Ever went to a show to see a specific actor...- Page 2

[gumbo2]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:05pm

When I got tickets to Jersey Boys I was so afraid that JLY would be out. Luckily he wasn't (and he was everything I had hoped he'd be) but Chritian Hoff was out. I think that was the first performance he'd missed, and I was pretty disappointed (he did win the Tony, after all). His understudy was fine, and I wasn't too bummed, since I got to see JLY.

When my family got tickets to a Wednesday matinee of DRS I was really scared Norbert would be out. He really was the main reason I wanted to see the show. He was in and fantastic, so it worked out fine.

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:09pm

I had done lottery for Spelling Bee with a group of friends hoping to see Foa....we saw him before the show running through the lobby...but then when the show began his understudy was on.

We also purchased tickets to see Tartaglia in B&TB but of course the day we went he was out filming for his show. Thankfully he was there last night but I wasn't too impressed. He was funny but his accent was horrible.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:09pm

well I went to see The History Boys...

turns out Richard, Frances, Clives AND JAMIE (my beloved jamie...) were all out.

GAH.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:11pm

Ouch Caroline, that sucks! Jamie is my favorite!!! I love him. Anyway, I went to see Spamalot for the second time earlier this week (I hate the show, but I went to see Marin and Chris Seiber who recently returned). Naturally, Seiber was out, so I stayed just for Marin, who was ok at best.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:11pm

Norbert in the DRS tour. Really had no interest in the show, but I bought tickets to see him. Guess the tour was happy because they had all of the Norbert based sales in Dallas before it was announced that he was leaving in the middle of the Dallas run.

I went to see Eden Espinosa in Wicked again because I think a good Elphaba makes or breaks the show, and I love her. I saw Saycon. She played the role differently from most of the Elphabas I've seen, but I enjoyed her.

I was also hoping to see the current tour Glinda, but I saw the understudy. The full-time Fiyero was also out that day. I guess I have bad luck with Wicked.

I can't really complain. I've seen alot of great shows with a full cast, and understudies have been a rarity on my Broadway visits. I do however hate white pieces of paper.

[Dirty_Rotten_Guy]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:12pm

THE COLOR PURPLE to see LaChanze and Elisabeth...both out

THE WEDDING SINGER to see Amy Spanger...out

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE to see Sutton Foster...out

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:28pm

Ouch.

I forgot a couple. I went to see DRS to see Norbert Leo Butz, and he was out. I also thought I was seeing Mylinda Hull, but I didn't realize she had left. I did love Jason Gillman as Freddy, though.

Victoria Clark in Piazza. My friend bought the tickets for an evening performance on a day that Ms. Clark had cut when she reduced her schedule. However it was my second time seeing, the show, and Patti Cohenour was marvelous.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 7:36pm

Bought tickets to "Grey Gardens" then it was announced that Christine would be on vacation that week. I saw Maureen Moore in the role and thought she was wonderful, though I would still like to to see Christine at some point.

Bought tickets for the first week of Julia Murney's stint on the "Wicked" tour and got the understudy (who I had already see play the role in Chicago for Stephanie Block) at the Sunday mat.

[jewelchk]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 8:07pm

Went to see Hunter Foster in the Producers and found out he was out (later I saw a picture of him at the PJ Game opening that night-- tsk tsk!, ha ha). Took my friend to see DRS to see Norbert Leo Butz and he was out. Went to Thoroughly Modern Millie to see Sutton Foster and she was out. Of course, half the cast was out of Millie that night because there was a snow storm. Was looking forward to seeing Wicked in previews with Kristin Chenoweth but wasn't going because of her specifically-- and it was the first performance she was ever out for.

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 8:50pm

It's happened to me on several occasions.

First, back in January of 1999 I went to see the Cabaret revival and couldn't wait to see Alan Cumming. It turned out to be a very odd experience. It was the Sunday matinee, and although it was only 10 minutes before curtain they weren't letting anyone in. It had been raining pretty hard that day, and there was water leaking into Studio 54. The opening was originally delayed due to clean up. Then about 15 minutes after the show was supposed to start, an usher came into the lobby an announced that Alan Cumming had left the theatre sick. Since it happened so sudden, no one was ready to go on, so the show would be delayed an additional 30 minutes so Vance Avery could get into costume and make-up. The show ended up being great and Vance did a wonderful job on such short notice.

A few others: I missed Raul Esparza in Tick Tick Boom the first time I saw the show; I missed Stokes AND Marin Mazzie in Man of LaMancha; and I missed Norbert in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Although I only make one trip to the city a year (so I only get one chance to see each show), I still had a great time seeing each of these shows with their understudies.

