Leading Actor Joined: 6/4/07
Understudy Joined: 4/23/07
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/07
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
http://www.umop.com/acronym/acronym.php
Broadway Star Joined: 11/29/06
I'm not trying to get all "these poor actors toiling away 8 shows a week" but still, I think the rigors of playing Elle Woods are slightly more... taxing than what Groff and Gallagher have to do. Her choreography is crazy and she never leaves the stage. It makes me tired thinking of it.
Marla Schaffel had a tough show with Jane Eyre--3+ hours on stage and she was in nearly every scene (not the childhood part, of course) and had majorly romantic and dramatic and comedic strokes to paint, not to mention an English accent to maintain. After the cast bowed to a standing ovation, Marla took in the audience energy one more time, and then bounded offstage with the rest of the cast, a spring in her step a mile high, with layers of petticoats and giant skirts a-flying. Whenever I feel tired, that springy image sometimes comes to mind even though it was in 2000, because I _envy_ people who have that kind of energy.
For the record Ruprect, while I don't necessarily think that we should be praising Bundy any more than any other Broadway performer for doing 8 shows a week, to say "are we really going to start praising people for doing what they're supposed to be doing again?" is somwhat dumb. Who's to say that they "should be on Broadway doing 8 shows a week"? I think that everyone who performs 8 shows a week deserves praise. It's no easy task, even for veteran professionals. So yah, I would say that it is kinda crazy that she (and others) is physically able to do 8 shows a week. Compared to your average amateur theatre performer, that's pretty damn good.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/29/06
While I can understand how the dancing is more phsycically draining in Legally Blonde, Spring Awakening is no easy feat either, it's much more emotional draining for an actor than Legally Blonde can ever be. Last time I checked, there's no suicides or on stage sex in Legally Blonde.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
That's good that Laura Bell hasn't missed a show yet, but I think she should've the day before they recorded the LEGALLY BLONDE cd because her voice sounded strained, so she should've rested before they made it. I don't know, I think she should take a day off soon, just because she'll end up hurting her voice soon enough.
And then Annaleigh or Becky Gulsvig can go on :P
bjh2114, I think the actors who've done more than one B'way show (lbb) know what they're getting into, so your scolding Rup is ridiculous. I have seen countless shows where the leads are doing serious hard work which is far from what's going on with Bundy at LB. The amount of time an actor spends onstage is not neccessarily in proportion to the difficulty of the role. And I agree, a few times I've seen the show, she might have "considered" taking a day off. She' not that strong a singer to begin with and she's sounding more weathered all the time.
Swing Joined: 6/24/07
Just because it's happy and fun does not mean it's one of the easiest shows on Broadway to do. Emotionally it may not be the most difficult but I'd say physically it is one of the toughest shows right now. It's definitely one of the most high energy shows. They are constantly singing and dancing. It's like running on a tread mill 2.5 to 5 hours a day 6 days a week while singing at the same time. You try it and tell me it's not extremely taxing.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
Yeah, Laura Bell works her butt off (which happens to be in my avatar :P)
Anyways, yeah, I mean, she said in some interview she has a little more than 5 minutes that shes actually not onstage, so I mean, she keeps busy!
She was the best part of LEGALLY BLONDE and definitely carries the show beautifully :)
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