? Check. Can he do stiff, snobbish and sarcastic? Check.
- BIG DADDY LA BOUFF: Wealthy, Southern plantation landowner. Doting father of Charlotte La Bouff. A "good ol' boy." Warm, affable, courtly, imposing and powerful. Dialect: Thick southern drawl.
My choice(s)? Charles Durning could do this role in his sleep. Gary Sinise would also be great.
- EUDORA: Maddy's mother. In her fifties. Eudora used to be Charlotte's nurse maid. Warm, homespun and nurturing. Overly fretful.
My choice? Alfre Woodard - a highly underrated actress who doesn't get nearly enough roles.
- GEORGE: The cook for the La Bouff family. African American 50s-60s. Curmudgeonly.
My choice? Honestly, I only thought of Mykelti Williamson because he was Bubba in Forrest Gump.
No idea who I'd cast for these roles:
- YOUNG MADDY: Six years old, African American.
- YOUNG CHARLOTTE: Six years old.
Here's a game for all of you out there in Cyberland. Do you agree? Disagree? Who would you cast instead? Let us know what you think.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
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