Sierra Boggess leaving TLM..?

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:05pm

Hi guys,

Just wondered if anybody knew when Sierra Boggess would be leaving TLM? We have booked to see this show (among others :-p ) next February when we visit New York from the U.K..

Does anybody know when she is contracted until, or if any indication has been given by her or the production team?

Many thanks

Chris & Becky

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 3:20pm

She is leaving in November or December, so unless she extends you wont be seeing her. Sorry.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 3:35pm

She is going to extend.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 3:36pm

Actually she has said "I may be leaving in November or December, this has been a dream and it's time to let someone else live the dream". So she may, but it's not official so I wouldn't get hopes up.

[caitlinette]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 3:26am

Huh? When did she say that about leaving? Source plz?

Wonder where she'd be going if this is true.
Updated On: 9/20/08 at 03:26 AM

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 6:15am

No problem, thanks for the info defyinggravity42694 - a bit gutted as she is fab on the cast recording / other recordings & other shows

Still, there is always a chance she will extend, or failing that a chance she may open the show in the W.E?

From your handle, big Wicked fan?? we are staying Sat (aft) til Thurs (eve), so we were thinking Sat night (Young Frankenstein from TKTS - if it's still running), Sun 3pm Little Mermaid (middle Row O stalls (mezz :p), booked), Mon - dark, Tuesday, Wicked (Row CC mezz, booked), Weds pm Phantom, and probably squeezing in another matinee :-p

Do you know yet who the new cast of B/W Wicked will be? My favourite is Shoshana Bean, but I know she has a tour through next year.. I just hope I don't see Kerry Ellis again!!!

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 8:01am

^ Kerry leaves on Nov 9th so you won't be seeing her. Personally I think Kerry is great. Hopefully Julie Reiber will be the lead when Kerry leaves to go back home.

Updated On: 9/20/08 at 08:01 AM

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 8:01am

Double post. SORRY

Updated On: 9/20/08 at 08:01 AM

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 8:44am

It's funny you should say that!!

Well, so far (in London) I've seen Idina twice, Cassidy Janson, and Kerry Ellis twice, and she has been by far the most disappointing both times, despite the hype! I find her singing to be great but for me she just 'misses' the point of the role with her acting.. I actually find her a bit *smarmy*.. sorry!! but I am delighted I'll be seeing somebody else.. fingers crossed for Shoshana!!!

But I have seen her in Les Mis as Fantine (London), and as Ellen in Miss Saigon (UK Tour) and she was perfect for both of those!!

And obviously I bought her EP :-p

Ps. is Julie Reiber the current understudy?
xx
Updated On: 9/20/08 at 08:44 AM

[mikeyb16]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 8:55am

jcdenton, yes Julie is currently the Elphaba standby. She has 3 performances planned in October. :)

Love Sierra and I think she's brilliant as Ariel, wish she got nominated for a Tony though.
Updated On: 9/20/08 at 08:55 AM

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 12:44pm

caitline, Sierra sent that to her fan page.

Some shows do have performances on Monday... Right now Legally Blonde isn't selling past January 4th, but they have Monday performances scheduled for when they are selling. I can't think of any other show off the top of my head, but there are others.

In February it's impossible to say the cast of WICKED, there are several rumors Eden Espinosa will return or Carmen Cusack will come over from the tour, or that Julie Reiber will take over, but those are all rumors.

mikey, I was enraged when I heard Sierra wasn't nominated, she should have been nominated, and she should have won!

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 1:04pm

Thanks for the helpful responses
Carmen Cusack is great.. my favourite ever Fantine - saw her in around 2002..!!

Can't wait now - and re Sierra Boggess - I was literally shocked when I heard she wasn't even nominated for a Tony. I cannot stand the snobbery and ignorance of most of the theatre world..

If a judging panel of just a few people don't like the musical as a whole, or often even the *idea* of the musical, it won't win a single award, even if it is the best in a particular area. If the entire panel HATE Disney musicals for instance, it wouldn't matter how good it was, or if it had the best lighting/choreography/original song/direction.. they wouldn't win any of them. The perfect example of this was Spamalot in London - it was nominated for around 12 Olivier Awards, didn't win a single one.

Put on a second rate 15th revival of a Sondheim or Cole Porter, cast a Broadway 'legend' as the lead, and you're guaranteed a winner based on the typical conservative voting of the judges.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 1:13pm

Spamalot was up against the brilliant SITPWG revival for the Oliviers. No other musicals stood a chance that year. I seem to remember Wicked and Evita being left out in the cold that year as well. Hell, Wicked didn't even score many nominations, let alone wins. XD

Updated On: 9/20/08 at 01:13 PM

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 1:40pm

I would call 12 nominations and no wins getting seriously blanked :p !!!

