Dear Evan Hansen - Ben Platt Attendance- Page 9

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 11:11am

I guess Rachel is out of the matinee show today at the very least. 

[binau]

Posted: 8/23/17 at 6:19pm

This is Alice Ripley in n2n all over again. 

[MtTemple4]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 12:59am

Out the 24th too on vacation or just a day off. This was reported by someone who messaged her on FB and she responded saying she was sorry she wouldn't be in today. 

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 7:18am

I'm assuming Rachel is on vacation, since she tweeted this yesterday:

https://twitter.com/rachelbayjones/status/900487923040231424

[phan24]

Posted: 8/24/17 at 11:54pm

Ben Platt was at Sweeney Todd tonight

[MtTemple4]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 12:05am

Love it! I was at Sweeney 9 days ago. Why, Ben, why?! ha ha

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 2:24am

SERIOUSLY? Sweeney Todd is the best thing I've seen in ages, and I didn't even catch Norm Lewis (*sob.* it's okay, I saw him previously as javert and as the phantom.). Carolee Carmello is born to the role of Mrs Lovett, that's all. Miss one or the other, but you HAVE to see Lewis/Carmello. 

Its the kind of performance you talk about for the rest of your life. 

Updated On: 8/25/17 at 02:24 AM

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 2:32am

Maybe I'm misunderstanding your post, but Norm Lewis had his last show in Sweeney Todd August 13th.  I did get to see him and Carolee, and they were incredible, I agree.

[moira8]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 5:22pm

Nicole7579 said: "Vocal rest for Ben has been extended another week until August 30th. Poor guy.  

"

Oopsie. There goes my August 30 ticket. I was hoping to catch him before he leaves, oh well.

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 5:34pm

The role needs an alternate. I'm getting nervous that the part is going to create long term vocal health issues. Think about some of the first women to play Elphaba.  Their voices are not quite the same. Yes, the role has had a stand by from the beginning, but it's basically an alternate.

[Kissthecod]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 6:34pm

It looks like Ben is scheduled out on Sunday Sept 3.  Is this going to be his regular schedule going forward?  Being out on Sundays?

[moira8]

Posted: 8/25/17 at 6:44pm

Kissthecod said: "It looks like Ben is scheduled out on Sunday Sept 3.  Is this going to be his regular schedule going forward?  Being out on Sundays?

"

Well, he's also out Sep 6 evening performance.

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 3:49am

Kissthecod said: "It looks like Ben is scheduled out on Sunday Sept 3.  Is this going to be his regular schedule going forward?  Being out on Sundays?"

I believe the two September dates were posted before he did Will & Grace AND before his vocal rest, so not related.

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 9:57am

I must say, I'm highly skeptical of all these "too much strain" posts. I know the popular theme right now is that it's just too hard for Ben Platt, and he certainly does give a spectacular vocal and acting performance- I'm a fan. But 8 a week is standard on Broadway, and unless you're a megastar and can negotiate days off alongside Bette paychecks, this is what you do. It's an unconvincing case to say that Evan Hansen is so much more demanding than all those other big-anthem shows on Broadway ever. I think he's just got young, lovestruck fans. 

Anyway, he's only ever had to take unscheduled days off after a vacation from the show, or else in the run-up to the Tonys to save his energy. It's always AFTER vocal rest from the performance schedule. And his attendance was stellar for seven months. That doesn't sound like unusual vocal strain to me. 

Updated On: 8/26/17 at 09:57 AM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 10:04am

Christine or Hamilton don't perform all 8 performances and even elphaba tend to call off certain performances. I'd argue Evan Hansen is a much more difficult sing than those three, since he has to cry and sing at the same time during moments. Which is not easy to do. 

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 10:17am

He's only had absences after vacation. Not due to buildup of "too much strain." Not saying it's easy, but... a little perspective here. 

