AMERICAN BUFFALO Reviews- Page 3

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 4/22/22 at 11:01pm

MasterThespian 2 said: "TaffyDavenport said: "Understudy or not, they're required to offer a refund to anyone who wants one, since they're all above-the-title stars."

Is that how it works? Thanks for the update."

I’m also shook, so no one asked for a refund because of Matthew Broderick in “Plaza Suite”? LOL

[Dan6]

Posted: 4/22/22 at 11:44pm

Assume no Telecharge refunds since the show went on with an understudy. I have tickets for mid-May. Really hope I get all three stars. These days, who knows what to expect?"

 

I believe Telecharge is still offering automatic refunds for most or all shows regardless of reason, no questions asked. 

 

Updated On: 4/22/22 at 11:44 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 1:15am

This situation will be interesting because the 3 actors are of approximately the same name level. So you may not get much dropoff with just 1/3 out. If another actor tests positive, then they probably shut it down for a week.

It showed up on TDF this morning, so the reviews evidently aren't helping that much.

[ddenoff2]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 1:28am

The performance was brilliant and Mr Thomas shone brightly with equally great support from his fellow cast members This is live theatre at its best. Kudos to him and all of Broadway's "WONDERSTUDIES" Yes I shall return to see Mr Fishburne but not for any feeling of missing out tonight and i believe the feeling was shared by everyone in the house tonight

Updated On: 4/23/22 at 01:28 AM

[Synecdoche2]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 1:38am

Ray Anthony Thomas was terrific tonight! A true character actor strutting his stuff as the lead in a Broadway play. To be honest, he seems like more of a natural fit for the role than Fishburne and his presence helped give the show a realistic edge. You can really believe Thomas as the owner of a seedy pawn shop in 1970s Chicago. There were two noticeable flubs in the first act, but the second act was seamless.

This was my first time seeing this revival, after much internal debate whether or not to go. Darren Criss was great, but I thought Sam Rockwell seemed lost at sea in a monster of a role. Against Thomas, he really came across as a movie star playing his usual type, but just not very believable as a very specific character. Tracy Letts played Teach successfully in Chicago in 2010. I would have liked to see him against these cast-mates.

Audience did not like wearing masks tonight. Predictable, given the author's recent bender, no?

Updated On: 4/23/22 at 01:38 AM

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 9:06am

Audience did not like wearing masks tonight. Predictable, given the author's recent bender, no?
 

Could you explain? Are audience members refusing to wear masks? Any confrontations with theater staff? 
Looking for an enjoyable evening at the theater, not feeling like I’m on a packed airplane with unruly passengers.

[peterparker1]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 9:19am

Re: refunds. Being over the title is different but if you’re looking for a general refund, I had to fight with Telecharge to get it. I won’t mentioned the employee’s name but he was extremely rude and wouldn’t honor the April 30th date. I explained to him that the policy could be interpreted different ways and he said I was wrong and that “The refund policy is for performances through 4/30/22. Going forward please know that your purchases are aFINAL SALE – NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES.”. With the caps! 

[Lumiere2]

Posted: 4/23/22 at 4:46pm

Just came back from the matinee. Ray Anthony Thomas was on again as Donny.

The play was wonderful. We couldn't reschedule so we went anyway, and Thomas is an excellent actor. Rockwell and Criss were also great. (But Criss isn't on stage nearly as much as the other two.)

Truthfully it was still a bit disappointing to miss seeing Laurence Fishburne - he would have been PERFECT in this part. but the show was still great and worth seeing on its own merit.

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 4/24/22 at 8:50am

Good morning. Any word on when Fishburne may return?  If he follows Daniel Craig, I guess about a week?

[theatrefan18]

Posted: 4/25/22 at 2:54pm

I saw the matinee yesterday and didn't realize that Fishburne was going to be out.  I should have gotten a refund but figured I would give it a shot with Ray Anthony Thomas.  He had to call for a line twice at the beginning of the first act.  It was weird because all of a sudden he said 'line' and someone who appeared to be in the front row gave him the line.  Then a few sentences later he asked for a line again.  I have been going to the theatre for 45 years (since I was a teen) and have never heard anyone ask for a line in a broadway show.  It completely through me off because now I was worried that the poor guy would forget another line and it took me out of the play.  He was fine for the rest of the show but I assumed that it was his first performance and didn't have enough rehearsal time.  Now from this board I see he was on a few times before Sunday.  He has very good credits and did an okay job after this but I was wishing the whole time that I could have seen FIshburne.  It's a crucial role and the interplay between his character and Rockwell would have been much more interesting to me(I think- because I have not seen Fishburne)

I have seen the play before but it was a long time ago with Pacino in the Rockwell role.  Pacino was amazing but Rockwell was also very good.  I thought Darren Criss did a fine job with his small role.

