Actors having their contracts terminated on their first Broadway show- Page 2

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 12:56pm

bholtzinger544 said: "Sam Primack signed to lead Dear Evan Hansen for a year after being with the tour for several years and only got to play the role for 12 days on Broadway due to the show closing. Considering they gave all of the understudies several month long contracts before Sams, I felt Sam got the short stick of the deal, even if he did get to close the show."

 

Huh?  How did he get the "short end of the stick"?  The show closed -- so EVERYBODY'S contract ended.  He wasn't singled out.

 

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 1:10pm

Didn't Sophia Ann Caruso get fired from Beetlejuice?

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 1:28pm

LarryD2 said: "Matt Cavanaugh in the 2009 revival of WEST SIDE STORY:https://nypost.com/2009/11/06/west-side-whack/ "

I worked FOH during this and while I can't say I was present for the actual conversations it seemed to just be Arthur's fickleness. He basically was in LOVE with Matt until one day he wasn't and was basically ice cold to him, not renewing his contract in favor the new stand-by Jeremy Jordan who Arthur was in more than love with basically. Then, oddly enough, Jeremy himself talked about how Arthur one week said he was the best he's ever seen the role/he's a revelation/what an angel to being told he's worthless in an email from him. Arthur was...Arthur. 

[bholtzinger544]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 1:31pm

It's a slightly different circumstance but Sam definitely got the short end of the stick. Sam had a year long contract from Sept 2022-Sept 2023 and it was announced in February at the same time as Ben Levi Ross, Zachary Noah, and Stephen Christopher Anthony. Ben, Zachary, and Stephen all got at least a month if not more in their runs. Sam got to do 12 days out of a planned year long Broadway contract after waiting months after having been a tour and Broadway understudy since 2019. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 1:38pm

bholtzinger544 said: "It's a slightly different circumstance but Sam definitely got the short end of the stick. Sam had a year long contract from Sept 2022-Sept 2023 and it was announced in February at the same time as Ben Levi Ross, Zachary Noah, and Stephen Christopher Anthony. Ben, Zachary, and Stephen all got at least a month if not more in their runs. Sam got to do 12 days out of a planned year long Broadway contract after waiting months after having been a tour and Broadway understudy since 2019."

 

All you did was repeat your original statement -- so I'll just repeat my response.   How did he get the "short end of the stick"?  The show closed -- so EVERYBODY'S contract ended.  He wasn't singled out -- in fact he got to play Evan MORE than most of the others.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 2:31pm

quizking101 said: "Hairspray0901 said: "I believe Marissa Perry’s contract may have beencut short as Tracy Turnblad at Hairspray. She joined the cast in April 2008. When the show announced it was closing in October 2008, they announced Harvey Fierstein would return in November. Then, they eventually announced Marissa Jaret Winokur would be brought back to close out the show with him. She returned for one month only, December - January"

I don't think she was fired - she was moved to understudy for the remainder of the run so they could close with the original stars (like what happened with Jimmy Nail moved to standby for Sting in THE LAST SHIP)"

I didn’t say she was fired. I just meant - answering the OPs question - her original contract (as a broadway debut, and a lead) was terminated early due to them bringing back the original lead to close out the show. Her being an understudy would have been a new contract, anyway. 

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 2:37pm

Falsettolands said: "Chase Miller said: "George in DC said: "To get back to the original question, James Weissenbach was let go from the role of Franklin Shepherd in the original "Merrily We Roll Along" and replaced by Jim Walton before opening night. It was his first and only Broadway show."

I saw that documentary.  There were some actors who commented on the controversy.  I got the impression that Weissenbach was stiffer than a 2X4.

Does anyone know why he was replaced?"

Best Worst Thing goes into this pretty extensively. But in short- he was bad.

I saw the documentary.  At least one of the actors commented on the controversy.  Basically, I got the impression that Weissenbach was stiffer than a 2 x 4. 

 

Updated On: 5/30/23 at 02:37 PM

[jagman1062]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 2:44pm

LarryD2 said: "Matt Cavanaugh in the 2009 revival of WEST SIDE STORY:https://nypost.com/2009/11/06/west-side-whack/

And more recently, Beanie Feldstein in FUNNY GIRL:“The producers decided to take the show in a different direction and end Beanie’s contracton September 25th, 6months earlier than anticipated,” they said in the statement. Source:https://www.vulture.com/2022/07/lea-michele-beanie-feldstein-funny-girl-rumors.html"

respectfully, both of those performers had previously performed on Broadway and were not rookies at the time of their dismissals.

[Penna2]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 2:51pm

LarryD2 said: "Matt Cavanaugh in the 2009 revival of WEST SIDE STORY:https://nypost.com/2009/11/06/west-side-whack/

And more recently, Beanie Feldstein in FUNNY GIRL:“The producers decided to take the show in a different direction and end Beanie’s contracton September 25th, 6months earlier than anticipated,” they said in the statement. Source:https://www.vulture.com/2022/07/lea-michele-beanie-feldstein-funny-girl-rumors.html"

Funny Girl wasn't her first Broadway show. She was in the Bette Midler revival of "Hello, Dolly," playing Minnie Faye.

