The Raúl E. Esparza "Spread the Love" Thread, Part Four- Page 62

[misschung]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 12:40pm

Because all the posts on this entire website, save Humbug's, have been silently developing a cure for cancer over the past five years..

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 4:24pm

*hug* for Humbug who always finds the best photos!

(and coal for theaterdiva)

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 4:51pm

For what?

Pointing out the fact that she lied to you?


Go ahead and give me coal.

The truth hurts, doesn't it?


I find it funny that the people attacking me have all joined within the last three months.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 5:31pm

LuvtheEmcee - you are so lucky to be going to STP this week. Please let us know how Norbert's first performance goes! I am so completely overwhelmed with holiday "stuff" at the moment that the soonest I can go (if at all) will be the 26th or possibly the 27th matinee. I wanted to see the understudy Lage but that was out of the question.

Has anyone heard anything further about 25/8?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 5:43pm

Yeah, I'm catching it right before I leave town for a few days. I saw Jordan Lage. I was very impressed. He's done Mamet before, and it shows.

Updated On: 12/21/08 at 05:43 PM

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 10:51pm

ATC reported that Raul gave a post-curtain speech thanking Lage for his work during the past week, and saying that they "finally" had an ensemble! Anyone there? Details?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/21/08 at 10:54pm

Aww, that is very sweet.

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 8:11am

Ugh, Fox is putting a spin on it so that it's not exactly positive for Raúl.

'Entourage' Star Bashed For Being Diva
Monday, December 22, 2008

By Roger Friedman

Actor Jeremy Piven apparently wasn’t so popular with his Broadway cast mates in the revival of David Mamet’s “Speed the Plow.”

After yesterday’s matinee, the remaining actors — Raul Esparza and Elizabeth Moss — bashed Piven to their audience after their curtain call.

Piven left the show last week, claiming he had mercury poisoning. He’d been playing opposite Esparza and Moss in the three character play for just a couple of months.

Sources say that when the matinee was finished yesterday, Esparza suddenly addressed the audience. (Actor Jordan Lage. Piven’s understudy, played the role of Bobby Gould.)

According to those who saw this, Esparza — famous for being outspoken — reamed Piven while Moss, my sources say, “sobbed.”

“’He said, I’m sure you’ve read the headlines about the silliness in our show.’ Then he said, Today was the first time I really enjoyed playing this show.’ I hope you weren’t expecting a big TV star.” It was pretty emotional.”

Esparza has a reputation for being lively — and much of a diva himself. A couple of years ago I watched him walk out of the dress rehearsal for the musical “Taboo,” when he didn’t like something producer Rosie O’Donnell said to him from the orchestra. Esparza stormed off the stage, went home and took a bath. That’s Broadway, kids!

“Speed the Plow” will continue its run through February, with Oscar nominee William H. Macy, who’s performed the David Mamet play in the past, taking over for the duration of the run. First, Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, who was so good in the Broadway musical “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” gets a crack at fast talking Bobby Gould for a couple of weeks.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,470844,00.html

Updated On: 12/22/08 at 08:11 AM

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 8:17am

The good people at ATC are getting creative:

If they asked me, I could eat a fish
Uncooked and wrapped in seaweed, oh how delish!
Let Esparza suffer through Mamet's play
While I nosh on raw fish filet

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 8:41am

lol ATC.

The Fox thing is the kind of thing I've been worried about. Unfortunately, being caught up in this, Raul needs to make sure he's careful about what he says when, and to whom.

Updated On: 12/22/08 at 08:41 AM

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 9:23am

Piven's Castmates Peeved in Public
Posted Dec 22nd 2008 2:00AM by TMZ Staff

So much for Jeremy Piven's ex-castmates lending support to his fishy "mercury-poisoning" story.

Well after yesterday's matinee of "Speed-the-Plow," according to FOX News, Raul Esparza let loose on Piven, saying the performance was "the first time I really enjoyed playing this show" and referred to Sushigate as "silliness." Meanwhile, female lead Elisabeth Moss "sobbed."

We're told Piven was in NYC Friday so producers could get a second opinion on Jeremy's mercury story.

http://www.tmz.com/2008/12/22/piven-s-castmates-peeved-in-public/

Inneresting last par!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 9:30am

Well, why should they be supportive? He was the main reason the show was doing so well, and now - if this IS all a sham - he's completely screwing them over. And even if he IS actually sick, that doesn't excuse his behavior in handling the matter, which he's done like a complete ass. I knew it was only a matter of time before the press started slamming on Raul and Elisabeth. Even though I think it's unjustified, the "Jeremy ate too much sushi!" thing is old news now, and they've got to go after what's juicy.

[Perfectly Marvelous]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 11:40am

The Fox report made me cringe a bit. I agree with Emcee, Raul has to be careful. It's easy for everyone to be annoyed about this situation ... especially if the excuse is Jeremy ate too much sushi. [I ate sushi practically every day for lunch during my freshman year of college. Nothing devastating happened.] That's not to say I don't necessarily believe he is sick. It's just unfortunate that so many people are spinning it out of proportion.

Updated On: 12/22/08 at 11:40 AM

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 11:41am

Who knew Fox covered Broadway?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 3:27pm

This isn't just Broadway. If he weren't a Hollywood star, this would not be getting the coverage it is.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 3:31pm

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I think it was a wonderful gesture to publicly thank Jordan for really stepping up to the plate and recognize him for his work, but... well, you've got to know when to stop talking.

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 8:53pm

Some pics from the ASTEP benefit last week. That's some odd lighting in the Zipper Factory:

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 10:26pm

The Zipper Factory looks like "The Lost Scenes from Austin Powers."

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 10:31pm

It's all the lavender love. Can you feel it? It looks like the inside of a lava lamp.

[wonkit]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 10:49pm

So what color was Raul's shirt, really?

[Hest882]

Posted: 12/22/08 at 10:55pm

Raul in Red! Love it!

Wonkit, from the videos, I think his shirt is gray. Or brown. Or a grayish brown.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 3:15am

The Zipper is one of my favorite venues in New York. It's so unique.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 6:47am

So, where did the pictures come from?

[bestinshow2]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 10:27am

Ok, mystery solved. The first Broadway show I ever saw was "Cabaret" in 2001. Ever since discovering Raúl earlier this year, I had been wondering if I had seen him in Cabaret all those years ago or whether it was Alan Cumming. I'm home now so I just had a little dig through my old stuff and found my diary for 2001...

I saw "Cabaret" on October 25, 2001. Raúl started as the Emcee on October 26, 2001. Missed him by one performance! Ack!

Updated On: 12/23/08 at 10:27 AM

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 12:01pm

The pics are from an article here on BWW. I didn't post the link the way I normally do because the link wouldn't work right. I clicked on it once and it opened fine, but every time after that it gave me this odd "deleted" message. Also, the text of the article was all garbled. That's why I posted the pictures instead.

OK, just did some searching and it appears they fixed the link and the previously garbled text of the article (although they didn't quite fix the date).
ASTEP Holiday Benefit Concert