I realize there is a lot of dialogue in Mamet's plays and lots of lines to remember, but when you pay full price for a broadway show, you don't expect one of the 3 performers to not know their lines. 

Has anyone else had the experience of an actor asking for a line during a broadway run?

 

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 4/26/22 at 7:26pm

Does anyone know if Fishburne returned tonight?

[dave1606]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 4:02pm

He was still out last night. His understudy was very good. 

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 4/28/22 at 9:10am

theatrefan18 said: "I saw the matinee yesterday and didn't realize that Fishburne was going to be out. I should have gotten a refund but figured I would give it a shot with Ray Anthony Thomas. He had to call for a line twice at the beginning of the first act. It was weird because all of a sudden he said 'line' and someone who appeared to be in the front row gave him the line. Then a few sentences later he asked for a line again. I have been going to the theatre for 45 years (since I was a teen) and have never heard anyone ask for a line in a broadway show. It completely through me off because now I was worried that the poor guy would forget another line and it took me out of the play. He was fine for the rest of the show but I assumed that it was his first performance and didn't have enough rehearsal time. Now from this board I see he was on a few times before Sunday. He has very good credits and did an okay job after this but I was wishing the whole time that I could have seen FIshburne. It's a crucial role and the interplay between his character and Rockwell would have been much more interesting to me(I think- because I have not seen Fishburne)

"

Same. I was at the matinee yesterday, and Ray Anthony Thomas, Fishbure’s understudy, flubbed lines. But more disappointing to me was the lack of synergy between the three. It was as if Thomas didn’t fit. It just was not working at all.

I also have to add that it wasn’t made clear that Fishburne is, and has been, out. The board says the role of Donny will be played by Thomas, but Fishburne’s name is still there too. So, unless you know the play well, you don’t realize Donny is Fishburne until you open the Playbill to examine. They also don’t seem to be amplifying the absence on social. Just the one tweet from about a week ago.

Anyway, I left during intermission. I’ll try again when Fishburne returns, which I was told would be sometime after Tuesday of next week.

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 8:45pm

Has been been any official word on when Fishburne will return? Their twitter account doesn’t mention it.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 10:56am

MasterThespian 2 said: "Has been been any official word on when Fishburne will return? Their twitter account doesn’t mention it."

 

I saw it last night and Ray Anthony Thomas was still doing the part. 

 

[CityLights3]

Posted: 4/30/22 at 4:18pm

I’m assuming this case may have contributed to the Tony nominations announcement week delay.  With all of the productions opening the past two weeks, it seems virtually impossible that all 50 Tony nominators got to see Fishburne between opening night and his first day out after having tested positive.  Assuming he returns this weekend Or at the latest Tues of next week, it still is a tight window to get them all in, but doable I suppose. 

[thesmash]

Posted: 5/3/22 at 6:49pm

Any word on Fishburne bring back tonight? Should be past 10 days since he was first out.

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 5/3/22 at 7:34pm

thesmash said: "Any word on Fishburne bring back tonight? Should be past 10 days since he was first out."

No info that I can find. Their twitter is useless

[thesmash]

Posted: 5/3/22 at 9:28pm

MasterThespian 2 said: "thesmash said: "Any word on Fishburne bring back tonight? Should be past 10 days since he was first out."

No info that I can find. Their twitter is useless"

He’s back! On their IG, they posted about him being back. Thrilled since I’ve got tickets for tomorrow night

[thesmash]

Posted: 5/4/22 at 10:43pm

So glad I was able to see this with Fishburne. Him and Rockwell are just dynamite together, some really top tier chemistry / acting between the two.

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 5/9/22 at 12:55am

Finally saw it with all three stars. PHENOMENAL!

You have to see this with the three stars. It was a completely different (less than stellar) show with the understudy.

I never experienced anything like this… The acting was down and dirty. I found the show to be THRILLING!

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/11/22 at 4:18pm

Just home from the matinee. All 3 were great but the surprise for me was Criss, who I thought did the best acting I’ve ever seen him do. He plays the role a little “slow” and I thought, beautifully so. I honestly couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Rockwell and Fishburne are thrilling to watch, especially 2 feet away from you but for me, it was Criss who I’ll remember.   

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 5/13/22 at 7:58am

Caught last night’s performance. Intense, raw, and extremely well done. Rockwell and Fishburne put on an acting clinic. Really enjoyed it.

[willep]

Posted: 5/13/22 at 9:02am

My apologies for not doing a search first, but where have the rush seats been located?

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/13/22 at 12:49pm

I got a digital rush ticket, and was seated in the 4th or 5th row, off the corner aisle closest to the exit. It was perfectly fine, especially for a rush seat, but I'd think the best place to sit would be on one of the long sides, especially closer to the back.