I know what you mean.. but don't forget the critics over here didn't like Wicked either.. and I don't think they were too impressed by Grandage's Evita from what I remember? I personally fail to believe that something can be nominated 12 times and fail to win any of them - unless the nominations themselves were undeserved in the first place!

Whilst I'm sure SITPWG was super - Jenna R is somebody I've met and workshopped with in the past - I find it hard to accept that people actually can look at an under-performing or unsuccessful musical and say 'oh, well, X musical may be not as good as Y, but the direction and lighting are measurably better'.. :p

It's my opinion that critics 'opt' to 'like' non-mainstream pieces for the sake of it, to appear more intellectual, even if these productions aren't necessarily more 'artistic' or 'serious'

Generally, rule of thumb, box office speaks for itself - look at Wicked's UK box office performance despite mixed reviews - yes, reviews and award wins make a difference to box office sales, but word of mouth is more important..

PS. by SITPWG being under-performing or unsuccessful, I mean in the box office, not artistically - limited run or not, shows will always extend nowadays if they are profitable!
Updated On: 9/20/08 at 01:40 PM

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 1:54pm

I looked her up on YT and noticed that Carmen Cusack has played Christine in Phantom in addition to Elphaba. That's pretty impressive!

[Weez]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 1:54pm

I'm pretty sure we're not quite as big on musicals here in the UK as Broadway is. Therefore if you're trying to fill up the list of nominations, it's quite possible for a show to rack up a bazillion nominations by virtue of being there. And if you do get one musical that's brilliant, why wouldn't that one zap to the top and win all the awards? And 'Spamalot' was still eligible for Best New Musical that year, the category where 'Sunday' couldn't possibly beat it, but... well, 'Caroline, Or Change'. ^_^

Sorry if I'm sounding a little misdirected and confused, there's some gaudy Saturday evening television distracting me so I'm not sure if I'm staying on-topic or coherent. :/

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 2:02pm

lol, I know what you mean, supposed to be getting ready to go to a BBQ - love the avatar by the way - scary harpy!! Thought it was Gollum at first.. another very underrated, unfairly chastised musical which I would rather see x10000000 than a tired, boring Chicago :p

My point is if the voting panel don't like a show, they won't vote for it at all.. not even the 'Best Costume', 'Cleanest Deputy Stage Manager' or 'Campest Usher' awards.. hence ambitious, quality new shows fall by the wayside (Marguerite..) and ANOTHER Cole Porter/Sondheim revival cleans up at the Tony's/Olivier's

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 2:27pm

Not sure if your a Scarlett Strallen fan but she will be Mary in Mary Poppins on Broadway when your here.

[jcdenton08]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 2:39pm

Thanks I saw her actually in London as MP and in Chitty.. she's very good, if anybody else is reading this!

[caitlinette]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 3:09pm

defyinggravity -- thanks. But which fan page is it? I'm looking on MySpace and sierra-boggess.com and not seeing it.

[NewYorkYankee2006]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 3:49pm

i would have thought sierra would have extended her contract til next january for her year to last out. i'm shocked she's leaving.

[lakezurich]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 4:08pm

Sometimes people like to move on to do different things.

[defyinggravity42694]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 4:36pm

Caitline, it's not posted. It was a personal message.

But, The Original Sierra Boggess Fan Page

It isn't offical or confirmed, hence why it isn't posted.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 5:06pm

" I was literally shocked when I heard she wasn't even nominated for a Tony. I cannot stand the snobbery and ignorance of most of the theatre world.."

Snobbery and ignorance?

There are many talented performers and only so many nomination slots:

Patti LuPone – Gypsy
Kerry Butler – Xanadu
Kelli O'Hara – South Pacific
Faith Prince – A Catered Affair
Jenna Russell – Sunday in the Park With George

I wouldn't call it snobbery/ignorance...I just think there were much better performers this season. Besides, I bet there are tons of girls around NYC who could do what Sierra does. I liked Sierra, but think she lacked the "it" factor that some of these other actresses brought to the stage.

[musicman_bwayfan]

Posted: 9/20/08 at 7:27pm

Snobbery and ignorance...I love that concept and how it has been brought up in this Sierra Boggess board.

Sierra was the most rude person I've ever met at any stage door in the last 6 years...maybe it just happened to be having a personal bad day. I saw the show from the fourth row. When I congratulated her on her performance and mentioned several other remarkable aspects about her performance, as opposed to being grateful or at least faking it, she said the following in an extremely snobby and rude tone: "Duh, I know, uh thanks"...well I'm glad that she definitely seemed to agree with me...aka if she may say so herself.