Christine Andreas out of Piazza tour for Cleveland

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 9:16pm

Just read on her website that she won't be in the tour for the entire Cleveland stop which is 2 weeks.

Anyone going who will report back?
Updated On: 1/17/07 at 09:16 PM

[mmajer]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 9:33pm

I'm going Friday night, can't wait to see the show!

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 1/17/07 at 11:45am

great. let us know how it is.

[IssaMe]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 7:00am

Well, the Cleveland Plain Dealer critic really missed her!


http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1169113606160940.xml&coll=2&thispage=2 Updated On: 1/18/07 at 07:00 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 8:22am

Can that even be considered a review? He doesn't mention the Margaret understudy by name, nor does he mention any one else besides Fabrizio (David Burnham) and Clara (Elena Shaddow).

I'm just curious regarding that less than stellar write-up, if this was a case of nerves for the actress who went on as Margaret. If this was not the case, I'm surprised someone like Patti Cohenour wasn't brought in to play Margaret for the two weeks that Christine is off.

[ozbwayfan]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 8:32am

Hey Dottie,

Link is to the 2nd page of a 2 page article if you click on the page 1 link at bottom of the article you'll see that the name of the understudy is mentioned.

Still, this is more of a whinge than a review

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 8:32am

He does mention the understudy by name, although it's easy to miss:

But not here. Here, we have a pleasant but vocally uncommanding performance by understudy Jane Brockman, no Broadway shows to her credit.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 8:42am

Thanks, I missed the entire first page for some reason.

Updated On: 1/18/07 at 08:42 AM

[Plexsis]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 9:17am

I'm going next tuesday....

This really stinks. I was looking forward to seeing the entire cast.


I'm not a fan of the PD theater critic. Maybe his dislike of the US means i will like her.
Updated On: 1/18/07 at 09:17 AM

[IssaMe]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 9:55am

He didn't care for the show in NYC.

He feels Cleveland was slighted.

He makes comments about Gina Vernaci of Cleveland Playhouse on the Square which are quite uncalled for - makes her look like an uninformed boob. (I have worked with her on numerous occasions and she is always totally and completely informed & professional).

Christine's previous engagement elsewhere was hardly a secret...in fact, it was discussed at length here (maybe the critics should read this site --- or at least those who don't already).

Guess it just wasn't his show - or his night. Things go like that.

I rather enjoyed Jane's performance. Yes, it was different - just as Christine, Patti, and Victoria each portrayed the role of Margaret quite differently. It's called "acting" and "interpretation".

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 10:14am

He has a point though. If I was living in Cleveland, I wouldn't be happy. You don't see the leads missing weeks in DC or LA or SF. They pick other cities.

Because they cancelled Philadelphia, where all three leads were scheduled to be there, I have to see it in Hershey where David Burham is on vacation. And I had read great things about him. So, I can emphathize with the Cleveland reviewer.

News of Christine Andreas taking 2 weeks off in Cleveland was
surprising. The tour page on her website was last updated 1/11/2007. I don't recall seeing anything about missing Cleveland
before, but then maybe I wasn't reading too closely.

anyway, here's page #1 of the review
http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1169113606160940.xml&coll=2

[Plexsis]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 10:24am

Issame, thank you.
I actually trust your opinion more than the plain dealer critic.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 10:55am

Wow, after re-reading the review, it really was all about Christine Andreas being out. Something tells me he wouldn't have liked the show any more had Christine been in (especially since he didn't seem to care for it on Broadway).

I already have my tickets for the Hershey run and am actually looking forward to seeing Adam Overett as Fabrizio (which means I would have seen 4 different Fabrizio's between the Broadway production and the tour).

Issame makes an excellent point about "interpretation". Thankfully each actor/actress is able to bring their own interpretation to the various roles, as opposed to doing a "cookie cutter" rendition. Believe me, I have seen "cookie cutter" performances and they come off just as that.

[new_philosophy_girl]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 11:04am

Wait...they cancelled the stop in Philly?!?!?!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 11:43am

This is from an earlier thread regarding the Philadelphia stop being cancelled:

"The Merriam which had once been announced was subject to a booking conflict, and the Boyd (formerly a Sameric movie house) will not be renovated as a legit theater/performing arts center as planned by Live Nation...so there is no theater to play in there."

[stagerat]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 11:30am

Does anyone know anything about Adam Overett? I have tickets to see Piazza in Hershey, PA at the end of Feb. and read somewhere on this thread that he will be doing the role of Fabrizio. Was really looking forward to seeing David Burnham but am always up for new talent. I first heard about the cancellation in Philadelphia and some misinformation led me to believe that the entire tour was cancelled. Whew! It is not, it is still coming to Hershey, and that is only a few hours from Philly. If anyone there is upset about the cancellation check out www.hersheytheatre.com. I just recently got great tickets. Any other cast replacements? Saw this on Broadway and can't wait to see it again. Thanks in advance for any information.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 11:37am

check his website adamoverett.com

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 12:21pm

Stagerat, from what I've heard, David has not missed a performance as of yet. I'll be attending one of the Hershey performances, too, and am actually looking forward to seeing Adam Overett as Fabrizio. The cast for the tour has been really good, so I'm sure Adam will not disappoint.

Not sure where you got the misinformation about the tour being cancelled, as both here and ATC explained why the Philadelphia stop was not to be.

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 12:33pm

I saw Jane go on for Christine in LA and she wasn't bad. I am spoiled because I got to see Victoria Clark as Margaret in NYC. David is amazing as Fabrizio, just as good as Aaron Lazar.

[stagerat]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 4:00pm

Hey Dottie, thanks for the reply. Sounds like you know a lot about this cast and tour. I'm really anxious to see it, but after seeing Victoria Clarke in NY I'm hoping Christine Andreas can pull it out. Anxious to hear Adam sing too. Again, Matthew Morrison was awesome in NY so there's some big shoes to fill there. When are you going to Hershey to see it? If you haven't been there, it really is a beautiful theatre.

[gcal]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 5:59pm

"He has a point though. If I was living in Cleveland, I wouldn't be happy. You don't see the leads missing weeks in DC or LA or SF. They pick other cities. "

Lies. Stephanie J. Block opted out of the SF leg of the Wicked Tour. Instead we got the terror known as Eden Espinoza.

[DAME]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 7:24pm

"Stephanie J. Block opted out of the SF leg of the Wicked Tour"

From what I recall.. she did not opt out. She was on leave to nurse a injury.

[lostgirl]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 8:09pm

Well, I'm really not a fan of Christine Andreas so that biases me of course. But I'd really love to see her understudy to the role.

I think Elena Shaddow will be out for the first week of February and Leslie Henstock will be playing Clara. I'm interested in those reviews

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 8:21pm

Exactly, Dame.

My memory is that Stephanie was injured. News was that the injury occurred in Toronto.

[mmajer]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 12:05am

Well, I saw the show tonight. It was good...not great....but good. Jane Brockman had a nice voice, but her role fell flat. Perhaps she will grown with time, but for now it was just kind of...there. My friend saw the tour in Cincy and she was with me tonight. She was telling me "well, the audience appuladed at this point..." and we decided to catch the show again in Columbus. Elena and David were both great. The set is really beautiful, but it couldn't make up for the dragging show.