Leighton Meester - Curley's wife | Of Mice and Men on Broadway S&S #2: I am so incredibly humbled and inspired to help bring his world to life. ~ LM - Page 9

Blairღ · 03-26-2014, 01:57 PM

I loved Lei's last instagram picture. It seems like the cast is getting along, which is fabulous.

Rachel Leigh · 03-26-2014, 02:02 PM

Leighton definitely seems close to Chris, she appears comfortable around him

America's got talent finalist...

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Josh Page ‏@TenorJoshPage 1h
At intermission seeing "Of Mice and Men" on Broadway starting James Franco & Chris O'Dowd - really enjoying it so... http://fb.me/36R1LZsJD

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Our last kopek... was an amazing performance! #ofmiceandmen #jamesfranco #chrisodowd #leightonmeester… Instagram

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@JamesFrancoTV @itsmeleighton amazing production , simply astonishing . The entire cast did amazing ! #OfMiceAndMen

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Of mice and men #NewYork #franco #o'dowd #leightonmeester @ Broadway New York City Instagram

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I'm not sure if I should admit that @miceandmenbway brought me to tears but... I have no words.

Incredible. Already super excited to see the show again tonight! @itsmeleighton @BigBoyler @parrack120

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Wow. Still thinking of last night's terrific performances by @JamesFrancoTV @BigBoyler @itsmeleighton_ #miceandmenbway #iconic

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it was really good! And after James, Chris O'dowd, and leighton meester came out & talked and gave autographs

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@itsmeleighton your were so good and gorgeous in #OfMiceAndMen

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@miceandmenbway was a great show! I loved every second of it as it was an incredible story! I will definitely c it again !!!!!

clair carlyle · 03-26-2014, 02:56 PM

My favorite comments are ones by grown men admitting they were brought to tears during the play and when they met Leighton in person

Rachel Leigh · 03-26-2014, 03:31 PM

lol

Its certainly getting a good reception from the audience and celebrities....

Meredith Vieira

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Just saw Of Mice and Men on broadway. James Franco and Chris O'Dowd both amazing, whole cast sensational. Truly great piece!

I'd imagine they would have more celebs attending the opening show?

tranquility · 03-26-2014, 04:05 PM

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Originally Posted by Rachel Leigh (View Post)

I'd imagine they would have more celebs attending the opening show?

They are usually a bunch of celebs at the official opening. Just like with a movie premiere but not as dressed up.

Thanks for the tweets.

Rachel Leigh · 03-27-2014, 03:40 AM

Can't wait

Here is an EXCELLENT recent review for Leighton from Tuesdays show...

Rated 9.8 out of 10

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The Broadway play based on John Steinbeck’s classic novel started it’s preview screenings on March 19th at the Longacre Theater in New York City and opens officially on April 16th. The show boasts two pretty big Hollywood stars: James Franco and Chris O’Dowd. So is the show good? Well…Of Mice and Men is a nearly perfect theater experience.

The story for those who do not know it is that two men searching for farming jobs in area of Salinas, California in the 1930′s who find a job at a new ranch and what happens from there on. But one of the men, George, is a tough-skinned drifter who cares for the other man, Lenny, who is mentally handicapped because he is has looked after him since they were children. The story is about their time on the farm. For those who have read the novel, this is a very very faithful adaption and fans will enjoy it. For those who have not read it, the play is still fascinating.

