Have you ever been at a show where a cast member had to leave mid-show? — Page 3

Early in the Broadway run, when there was only two male swings, ensemble member Brian Charles Johnson left about 1/3 into the show. This was around the times of the Tonys so their schedules were unusual. For this particular show, it was at 7 pm with a call time was at 6 pm. Unfortunately, Josh Kobak, who was a swing, got the times mixed up and that the show started at 8 pm so when he wasn't at call time, the company manager just called him that they would be fine and he didn't need to come in.

Omar Lopez-Cepero, the other swing, was on for Declan Bennett, one of the ensemble members, from the start. Then after "St. Jimmy," Brian told their company manager that he wasn't feeling well, so she called Josh to get over to the theatre ASAP. Brian sat out of "Give Me Novacaine" and Josh was in Brian's track by the following group number, "Last of the American Girls/She's A Rebel." Luckily, Josh lived close by & rode a motorcycle.

Then, since Omar was more familiar with Brian's track, he switched and Josh took over Declan's track for the rest of the show.

Three Times.

Phillip Officer in "Shogun" when the scenery fell on his head and knocked him unconscious.

Anne Reinking in the "Sweet Charity" revival where she drank from the champagne glass during "If My Friends Could See Me Now" and the cleaning people had left detergent in the glass, and she puked all over the stage and then was rushed to the hospital. Bebe Neuwirth, who was in the cast (and won a Tony for playing Nickie), filled in without missing a beat.

Strangely enough, the third is Gwen Verdon during a Lincoln Center "Sweet Charity" concert, where the scenery during the closet scene collapsed on her head. Fortunately, that was "Night of a Thousand Charitys", and Chita Rivera was on hand to fill in.

Updated On: 8/24/12 at 01:06 AM

Next To Normal in January of 2010. Alice started the show and, having heard clips of her gruff voice I wasn't sure about what to expect.

It was clear from her dialogue in the first scence and toward the end of "Just Another Day" that she was struggling. But she worked her ass off during that first act.

As we all settled back in the house for Act II it was announced that "...due to an illness the role of Diana will now be played by Jessica Phillips." Some audience members growled under their breath but no one got up to leave.

Phillips' performance was utterly beautiful, hypnotic, and charming. Within 5 minutes of Act II starting the audience rallied and was totally behind her all they way. I've worked in theatre a long time and I have never witnessed an ovation like what Jessica Phillips got.

We were in the audience June 13, ???? when Idina Menzel left Wicked after Act 1 and Eden Espinoza replaced her. Have never seen anything similar happen since.

When I saw The Pirate Queen in previews, Stephanie J. Block left mid way through the first act. I think this was the last performance before opening (where she took steroids to go on). I got to see her do the whole show later in the run.

One of the last times I saw Hairspray, Constantine Rosouli was Link and seemed fine, but after "Welcome to the 60's" ended leading into the dodge ball scene, on walked Curt Hansen, leaving the audience confused when Kate Loprest (as Amber) addressed him as Link.

Apparently, Constantine had food poisoning, but had family coming to see the show and had tried to stay as long as possible, but couldn't continue on. At intermission, they made an announcement that for the remainder of the performance the role of Link Larkin would be played by Curt Hansen, but for the better part of the end of Act One, the audience had no clue who this new Link was.

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Two or three times, most recently in April at Newsies. I have no idea who it was, (I couldn't hear the announcement well) and I couldn't see any difference on stage. (Too damn many pretty boys on stage -- they blend.)

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I saw Angela Lansbury in the 1st Act of Sweeney Todd in '79, and came back after intermission to find that Milton Berle had replaced her.

Then again, I may have been on something that night.

I was at a matinee of the "All My Sons" revival a few years back when John Lithgow decided he couldn't go on for Act 2 because he was having some throat health issues and there was a lot of yelling in Act 2. He felt he needed to save his voice for later shows. I know this because he came out at the top of Act 2 with the entire cast and explained it to us while introducing the understudy. Since the show was directed in that quasi-Brechtian style that incorporated Lithgow reciting the stage directions to the audience at the top of the show, it made sense to have him explain it to us.

Not Broadway, but opera. Decades ago at the MET, in a production of CONTES d"Hoffmann, the scheduled American tenor playing Hoffmann failed to show (unfortunately something that he became known for). At the beginning of the opera, the general manager came before the curtain and made the announcement, giving the name of the second cast tenor who would sing the role. The tenor began the opera but was clearly in vocal difficulties by the end of the first act. Long intermission, much buzz. Announcement before the second act: First Act Tenor is in vocal difficulty so HIS cover would sing the role from the orchestra pit while First Act Tenor lip synched, because the cover was not familiar enough with the blocking to sing and act the role. This became known as the night of three tenors.