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 10:20am

And his replacements aren't getting partial Broadway schedules, as far as has been announced. So whatever they've learned since opening, it's not that the vocal requirements require pullback. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 10:59am

Bibliot said: "And his replacements aren't getting partial Broadway schedules, as far as has been announced. So whatever they've learned since opening, it's not that the vocal requirements require pullback."

Noah is only doing less than 3 months, and not sure how long Taylor is contracted. They may have learned to cycle Evans out more quickly... 

Their biggest challenge is to not want people to see Ben, Noah, Taylor, etc. (normal people, not people on here), but for the focus to be on seeing Dear Evan Hansen. That way, whoever calls out, everyone is fine. At Hamilton, I don't think it's ever clear these days who will be on as Hamilton...

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 11:06am

That's true - DEH is very vulnerable to the Groban Comet trap, but they've allowed this whole "superhero performance" narrative to continue around Platt, so it's on them. I would not see it without Platt in the role because $299 a ticket for a party of 2 or 4 is just too expensive to spend on an understudy. Honestly, this thing is going to travel and it will sell well with some non Broadway-anchor name on it. It's hard for me to believe it's so much strain when it will travel with some other Evan Hansen doing the same thing. 

Updated On: 8/26/17 at 11:06 AM

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 12:37pm

This "it's just too much" thing is a common theme among superfans going back forever. Yet still, 8 a week is standard unless you have star power to negotiate going into a contract. 

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=876940


 https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1001922

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1060105

 



Here's one convincing comment:

"People for whom eight shows a week was not too much: 

Ethel Merman 
Mary Martin 
Robert Preston 
Alfred Drake 
Carol Channing 
Chita Rivera 
Angela Lansbury 
Lauren Bacall 
Katharine Hepburn "

Updated On: 8/26/17 at 12:37 PM

[michaelhale]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 12:55pm

Bibliot said: "This "it's just too much" thing is a common theme among superfans going back forever. Yet still, 8 a week is standard unless you have star power to negotiate going into a contract. 

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=876940


 https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1001922

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1060105

 



Here's one convincing comment:

"People for whom eight shows a week was not too much: 

Ethel Merman 
Mary Martin 
Robert Preston 
Alfred Drake 
Carol Channing 
Chita Rivera 
Angela Lansbury 
Lauren Bacall 
Katharine Hepburn "

 

"

I have noticed, backreading the forum, this same thing. At the same time I think the concern regarding Ben as Evan eight nights a week is a lot more about the repeated vocal rest (the one before the Tonys and the extended one now) and that he has been doing the role consistently (and with great attendance!) for three years. I'm not too concerned about the Evan role needing an alternate in general, but for Ben on his last few months of the ~3-4 year stint in the demanding role, he should have one to avoid another doctor-imposed vocal rest period.

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 12:56pm

I tend to think "vocal rest" is just code for sick leave. 

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 3:13pm

Ben has been out a lot lately. I really hope he's there when I see it on November 8.

Updated On: 8/26/17 at 03:13 PM

[Nycat63]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 3:25pm

phan24 said: "Ben Platt was at Sweeney Todd tonight



 

"I would love it if US magazine did a "What's in My Bag" with Ben Platt.  What does that boy have in there? That's more than my teenage daughter and I carry around.  

The only celeb we saw at Sweeney Todd was the guy who played Hurley on Lost.  My kid would have fainted if we'd been there this night.   Ben didn't come out stage door when we saw DEH on both occasions (not complaining - totally get it but she was sad) so this might have killed her.  That lobby is pretty small and intimate!

[Bibliot]

Posted: 8/26/17 at 3:55pm

Where is this info about him being 4 years into this role? Evan Hansen ran for about 5 weeks in 2015 in DC, don't know how many shows a week.  Then it ran 2 months off-Broadway in mid 2016. After 5 months hiatus it started on Broadway at the Music Box, and he's been going for 9 months on this run. 

Updated On: 8/26/17 at 03:55 PM