To start off, the acting in this show is absolutely incredible. Although James Franco is not even the best performer in the show, he pulls off something very impressive; he makes the audience get over the fact that he is in fact, James Franco, and delivers a great performance. To explain what it means to make the audience forget that he is a famous actor, last night I saw Bullets Over Broadway and Zach Braff was the star. The show itself was very enjoyable and the acting was more less amazing but my least favorite aspect of the show was Zach Braff himself. Although his character was supposed to be an annoying pretenious writer, I felt that he over-acted his role and was over-the-top. I was thinking throughout the most of the show, “Wow. That is Zach Braff up onstage” and that was somewhat of a distraction. But within a few minutes of Of Mice and Men, Franco IS his character, George Milton. He nails the accent, the mannerisms, and 1930′s look and mentality of a drifter looking from work. It is also important to add that not once did James Franco over-act. His interactions with Chris O’Dowd are also excellent and they really work of each other excellent. I was very impressed by how convincing James Franco was and this show reaffirmed how good of an actor he is. But the real star of this show is Chris O’Dowd. The British actor has appeared in movies such as Bridemaids and Thor: The Dark World and has recently gained recognition as an actor. James Franco does a great job as George but Chris O’Dowd is a living and breathing incarnation of Steinbeck’s simple minded giant with a love for soft things and rabbits, Lenny Small. Although Of Mice and Men‘s representation of the mentally handicapped may be debated these days but Chris O’Dowd really picks up the mannerisms and speech impediments of Lenny. The show ended about 6 hours ago but it is still lingering in my mind how good O’Dowd was. His performance as Lenny was how I imagined Lenny while reading the book. But besides the two leads, the rest of the cast is equally excellent. One surprisingly excellent performance came out of Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester. I did not expect much of Meester, but she was really excellent. Not only does she do a great job of portraying the wife of the farm boss’s son. She plays the character like the character from the book but even adds a little bit of extra dimension to the character. You feel a little bit more sympathy for the character than you do in the book. Another character that, at least I thought, was given more dimension was the character of Slim. Slim is one of the farm’s workers and he is played by Jim Parrack, who interestingly has starred in almost of the films directed by James Franco. You get the sense that Slim is a more kind hearted character than the book gives you. Parrack, Joel Marsh Garland, and James McMenamin deliver very good performances as the ranch-hands and Jim Norton delivers an especially tender performance as an elderly ranch-hand named Candy. Alex Morf also delivers the role of the boss’s hotheaded son, Curly, very well without overacting. Also, Ron Cephas Jones is also note-worthy was playing Crooks, the black stable hand. One thing that also enhances the acting is how interesting and multi-layered each character is.

The set and theater effects are also spectacular. The show features only four sets; a clearing overlooking a mountain, a bunkhouse, a stable, and Crook’s personal quarters. Only four sets sound simple, but the four sets are very detailed – from a clouded jar on a counter to a shelf full of books – and convincing. The design really fits the time period of the show and they are well made but not visually distracting and complement the story very well. Although not really a prop, Candy’s dog is actually played by a real dog (which was very well trained) and it added authenticity and heart to the eventual fate of the dog and the character of Candy.

It is very important to add that this show is one of the best adaptions of a novel I have ever seen on either stage or film. Not only does it take the events of the novel and portray theme truthfully but the themes of companionship, loneliness, social ranking, social expectation, and the dreams all men have are all translated excellently to stage. As an example in one scene, George and Slim are talking and Slim explains how Curly often comes prowling around to see if his wife is around and then after talking about it, Curly comes in doing exactly what Slim explained asking for the whereabouts of his wife. George and Slim’s conversation explains Curly’s tendency and it is clarified by him doing it. I feel like that just really gives a layer of comprehension. What really makes this such a good adaptation is that it does not simply take the book and rip it word for word into a play but it is clear who ever put this play together (in this case, director Anna D. Shapiro) did it with care and a lot of respect for the original novel. I have never seen the film adaptation starring Gary Sinise as George and John Malchovich as Lenny but to be honest after seeing such an amazing adaptation on stage, I have no desire too.

The only reason I did not give this show a perfect rating of 10 is that a few of the actors (mainly James Franco) made a few flubs in dialogue. Although, the flubs were very minor and forgivable. I also realize that this show is still in preview and only began about a week ago, so these problems will all be fixed. Overall, this show is spectacular and is worth an expensive ticket to see.
- See more at: Broadway Review: Of Mice and Men - The Young Folks | The Young Folks

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UNBELIEVABLE #ofmiceandmen #broadway #chrisodowd #jamesfranco #leightonmeester

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ust saw of mice and men with @kevincandido !!! AMAZING!! got autographs from @jamesfrancotv , chis o' dowd & leighton meester!!

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Such an amazing night with @justAChallenger @miceandmenbway can't wait to see it again!

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1st time to see a play on broadway and it was awesome. Would recommend to anyone. 1st class acting @miceandmenbway pic.twitter.com/4kWDZrgnhx

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@BigBoyler @meesterofficial @JamesFrancoTV were amazing on Broadway. GO SEE IT #miceandmenbway

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Just saw Of Mice and Men on Broadway! Amazing!!

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Amazing performance from @miceandmenbway!

