Applaud her but just think there are 400 performers dying to be in the position she’s in, so... ha. Take it for what it is. She’s not getting up at 7am waiting in line HOPING to get seen day after day.
While I applaud her honesty, this isn’t the first time she’s talked about this. When Kinky Boots closed l, she said that it was the show that reinstated her love of performing. Methinks this is just not the profession for her.
My first job out of college was as a department manager at Macy’s. It was physically demanding having to be on my feet all day. My days off were only consecutive once per month. It was tough because I never felt like I got away from the job. I might close Monday night, have Tuesday off, and then have to be back Wednesday morning
I sympathize with stage actors because they labor under a similar model without getting two consecutive days without work. Some touring markets don’t even give 48 hours off if they have Sunday and Tuesday evening performances. I sometimes wonder if theater financials could still work being dark for two consecutive weeknights and adding a matinee in place of the cut Tuesday show. That way people could have two consecutive days off.
I'm surprised no one's mentioned Karen Olivo's story yet.
She was fed up with the Broadway "lifestyle", and quit for a few years in Wisconsin.
Then she changed her mind, and now she's the lead in the newest hottest show on Broadway, so it could go either way, if Taylor decides to take some time off, and do something else.
A recent episode of the Broadway Breakdown podcast talks (briefly) about "toxic positivity" in the theatre community, and it was refreshing to hear it addressed. As are Taylor Louderman's comments!
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
I’ve never heard of “toxic positivity,” but what a great phrase.
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
robbie_731 said: "I'm surprised no one's mentioned Karen Olivo's story yet.
She was fed up with the Broadway "lifestyle", and quit for a few years inWisconsin.
Then she changed her mind, and now she's the lead in the newest hottest show on Broadway, so it could go either way, if Taylor decides to take some time off, and do something else.
I was coming here to say just that. Sometimes stepping back is the only way to go forward. I hope Louderman has a few years away from the limelight and rediscovers herself so that she can, if she wishes to, return to the stag a better and more realistic human.
I remember reading the post of some broadway fanboy who was complaining Ben platt was leaving Dear Evan Hansen, when his dream was to originate a broadway role and this poster went on to mention how when they end up originating a role on broadway they plan to stay for years and years and I just got a huge laugh out of that. I think fans and critics alike tend to forget that being in broadway is a job and it’s a job that takes a toll on you. To compare, my sister works in advertising and has yet to stay with one firm for over 3 years. She’s great at her job, but it gets boring after time. You can’t possibly stick with the same job for years and years.... I don’t know how people at wicked/Chicago/lion king/phantom do it. If I had to sing one short day for the umpteenth time, singing along with some stunt cast who can’t carry tune, I’d be blowing my brains out.
In our millions, in our billions, we are most powerful when we stand together. TW4C unwaveringly joins the worldwide masses, for we know our liberation is inseparably bound.
Signed,
Theater Workers for a Ceasefire
https://theaterworkersforaceasefire.com/statement
I will say, every show is different. Some little thing goes wrong. A swing is on. The audience is weird. And there’s something about being “secure” in a job in this business. So I get it.
Call_me_jorge said: "I remember reading the post of some broadway fanboy who was complaining Ben platt was leaving Dear Evan Hansen, when his dream was to originate a broadway role and this poster went on to mention how when they end up originating a role on broadway they plan to stay for years and years and I just got a huge laugh out of that. I think fans and critics alike tend to forget that being in broadway is a job and it’s a job that takes a toll on you. To compare, my sister works in advertising and has yet to stay with one firm for over 3 years. She’s great at her job, but it gets boring after time. You can’t possibly stick with the same job for years and years.... I don’t know how people at wicked/Chicago/lion king/phantom do it. If I had to sing one short day for the umpteenth time, singing along with some stunt cast who can’t carry tune, I’d be blowing my brains out. "
Yes. Maybe it’s unusual to read an actor talking about this in public but I doubt there is anything particularly shocking or unheard of here? This is probably something that actors and other staff deal with and manage on a daily basis, and I can’t imagine people pretend I’d all good and easy all the time. 8 shows is tough.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
I get the vibe that she was holding back here somewhat...but is smart enough to know better than to unleash any more info than what she did, as of course that can kill a career faster than we can blink this day and age. This is quite honest and I appreciate that. I'm glad we're getting to a point where those in this profession can be more honest about this. Is this sort of thing dealt with in other professions? You bet. But I feel as though some professions one could always be more honest about it, while artists really couldn't because of that aforementioned toxic positivity and the "You should be grateful, everyone else trying to do this would kill to be in your successful shoes" aura that has always surrounded this profession. It's still, from a broad perspective, a job/career just like any other where we get burnout and tired of it at times.
I will say musical theater is very fake. Everyone’s smiles. But it’s just like any other job: you get along with some people, you don’t with others. It’s just harder to work with people you dislike when you’ve got to fall in love with them 8x a week, etc. It’s a grueling job. You can’t just unwind with a glass of wine because you’ve got another show the next day and the next day etc.
Marlothom said: "It will also be refreshing NOT to have her promote products on IG (RX bars, clothing brands, etc.)."
hahaha who is to say she won't take up more like that year a couple years ago where busy phillips admitted to making more money from sponsored content than acting