CALL ME IZZY Previews- Page 4

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 1:38pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "This is a really strange, interesting case study in putting on a Broadway show.

On one hand, the timing was perfect: started previews on the heels of a new season of HACKS and leading up to Emmy season, and wasSmart's first Broadway appearance in 25 years.

On the other hand, the timing was bad: it wasthe most star-filled spring season on Broadway in years -and as far as Broadwaybuzz goes, all attention was on the new shows with bigger stars."

I don't think (commercially speaking), there would ever be a good time to put on one-woman show about domestic violence on Broadway. Jean Smart has never been more of a draw than she is right now, even during the Designing Women years, and she chose to use that juice to get this on Broadway. 

For sure, this would have gone better if Smart didn't get injured, but if putting her in a one-woman show doing stand up as Deborah Vance would have been the most commercial Broadway vehicle for her, Call Me Izzy is pretty much on the opposite end of that spectrum.   

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 6:04pm

I know that people don't buy tickets as far in advance as they used to pre pandemic, but the advance sales for this show for the next month are dismal. Hopefully Smart will be back on Saturday and they will finish out the run, but if you look at the seating chart, there is less than half a house sold for Saturday night. 

Updated On: 7/10/25 at 06:04 PM

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 7:13pm

Not that it was already selling well in advance but I have to think anyone looking to purchase is now waiting to see if and when Jean comes back

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/10/25 at 9:31pm

Orchestra was probably 80% filled tonight - no clue about the mezzanine. Johanna didn’t sound sick at all and, as always, did a fantastic job. She’s one of our best stage actors and I never miss the chance to see her perform. 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 2:37pm

So do we have any indication if Jean is returning this weekend?

[AlmostFamous3]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 3:21pm

Ticketing site now says Smart is out until Wednesday

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 4:07pm

AlmostFamous3 said: "Ticketing site now says Smart is out until Wednesday"

Their grosses for this week are going to be horrendous.

[AlmostFamous3]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 4:20pm

Looks like they now removed the notice from Tuesday about Smart being out, so due to be back Tuesday, for now.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 7/11/25 at 4:39pm

Criterion has a banner for the July 15th performance saying she is expected to be out

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 7/12/25 at 12:07pm

I saw the Friday performance and from my seat in row B orchestra, it looked like the mezzanine level was literally empty. I think the only reason whole floor wasn't closed off was so people had access to the bathrooms. 

Anyway, Johanna Day had some very minor stumbling of her lines, which given the circumstances is not a criticism, but I did notice that stopped during the sections dealing with sex and violence. I think she's having more trouble remembering her lines for the sections that are actively boring. 

The ending was not one of the boring sections but it was pretty frustrating. Izzy is acutely aware a big confrontation with her husband would be putting her life in danger, but the story stages an incredibly implausible and unsafe intervention scene, which is not her idea, but she still opts in. It feels like the scene is just there so the audience can have the catharsis of seeing Izzy stand up to her husband, even while Izzy the character already understood the only safe option was leaving without saying a word.  

[trentsketch]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:01pm

Bad luck for the production. Jean Smart is out until July 18 now: https://playbill.com/article/update-jean-smart-out-of-call-me-izzy-with-knee-injury-johanna-day-starring-through-july-18

[quizking101]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:10pm

I can’t see how they survive this any longer. I’m sure Jean is driven to get back and seemed very enthusiastic about doing this show, but an injury at her age could take much longer to heal than average.

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:21pm

I hadn’t even heard of this woman until now. Granted, I don’t watch any TV and it seems she’s a TV personality. But even then I feel like regular theatregoers aren’t glued to their TVs either. 

[Bwaygurl2]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:33pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "I hadn’t even heard of this woman until now. Granted, I don’t watchany TV and it seems she’s a TV personality. But even then I feel like regular theatregoers aren’t glued to their TVs either."

Why do people brag about not knowing things? Smart is an actor, not a "TV personality " who has has a national profile for forty years and is more successful now than ever. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:40pm

Honestly surprised they haven't announced a closing notice yet.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:41pm

Bwaygurl2 said: "BorisTomashevsky said: "I hadn’t even heard of this woman until now. Granted, I don’t watchany TV and it seems she’s a TV personality. But even then I feel like regular theatregoers aren’t glued to their TVs either."

Why do people brag about not knowing things? Smart is an actor, not a "TV personality " who has has a national profile for forty years and is more successful now than ever."

And just nominated again for an Emmy:

Comedy actress

Uzo Aduba, “The Residence”; Kristen Bell, “Nobody Wants This”; Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”; Jean Smart, “Hacks”; Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”

[MayAudraBlessYou2]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:48pm

"I live under a rock so I don't even KNOW who this is, even though she is one of the most popular actors alive".

LOL, this is not a brag Boris. I never understand why folks make comments like this.

[pagereynolds]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 1:49pm

MayAudraBlessYou2 said: ""I live under a rock so I don't even KNOW who this is, even though she is one of the most popular actors alive".

LOL, this is not a brag Boris. I never understand why folks make comments like this."

It definitely is a weird humble brag, pretending that people who see theatre don't watch TV.

[Kad]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 2:01pm

Yeah, I think there is considerable overlap between theatregoers and people who would watch Designing Women and Hacks. 

[trentsketch]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 2:21pm

I know her best as a voice actress because I'm still a huge fan of The Oblongs, but I'm aware that she's a well-known, award-winning performer with a long and successful career. She's enough of a draw that this limited run made it to Broadway and it's a shame that an injury has sidelined her.

Johanna Day is a fine actress in her own right. I'm sure she's doing all she can to find her path in a one-woman show where the odds didn't seem too likely for her to ever have to hit the stage, let alone cover for more than a week.

I just hope that the show can weather the storm and finish its run.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 2:36pm

ACL2006 said: "Honestly surprised they haven't announced a closing notice yet."

Is there even a financial benefit to producers cutting their losses at this point? Like if they gave two weeks notice now, that's basically cutting the run short by just two weeks. Presumedly, if they don't cancel the last two weeks, Jean Smart will be back by then and the show potentially could make $600,000 or $500,000 per week instead of $100,000 a week. 

Clearly the show isn't going to recoup no matter what, but it's going to perform considerably better when Smart is back and they're already pretty close to the finish line. 

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 6:52pm

Tonight's performance cancelled due to illness

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 7:50pm

Fordham2015 said: "Tonight's performance cancelled due to illness"

Or is this a cover-up since fewer than 100 tickets were sold? This week only now has 4 performances scheduled. Tonight got cancelled and Thursday & Saturday were removed from their website, assuming Smart had something else scheduled.

Updated On: 7/15/25 at 07:50 PM

[AlmostFamous3]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 8:38pm

ACL2006 said: "Fordham2015 said: "Tonight's performance cancelled due to illness"

Or is this a cover-up since fewer than 100 tickets were sold? This week only now has4performances scheduled. Tonight got cancelled and Thursday & Saturday were removed from their website, assuming Smart had something else scheduled."

When I saw the show last week, Johanna was clearly sick and coughed throughout the performance. I’d assume it may have gotten worse now that she’s covering full time.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 7/15/25 at 9:02pm

ACL2006 said: "Fordham2015 said: "Tonight's performance cancelled due to illness"

Or is this a cover-up since fewer than 100 tickets were sold? This week only now has4performances scheduled. Tonight got cancelled and Thursday & Saturday were removed from their website, assuming Smart had something else scheduled."

It's already public knowledge Izzy is by far the worst selling show on Broadway. There's nothing to cover up. They'll either pull the plug or they won't, but there's no reason to make up Day being sick.