Updated On: 5/30/23 at 02:51 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 3:40pm

Penna2 said: "Funny Girl wasn't her first Broadway show. She was in the Bette Midler revival of "Hello, Dolly," playing Minnie Faye."

It was CLEARLY established above that this thread had expanded beyond Broadway debuts. Please don’t chime in without at least reading this thread.  

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 3:50pm

Falsettolands said: "Chase Miller said: "George in DC said: "To get back to the original question, James Weissenbach was let go from the role of Franklin Shepherd in the original "Merrily We Roll Along" and replaced by Jim Walton before opening night. It was his first and only Broadway show."



Does anyone know why he was replaced?"

Best Worst Thing goes into this pretty extensively. But in short- he was bad.

"

Also in the documentary, he stated he found out he was let go when he couldn’t get a table at Joe Allen’s. It was sad.

In auditions he was great but during the first few previews something was just off. He can sing and dance but something was just off. I wouldn’t say he was bad.

 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 4:03pm

Wick3 said: "In auditions he was great but during the first few previews something was just off. He can sing and dance but something was just off. I wouldn’t say he was bad."

I've seen that sort of thing happen many a time. Some people are just really great at auditions. They have clearly worked the hell out of the material they bring in, and are passable with any new songs or sides they are handed during callbacks. Then you get them into rehearsal and you realize they are never going to progress beyond those auditions, or at least not in a time frame that is realistic. Sometimes there is no choice but to keep them, typically when dealing with smaller productions regionally, but when you are talking about multi-million dollar commercial productions the discussions become much more intense when that actor is just not clicking with the rest of the production.

[DJD4]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 5:05pm

I had a friend make his broadway debut in Frozen in March 2020 just a few days (or maybe weeks) before the covid shutdown. The show sadly never reopened.

The same thing happened with several replacements in Mean Girls.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 5:08pm

AEA AGMA SM said: "Wick3 said: "In auditions he was great but during the first few previews something was just off. He can sing and dance but something was just off. I wouldn’t say he was bad."

I've seen that sort of thing happen many a time. Some people are just really great at auditions. They have clearly worked the hell out of the material they bring in, and are passable with any new songs or sides they are handed during callbacks. Then you get them into rehearsal and you realize they are never going to progress beyond those auditions, or at least not in a time frame that is realistic. Sometimes there is no choice but to keep them, typically when dealing with smaller productions regionally, but when you are talking about multi-million dollar commercial productions the discussions become much more intense when that actor is just not clicking with the rest of the production."

This is me to an extent, and it’s absolutely horrendous. Not to blow my own trumpet but I’m very good at what I do and got a lot of jobs straight out of drama school. I quickly realised that I can absolutely smash an audition and blow the casting panel away but then in rehearsals something just doesn’t gel or come together until I’m on the stage and then it’s back and I give a fantastic performance. 
 

Because of the period between my excellent audition and my excellent performance on stage the director would often turn on me and shows would turn into horrible experiences. I would feel like a imposter, like I wasn’t good enough or even worthy enough to be there. Thankfully I was never let go from any jobs but that was a small mercy. I truly don’t understand what happens as I try as well as I’m physically, mentally and emotionally able to bring that spark into rehearsals but it just isn’t there. 
 

After a few too many directors not being very nice to me during rehearsals I decided to leave the industry and go travelling. 
 

My heart genuinely does go out to actors who are fired for that very reason 

[Kad]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 5:45pm

Actors who do not continue with a show due to closure do not have their contracts terminated. There is no longer a show to work on. Contracts are for a set period of time or until the show closes, whichever comes first. Termination is equivalent to being fired, not being laid off. 
 

Unless the actor is fired for cause (ie- unprofessional conduct), they are paid out for the length of their contract. 

Updated On: 5/30/23 at 05:45 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 10:31pm

Also did Diana Rigg get fired from the MFL revival?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 10:59pm

Kad said: "Actors who do not continue with a show due to closure do not have their contracts terminated. There is no longer a show to work on. Contracts are for a set period of time or until the show closes, whichever comes first. Termination is equivalent to being fired, not being laid off.


Unless the actor is fired for cause (ie- unprofessional conduct), they are paid out for the length of their contract."

James Snyder ended up being paid out for the remainder of his contract, so I guess there wasn’t any unprofessional conduct there!

But honestly, do the performers get a lump sum, or do they get paid their salary over the course of what their contract would’ve been or is it a case by case scenario? I’d imagine productions wouldn’t like having to dump a stars years worth salary all at once. 

[Chase Miller]

Posted: 5/30/23 at 11:29pm

Kad said: "Actors who do not continue with a show due to closure do not have their contracts terminated. There is no longer a show to work on. Contracts are for a set period of time or until the show closes, whichever comes first. Termination is equivalent to being fired, not being laid off.


