A STRANGE LOOP On Broadway - Reviews & News Thread- Page 38

[UpstateNYGuy]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 9:48am

No, certainly not more demanding than the hard-working ensemble of Some Like it Hot, for example.

Me think the lady protesteth too much...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 9:49am

ShowBro said: "I told L Morgan “fell better” last night on her IG live and she point blank said “Oh I am not sick” very matter of factly.

What I got from the live session was that it seemed like she was placing the blame on Michael R Jackson for writing a piece without the actors in mind who would actually be playing the roles, as if it was too challenging of a show to be played 8 times a week by actors. It was v eyebrow raising!

Bless this damn show I love so much, I really hope it makes it through the week!!"

So she's essentially coming off saying this show is too much to handle doing it 8 times a week and there needed to be alternates for all(i.e. SIX). Let's see if they can suck it up one more week and do all 8 shows. I'm still curious to see if Mars returns for the final week.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 9:49am

“And no professional, at this level, should be calling out to let an understudy perform. Sorry. That’s not how this works.”

I have to laugh - as this is not a new thing, and definitely not for Broadway. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 9:56am

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "“And no professional, at this level, should be calling out to let an understudy perform. Sorry. That’s not how this works.”

I have to laugh - as this is not a new thing, and definitely not for Broadway."

You're probably right. Now, find me an instance where a show was barely able to find enough actors to go on, and the producers were maybe going to have to cancel performances, and one of the principals said "you know this would be a great time for my understudy to get a shot." 

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 10:01am

RippedMan said: "Is this show that demanding? I haven't seen it yet - hope to so I haven't really listened to anything either - but compared to other shows is it that demanding?"

The only people who can truly answer this question are the one doing it (or attempting) 8 shows per week, and they've made it clear that they've worn down as the run has gone on, especially with their brutal  schedule that resulted in some cancellations due to illness (From 12/13 to 12/24, they had 16 performances scheduled with no day off - the last two performances being cancelled due to illness and lack of coverage.

L. Morgan stated that the cast is pretty much always on stage performing or off stage vocalizing and doing transitions, so there really is no point where any of them have a meaningful pause in a non-stop 110 minute show.

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 10:03am

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "“And no professional, at this level, should be calling out to let an understudy perform. Sorry. That’s not how this works.”

I have to laugh - as this is not a new thing, and definitely not for Broadway."

I remember 10-11 years ago how people were begging Aaron Tveit to take a night off in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (he never missed a performance) so that Jay Armstrong Johnson (his standby) could go on for a night before the run ended.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 10:05am

Has this exact & specific situation happened before? Not to my knowledge. Have leading actors close to the end of a run stepped aside for their cover to have a ‘last’ chance? Yes.

I think to blame the actors in this situation is not the move. There are other people who are not being professional behind the scenes for this to all be a such a mess, and for so long. Actors can be replaced, this we know. Others, a little harder. I feel for the cast. 

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 11:02am

I posted my mini-review in My January Trip thread, but I saw this last Wednesday and hands down it was my favorite of the 9 shows I saw on my trip. A vital, courageous, challenging show. I’ll be eternally grateful I was privileged to see it. 

[BJR]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 11:26am

If a good percentage of the cast is upset at the work conditions, maybe that smoke means a fire.

I don't know for sure what's happening here, and it may not be flagrantly negligent or harsh, but it could still have a toll on workers over time.

And it's worth taking a step back and look at our blind spots. Why are we more likely to distrust actors and accuse them of laziness, but less likely to think producers and management have a role?

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 12:07pm

This feels like a mess that should very much be laid at the feet of the producers. A cast member shouldn't feel like putting themselves or other cast members in danger or situations that will make them unwell... just so the show isn't canceled. The producers should be responsible for the show going on, not the actors. Things happen. Blaming the actors for cancellations feels like the standard practice of blaming labor while those up the ladder avoid criticism and continue to rake in the $$$. 

