Brooke Shields Replacing Bebe Neuwirth on Broadway

By Christine Fenno Posted Apr 2nd 2011 02:41PM

In the Broadway musical 'The Addams Family,' Brooke Shields has signed on to play Morticia Addams, starting in June. She'll replace Bebe Neuwirth, who originated the starring role when the production opened over a year ago. Neuwirth has been in the show for 15 months, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and her last performance is June 26.

Nathan Lane (who played Gomez Addams) has already exited the production; he was recently replaced by Roger Rees, who appeared on 'Cheers' in the early '90s -- the same series that gave Neuwirth her big break.

This is the fifth time Sheilds, 45, will star on the Great White Way as a replacement for other actresses.

She took over as Rizzo in 'Grease' in 1995, she inherited the lead role in 'Cabaret' from Gina Gershon in 2001, she replaced Donna Murphy in 'Wonderful Town' in 2004, and she stepped into the role of Roxie in 'Chicago' in 2005. Last year, Shields appeared in the rotating cast of female stars headlining Nora Ephron's off-Broadway hit 'Love, Loss and What I Wore.'

A post-college career lull in Hollywood originally prompted the onetime teen model, 'Suddenly Susan' star and author to step onstage years ago. "I thought the shortest way to get my career going would be through Broadway," Shields recalled in a 2010 interview. "If you can handle it and grow in it, there's nothing better as a challenge than musical theater."

Tags: Bebe Neuwirth, Broadway, brooke shields

Comments

(10)

Saturday 02 April

By bublerocks

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I saw "The Addams Family" in previews last March and can't believe it is still on Broadway. It was really awful!!!

Sunday 03 April

By BTDT

"This is the fifth time Sheilds, 45, will star on the Great White Way as a replacement for other actresses."

And the fifth time Broadway tried to salvage a rotten play by adding a "Name" to the cast. A bad actress for a bad play.

By John F.C. Taylor

Brooke certainly has the height to play the role. At first I was thinking Nathan Lane was all wrong for the show, but remembered that Gomez was not originally as we saw him on tv. Remember, in the cartoons, he was shorter and kind of fat. As for the Top Chef finale, who cares? It was just another reality show that wasted huge amounts of TV air time.

By leon

Is Bebe ( Lillith) going back to Fraser?

By cheynon

Uh Leon...Fraiser has been off the air for many years now

By Princess Plutogirl

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Shields is not a star and does NOT belong on Broadway, not now, not over. She has absolutely NO talent. Everyone should BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT this show until the part of Morticia is given to a real actress. Shields should be working in a mailroom at minimum wage so one of the many talented NYC actresses can do justice to this role. Height means nothing if you're an empty shell. And she's not even attractive unless you like women who look like men in drag.

Monday 04 April

By Sue

Have you seen Brooke Shields on broadway. I have seen her in 2 plays and she was great. I would really like to know if you have seen her

By Liza

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Great play with the original cast. I don't think Brooke can pull off Morticia, but who knows. Give the girl a chance, haters.

By Megan

Just saw this show a couple of weeks ago and it was AMAZING! So funny and everyone was so talented....I don't see Brook Shields as Morticia....but you never know....

By Plutogirl

Sue, so sorry you've never seen really good acting, or you would know the difference. And so sorry you wasted your money. I would never pay a penny to see that good for nothing not talent. I've seen many really great actors and actresses in NYC, and she is not in their league.

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