[MerMaggieGalinda]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 9:00pm

Funny, when I went to see Phantom of the Opera I was hoping for the opposite. I wanted an understudy so I wouldn't have to sit through Rebecca Pitcher. Ruined my night.

[tomemiller]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 9:06pm

I flew in last Saturday from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to see the evening performance of "LoveMusik", first row center! I was able to to chat and shake hands with Donna Murphy that afternoon prior to the matinee only to have had the show canceled that evening...not even able to see her understudy because her understudy was covering for another actress.


Updated On: 5/18/07 at 09:06 PM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 9:14pm

Did you ever get to see a show? Or did you see a different s how instead?

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 9:21pm

i REALLY wanted to see Davis Gaines as the Phantom because i hear all these amazing things about him... so i travelled from san diego to los angeles just to se Davis Gaines... got into a MAJOR car accident on the way up... and then every possible understudy went on that day... i was so mad.. the phantom u/s sucked!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 9:48pm

FADE OUT/FADE IN. I went to see Carol Burnett and got Mitzi Welch instead. Dreadful.

Updated On: 5/21/07 at 09:48 PM

[eeperr]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 10:00pm

Went to see Jersey Boys. Most of the cast was in, but JLY was out. Understudy was average.

On the other hand, I went to see Wicked praying for an understudy for Derrick Williams (I've heard he buthcers Dancing Through Life). Got one. Very Pleased.

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 10:07pm

Funny, when I went to see Phantom of the Opera I was hoping for the opposite. I wanted an understudy so I wouldn't have to sit through Rebecca Pitcher. Ruined my night.

I actually hoped for an understudy too. I had purchased tickets to see Sandra Joseph but she left before the date I had them for. Thankfully when I went Pitcher was out and JHW was on.

[rosekwbp]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 10:16pm

I also did that when I went to see Grey Gardens.

[BroadwaySinger2]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 10:25pm

I went to see Mary Poppins for a second time to see Brown and saw Catherine Walker. Also, I went to see Beauty & the Beast to see John Tartaglia and saw his understudy.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/18/07 at 10:38pm

Yes, twice when I saw Wicked.

February 18, 2004- Laura Bell Bundy instead of Kristin Chenoweth
May 31, 2005- Maria Eberline instead of Stephanie J. Block

[Poppy]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 12:09am

Went to Jekyll & Hyde on a Saturday many years ago not realizing that Robert Cuccioli didn't do matinees. Saw Robert Evan who was the matinee guy at that time and certainly was not disappointed. His performance was amazing. I did have the opportunity to see Cuccioli after that but Evan has always remained my favorite J&H.

[lfae]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 2:55am

Back in 2005, planning my first US trip, I decided on a whim to take a few days in San Fran and catch the Wicked tour and my beloved Stephanie J. Block as Elphaba.

A few weeks after I bought the ticket it was announced that Eden Espinosa would be doing the entire SF leg! So at least I had warning

Also, I ended up loving Eden and she's still, seven other actresses later, my favourite (or 2nd favourite, depending on the day) Elphaba. I'm glad things worked out the way they did - but for a few days there I wanted to cry a little!

Another with less warning: got tickets for Chicago with Bebe and Huey Lewis. Spent the months leading up to that praying that Bebe be on that day. She was, but Huey wasn't. I've loved him since I was 7 (Oliver and Company soundtrack!) so I was gutted - but pleased that it wasn't Bebe who was out!

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:31pm

Anything Goes - Sally Ann Triplett was out and her understudy Annette MacLaughlin was in... she was actually better :P

Avenue Q London - REALLY wanted to see Ann Haranda before she leaves... sadly she was out that day... Yanle was great but still....

[Sally]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:52pm

Three friends and I flew to London to see Michael Crawford in The Woman in White (---well, we did do a lot of touristy things too), and for the first performance we saw, MC was out sick, and the understudy was on.

This was the time in late December/early January when Crawford was out and then came back for a few shows before he was out permanently. We got lucky and caught him during one of the few performances he managed at that time.

As it happened, I liked the show even with the understudy (I'm one of the few, I know).

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/19/07 at 1:57pm

Probably the most disappointing thing for me was when I saw the original Dreamgirls on Broadway. I had the tickets for a few months before seeing it. Of course everyone wanted to see Jennifer and I was quite excited. About a month or so before I was to see it, Jennifers's last day in the show was announced. It was the night before I was to see it. I can't remember who I saw but I was pretty diappointed. The show was good but...