Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Sunny11
Broadway Star Joined: 9/3/14
#1Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 1:39pm
I would like to see peoples general opinions on this. It was brought up in the case of Finding Neverland when Matthew Morrison participated in a reading last year but was unable to commit to the trial run at A.R.T in the fall due to Glee comittments and is now taking the show to broadway.
Should ALL principle actors of a broadway show only be eligible for the job if they participated from the beginning of the development process and stayed with it all the way through?
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#2Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 1:41pmNo. Are you saying if an actor, for example, can't do an out of town try-out, he shouldn't be *allowed* to continue with the show? That's ridiculous.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#2Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 1:43pm
Each production is a separate contract. They can do whatever they want It is highly likely that Jordan knew all along they hoped to get Morrison back.
This isn't a club, it's a business. The producers are going to do whatever they believe is best for the show.
#3Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 1:50pm
There are many reasons why casts get changes from one step to the next . . .
Scheduling.
Pay. (Often workshops and out of town try outs pay very little)
Can't be out of town for a try out.
Creative differences - a cast member not working out, not liking the way a show is moving - a part being written out.
#4Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 1:50pm
I really wish Jeremy was leading the FN production, but I'm sure Morrison will be fine. Luckily I can watch Jordan's performance anytime I want. 
#5Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 2:44pmIn regards to FN, I wish Jordan and McGrath were transferring because they were great. However, if they have to bring in others as a selling point, I'm glad it's Morrison and Grammer, who have both been on Broadway before, done eight shows a week, have respect for Broadway and know what they are getting into, rather than someone is not up for the job or worse, can't sing.
#6Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 5:33pm
In the original ADDAMS FAMILY workshop (Summer 200
, it was, of course, led by Nathan and Bebe as Gomez and Morticia, but the rest of the company consisted of:
Michael Arden as Lucas Beineke, replaced by Wesley Taylor.
Annaleigh Ashford as Wednesday Addams, replaced by Krysta Rodriguez.
Mary Birdsong as Alice Beineke, replaced by Jan Maxwell in a workshop, and later, Carolee Carmello.
Marylouise Burke as Grandmama, replaced by Jackie Hoffman.
Kevin Chamberlin as Uncle Fester, who inevitably stayed on with the production. Matthew Gumley as Pugsley Addams was a lot of the same. Zachary James as Lurch, too.
Jeff McCarthy as Col. Mal Beineke, who was later replaced by Terrence Mann.
So, as you can see, sometimes? SUPER talented people lose gigs.
Hairspray0901
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
#7Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 5:40pm
i know someone who just did a reading for a new musical and she said they're planning on launching an out of town trial for it this summer but because of her current schedule and contract with another production, she doesn't think she will be a part of it.
it's a business, so no, i don't think they should only be eligible if they participate in the reading, workshops, out of town trials, etc.
#8Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 8:02pmWe ll think about Joel Grey in Wicked. He wasn't the Wizard in the SF tryout and he was still a fantastic choice!
#9Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 8:14pm
Kelli O'Hara didn't do out of town tryout for BRIDGES because she was pregnant but was always slated for the Broadway run.
Jessie Mueller didn't join Beautiful until a few years in.
#10Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/2/15 at 9:15pmAlthough Jessie was in the SF pre-broadway tryout
#11Cast changes between Readings, out of town tryout, and broadway.
Posted: 2/3/15 at 12:50am
There's absolutely no way to make it an eligibility thing.
In the case of FN, I feel like I personally lucked out by living in Cambridge because I happen to love Jordan and McGrath and feel lukewarm about Morrison and Grammar. But it was just luck.
That said, we hope that producers act with integrity thorughout the process in terms of being upfront with their actors -- but that's a whole nother thing, and we could just as well say that about the whole world and the rest of life (hoping that people act with integrity. Integrity will always be a sometimes thing. This is humanity).
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