That said, I don't think the actors here did themselves any favors in they way they've communicated or not communicated their grievances. It seems odd Spivey (who I thought was wonderful) stayed with the show when it was clear he could not handle the role. I'm not sure what went on behind the scenes but that situation also could have been much better handled by the producers. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 12:15pm

I think two things can be true. Bad producing, but also actors not able to do the show 8x a week.

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 12:43pm

Yes. I think you're right that two things are probably true here... but it seems like people default to blaming the actors because they're they stand out in front. And there's definitely a lot of bad producing going on here. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 12:54pm

Def bad producing. They picked the wrong theater for it, for one. They also clearly needed more covers/swings. But it's also bad optics to have actors calling out when they're perfectly fine and well. Especially when your show closes in a week.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 12:59pm

RippedMan said: "I think two things can be true. Bad producing, but also actors not able to do the show 8x a week."

Definitely appears like a stint by the actors to (very subtilty) call out the producers without actually doing so. I think after Jan. 15 the sh*t is going to hit the fan with this show.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 1:19pm

ACL2006 said: "RippedMan said: "I think two things can be true. Bad producing, but also actors not able to do the show 8x a week."

Definitely appears like a stint by the actors to (very subtilty) call out the producers without actually doing so. I think after Jan. 15 the sh*t is going to hit the fan with this show."

Which bums me out, ha. I really want to see this show, so was hoping for a mini-tour or something. But alas. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 1:27pm

BJR said: "And it's worth taking a step back and look at our blind spots. Why are we more likely to distrust actors and accuse them of laziness, but less likely to think producers and management have a role?"

Which, it's worth noting, is EXACTLY what she said in her Instagram story Yesterday morning. You can always trust this board to prove someone's point about issues on Broadway. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 1:33pm

RippedMan said: "ACL2006 said: "RippedMan said: "I think two things can be true. Bad producing, but also actors not able to do the show 8x a week."

Definitely appears like a stint by the actors to (very subtilty) call out the producers without actually doing so. I think after Jan. 15 the sh*t is going to hit the fan with this show."

Which bums me out, ha. I really want to see this show, so was hoping for a mini-tour or something. But alas."

The rumors are that there will be a limited West Coast mini-tour. Probably just Los Angeles, San Francisco, maybe Seattle & Denver.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 1:41pm

RippedMan said: "I think two things can be true. Bad producing, but also actors not able to do the show 8x a week."

And if they can't do the show 8 times a week, they shouldn't be doing the show. There's obviously a lot going on behind the scenes here and I'm in no way saying there aren't some major issues with this producing team and the way things have been handled. But part of being on Broadway is having the stamina to perform 8 times a week, and if you can't do that, you're not ready to be on Broadway, regardless of how talented you are. And it does require far more dedication and neglect of your personal life (and yes, often health) than other professions do. That's why there are tens of thousands of BFA students every year but only a handful who make it to Broadway, even though most of them probably have the pure natural talent to make it. So if someone can't handle that and doesn't want to make those sacrifices, that's completely understandable. But then they need to find a different career, because being a Broadway performer is about a whole lot more than just being able to sing a score once.

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 2:21pm

One of the many things I learned having to manage the nurses’ union at my hospital is I am not responsible for the shortcomings of my employer. If a staffing crisis occurs as a result of one person calling out, that’s an employer problem, not the worker.

But rather than face facts, most employers seek to quietly (or not so quietly) allow a hostile environment to be created from everyone’s stress where they turn on each other instead and that diverts attention away from the root cause.

Here you have a cast of wildly talented performers who are taking on difficult material at a nonstop, nearly 2 hour pace, nightly. There comes a time where life happens and people need to take care of themselves and that includes people in the performing arts. Booking a Broadway gig does not make one less entitled to sick days or taking time to preserve mental, physical, or vocal health. Producers have the responsibility to address these issues ahead of time (best as they can) and adjust accordingly by hiring coverage or altering performing schedules as needed. By not meeting your performers where they are at, they get a mess of their own making.