Unless the actor is fired for cause (ie- unprofessional conduct), they are paid out for the length of their contract."


Is there a consensus on what with cause and without cause is? For example: if an actor is just bad in the role, the termination would be without cause because they didn’t do anything technically wrong, they were just bad? Maybe they missed a cue or just wasn’t good in the role? Is that correct?

I also wonder about the buy-outs of terminated employees. Do Broadway shows get forced to pay out actors? Also, if an actor is terminated without cause”? Are there different definitions of “without cause” that different Broadway companies have in their contracts?

Updated On: 5/30/23 at 11:29 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 9:22am

Union contracts often make it more difficult to fire contracted employees. Contracts bind both the actor and the employer, and if it is proven that either party has broken the terms of the contract then there is cause for the contract to be terminated. Simply being bad in the role isn’t usually cause - after all, assessing whether an actor is up to the job is a duty of the employer. And missing cues or whatever isn’t typically cause either, unless it’s a chronic thing that is interfering with the production’s ability to go on. “Cause” is an intentionally vague term because it can cover a wide spectrum of incidents or behavior. 
 

AEA assesses whether there is indeed cause and conducts investigations to that effect. If the employer objects, they can go into arbitration, a potentially lengthy and costly negotiation overseen by a neutral third party. 
 

Commercial Broadway productions don’t get customized contracts- they’re governed by the Equity Production Contract, so the terms are generally the same for everybody (there are waivers and riders to somewhat tailor things to specific production needs, but those don’t alter clauses that govern things like termination, which need to be standard across a contract type).  
 

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 9:35am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "During previews for the 2004 Broadway production of THE FROGS, Chris Kattan was abruptly fired and quickly replaced by Roger Bart. Kattan has never attempted another try at NY theater since."

...and then Roger Bart was reportedly fired by Harvey Weinstein & Diane Paulus from the pre-Bway ART run of FINDING NEVERLAND after voicing "candid and astute" criticisms when encouraged to give opinions about the state of the show in a rehearsal. Michael McGrath replaced him, who was then replaced by Kelsey Grammer on Broadway.

Bullet dodged!

 

"Smee" Paulus (-:

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 9:58am

Diahann Carroll being let go from the Denzel A Raisin In the Sun revival.  And then there was the whole Jeremy Piven Speed The Plow catastrophe.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 1:06pm

Jeremy Piven was hilarious. "I did not realize I couldn't eat sushi for nine days straight!".

Legendary. 

 

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 2:55pm

Lest we forget Mamet's comments:

 "I talked to Jeremy on the phone and he told me that he discovered that he had a very high level of mercury. So my understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer."

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 2:57pm

Plannietink08 said: "AEA AGMA SM said: "Wick3 said: "In auditions he was great but during the first few previews something was just off. He can sing and dance but something was just off. I wouldn’t say he was bad."

I've seen that sort of thing happen many a time. Some people are just really great at auditions. They have clearly worked the hell out of the material they bring in, and are passable with any new songs or sides they are handed during callbacks. Then you get them into rehearsal and you realize they are never going to progress beyond those auditions, or at least not in a time frame that is realistic. Sometimes there is no choice but to keep them, typically when dealing with smaller productions regionally, but when you are talking about multi-million dollar commercial productions the discussions become much more intense when that actor is just not clicking with the rest of the production."

This is me to an extent, and it’s absolutely horrendous. Not to blow my own trumpet but I’m very good at what I do and got a lot of jobs straight out of drama school. I quickly realised that I can absolutely smash an audition and blow the casting panel away but then in rehearsals something just doesn’t gel or come together until I’m on the stage and then it’s back and I give a fantastic performance.


Because of the period between my excellent audition and my excellent performance on stage the director would often turn on me and shows would turn into horrible experiences. I would feel like a imposter, like I wasn’t good enough or even worthy enough to be there. Thankfully I was never let go from any jobs but that was a small mercy. I truly don’t understand what happens as I try as well as I’m physically, mentally and emotionally able to bring that spark into rehearsals but it just isn’t there.


After a few too many directors not being very nice to me during rehearsals I decided to leave the industry and go travelling.


My heart genuinely does go out to actors who are fired for that very reason"


Sorry hear that. I”ve had the same problem. I audition well, which is a blessing, but I tend to “underplay” a lot (evidently), especially in the first week or so of rehearsals as I am finding my way and starting from a place of truthfulness. I eventually realized that a lot directors get freaked out by this, as they want an opening night-level performance as soon as possible. So now I have more of a “fake it till you make it” sort of approach out of necessity.

[Seb28]

Posted: 5/31/23 at 5:52pm

JSquared2 said: "The answer to ALL of the above is "none of your business". "

Actually, when I pay for something that is promoted to me in the media, it IS my business. The public is the business.

Especially when they only give a reason that is clearly not true.