Posted: 7/10/22 at 4:52am
Such a shame that he will miss opening and Tony/awards eligibility, but does anyone with some inside knowledge know if he’ll be back by Tuesday or Wednesday evening?
Updated On: 7/10/22 at 04:52 AM
Posted: 7/10/22 at 7:36am
I heard 5 days...so likely Thursday at the earliest.
In covid cases, I'm sure that they will overlook that requirement. But we don't even know if they are bothering to offer seats...its a lot of seats to give away for such a short run.
Posted: 7/11/22 at 6:16pm
I can’t find anything online and no ticket company has reached out to me like they usually do when an above the title performer will be out. Just curious if anyone might know. I have tickets for tomorrow night and was wondering if maybe I switched to Wednesday, Brian might POSSIBLY be back. Has it even been confirmed as COVID?
Posted: 7/11/22 at 7:26pm
BillyComet said: "I can’t find anything online and no ticket company has reached out to me like they usually do when an above the title performer will be out. Just curious if anyone might know. I have tickets for tomorrow night and was wondering if maybe I switched to Wednesday, Brian might POSSIBLY be back. Has it even been confirmed as COVID?"
Do ticket sellers send emails when a lead is going to be out, which inevitably prompts dozens/hundreds of refunds? If so, since when? I've never had that happen and most shows, historically, don't like to broadcast an absence unless it results in complete cancellation which would, of course, require that communication.
Posted: 7/11/22 at 7:32pm
I can’t imagine any scenario where he would be back in the show tomorrow evening.
Posted: 7/11/22 at 9:17pm
BillyComet said: "I can’t find anything online and no ticket company has reached out to me like they usually do when an above the title performer will be out. Just curious if anyone might know. I have tickets for tomorrow night and was wondering if maybe I switched to Wednesday, Brian might POSSIBLY be back. Has it even been confirmed as COVID?"
Unless you absolutely have to see Brian D’Arcy James in this, I wouldn’t change a thing. I too was disappointed to see Brian out on opening night, but his understudy Jason Forbach was fantastic and in all likelihood probably more compatible with Sara Bareilles.
Posted: 7/12/22 at 12:01am
Maybe the Tonys will make an exception for Brian d'Arcy James, due to COVID.
For instance, Colton Ryan originated the role of Gene in ''Girl From the North Country'' and played its official opening night (March 5, 2020).
Then, COVID shut down Broadway. ''Girl'' reopened in the fall of 2021, and Colin Bates had taken over Gene's role. Though Bates did not appear on ''Girl's'' opening night, the Tonys ruled that Bates would be Tony-eligible for Featured Actor.
Updated On: 7/12/22 at 12:01 AM
Posted: 7/12/22 at 1:26am
I’m only here until Thursday, that’s why I even ask. I was at the opening night and I’m with you guys on team Jason Forbach. He was such a lovable, charming, excellent Baker. Bravo to him, especially stepping in on such short notice! That being said, I’m seeing the show one more time this week before I leave (Tuesday) and I’d really love to see Brian’s take on the role. I’m a big fan and if I can have a chance to see him, I’ll switch my ticket to Wednesday night. It’s odd that the production hasn’t made some kind of a statement for an above the title Tony nominated Broadway star. It’s very well documented when Hugh and Sutton are out of ‘Music Man’ (I understand they are more mainstream stars), when Patti is out of ‘Company’, and I got an email from ‘Take Me Out’ when Jesse Tyler Ferguson was absent. I guess it depends on the show, but a lot of producers make announcements for COVID related absences.
I do hope the Tony’s make an exception, if this production will indeed even want to be eligible, and bend the rules a bit considering how uncertain these times are. And I wish Brian a super speedy recovery, whatever it may be!
Posted: 7/12/22 at 1:35am
I 100% believe the Tonys will make an exception for BDJ if Into the Woods decides to go for the Tonys (and I hope it does!). These are unusual times.
Posted: 7/12/22 at 7:05am
Inviting the Tony voters equates to giving out free tickets to about one night of performances. For a show with only 64 planned performances, there’s no way producers are giving up profit from even a single one of those days for Tony eligibility. The show will be long closed by the 2023 awards.
