Michael Riedel and West Side Story Turmoil- Page 6
Michael Riedel and West Side Story Turmoil
#125Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:42pmoo, thanks! this'll be good reading, I'm sure.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#126Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:09pm
So, they are essentially trying to hide it, by making it difficult for an audience member (most of whom need to pull out their bifocals to read the program) to figure out who's who and who's replacing whom.
Actually, it's an attempt to save paper and do better for the environment which I'm sure we'll see more of as more Broadway shows continue to go green. It's a little thing that makes a big difference.
#127Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:17pmDepending on the size of the paper, 12 understudy sheets could be made out of 1 complete understudy list. So the only problem is more human labor by cutting up 12.
#128Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:18pm
Here's tonight's understudies via Facebook
Major improvement.
#129Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:30pm
Anbodys is the only semi- supporting role and the rest are just ensemble pretty much.
So, much improvement.
Updated On: 8/19/09 at 07:30 PM
#130Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 7:35pmI assume Anybodys is on a vacation. She was out Sunday afternoon as well.
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#131Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 8:11pm
quasi on-topic:
Was I the only one who thought the fan who e-mailed Riedel about being pissed Karen was out, might be Without a Trace?
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
CurtainPullDowner
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/4/04
#133Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 9:07pm
"The rest are just ensemble"???
Bite your tongue.
I hate when Zaza is out!
#134Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 9:12pmbut CPD, she's on as Anybodys!
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#135Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 9:13pm
"Bite your tongue.
I hate when Zaza is out!"
I love my share of ensemble people, in every show I see. (Mostly because I am always in the ensemble) but I really don't see the point of giving character's names when they are never addressed directly and jsut confuse people with random names in the Playbills. Cats if I remember right, names the majority of their characters but only a handful are mentioned. So unless you were a super fan you have no idea who half of them are. (BTW- I only saw Cats because I was given the tickets)
If that was sarcastic then I apoligize, I am an idiot.
Updated On: 8/19/09 at 09:13 PM
#136Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 9:52pm
I just kind of feel like this production is a waste of time for West Side Story. When this production closes we might have to wait another 30 years to see it again on Broadway hoping that it might be better than this current revival. I obviously had potential because it IS WSS and we already know the material is some of the strongest.
And if you are going to have someone go on for Karen Olivo..(whos performance is really powerful, in my opinion) they should be AS strong as the person they are going on for.
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
#137Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 9:55pmCson, with all due respect. But I thought you used to love this production? Did the negative word of mouth on here alter your opinion?
#138Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/19/09 at 10:09pm
It is kind of weird. I love it but don't at the same time...if that makes sense.
I love West Side Story so much, so nothing can ruin it for me. However, there are some parts in this production where I go...Hm, I feel like that could of been directed better or something like that.
But I will see it many more times, because it is WSS and it is finally back on BROADWAY.
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
millie_dillmount
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#139Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 1:52am
"Whether you think it's stupid or not, it's been my experience that people are disappointed when lots of understudies are in, even if they didn't know who they were in for."
Again, West Side Story doesn't need certain names to sell the show. Yes, it sucks if the three leads are out. Despite the tourist's initial disappointment, they'll most likely forget about it by the end of the show. This is just based on my own experiences with people who are not theater enthusiasts, but go into the city occasionally to catch a show.
I went with people to see Wedding Singer a few years back, and despite the people I was with being initially disappointed at many understudies, no one cared by the end of the show.
ETA: However, I do not condone the cast randomly skipping performances because of late-night partying or simply because they "don't feel like it." There needs to be a certain level of professionalism among the cast members. Hopefully there is a legit reason for an actor's excessive absenteeism.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
Updated On: 8/20/09 at 01:52 AM
#140Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 9:35am
From what I can see, the only actor is this production (aside from the swings, who might as wll be regular cast members by now.)that is even remotely professional is George Akram, who has yet to miss a show.
I understand actors missing once in a while or be out for a vacation or an injury. Look at the cast of Next to Normal, they started around the same time as West Side Story and the cast all together probaly have not missed as many days as Karen Olivo alone.
Updated On: 8/20/09 at 09:35 AM
#141Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:14amYes...But N2N isn't as physically demanding as WSS. You can't really compare the two.
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
BrianS
Broadway Star Joined: 10/8/07
#142Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:14amWhile I'm in complete agreement about the need for a stronger work ethic, it seems unfair to compare WSS to a show like Next to Normal. The demands on the voice and body (as well as the risk of accidents) are so much higher 8 shows a week in WSS that even the most dedicated performer would miss more in WSS than Next to Normal.
If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them. - Ethel Merman
#143Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:22am
I just want to chime in and add my thoughts to this topic.
The vast majority of people who go to see something like West Side Story at this point, I would even guess to say somewhere around 98% don't care who's in the show. They don't. They don't care of Karen is out or if their playbill rains paper down on them when it opens. If anything it's more souvenirs to take back to Kansas. They don't care of Matt or Josefina are out, or even if Alice Ripley is out. They are on vacation and there to see the show, not the cast and the only reason anyone would "yell" is if Hugh Jackman was out.
It's appalling to see the amount of people who call in for this show but to say that the audience cares who's in really isn't true. Here on this board, we care. Outside of this board, not so much.
#144Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:26amI think the role of Diana is vastly more difficult than Anita.
#145Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:28amAdamgreer- I meant physically demanding, not emotionally.
I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&.
"Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."
BrianS
Broadway Star Joined: 10/8/07
#146Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:29am
"The vast majority of people who go to see something like West Side Story at this point, I would even guess to say somewhere around 98% don't care who's in the show."
I'd argue the exact opposite. Those of us on this board know who the players are and know that sometimes an understudy is a stronger performer than the lead (especially with the case of stunt or "star" casting) have less of an issue with this. It's the tourists who don't know actor A from B who feel like they're getting cheated when they see that a lead actor isn't on. All they know is that they paid full price and in their mind, aren't getting an A-level show.
If the audience could do better, they'd be up here on stage and I'd be out there watching them. - Ethel Merman
Updated On: 8/20/09 at 11:29 AM
Borstalboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/9/04
#147Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:32amI'm amazed this non-story is getting so much attention on BWW. Didn't Mike Nichols give the cast of SPAMALOT the same speech when they started missing performances?
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
homeimp
Leading Actor Joined: 10/2/08
#148Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:34amIt's "appalling" to see how many people believe audiences care? I disagree totally. It's more shocking to see anybody thinking that the majority in the audience don't care. I know many people whom I would not term regular theater goers who are extremely disappointed not to see the name actors. Every time I attend a show, if somebody is out of the cast I hear the comments from my neighbors in the audience expressing chagrin and disappointment. Do you honestly believe only the people on this board care? I guess theater really must be dying then.
#149Arthur Laurents
Posted: 8/20/09 at 11:40am
I'd argue the exact opposite. Those of us on this board know who the players are and know that sometimes an understudy is a stronger performer than the lead (especially with the case of stunt or "star" casting) have less of an issue with this. It's the tourists who don't know actor A from B who feel like they're getting cheated when they see that a lead actor isn't on. All they know is that they paid full price and in their mind, aren't getting an A-level show.
I think that's true to a certain extent. The last time I saw WSS, as we were walking in, past the understudy board, the woman in front of me, who did not seem like a regular theatre-goer, looked at it and remarked to her friend there were lots of understudies on (the largest role that had an u/s was Anybodys, mind you). Her friend looked and said, "As long as the Tony, Maria, and Anita are there, it doesn't matter." The woman had never seen the production before, and probably didn't know who Matt, Josefina, or Karen were, but felt she would have been cheated seeing anyone but them.
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