Hello Dolly Matinees

I just purchased a ticket for a Wed matinee MONTHS from now to see Ms Midler in Hello Dolly!

Then I read some ridiculous story by NY Post HACK Cindy Adams that Carol Channing was playing the matinees. Absolutely ridiculous, I know. But, Ms Midler IS playing the matinees right?

I saw no official show postings when I purchased my ticket that the advertised star does not play matinees, and nothing on Telecharge where I purchased a PREMIUM ticket (because I missed out on any presales). Can someone confirm this ridiculous rumor is false? If I find it is true, I will just demand my money back (imagine - Bette Midler in Hello Dolly! - well she will be in it the days you are not seeing stupid). Can you say bait and switch?

Someone should SUE that "toilet" paper for posting some absolutely bogus story. AND I will go further to say if Ms Midler is NOT playing matinees and I just paid to SEE HER and it is not posted ahead of time that she has no intention of playing matinees, the producers should be brought up on false advertising for shilling us with a bait and switch setup,

Isn't it bad enough ticket prices are through the roof? Why does the public have to deal with this kind of rumor mongering as well?

You can laugh at me all you want, just tell me I did not just pay almost $290 to NOT see Bette Midler in this show. Quite frankly, I am disgusted by this whole boondogle. I am also writing the "toilet" paper to tell them what I think of Cindy (who the hell is she anyway) Adams.

Updated On: 9/19/16 at 04:42 AM

I visited with Carol Channing the last time I was in LA. She's 94 now and has trouble getting around. There's no way she could possibly play the role these days. I did suggest to her she'd be delightful as Mrs Rose but Carol said that she would not want to take away from Bette's performance. She told me the role now belongs to Bette Midler.

Not to be snarky, but I have been going to theater in NYC since 1983 and understand the world of "At this performance..." I was referring to a pre-planned, star name above the title, oh no you didnt bait and switch me by not announcing this when tickets were just put on sale type of practice.

IF they are selling tickets and have ANY intention of SCHEDULING someone other than the name above the title, and I don't care when they start making that announcement (and I am saying SCHEDULED - not random sickness), then they are obligated to tell ticket buyers at the purchase time, not weeks or months later.

I usually do not take a matinee (especially a Wed matinee at that) if it is someone I really want to see. The chances are less that someone will be out on a weekend evening performance (and I could have gotten a Friday evening). And, if you reread my original post, my question was, are they SCHEDULING someone else for matinees. I especially took the chance because (1) it was not posted on Telecharge that she wasn't doing matinees when I purchased the ticket and (2) they are only doing 7 shows a week (the normal Tuesday evening performance is not on the schedule).

And I only bought this to see Ms Midler in the show. If she is not in, I wouldn't want to see it and will certainly ask for a refund (knowing full well an over the title star being out constitutes a refund if so requested).

Case in point, Mr Miranda was not playing Sunday matinees but his name was not above the title. I don't know if they had posted a notice when buying tickets that you would be seeing his "understudy" who did 2 shows a week. Since his name is not above the title - they can get away with that practice. For this, I think not.

I certainly didnt believe Carol Channing would do it, but then it planted the seed of doubt the Ms. Midler was going to be doing the matinees. And that, my friend, is the bait and switch I feared.

Updated On: 9/19/16 at 10:59 AM

I know. This reads like an old "letters to the editor" column.

pdjennings said: "... so I think a lot of folks are just concerned. (So, I think the thread is more than justified.)"

The current belief is that Bette is doing every show that was put on sale. Additional shows with other Dollies may be added later. Your concern based on their speculation, other people's guesses, and our suppositions, all of which don't match, don't really resolve the central issue which is that the official information has not been released.

But it would be pretty insane to put shows on sale, with Bette's name above the title, if she wasn't planning to perform on those days.

To the poster above: actors are no more likely to miss a Wednesday matinee (often the 2nd performance of the week) than any other performance. Where that mythology began I know not. But if you ask people in the biz, especially re musicals, they'll tell you that performances later in the week are far more likely to have absences. Even then there's no sure pattern. Still, a friend went to HAMILTON Saturday and both Alexander and Eliza were out. I've gone to Wednesday matinees my entire theatergoing life and probably saw few if any absences then. There are no rules, and actors do not randomly call out Wednesday afternoons.