 

[Voter]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 3:05pm

My next question if this: Did they not discover during out of towns in DC how the performers would adjust to a full playing week? Stamina, energy, schedules, etc... Out of towns are the perfect time to see how the actors adjust to the show before going to a full time BWAY playing schedule. Or was the DC period too short?

Because if the show is too strenuous to be performed on it's current schedule... that should've been addressed out of town...... 

Updated On: 1/9/23 at 03:05 PM

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 3:15pm

Voter said: "My next question if this: Did they not discover during out of towns in DC how the performers would adjust to a full playing week? Stamina, energy, schedules, etc... Out of towns are the perfect time to see how the actors adjust to the show before going to a full time BWAY playing schedule. Or was the DC period too short?

Because if the show is too strenuous to be performed on it's current schedule... that should've been addressed out of town......"

This is the third production that all 6 Thoughts have been involved in. They replaced Owens after Playwrights and I'm sure they would have replaced the Thoughts too if they thought it would be an issue. That's part of why I'm not so quick to blame stuff on the stamina of the actors. What about Broadway would be different than Playwrights or Wolley Mammoth (besides COVID, but that only pertains to Playwrights)?

[Voter]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 3:31pm

jkcohen626 said: "Voter said: "My next question if this: Did they not discover during out of towns in DC how the performers would adjust to a full playing week? Stamina, energy, schedules, etc... Out of towns are the perfect time to see how the actors adjust to the show before going to a full time BWAY playing schedule. Or was the DC period too short?

Because if the show is too strenuous to be performed on it's current schedule... that should've been addressed out of town......"

This is the third production that all 6 Thoughts have been involved in. They replaced Owens after Playwrights and I'm sure they would have replaced the Thoughts too if they thought it would be an issue. That's part of why I'm not so quick to blame stuff on the stamina of the actors. What about Broadway would be different than Playwrights or Wolley Mammoth (besides COVID, but that only pertains to Playwrights)?"

 

Ok that helps with a lot of context I didn't know! Didn't mean to put the blame on the actors, but rather the creative team, in terms of a musical that's too much on its cast (albeit ANY cast member). Also, three productions (even with a covid break) in a row of a very emotionally/physically taxing show is all I needed to know to know that these poor performers are definitely Burned Out, which is different.

[yyys]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 3:32pm

DC was from NOVEMBER 22, 2021 - JANUARY 9, 2022 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 3:39pm

Voter said: "My next question if this: Did they not discover during out of towns in DC how the performers would adjust to a full playing week? Stamina, energy, schedules, etc... Out of towns are the perfect time to see how the actors adjust to the show before going to a full time BWAY playing schedule. Or was the DC period too short?

Because if the show is too strenuous to be performed on it's current schedule... that should've been addressed out of town......"

This is a great question. But as far as I can tell, they didn't do much of anything in DC. Changed about 2 lines is all I noticed. And clearly didn't learn or plan for what's happening now.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 1/9/23 at 4:11pm

As far as the intensity of this show, there are a few things to be said about it. 

First, this is a REALLY long 1-acter. 1:45 with no intermission is a lot, especially when you combine it with, second, nobody leaves the stage very often and it's often only to get ready for their next scene. There's definitely a lot of run off, costume change, gulp of water, and back on moments in this show for the Thoughts. Third I'd bring up that the Thoughts aren't just the ensemble, they also play all of the supporting roles. This is far from the only show where that's the case, but it does add a lot to have multiple roles you're playing every night. Finally, I'd just add that A Strange Loop is a VERY emotionally intense show. It's a show that would be a lot for anyone, but I'm sure it's especially intense for a group of Black Queer people, many of whom are probably reliving really tough and potentially traumatic incidents from their own lives every night. That can take a lot out of you. 

That's not to say it's more or less challenging than being a chorus girl in a show like Some Like it Hot, but I don't think it's the same thing. A dancing tour de force like SLIH can be very hard on the body, but it is VERY different than what would be intense about performing A Strange Loop.