BREAKING: Mandy Patinkin Withdraws from THE GREAT COMET- Page 9

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 9:49pm

Right? The numbers aren't bad. But maybe their advance dries up in the fall? 

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 9:52pm

RippedMan said: "Blaxx, I understand you're being condescending, but I think it speaks to their ignorance - the ones Tweeting - if they didn't understand the situation. They needed a star. When they announced Oak back in Feb people were scratching their heads then. They realized they picked the wrong person, a celeb decided they wanted to do it, so obviously they're going to go where the money lies. There's nothing "racial" happening here at all. And I don't even understand how the situation can be misconstrued as racism. 

I agree it has nothing to do with racism. This is the case of 'Don't do good things that look bad'. Of course people went nuts and tried to find their own reason behind the action. What I'm saying is that THEY can't be blamed for coming to their own conclusion when the production decided to take the desperate measure. 

The fact that they didn't how awful it would look, makes me sympathize with the conspiracy theorists. Of course their assumptions were wrong, but I don't blame them for feeling the way they did when you take it from their perspective. 

From Oak, to his friend, to the minorities; it was naive not to think someone would have mentioned how sketchy this looked. And sketchy actions which are not sustained will lead to blame. Racism, nepotism, misuse of authority, unfair dismissal - anything is a theory when you act like the producers did. 

In the few hours where this all started, Oak, Groban and Patinkin have all blamed the producers for their actions. You can blame it on Oak if you want, I think there was no way NOBODY would have said something under the possibility that having the switch to Patinkin would have been such a bost it would have saved the show for months to come. That's ridiculous. 

I feel awful for those involved but blaming anyone but the producing team is preposterous.

 

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 9:53pm

Can a show actually be at 97% capacity one week and be in danger of closing the next?

 

Updated On: 7/28/17 at 09:53 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 9:54pm

RippedMan said: "Right? The numbers aren't bad. But maybe their advance dries up in the fall? 

 

Malloy said they had pretty much no fall sales whatsoever. There was no future for it. We all know how September goes. 

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:03pm

GeorgeandDot said: "The more I hear the more convinced I am that Oak's ego may have been too big to understand that he needed to leave in order for the show to stay afloat.  I really think that Oak may have personally sunk this show prematurely."

....did Okieriete Onaodowan kill your dog or something...?

 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:16pm

Updated On: 7/28/17 at 10:16 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:19pm

I'm not a fan of Oak.  Didn't like his performance in The Great Comet and I thought he was forgettable in Hamilton and now he creates this sh!tstorm with his friend, Casal that will probably cause this show to close prematurely.

Also, they had extremely low ticket sales from the date that Ingrid leaves.  I checked it out on Telecharge and from around August 13 onward it was pretty empty.  People were starting to buy tickets for Mandy.  He would've kept the show open until September when, apparently, a big name was supposed to join as the show.  Because Oak didn't tell his friend to knock it off, the show will close in August.  Early August and that entire, beautiful cast will be unemployed.

[Margo319]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:33pm

So, yeah you're just racist.  The short, short version next time is fine.  

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:34pm

Owen22 said: "Can a show actually be at 97% capacity one week and be in danger of closing the next?

 

 

"

The advance of a show can drop off a cliff in just a week. There are plenty of shows that have a terrible advance but get by with strong walk-up sales. A lot of shows close come Labor Day or New Year's Day because they know starting the following week, it'll dry up just like that. 

[willep]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:35pm

This whole thing is such a shame. Count me in the camp who found this show to be something truly special. Seeing it Off-Broadway 4 years ago remains one of my absolute best nights of theatre going. It touched me in a way few to no other shows have. Did I expect it to have a long life on Broadway? No. But to have it end like this is a bit heartbreaking for me. Not too mention, how sad would it be if it closed with Ingrid's departure and poor Brittain, who has been with the show since the beginning, didn't get to return for the end?

[froote]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:39pm

Oh I didn't even think of Brittain. She has been with this show since day one and may have unwittingly already played her last performance, that's horrible. It really is heartbreaking to think of her and Lucas and Dave and Rachel having to see the show potenially end like this. The show deserved better, it really did.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:47pm

Hopefully they can find a way to downsize the show and tour it. It's just a massive, massive show. At least how they have it now.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:49pm

TheThreadMaster said: "When a show that has never gone below 89% capacity is being assumed to close in 16 days. I'm sorry, what??? Can't they wait and see what happens?"

They can already see the future ticket sales today, they don't need to wait. And, Dave said they just nosedive after Ingrid leaves. And capacity is no indicator of success, how much everyone paid for their ticket is.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:49pm

Margo319 said: "So, yeah you're just racist.  The short, short version next time is fine."

I'm racist because I think that his choice was selfish??  Also, I'll say it again for the people in the back: I AM HALF BLACK AND HALF ASIAN I DON'T THINK I CAN BE RACIST TO MYSELF.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:52pm

I want the cast and creatives to get the honorable ending they deserve. The original cast should certainly be able to close it out. If everyone knows it's closing, the show will draw a good audience for a week or three from people who want to see it a final time.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:54pm

Lord knows I should stay out of this, but...