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What an amazing performance "Of Mice and Men" @jenczon @jamesfranco @itsmeleightion @chrisodowd

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Chris O'Dowd was pretty amazing. Leighton and James were great too. #miceandmenbway

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A night of southern twangs and double negations! Dollar well spent! #jamesfranco #chrisodowd #leightonmeester

+ pic with flowers here Webstagram - the best Instagram web viewer online

Someone threw a bunch of flowers for Leighton on stage. Here is a small video for her holding the flowers from instagram .@michaelherrera88 | Date night w/ @itsmeleighton & @monicap25 ️ #ofmiceandmen #broadway #jame... | Webstagram

Pic taken during the performance (no leighton) .@mucaslucas | George, tell me about the rabbits. | Webstagram

Tweet from a cast member..

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Joel Marsh Garland ‏@joelmgarland 4m
@christinacalph I'll tell you @JamesFrancoTV @BigBoyler @itsmeleighton @parrack120 @Morfeus149 & @jimortlieb are fantastic. I bring the sexy

lol look at the crowd waiting for them outside https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe4j13sHqpM

and another..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWzgPRtl6gY

Both shows were sold out yesterday and so its tonights show.

LittleღMermaid · 03-27-2014, 10:45 AM

Doing this play is probably the best thing she could have done for her career at this point. She's getting so much praise!

It's sold out every night!

tranquility · 03-27-2014, 12:12 PM

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Originally Posted by LittleღMermaid (View Post)

Doing this play is probably the best thing she could have done for her career at this point. She's getting so much praise!

Exactly

A very smart move.

Thanks for the review and all the tweets!

x

Rachel Leigh · 03-27-2014, 02:54 PM

Oh I wish we could see some of the scenes. Please release a dvd. Thanks for the pic.

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Saw the show this evening and I left completely and utterly blown away!!! The show was beautiful, made me laugh, sob, and everything in-between!!! Congratulations to the cast and crew on a beautifully, well-done show

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And so was @itsmeleighton ! A class act #MiceAndMenBway

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any chance of the play going on DVD?

Of Mice and Men on Broadway
no plans for that as of yet

Meet the dog who stars in Of Mice And Men http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...icle-1.1736928

Rachel Leigh · 03-28-2014, 08:38 AM

Love this interview with Chris...

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You recognize him from Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd, Family Tree, Girls and plenty more, but Irish comic Chris O’Dowd has switched gears for his latest role.

He’s playing Lennie, the gentle half of a pair of migrant ranch workers who lead John Steinbeck’s classic Depression-era novella Of Mice and Men. In the newest Broadway revival of the play, O’Dowd makes his Broadway debut opposite James Franco (as the pragmatic George) and Leighton Meester (as a seductive, nameless flirt) in the Anna D. Shapiro-directed production, which opens April 16 at the Longacre Theatre.
Above, check out an exclusive first look at one of the most famous scenes in the play, wherein Lennie and Curley’s wife share a fateful moment in a barn loft. Below, O’Dowd chats with EW about the nerves behind his Broadway debut and how he clicked with Franco and Meester

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did your first preview performance compare to your expectations?
CHRIS O’DOWD: The day before, we had done a dress rehearsal which was the first time we had really run it properly, but it was just in front of a few family, friends, things like that. So there was a very generous crowd. We didn’t know how it was going to go down, and I think once an audience starts paying to see you, it’s a whole responsibility, a duty of care that you have.
GET MORE EW: Subscribe to the magazine for only 33¢ an issue!

Were you surprised at how nervous—or not nervous—you were?
I was surprised. I think we were all nervous going on, and I think that’s right. I think that you should be a bit nervous, otherwise I’m not sure it’s got quite the right energy. But, I would say I was amazed by how quickly it all just kind of came together. Once we got out there, it just felt like this is where we’re supposed to be, which is a great feeling when you’re onstage.

Take me into your headspace before each show. How do you get into Lennie?
For me, a lot of it is about the physicality. It’s a very physical character, and I think the way that he looks and the way he moves almost defines him as a person, so I’ll make a point to be on stage before the audience comes in and walk around a lot. I actually walk to work in the style of Lennie. That just helps me to find a slightly different center of gravity, and then I’ll put on some bluegrass music when I get into my dressing room, and I’ll work the first scene in my head and if James is around I’ll do it with him. Just to get those first few words in is kind of important.
It’s been a while since you’ve dusted off the skill set from your stage background.
I haven’t done a play in maybe five years, which feels like a long time, so it’s definitely a bit rusty and my voice is still getting used to making those sounds every night. It is a different kind of landscape, but it’s great.

