THE GREAT COMET Announces September Broadway Closing; Final Performers for Role of 'Pierre'- Page 4

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:32pm

kids, the show was gonna close 9/3 had Mandy done the show without incident. There was no path forward. So wail all you want and blame whosoever you want but no one lost a penny except the investors. 

[David10086]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:37pm

poisonivy2 said: "
So what are you going to do? Sue Cynthia Erivo? Encourage a boycott of her shows and concerts? Kill her? The show is closing at this point and if it has to close this soon then it probably was teetering on the edge of collapse anyway after Josh Groban left. I really hope the theater community can just celebrate this show and their talented creators and cast and everyone who made it happen, instead of more finger-pointing."

 

No, no lawsuits or boycotts or any of that nonsense from me. Let Karma take it's course. I just hope she (and everyone else who was quick to shout 'racism!'  ) have learned a very valuable lesson by all of this. If not, pity on them. 

As for celebrating the show and talented creators and cast - I have. I have seen the show and would love to see it a few more times before it closes, if it were possible, Alas, it's not. So I will hope it tours one day and visits my hometown...so I can celebrate it again. 

Updated On: 8/9/17 at 08:37 PM

[Seperite]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:45pm

Think Oak and Casal are the only ones who risk adverse career consequences? Au contraire.

If I'm a producer, I'm now reluctant to cast *any* African-Americans in a Broadway show, for fear that the role will then be perceived as permanently limited solely to Black artists. Knowing that no actor stays in a role forever, even if I have my eye set on a Black actor who I think would be perfect for a role, I'd be reluctant to cast him/her, for fear that when the time comes to cast a replacement, I will be severely limited in my choices.

Nobody wants these headaches or controversies; the easiest way to deal with them when they arise is to bolt, just as Patinkin did. When you have significant money at risk, the last thing you want is for the PC police to tell you who you can and cannot cast. So you avoid the controversy altogether by avoiding casting Black actors about whom misfits might make a stink.

Great advancement for the cause of diversity, Oak, Casal, and Erivo. 

The bitter irony, of course, is that the casting of such shows as Aladdin and Great Comet, the existence of such shows as Hamilton and On Your Feet, and the distribution of Tony Awards (particularly in 2016) prove that at least in the modern day, Broadway is extraordinarily committed to diversity -- certainly moreso than Hollywood. And yet its well-intentioned, truly colorblind movers and shakers are brought down by frenetic fanatics for whom equality and diversity doesn't mean color-blindness, but the establishment of sacrosanct, Black-only roles that are off-limits to white folks.

The effect of this fanaticism and, yes, racism is to hurt the very cause they purport to espouse.

Utterly and completely ridiculous.

 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:47pm

Ironically, it's Rafael Casal's birthday today. Hope he sends a round over to The Great Comet for putting them into early unemployment.

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:50pm

From a member of the ensemble:

https://www.facebook.com/celiameirubin/posts/10154835561222960
"To those in the forefront or the periphery of the recent events, whose actions propelled the show to close sooner than it would have, and certainly under more negative circumstances than it would have, I wonder if you ultimately got what you wanted. And I wonder that if you did, whether getting it at the expense of an entire building of people's hearts and livelihoods feels worth it."

[SweetLips]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:50pm

massofmen said: "As long as everyone who was offended by replacing a black actor with a white one is ok,  that's all that matters. Hopefully no one will ever EVER replace a black actor with a white one ever again because it's the worst thing a producer could ever do. 

I really don't understand.

Black for White, White for Asian, Black for Mixed, White for Indian---am I missing something here?

What does it matter--isn't it about the TALENT?

 

My bad if I am reading this all wrong.

 



 



 



 

Updated On: 8/9/17 at 08:50 PM

[schubox]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:56pm

HogansHero said: "kids, the show was gonna close 9/3 had Mandy done the show without incident. There was no path forward. So wail all you want and blame whosoever you want but no one lost a penny except the investors. 

 

"

There is absolutely no way you could possibly know that. Just like, on the other side, no one could know if the show had any chance with Mandy. It is pretty obvious that all of the scandal surrounding Oak had, at a minimum, a negative impact on the perception of the show. And very well could have cost the show money. 

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:57pm

I just. I don't know what to say. I'm so angry and so hurt. I can't believe this is the ending that comes to the most beautiful piece of theatre I've ever been lucky enough to encounter. Shame, shame, shame.

[rg7759]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:57pm

Now it's officially #notmytonys.  Alternative white way. Make Broadway great again. 

[Deedee23]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 8:58pm

This is truly heartbreaking. I don't want to contribute to the blame game or anything, but I hope that the next time Casal buys ice cream, someone knocks it to the ground.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:00pm

Deedee23 said: "This is truly heartbreaking. I don't want to contribute to the blame game or anything, but I hope that the next time Casal buys ice cream, someone knocks it to the ground.

 

"

Actual LOL on this very sad day.

 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:01pm

Ethan231H said, "All I can say is that I have lost all respect for Oak, and the Kagens...well ever since the Ars Nova controversy....sad"

I agree Ethan....   I have a ticket for tomorrow and 8/13.  Feel like throwing spitballs at Oak now.  At first I felt sorry for him, but now I'm pissed.  He had the power to save this show for the fans.  I tweeted him to put his anger aside and let Mandy come on.  As the saying goes, money talks and bulls...t  walks...

