Hand To God's West End transfer will not include any original broadway cast members

[LightsOut90]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 2:40am

Overheard at the stage door this evening, asked if the current cast of Hand To God will be going to the west end with it, one actor said "their not bringing over any of us". That is SO disappointing, Steven and Geneva have been with this show from the beginning (and i mean workshops at EST beginning) the fact they don't get to recreate their roles in the UK is really disappointing and Kevin McCollum should be ashamed for obviously doing this to save money. Its not gonna be the same show without them, i guarantee it.

Updated On: 9/13/15 at 02:40 AM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 2:48am

Oh, that's too bad, I really wanted to see Geneva!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 5:14am

You don't know why they're doing this. Do you even know if any of them WANT to go? No, it won't be the same. But it can be as good and maybe even better (not that I can imagine that.)

 

And if it IS because if money, it might have made the difference between the show being produced and not.

Updated On: 9/13/15 at 05:14 AM

[candydog2]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 6:28am

I'm stunned that they're not bringing Steven Boyer with the show. I assumed that the whole cast would go with it since all the news articles I've read said that the show was "closing on Broadway and immediately transferring to London". Makes it sound like they're taking the whole show, cast included, to the West End.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 10:23am

Actor's Equity will probably not allow transfer of entire casts from Broadway to West End or vice versa, except maybe one or two principal cast members are allowed. Both areas will have member actors to hire in productions. Also not to mean one cast will be better than the other

Altho there can be exceptions. Elephant Man brought their Broadway  big three (Bradley Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Alessandro Nivola) to their limited engagement in the West End.

[kp]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 10:38am

ebontoyan said: "Actor's Equity will probably not allow transfer of entire casts from Broadway to West End or vice versa, except maybe one or two principal cast members are allowed.

Actually that isn't entirely accurate. American Equity and UK Equity do sometimes allow the whole cast to transfer (or a majority of the cast). Recent examples have been Hair and Scotsboro Boys to London and History Boys and One Man Two Guvnors to Broadway. There are other recent examples.

 

"

 

[asmith0307]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 12:15pm

I am not surprised as I have heard of a few people who have been approached about the show in London. If what I heard pans out, people probably won't be disappointed.

Updated On: 9/13/15 at 12:15 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 12:22pm

Still, "transfer" may have been the wrong word to use. 

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 12:54pm

Even a transfer from off-Broadway to Broadway could include cast changes. I don't know why we're so stunned by this. 

Plus: the source is an actor IN the show at the crowd of fans at stage door. You think he'd really be at liberty to say any of that information to the public before any official announcement was made? No way. 

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 2:06pm

British productions are constantly coming over here with the British casts intact. The Crucible and A View From the Bridge - both american plays with american characters - are coming over here with British leads if not the entire cast. It's too bad it doesn't work both ways.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 2:31pm

ebontoyan said: "Actor's Equity will probably not allow transfer of entire casts from Broadway to West End or vice versa, except maybe one or two principal cast members are allowed. Both areas will have member actors to hire in productions. Also not to mean one cast will be better than the other

 

Altho there can be exceptions. Elephant Man brought their Broadway  big three (Bradley Cooper, Patricia Clarkson, Alessandro Nivola) to their limited engagement in the West End."

 

Actors' Equity has no control over what goes on in the West End. I have been told by several producers that British Equity is actually much more relaxed in regards to non-British actors working over in England than AEA is about non-US citizens working over here.

 

The only reason the reciprocity agreements exist (if a producer wants to bring over British actors then they need to work out a deal to employ American actors over there at some point) is because of AEA. British Equity does not require those reciprocity agreements, so producers are free to hire American actors and do not have to work out deals to hire British actors here in NY.

[ebontoyan]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 4:38pm

^Good to know. Thanks!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 5:44pm

What was the last show to transfer to the West End that included an All-American cast? I feel like we never send shows over. But we get a ton of West End transfers? 

[nycgogetter]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 5:46pm

Most of the time US casts may not want to go to the West End since salaries are not quite up to Broadway salaries - add in expensive housing . . . it always becomes problematic. 

 

 

[rjm516]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 5:55pm

That sucks! I really was hoping to have at least someone get to move with it. And to maybe hear a good American accent over here :p

[kp]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 6:31pm

rjm516 said: "That sucks! I really was hoping to have at least someone get to move with it. And to maybe hear a good American accent over here :p

yes all British actors suck at American accents. Surprising so many of them have been convincingly portraying Americans in major tv and film roles.

 

 

[candydog2]

Posted: 9/13/15 at 6:48pm

Actually more than just the three leads transferred with The Elephant Man. Most of, if not all, of the ensemble went to London as well.