Ben Platt Put On Vocal Rest- Page 5

[Gensho]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:31pm

I would not want to be Colton Ryan. His job is probably the most thankless job on Broadway. Going on knowing that a majority of the audience is already extremely disappointed. It's a challenge because most of the cast have been working together on this show for YEARS. They've developed a level of security and intimacy with each other that's impossible to just jump into, particularly if you're covering Evan. The vocal and emotional demands of this part are intense. Especially for such a young person. 

I do think they can find another actor who could be outstanding, even in a different way from Ben. There are exceptional talents out there like Taylor Trensch. 

They're going to have to find Ben's Broadway replacement, as well as someone to do the tour. 

Interestingly enough, I saw Next to Normal several times mostly with Alice Ripley. But I once caught her understudy, Jessica Phillips, who was as good and in some respects better than Ripley. 

[ijest22]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:43pm

Gensho said: " 

I do think they can find another actor who could be outstanding, even in a different way from Ben. There are exceptional talents out there like Taylor Trensch. 

 

 

"

I would pay to see Trensch.  Do you think he could sing it?  He's 28, but I think he looks believably young on stage.

 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:54pm

The thought of Taylor Trensch screeching his way through the score isn't pretty. I've literally never heard him sing in tune.

[Gensho]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 2:58pm

ijest22 said: "Gensho said: " 

I do think they can find another actor who could be outstanding, even in a different way from Ben. There are exceptional talents out there like Taylor Trensch. 

 

 

"

I would pay to see Trensch.  Do you think he could sing it?  He's 28, but I think he looks believably young on stage.

 

Laura Dreyfuss is 29 and her character is a year younger than Evan. 

 

[froote]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 3:00pm

Laura does not look 29. I'm still in awe that Christy Altomare is 30.

[HD1313]

Posted: 6/13/17 at 6:29pm

clb10162 said: "HD1313 said: "..I had a similar situation when I went to see Fun Home and Emily Skeggs and Michaeal Cerveris were both out, and returned...the day after I saw the show...very frustrating. It happens, but nonetheless, frustrating. I hope that you can sort out a way to see Ben in the role before he leaves. He truly is fantastic.

"

Are you seriously comparing the absence of Emily Skeggs and Michael Cerveris to that of Ben Platt in one of the most lauded performances in recent Broadway history?  And assuming you did experience an equivalent level of disappointment, it would certainly have been a lot easier to get a ticket to another performance of Fun Home (schedule permitting) than another DEH performance.

 

"

Unfortunately, I live very, very out of town, and I was on a short, crunch-time scheduled trip, so, no, getting a ticket to another performance was not an option for me in this case, and it seems like that is also the case for Skylark. And yes, I would agree with the other posters below my original post that Michael Cerveris's performance is just as note-worthy as Platt's. For very different reasons, of course, but nonetheless, amazing, detailed work by both actors.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 9:24am

froote said: "The show isn't the star in the same way Hamilton was. On these boards when people would ask whether they should sell their Javier tickets and buy Lin tickets on StubHub they were told no, the opposite is being said of DEH. You would never have seen empty seats at Hamilton this time last year, even with Javier or Jon Rua. People were just desperate to see the show with whoever. 

It will have a decent run, but I do think grosses will decrease swiftly once Ben leaves and by the time it closes I don't think it will be have been open long enough to be considered a long-runner.

 

"

Ditto and frankly some of the hang wringing about Ben Platt is a little precious. Yes, he is incredibly talented and deserved that Tony. But he isn't the first incredibly talented Tony winner to star in a hot show on Broadway. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:02am

Taylor Trensch is currently portraying Barbary Tucker, who is 17 years old so he can pass as a high school student. He is in Hello Dolly for at least a year, right?

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:09am

Taylor Trensch can not sing this score. I really enjoy him as an actor and he has a passable singing voice, but this score is way too demanding.

[Margo319]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:09am

  "Michael Cerveris's performance is just as note-worthy as Platt's."

I totally agree.  Michael ALSO won a Tony award for his brilliant, brilliant work in Fun Home.  I saw it at the Public and got to meet and thank for him for his work.  He was so warm, kind, and open, just like Ben.  Let's not pin amazing actors against each other, ok?  They are BOTH wonderful and they BOTH gave unbelievable, nuanced, incredible performances.  

[Gensho]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:43am

My sincere bad. I've seen Taylor Trensch twice. Once in Curious Incident, no singing and in Hello Dolly, sings with others. I didn't know that he was such a bad singer solo. But I have no doubt they can find somebody to replace Ben. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:46am

I also wonder if maybe Platt will have an alternate do the Wed. & Sat. matinees considering how vocally demanding the show is for him? Especially if the producers want him to extend his contract.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 10:48am

Gensho said: "My sincere bad. I've seen Taylor Trensch twice. Once in Curious Incident, no singing and in Hello Dolly, sings with others. I didn't know that he was such a bad singer solo. But I have no doubt they can find somebody to replace Ben. "

I enjoyed him very much in the Spring Awakening tour. You don't really have anything to apologize for.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 12:04pm

A lot of you people are making the requirements of this role out to be akin to doing a triple pirouette on stilts while simultaneously playing an oboe and a flute, crying, juggling knives, and belting a C5.  Believe me when I tell you that, as an auditioning actor in NYC, there are dozens if not hundreds of actors, myself included, who can play this role almost as well as Platt does.  And a lot of us haven't been/won't be able to audition since we're non-union.

[Wick3]

Posted: 6/14/17 at 1:19pm

Thinking more about it, Ben managed to only miss 1 performance in April (around Passover), 1 performance in May (the evening after press interviews on getting nominated), and 5 performances last week (vocal rest and to prep for the Tonys.) 

given his contract ends in ~5 months, I think he can handle finishing it up without having an alternate but only Ben himself would really know what is best for his voice.