Perhaps I'll remove his photo from all my Ham stuff...This sucks...

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:03pm

Sondheimite said, "Hope Oak's happy with all the new POC actors out of work.  "

Amen. 

[schubox]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:03pm

Bibliot said: "From a member of the ensemble:

https://www.facebook.com/celiameirubin/posts/10154835561222960
"To those in the forefront or the periphery of the recent events, whose actions propelled the show to close sooner than it would have, and certainly under more negative circumstances than it would have, I wonder if you ultimately got what you wanted. And I wonder that if you did, whether getting it at the expense of an entire building of people's hearts and livelihoods feels worth it."

 

"

This too. Hope we hear what really happened.

"I won't address the specifics of the situation because I don't know them, save to say that of what I have seen within the building over the last week or so, it's my opinion and instinct that what has happened is a very different picture than the one that has been narrated for the public. We have this special thing in this country called Freedom of Speech and with that comes great responsibility. Words affect and are affecting. Words like "racist" should be reserved for those who truly are that, or the word loses weight and gravitas for when it's really needed and warranted. Using it carelessly has harmful and hurtful repercussions."

[hmph]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:08pm

People can say you can't blame Rafael Casal, et al, for the closing, but I sure as sh*t blame them for how this situation got so out of hand, and how ugly and gross people were toward such a beautiful show. The show didn't need to close with such nastiness spewed by so many theater people who should know better. It boggles the mind how quickly the hive mind can take over.

I guess my main question is who the f*ck is Rafael Casal and why did so many people give a sh*t about his opinion? Jesus.

Updated On: 8/8/17 at 09:08 PM

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:08pm

BwayBaby4 said, "Have tickets for September 2nd, so I'm at least happy I'll actually be able to see the show one more time. What a horrible way for this beautiful show to go out. "

I have same day for 8pm show.  I'll go for Sunday, but remaining seats are ok...but I'm still ticked....

 

[Deedee23]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:09pm

everythingtaboo said: "Ironically, it's Rafael Casal's birthday today. Hope he sends a round over to The Great Comet for putting them into early unemployment."

I hope that someone knocks his birthday cake to the ground.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:09pm

Some of you are really reaching hard to blame people who have nothing to do with the show for its closure. The people at fault here are the Kagans, who were the lead producers on the project and have made error after error from the word go. 

I'm very sad that the show didn't last longer, as it should have. I hope they do end up touring it and that it has a long regional life. 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:11pm

Liza's Headband said, "You ran way longer than I expected considering you're an overrated bore."

I get it Liza.  I told folks the show requires upfront studying as the first song says. But for all the times I saw it, I felt like the performers were my friends and/or children.  I developed a fondness for them as I did for the OBC at Ham.  It was fun and a memory I can add to my bucket list (that I'm gonna start.)
 

[JBC3]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:11pm

The amount of self-righteous misplaced indignation from some in this thread is truly breathtaking.

[Seperite]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:14pm

Why is it an "error" to replace a virtual unknown, who has not succeeded in driving an adequate number of sales, with a mega-watt Broadway star with a much larger fanbase?

I wouldn't be so quick to say that people who got a quirky, avant-garde show that required a full-remodeling of a Broadway house (done at their expense) to run on Broadway for a year, and who attracted serious stars to perform (Groban, Patinkin) committed "error after error from the word go."

[eugenia2]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:14pm

poisonivy2 said:
So what are you going to do? Sue Cynthia Erivo? 

How about poison ivy wrapped up pretty for Casal's birthday. 

 

"

 

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:14pm

DramaMamma said, "Fitting for my family, to see Scott as that's who we saw it with at the start at the ART."

Was Scott good relative to Dave and Oak?

[JayElle]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:17pm

HogansHero said, "kids, the show was gonna close 9/3 had Mandy done the show without incident. There was no path forward. So wail all you want and blame whosoever you want but no one lost a penny except the investors. "

No Hogan, we all lost.  Perhaps we didn't invest in the production, but we invested our time and $ to see the show. I enjoyed the performers as if they were my own kids.  It's still said to see them go.

 Agree they didn't plan beyond Sept.  From what I read, the producers had the same problem with On the Town.  That show didn't win Tonys so they clipped it in Sept.  I'm glad that Tony Yazbeck is coming back in another musical. Just hope it's not the same producers.

[boggess]

Posted: 8/8/17 at 9:20pm

"Bibliot said: "From a member of the ensemble:

https://www.facebook.com/celiameirubin/posts/10154835561222960
"To those in the forefront or the periphery of the recent events, whose actions propelled the show to close sooner than it would have, and certainly under more negative circumstances than it would have, I wonder if you ultimately got what you wanted. And I wonder that if you did, whether getting it at the expense of an entire building of people's hearts and livelihoods feels worth it."

"

Huh. Maybe I'm projecting onto this, but doesn't the reference to people in the "forefront" and "periphery" sound like it could be a direct insinuation of Casal and Oak?