Christian Borle still attached to "Peter and the Starcatchers"?

[E.Davis]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 6:58pm

Any news if Borle will be doing "Starcatchers" and "SMASH"?

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 7:06pm

I believe so....

[dexter3]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 7:18pm

Is there any update on the show's broadway plans?? we haven't heard anything for a while...

[AGermano]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 7:25pm

There was an article posted a week or so ago stating that the show had full intent on proceeding for it's Spring 2012 opening despite the silence about it since it was announced...

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 7:27pm

Well, Adam Chanler-Berat is leaving RENT soon, and several theaters may become available in the next few weeks/months, so it could very well happen this season.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 8:37pm

Christian Borle will not be transferring with the show to Broadway. He's shooting SMASH through April, and the nature of their shooting schedule makes it impossible to do a theater project simultaneously.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 10:32pm

^ are you associated with SMASH?

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:32am

I would speculate that the above poster is associated with common sense.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:40am

^ Word.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:46am

I am not, PlayItAgain, but days on hour-long television shows can be (on average) upwards of 15 hours long. The time commitment is even more significant when you're talking about a series regular on something as highly stylized as SMASH, which is why (as I said) it makes it literally impossible to take on any other endeavor during the months the show is in production. If an actor is recurring on a show with a more flexible schedule or doing a multi-camera half hour sitcom, where the hours are set in stone and almost the equivalent of a 9 to 5, balancing it with doing a play or musical is do-able. Unfortunately, this isn't one of those instances.

It's a shame that Broadway audiences won't get to see the incredible work Borle did in the previous productions of the show, but I'm sure this team will find a more than capable replacement.

Updated On: 1/8/12 at 02:46 AM

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 3:32am

Thats not 100% true , John Benjamin Hickey did The Normal Heart at night and shot almost half a season of The Big C during the day.....

Also by the time March/April comes around they will be almost done shooting the season (they were up to episode 9 in early december and its a 15 episode season...) Updated On: 1/8/12 at 03:32 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 3:47am

PlayItAgain, John Benjamin Hickey's was an entirely different situation. THE BIG C is a half hour series, so even though it's single camera, the shooting schedule is significantly less demanding than something like SMASH. If you noticed, during the time he was doing double duty, most of Hickey's scenes were interiors, which are obviously much easier to plan around specific conflicts than exterior scenes, which SMASH relies on heavily (as well as additional time that's allotted for the extensive musical sequences, which Borle is often involved in, if not performing.) Hickey's character also went "missing" for around two episodes, which was another intentional device used to help accommodate him.

In regards to your second point, while SMASH will indeed be wrapping around the time PETER AND THE STARCATCHER opens, how do you suppose Borle is going to magically find the time to rehearse the show and perform in the preview period prior to that? Keep in mind that, since SMASH is a broadcast show that will be airing while still filming (as opposed to a cable show like THE BIG C that airs months later,) Borle will also be promoting the series concurrently with its production. That takes even more time out of his schedule.

Attempt to use your own logic all you want, but Borle is unavailable for a Broadway production of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. The producers (and Borle himself) have known this since SMASH was picked up to series, and everyone involved has prepared accordingly. You should too.

Updated On: 1/8/12 at 03:47 AM

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 3:55am

He is one of the strongest parts of there production.... i don't 100% believe the producers have given up a way to make it happen... but only time will tell....

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 3:59am

Hickey also had an alternate, who I assume did the matinee, but this could be entirely untrue.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 4:03am

IdinaBellFoster, while THE NORMAL HEART did indeed have an alternate in place for Hickey (and even gave out specific dates he wouldn't be in attendance due to filming conflicts,) it ended up that he didn't have to miss any performances. It was quite impressive. But, as you say, they had put a preemptive measure in place.

PlayItAgain, you're clearly beyond logic, so I'm not going to continue to display just how uninformed you are. Go and read the initial press release from last year where the producers announced the show was going to Broadway. They even said then that, while they expected Adam Chanler-Berat to move forward with the production, Borle's "spring availability was unclear" due to the series. There's no way to "make it happen," and they've known that all along.

Updated On: 1/8/12 at 04:03 AM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 4:21am

Ah, thanks for the info!

Always enjoy your posts, informed but not entitled.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 6:06am

not that it matters but Hickey missed 1 performance..

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 8:06am

PlayItAgain, SomethingWicked knows what he's talking about.

[Vespertine1228]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 12:52pm

I've said before that the Christian Borle part would be a terrific place to stunt cast someone famous and get a bit more outside interest.

As for spaces, I assume they're circling the Walter Kerr.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:31pm

Why do it without Borle?
(I do love some Ceilia Keenan).

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 2:43pm

As for spaces, I assume they're circling the Walter Kerr.

I thought that, too, but then I read that CLYBOURNE PARK booked the Kerr. I don't know if that was confirmed.

[scripps]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 10:59pm

Honestly, while the show was an immensely enjoyable evening of theatre, Borle's performance is what made me run out and recommend it to everyone I knew (and this from someone who previously thought very little of his previous work).

Of course Hickey missed the one performance I had tickets for on June 16th (I was happy to see Wayne Wilcox though). And if Hickey filmed the THE BIG C in Connecticut and commuted back to the city via Metro North to make half hour for THE NORMAL HEART for every performance minus one, well hey, maybe they can work around Borle's schedule too.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 11:22pm

Given Disney's relationship with Nederlander, I think the Brooks Atkinson is a possible venue given it'll be free after January 29th.

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 11:30pm

@scripps another point I was going to point out... not only did hickey shoot the show and do normal heart he commuted to connecticut every day to do it..... SMASH meanwhile shoots here in the city....

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 12:02pm

@playitagain- There is alot of argument for why he can't do it, but there are plenty of reasons why he COULD. If the producers really wanted it, they would find away to make it happen. arrangements can always be made... don't let anyone put a damper on your dreams... that is until an official announcement is made.

@somethingwicked- we get it, you know your ****. no need to rub playitagain's face in it.