I personally don't think Oak comes out of here looking great. He already wasn't able to begin on time due to reasons that are murky at best, but if your so called friends go on and on tweeting and stirring up stuff for the drama of it all, you certainly don't look good. Guilty by association, as they say. The same thing happened when Sting joined The Last Ship and with Brittain herself, so methinks the reason for such a different public reaction is all the tweets. Twitter does have power - power enough to make Mandy weary of coming in when controversy is swirling and put his foot on the breaks. Also, since "optics" is such a buzzword now, I think the optics of Oak not telling his friend to STFU just reflects badly on him.

Also, it's dumb of the producers to talk about how Oak feels. Who gives a flying fvck? They have a fiduciary responsibility to their investors to make back as much money as possible - and Mandy was the answer. Sorry Oak, but money talks. And if all those whining Twitter fans actually bothered to buy tickets, maybe he would have had a longer run.

Similar to GeorgeandDot, I too have been in situations with actors that seem to eerily echo this one. I think she's just reading between the lines - now, I'm not going to parade it as fact, but it seems the most likely explanation. And as they say - the simplest explanation is usually right.

As for yelling "racist" at anyone who takes this view, it grows old fact. It seems very likely Oak had something to do with this outburst on public media (obviously, he is merely passive aggressive in his own announcement, the bulk of his feeling taken care of by his friends), and this situation it so extraordinarily unclear, well... why not focus on actual problems rather then blindly yelling "Racist" on message boards, which is tedious and, frankly, sophomoric.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 10:56pm

No, youre not racist....but your constant slamming of Oak as the one to blame is ridiculous.   You cannot blame him for what someone else does.  Period.  Unless you can PROVE he encouraged him to make and keep making statements, you should shut up.  

[froote]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:01pm

^Thankyou.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:10pm

I'm saying what Sally said.

I'm infuriated by his behavior here.  I feel terrible for Denee and Amber and Brittain and Rachel and Dave and the entire cast and crew of this production and also Mandy.  My heart goes out to them.  They've all worked hard for this and they're about to all be unemployed because of someone's selfish choice.  I understand that Oak was put in a crappy situation, but he needed to think about all the lovely young actors in that show.  He could have sacrificed himself and returned in the fall like he was offered, but he instead chose to make this a big deal.  He's hurt himself and his Comet family.  I've seen this before and it's always unfortunate, but Broadway is business and this stuff happens.  This doesn't make me racist, or a Trump supporter, this makes me someone who once worked on broadway and understands how this all happens.  I was a blasian woman working on Broadway many years ago and we have come so far and it is so beautiful to see a show this diverse on Broadway.  It's a shame to see it shutter because Oak made a poor decision to not shut his friend down on twitter.  The show would have at least made it to the fall, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  Sorry, if I seem far too passionate about this, but this whole situation is just so unfortunate.

[Withonelook2]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:26pm

I just saw Great Comet & I have to say it was one of the most exciting productions I have ever seen. I had my doubts about Oak but he was wonderful as Pierre. It truly would be sad if this marvelous production closed!

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:28pm

I... truly have no words. Excuse me while I go join my fellow posters to scream in the void.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:28pm

I think what's been forgotten is Oak is being PAID out, so Mandy coming in doesn't hurt him financially. I guess it just hurt him artistically to be 'replaced' so suddenly? But I mean, he also started late? So the whole thing is very weird.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:32pm

I haven't seen the show so you all will tell me to shut up, BUT...what I don't get is why this show needs a "name" to run? It had a successful run with extensions originally at Ars Nova, the production in a tent in the Broadway area did well, not sure if there is a production of it I have left out- it got very good reviews, mostly good word of mouth... I don't get it.  Why can COME FROM AWAY, BRONX TALE, ANASTASIA, BANDSTAND, GROUNDHOG DAY, etc all run without "names"? There certainly not better shows.  I realize this is a Broadway venue not OOB but these other shows are running week to week, some better than others, they're running with mixed reviews, some with no Tony awards or even Tony nominations. 

Why did the Producers cast Groban to begin with? Why didn't this show open like the others I mentioned above-with no name? I get that if they could get Groban, they weren't going to say no but they set themselves up for this, I think. 

For those who have seen it: is it not that good? Does the show only work with a name? I don't think so. Not from the rave comments I have read here.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:33pm

RippedMan said: "But I mean, he also started late?"

That doesn't mean he wasn't ready. Could mean the show didn't anticipate enough time to rehearse him (since their previous Pierre put-ins were Dave and Scott)?

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 7/28/17 at 11:39pm

Margo319 said: "So, yeah you're just racist.  The short, short version next time is fine.  

 

"

You always call people you don't agree with racist our only when your heads up your ass?