Gary Beach`s contract etc?

[sassypanz]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 8:51pm

Anyone know how long Gary Beach and the other cast members will be in La Cage. Sorry if its been discussed..

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/16/05 at 9:43pm

With La Cage's continued drop in audience (now just 55.9%) it probably doesn't matter much what their contracts say.

I still say it - what they did to Davis was WRONG and should never have happened. It's been on a downhill slide since the lousy way he was let go. Interesting note in Musto's column today:

"But what about the kiss-off of Goulet's predecessor DANIEL DAVIS, who was fired for not being nice? "I was shocked," said Beach. "Daniel and I had found a good working place, and offstage too. I said 'Have a good weekend.' He later called and said he was fired. That was the first I knew of it!"
La Dolce Musto, (Michael Musto - Village Voice - 5/16)

[justthefacts2]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 12:42am

Wow - Mamie! Thanks so much for finding that. Seems as though Beach has said more (or anything?) about the situation since the Tony nominations. Too bad his comments are a day late and a dollar short.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 1:57am

Actually, the attendance wasn't much higher when Davis was with the show.

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 2:03am

Actually - it was. The only time it got this low was when nearly every other show suffered similar losses. (I got curious and went back and check Playbill's numbers for each week.)

11/21/04 86 540,850
11/28/04 65.5 549,169
12/5/04 82.9 619,087
12/12/04 91.9 626,271
12/19/04 74.8 631,018
12/26/04 68.3 540,236
1/2/05 81.5 880,456
1/9/05 78.4 629,357
1/16/05 78.7 645,938
1/23/05 72 557,990
1/30/05 73.3 571,243
2/6/05 60.8 443,057 all shows down
2/13/05 70.3 530,819
2/20/05 78.6 583,198
2/27/05 83 582,302
3/6/05 50.2 390,029 all shows down
3/13/05 66.3 479,106
3/20/05 80.1 575,892
3/27/05 80.2 593,621
4/3/05 57.9 434,883 Davis out
4/10/05 52.1 400,419 all shows down
4/17/05 53.3 395,079
4/24/05 60.8 395,482 Goulet in
5/1/05 69.9 396,863
5/8/05 58.7 367,315
5/15/05 55.9 412,331

(I know - I'm pathetic. But it's 3 AM and I have insomnia)
Sorry about this - these numbers all appeared in neat little columns until I posted it here.

Updated On: 5/17/05 at 02:03 AM

[~Leah~]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 3:52am

Mamie! I wanted to post that paragraph, too! I just got the link in a mail today! Interesting! Very, very interesting! (Of course I've no background info about that online magazine...) But that is the first time I heard something like this. Thanks for posting!

I agree about the contract. It doesn't matter. La Cage seems to die anyway...

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 9:59am

Being the optimist I am about LA CAGE...I honestly belive the TONY recognition and hopefully wins will keeps this show around through the summer if not for at least a year. The gross went up last week and that is a good thing...not to where it should be no, but when folks see those bois strut their stuff on the Tony Awards...people will buy tickets.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 10:27am

Maybe - but only if they concentrate on Les Cagelles and not on Ghoulet.
Personally I love the show La Cage - but the producers put together a second rate revival. The only really good things about it were Les Cagelles and Daniel Davis's performance.

The producers handled the letting go of Davis in a totally unprofessional manner - for that alone I'm hoping they lose their shirts on this production. From every report that I've heard Mr. Davis was not let go because of his attitude but because they wanted a star. Well they got their "star" and less people came. Serves them right.

Strangely enough , I think it will win the best musical revival Tony because there was no good musical revival this year. Too bad, any of the revivals last year were better than this production.
Updated On: 5/17/05 at 10:27 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 10:34am

"(Of course I've no background info about that online magazine...)"

WHAT? Oh. My. God.

[Corine2]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 11:50am

I thought Gary was exceptional in the role.
Stop being nasty.

[Corine2]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 11:50am

OOPS. Updated On: 5/17/05 at 11:50 AM

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 12:24pm

Calm down Nemo. If "Leah" is the Leah I think she is then she lives in Germany and isn't at all familiar with The Voice.

Leah, take a look at the top article here and you'll learn a little about the history of the Village Voice and the Obie (Off-Broadway) awards:

http://www.villagevoice.com/theater/0519,tallmer,63794,11.html

The Voice isn't just an on-line site. It's an established newspaper representing Greenwich Village and (actually) all New York neighborhoods. Some still think of it as the 'voice' of the counter-culture.

By the way - I don't live in NY but I have had the pleasure of meeting Michael Musto once and even had a little back and forth conversation with him via emails. A nicer guy you never met.

Updated On: 5/17/05 at 12:24 PM

[LaCageAuxFollesFan2]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 3:49pm

Honestly, Gary has become PHENOMANAL in the role. He really took some time getting into it - never was bad, just compared to George Hearn at every turn and didn't measure up. Still doesn't measure up to Hearn, but has added a layer of his own warmth to the role. In turn he has been turning in Fabulous performances and giving audiences a Zaza to be reconed with!

If you haven't seen him, or havent seen him since he's been doing the role full time and want to see the Cagelles kick and dance as uniformly wonderful as they did on day one...take a trip to LA CAGE!

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 5:09pm

I adore Gary and was thrilled when I heard he was starring in this show. I just wasn't as thrilled when I saw him in it. I'm delighted that he's gotten better.

My dream is still that someone rich (what are you doing Donald?) would open a real Cabaret that would permanently star the Cagelles. Guest performers - maybe a singer and/or comedian - would appear on two week bookings but the Cagelles would be there every night. (Of course they'd have to hire 12 more guys to serve on the nights the first squad was off.)

Oh well, maybe in another life...

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 5:15pm

I saw Gary as ZaZa in previews and again recently to survey Mr. Goulet in the role. In my opinion, he was giving the same exact performance I saw him give six months ago. There was no evolution at all, in my opinion. Goulet, on the other hand, was fabulous.

[~Leah~]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 5:51pm

Ummm... yes, that's "me"! Thanks for pointing that out with
the magazine! I see... now!

[sassypanz]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 7:15pm

Im going to La Cage july 13 so just wondering if Ill see them then.LOL

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 7:18pm

I'm just assuming if La Cage win's Best Revival Tony, then he'll probbaly be there..if the smallest percent chance happens he wins Best Actor there's no doubt in my mind he'll stay..
I'm assuming he'll stay in La Cage for a WHILE longer because he's perfect for the role. Hope you see him, he was amazing!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 7:20pm

Looks like the Tony nods had no effect. Doubt it will last the summer

I guess it sounded great on paper. Maybe a different cast.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 5/17/05 at 7:34pm

Brazo Mamie, South FL Marc and Allthefacts for again making some pertinent and valid points. Thanks for the numbers, Mamie, especially. If they don't improve, it won't matter what anyone's contract says. And yes, the producers got their BIG STAR and after what they did to DD, they deserve to lay an egg. Nice to hear Gary Beach is finally playing nice, and I wish the Cagelles, Gavin Creel, Michael Benjamin Washington, and the wonderful Cagelles the Tony for best revival THEY deserve!