Posted: 7/12/22 at 12:28pm
raddersons said: "Inviting the Tony voters equates to giving out free tickets to about one night of performances. For a show with only 64 planned performances, there’s no way producers are giving up profit from even a single one of those days for Tony eligibility. The show will be long closed by the 2023 awards."
That's incorrect. They are inviting Tony Voters and the show will be Tony eligible.
Posted: 7/12/22 at 6:27pm
Unless I'm mistaken, the language around eligibility revolves around the billing on the title page of the Playbill as of opening night. An actor getting ill/injured and not performing on opening night doesn't change the billing on that title page. So if they are indeed inviting the nominating committee and voting body then he will be eligible, even after being ill on opening night.
Posted: 7/12/22 at 6:39pm
He’s still out tonight. Alex Joseph Grayson is also on for Jack
Posted: 7/13/22 at 6:35pm
We were at today’s matinee. Fantastic show, what a joy.
Brian D’Arcy James was out. Loved Jason Forbach. Great chemistry with Sara Bareilles.
Understudies for Little Red Riding Hood and Jack as well.
Posted: 7/14/22 at 9:09am
Has there been any more clarity regarding how much longer Brian will be out? I’d love to actually see Jason as the baker, but I can’t make it until the weekend… does anyone know how long the absence is supposed to be?
Posted: 7/14/22 at 9:25am
Assuming it’s COVID—his first absence was last Saturday, so factoring in 10 days, he should be back Tuesday 7/19. There’s been no official announcement, though.
But Kennedy posted something about having COVID and was supposed to miss opening night, and only ended up missing 4 days so I’m not sure what’s going on over there.
Posted: 7/14/22 at 9:32am
Well, if I'm understanding the latest guidelines correctly, he can technically come back to the show 1 day after he starts testing negative. But I don't know what policies individual productions' stage and covid safety managers are taking. It also comes down to each individual person's immune system.
Updated On: 7/14/22 at 09:32 AM
Posted: 7/14/22 at 9:54am
I hear Julie Lester is out as well, so I have tickets tonight and I am going to want to exchange them. I'm guessing, even though I bought them through Seat Geek I should go to the box office?
Posted: 7/14/22 at 10:40am
I exchanged my tickets for tomorrow to next week because they couldn't guarantee Brian would be back (they're hoping by Saturday). I sent the request to Jujamcyn customer service and they looped in the box office/seat geek
Posted: 7/14/22 at 11:32am
Hopefully the show doesn't have a COVID outbreak. They have 6 swings total and not every role has two u/s.
Posted: 7/14/22 at 11:54am
Of course no one can guarantee when any particular actor will recover from Covid. Because it's not just about, what's the earliest possible date he can return to work per the Covid guidelines. There are people still testing positive after weeks. There are people who are seriously ill for months or years. I hope Brian D'Arcy James isn't one of them, but counting 5 or 10 days from his first absence doesn't actually tell us whether or when he'll be able to return to work.
Posted: 7/14/22 at 11:59am
annang said: "Of course no one can guarantee when any particular actor will recover from Covid. Because it's not just about, what's the earliest possible date he can return to work per the Covid guidelines. There are people still testing positive after weeks. There are people who are seriously ill for months or years. I hope Brian D'Arcy James isn't one of them, but counting 5 or 10 days from his first absence doesn't actually tell us whether or when he'll be able to return to work."
I have read that the rapid test is the best indicator of contagion and should/could be used to determine when it's ok to go back even if a PCR stays positive, which it can for months longer. Not sure how accurate that is though I've seen it from reliable sources and also not sure if that's a policy Broadway is using.
Posted: 7/14/22 at 12:32pm
ACL2006 said: "Hopefully the show doesn't have a COVID outbreak. They have 6 swings total and not every role has two u/s."
Be assured that EVERY character in the show has an understudy. They may not be listed in the Playbill, but all roles are covered.
Updated On: 7/14/22 at 12:32 PM
Posted: 7/15/22 at 12:48am
ACL2006 said: "Hopefully the show doesn't have a COVID outbreak. They have 6 swings total and not every role has two u/s."
According to the Playbill, there are nine understudies and each role has two covers.
