Has anyone ever missed their first or last performance?

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:48am

I was just thinking this recently if anyone has ever missed their first performance in a role (or an opening night) or their last performance of their role (or a closing night). Just curious.. Thanks for any input. :)

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:49am

Idina Menzel missed her last performance in Wicked on Broadway, and Christiane Noll missed the last weekend of the Ragtime revival. Those are the two I can think of right now but I'm sure there are more.
Updated On: 2/2/11 at 12:49 AM

[Just_John]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:52am

Sami Gayle missed the opening night of Gypsy.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:54am

Eileen Atkins, Ron Eldard, and Jena Malone all missed their first performance of DOUBT in January 2006 because of the flu. Atkins actually missed that entire first week.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:57am

Joel Grey missed his last for WICKED (he came out during the curtain call)

Teal Wicks missed her last WICKED in LA and left early for her last in SF...

Rondi Reed had to fill in for the current actress at the time for the last "August' performance

[wicked4l]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:08am

John Lloyd Young missed his last performance in Jersey Boys because of the stagehands strike.

[jdtp12]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:16am

I don't remember if it was the first night or not, but I know Sarah Brightman was sick for one of the first performances of Phantom. Her understudy went on and was received incredibly well, and Sarah made a miraculous recovery.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 2:50am

It was, indeed, her first performance.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 3:24am

Scott Wise missed the closing performance of "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" because he was (I think) out with a foot injury. But he was there, because I saw him leaving the theater with all his stuff after the show. I was told that he was really sad about not being able to perform, and that the cast really missed his presence on the stage.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 3:32am

Elizabeth Ashley missed the final performance of August: Osage County. The role's originator (Rondi Reed) filled in.

[henryt]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 6:42am

Whoever was playing Gaston at the end of BATB's run missed the last performance because Disney brought Donny Osmond back just for that performance.

[fosca3]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 7:06am

If I'm remembering correctly, Randal Keith was pretty sick the last week of Les Mis

On the final weekend, he was off for the Sat matinee, to save his voice for Sat nite and Sun

Andrew Varela went on for him, and Andrew's wife, who was the understudy for Fantine, went on as well, so they did that near-last show together (and brought their baby son out at the stagedoor, which was fun)

[The Other One]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 8:07am

Not positive of this, but I believe Natasha Richardson missed her last week's worth of performances when Henry Miller's Theatre suffered structural damage and CABARET had to be moved to Studio 54.

Updated On: 2/2/11 at 08:07 AM

[KirbyCat]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 10:10am

"Whoever was playing Gaston at the end of BATB's run missed the last performance because Disney brought Donny Osmond back just for that performance."

That was actually planned. Just an extra catch for the people coming to closing night. It must've sucked for the guy who was contracted to play Gaston originally though!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 10:26am

Going back many years, David Burns missed the opening night of Arthur Miller's THE PRICE. His u/s, Harold Gould went on.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 10:45am

Carly Jibson missed the first preview of CRY-BABY (the first three weeks of previews I believe) due to a "concussion."

[The Other One]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 10:58am

Liza Minnelli wasn't there for her last performance(s) in VICTOR VICTORIA.

[tjjster]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 11:59am

If i'm remembering correctly both Stephanie J. Block and LaChanze missed several press performances for Pirate Queen and Color Purple respectively. In fact i believe that Color purple was initially reviewed with the understudy and the show was re-reviewed with LaChanze.

Also let's not forget that Roger Bart missed 2 or 3 weeks of previews for Young Frank because he had "hurt his back"

[JRybka]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:18pm

Wasn't Maureen McGovern supposed to be in 3 penny opera or something and missed her opening night due to illness. (I think I recall something like that...)

Also the comment about Liza made me laugh.. She has missed a bunch of shows (even if she was there... if you know what I mean)

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:31pm

Actually, Jibson did have a concussion.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:34pm

Didn't Alice Ripley miss closing night of Sunset Boulevard? I seem to remember Kristen Behrendt went on as Betty.

[Dave516]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:40pm

Fosca 3,
I was at that matinee performance of Les Mis the day before it closed too!
There were SO many understudies on! You're right about Andrew Varella and his wife, for Valjean and Fantine. I think there were understudies for Enjolras and Marius and possibly Eponine as well

It was a great show. The energy was so high (probably because it was there were only 2 performances left!)

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 12:50pm

Nina LaFarga in WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 7:54pm

More like Nina Lafarge for the whole run of WOTV. Noah Rivera had to miss the last ITH shows. I remember because at the Saturday matinee Antuan Raimone was on for the other guy who works at Rosario's, and Rivera was on crutches for the final curtain call.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 10:32pm

Sami Gayle missed her first performances as Baby June, but she did go on as the Balloon Girl for a few weeks.