Actually no one of the "100s of others" mentioned a death until her post, which is being retweeted all over and accepted as fact.
If someone did die, considering she's professionally involved with the show, she should know better than to make any sort of statements on the show's behalf without consulting the show's publicist.
Stand-by Joined: 2/18/08
Just read this article, and it says he was in cardiac arrest.
http://www.dnainfo.com/20110622/midtown/man-taken-from-al-hirschfeld-theater-cardiac-arrest
Updated On: 6/22/11 at 11:03 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
On cardiac arrest?
myocardial in fart?
Seriously, you can't diagnose an MI/ cardiac arrest without a electrocardiogram reading. It could be anything, respiratory arrest, anaphylactic shock, seizure etc etc. All can be life threatening but require different treatments w varying degrees of recovery.
Don't bury the guy until he's dead.
and according to reports from this thread... huff post is calling it.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/22/stagehand-for-how-to-succeed-business-dies_n_882722.html
Swing Joined: 12/15/10
Those are my tweets in that article mentioned above(I can spell Larroquette, I promise). There was no official announcement as to what happened backstage, we were only told that it was a tragedy within the company. Don't believe what you hear until it comes from someone official. (Lest we forget what sort of ugly rumors flew around after the Christopher Tierney/Spiderman accident in December)
Thoughts and prayers, hoping for the best.
OK, so I know this is totally inappropriate, so I will apologize in advance, but HuffPo just quoted me. They lifted my entire post fro earlier in the thread. I'm very glad I chose my words carefully, and that I spelled everything correctly.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
I believe that's what they call "crowd sourcing." Too bad you can't get paid, but Arianna doesn't pay her writers.
Swing Joined: 12/15/10
that's the internet for you, everyone can see everything.
I'm holding out for an official release. Looking at her twitter feed, it seems she knew as much as the rest of us.
That's why I chose my words carefully, limiting myself to what I observed rather than what I speculated. My guess is that the producers would want to let cast and crew get information out to their families before they went public with any details.
Swing Joined: 12/15/10
NYTimes is expecting a statement any minute now
http://twitter.com/#!/nytimestheater
Swing Joined: 6/22/11
sabrelady, have you ever heard of an AED? if they had one of those devices back stage, the machine would diagnose cardiac arrest. not the cause of it, but the condition itself. and you don't have to be an EMT to use the machine.
I really love this show, and tonight was supposed to be so special because of the 100th performance. I am so sad to hear that there was a tragedy back stage.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/20/08
Official word is out. My thoughts and prayers are with them all.
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Official-Statement-HOW-TO-SUCCEED-Stagehand-Passes-Away-Performance-Cancelled-20110623
Updated On: 6/23/11 at 12:06 AM
How terrible for them all to witness. My thoughts and prayers to the families involved.
Double post.
So sad. My thoughts and prayers to the cast, crew, and family of the deceased. May he/she rest in peace.
The official announcement is up.
"This evening’s performance of HOW TO SUCCEED... was canceled as a stagehand on the production unexpectedly passed away backstage just prior to the 8pm curtain. The incident was not caused by an accident related to the production. The cast, crew and theatre staff mourn the loss of this member of their theatrical family."
My prayers to the family and members of the production.
How awful. My thoughts go out to the stagehand's family and everyone involved with the production.
I was also there. Everything madbrian reported seems to be accurate to what I remember as well. Additionally, I was in the lobby area at just a few minutes to 8 and the ushers suddenly and rather insistently urged everyone to get to their seats. They tried to close the doors as much as possible. Latecomers were seated throughout until well after the first announcement was made. House staff members were positioned around the theater and tried to keep patrons settled. It was kind of difficult since some got restless before the first announcement and started yelling or doing slow claps. Often theatergoers could tell that there was something strange going on, and now it makes much more sense. Condolences to the cast and crew and community for this loss.
I can't even imagine what the family, cast, crew, and company are feeling. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.
Broadway Star Joined: 6/17/09
That is awful. And Playbill.com is reporting that he was only 29 years old. Cardiac arrest at 29. I can't even. So so so sad.
This is so heartbreaking. RIP
Broadway Star Joined: 1/3/08
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/nyregion/stagehands-death-leads-to-cancellation-of-how-to-succeed-show.html
NYTimes says it was due to a drug overdose! So sad.
“It was a stagehand who had done something terrible to himself,” the theater industry executive said. “Apparently it happened in a bathroom backstage, and it was very, very serious.”
Updated On: 6/23/11 at 01:03 AM
Broadway Star Joined: 6/17/09
If that's true, it's not a surprise. It's not often that 29-year-olds go into cardiac arrest. Could have been some underlying cause - every now and then you hear about a perfectly healthy young person dying from an undiagnosed heart problem. But drugs will definitely do that to you. Just as tragically. Just an awful situation all around. Thought and condolences to the cast, crew and his family.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/23/08
I spoke to my friend involved with the production a couple of hours ago. It was indeed a drug overdose.
I'm kind of confused as to what's happening now, though. It must be incredibly difficult for the cast and crew to perform tomorrow, but it would be incredibly expensive to cancel yet another performance. PLUS, this guy must now be replaced, I'd assume.
Once again, my sincerest condolences to all involved.
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