Chicago the Musical Appreciation Thread — Page 59

Awesome that the thread about Jeff was deleted *not*...RIP Jeff.

I love it when posters like Jordan become bullies in trying to defend someone they feel was wronged by a bully. It really helps doesn't it?

Jordan - with all due respect - this a chat board where people should be allowed to discuss their opinions. It's not a therapy circle. I'm sorry for your loss, but I really take offense to how you've been talking to me in this and other threads. I should be able to state my opinion without being constantly attacked by you.

It will be interesting to see how this all unfolds. Just curious as to who the other actor is that still has a run of production contract?

Patti LuPone FANatic said: "Hey Smidge! I don't think that there is anyone else in the current cast with a run of production contract. I believe Donna Marie Asbury began her Broadway run in 1999. She has mentioned that she wants to complete 20 years with Chicago. Hopefully, she can accomplish that.With regards to musicians, Leslie Stifleman has been with the beginning of the revival, starting as a pianist."

The blog explicitly says there is one other cast member with a run of show contract. That’s why they asked.

I think? the blog has now removed that claim of a second cast member being on ROP contract.

Tag said: "I think? the blog has now removed that claim of a second cast member being on ROP contract."

If someone is left in the CHICAGO cast with a run-of-play contract, it might be the last of its kind. They are virtually unheard of nowadays.

This is a tragedy- Period. That being said, for Bobbie or Leslie to masquerade behind the integrity of the show argument is a crock- I say this as someone who has bought in to many of the stunt casting changes over the years- If Leslie can follow the likes of Wendy Williams, Melanie Griffith, and even Scary Spice, the latter of which made quite a stir the last time she was in for her ad-libs, she can certainly follow a seasoned professional and veteran of the biz. It also doesn't help their defense that Amyra, Charlotte, Tom, Donna, and even D. Sabella all of which are stars, have been there forever and they recycle tour cast members into the production frequently- who is complacent, it is incredibly rare that any new blood hits the boards of the Ambassador if they haven't had a failed sitcom or were a member of a 90's pop group! Also, if, as Leslie claimed, he always did the part wrong, why was it never in a show report- all SM's have to do one after every show, this has singled out written all over it- and any HR Director would tell Mr. Bobbie it is not professional to discuss salary with any other member of staff- it's tacky behavior at the least and illegal at most. #justiceforJeff

There is a lovely video of Jeff Loeffelholz channeling Barbara Cook. This is the first time I've ever heard J. Loeffelholz perform. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Original-CHICAGO-Revival-Cast-Member-Jeff-Loeffelholz-Passes-Away-20180705

"Run of the Play" is an old golden Broadway era definition of an agent negotiated clause in Equity Contracts that indeed gives performers exactly that. It essentially refers to a special waiver in principal contracts, not chorus contracts. Ensemble members traditionally never had 'run of the play' contracts. And famously producers like David Merrick would fire cast members on a whim.

But -In the early 1980s after Martin Charnin took that to an extreme and fired almost all the ensemble of the musical ANNIE on Broadway, AEA changed their rules making it extremely difficult (essentially impossible) for producers to fire actors on chorus contracts without due cause. You don't really need a 'run of the play' clause in your contract as a chorus person on Broadway, because you more or less have one when you sign.

I don't believe that Equity has stipulations about 'age' in their contracts - I think the wording is essentially that a performer is expected to maintain their appearance. When a child, for example, grows 3 inches in a year, they aren't maintaining the appearance they were hired under and its a given that they can be replaced. But as I mentioned above, I know for a fact that the producers at WICKED have had to buy out contracts of ensemble members they feel have aged out of their tracks.

It's again very difficult to terminate a chorus contract without due cause.

Updated On: 7/5/18 at 06:53 PM

It's unlikely that George Lee Andrews who played a relatively small principal role would have been offered a run of the play contract. And he likely didn't want one. He would have made more money renegotiating his contract every six months.

The old joke used to be that if you were any principal woman in a David Merrick show you had to negotiate for a run of the play contract. I can't remember who it was - maybe Carole Deamas - who was fired by Merrick twice and had run of the play contracts in both instances and ended up making a really good Broadway salary for nearly a decade, despite never appearing in a Broadway theatre.