You and James Franco had never worked together before, but it seems like your chemistry was instant.
I had a feeling that I would really like him, just because we have mutual friends and they had spoken highly of him and suggested I would get on well with him, and that has proven to be the case. We just hit it off, and I have a lot of respect for him as an actor and an artist, so you want it to work instantly. We have a similar kind of sensibility about stuff, but we have different styles that work and complement each other on stage, I hope.

One of the things your director Anna D. Shapiro has talked about is the humor you brought to the pairing. Where did that humor come from?
I feel like that was my doing. Why I wanted to do with this play, and perhaps what I’m trivializing is that I feel with Of Mice and Men, I wonder sometimes why George is with Lennie. I can think of loads of reasons why Lennie is with George, because he takes care of him and stops him from being dead, probably. But I’ve never really quite understood the reverse, and I thought it was my duty to make George enjoy Lennie’s company, and that made my job to try and make George laugh, and to try and warm him up, so it’s not just a kind of paternal relationship, it’s like a fraternal relationship. I feel like we’ve done a good job of that. There will be scenes, I hope, when people will watch it, and that’s the feedback that we’ve got so far, that you understand why these people hang out, and I feel like the comedy is a big part of that. If you feel like people are enjoying themselves, you understand why they’re living their lives the way they are.

You’re primarily known around town for comedy. What pressure are you feeling as you step into an iconic role like this?
I have to say, people come in with expectations. I’ve never seen a production of the play and I haven’t seen the film, so I feel a little bit unburdened by that, if that makes sense. I don’t have any idea how to “do it right.” [Laughs] I’ve never seen anybody do it so I don’t know what I’m doing is wrong, it’s only through instinct that I know if I’m doing it wrong. I don’t feel the pressure in that sense. I know that people come to it with a lot of expectation, but so far, we’ve only had audiences that have been amazing. I’m sure it’s because of James, but our audience is so much younger than the average kind of Broadway audience, which is great because the whole idea is that we bring these classic pieces to an audience that hasn’t seen them before. But I guess in a roundabout way, what I mean by that is, I don’t feel a huge amount of pressure, but I do feel like a huge amount of the audience don’t have the expectations that an older audience would. I feel very lucky.
That’s got to be a great feeling.
There’s an expectation definitely. It’s so great that I get to play a character that’s a truly great character. 99 percent of the characters that we play are only slightly interesting.

How did you find your chemistry with Leighton Meester?
We got on really well, almost from the get-go. Our first day of work together, we were in Chicago and I took her drinking. I thought that was important. That’s how I like to start all of my relationships. So, I brought her to Second City and we just hung out. She’s a great girl and really smart and very funny, and she’s doing a great job in the role. We have fun every night.

Do you ever have to apologize off stage for—
Killing her? [Laughs] Well, you know, there’s that weird thing where I have to… it’s so odd, but it’s quite a physical thing that happens, obviously, and I have to leave her, and I’m never 100% sure that she’s not actually dead.

A mark of great acting.
Exactly. A friend of mine came to the show the other night and they said they were genuinely concerned, which was great. They thought that something had gone wrong…which is kind of exciting!

Of Mice and Men opens April 16 at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre.

LittleღMermaid · 03-28-2014, 10:43 AM

They really should release a DVD. Maybe if all the shows keep selling out they will consider it.

She's really good at playing dead

Thanks for all the news. I was wondering if they were using a real dog.

tranquility · 03-28-2014, 12:46 PM

Thanks for the news!

Orlando Blooom's Broadway play was screened at cinemas.

Lei and Chris out drinking - I want this to happen again.

clair carlyle · 03-29-2014, 09:55 AM

Here's a lovely comment from the Facebook

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For a smaller then expected role such a powerful performance. Your 2nd act speech should get you a Tony nomination at least

Steven Zeitchik ‏at the LA Times tweeted this:

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.@BigBoyler, @JamesFrancoTV and @itsmeleighton all very strong, and then some, in Of Mice and Men. Can't wait to see this run play out.

tranquility · 03-29-2014, 02:11 PM

Thanks.

I hope the LA Times guy will write about the show or something after the premiere.

clair carlyle · 03-29-2014, 08:27 PM

Gaga was there.

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I love my puppy purse, had a lovely time at Of Mice and Men tonight. I love going to the theatre. �� pic.twitter.com/antkvS2ttw

https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/450106352950841344


Fan Forum > Female Celebrities > Leighton Meester > Curley's wife \| Of Mice and Men on Broadway S&S #2: I am so incredibly humbled and inspired to help bring his world to life. ~ LM