Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:36pm
Is the OP certain that one board wasn't the cast list and the other was the understudy board?
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:37pm
something's a miss here....
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:39pm
I think the two boards you're talking about "listing the understudies" aren't both understudy boards. One is the understudy board and other is the full cast board.
Edit: Just saw Whizzer's post
Updated On: 6/18/16 at 09:39 PM
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:40pm
WhizzerMarvin said: "Is the OP certain that one board wasn't the cast list and the other was the understudy board?"
I truly think this is what happened to the OP lol what a loser
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:40pm
WhizzerMarvin said: "Is the OP certain that one board wasn't the cast list and the other was the understudy board?"
That was my first thought when I heard that they needed "two boards" to list all the cast changes.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:46pm
Left the theatre hugely disappointed. Focused plans for the entire weekend around seeing this play. Then started Googling to try and find out if this a) had been shared in advance and I should have somehow known. (It seemed a bit suspicious to me that it was happening right after Tony's and right after the plan to live stream had been made public.)
That is how I found this board - during my search to try to understand what had happened and whether it is something I should assume can always happen. Did not go to box office because, unlike the rest of you, I am not a Broadway expert. I didn't know a refund was an option. And I don't know what an "understudy board" is. I probably go to 4-6 plays a year over the last ten years, have never walked into a theatre and seen such boards and have certainly never seen more than one lead not performing in a play. Perhaps I have just been exceptionally lucky in the past.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:48pm
I believe I made it very clear upthread that I left the theatre after being shooed away by the ticket taker.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:51pm
Wait. I'm confused. So were Jane and Laura the only people out?
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:53pm
This person is so dramatic.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:54pm
If you would rather lose your money than just go in and see the show, then must have money to burn. You don't need to be a "Broadway expert" to consider a refund when you're disappointed. Or even to talk to someone from the theatre.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:56pm
And if, by "loser", you mean someone who is dumb enough to pay $157 for a ticket to a play that is built around specific lead players and then expect those lead players to actually present themselves for the performance, yes, I am that loser. I promise you, it will not happen again.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:59pm
you don't even know if they were really gone because you left!
Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:59pm
If you were upset enough to join these boards, why didn't you discuss your options with the theatre? The worst that could happen is they would say there was nothing they could do. You could have gotten a refund. You really should have checked the boards more carefully before assuming what it means. As for two leads being out, it isn't common but it's also not unheard of, especially the week following the Tonys when actors (especially those with nominations and performers on the Tonys such as Jane and Laura) are often physically worn out. Perhaps you should go back to the theatre or ring and try and claim a refund then catch the live stream.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:00pm
You go to 4-6 plays a YEAR and have never seen a cast board/understudy board????????????? You are the luckiest theater goer I've ever seen.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:02pm
You have to understand that if Laura and Jane are out that requires six cast change notifcations.
Laura and Jane
Two understudies who are normally in the show move up to principal positions.
Two swings go on for the understudies.
This is normal for any show.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:07pm
Thank you. I have learned a great deal tonight about Broadway and its denizens.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:09pm
This is the weirdest thread I've read in a long time.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:10pm
at some point, after the show lets out for those who stayed, we will likely learn what was going on.
the OP seems to think this was some secret conspiracy. With live theatre, people in shows are in close contact so group sickness is more likely. Also, what if you find out they all ate together and got food poisoning. It happens.
But if you expect everything to be identical day in and day out, the theatre is the wrong medium for you. Some of my greatest theatrical memories are of understudies who blew me away.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:11pm
I was at the Color purple today and both Cynthia Errivo and Danielle Brooks were out. When I got my tickets at the box office, they informed me that I wasn't going to be seeing the two of them. I was a little disappointed but even more excited to see the understudies. The show was amazing and I plan on going back again to see them soon. Sometimes is a blessing to see the understudies. I definitely think you should've gotten a refund if you were upset and mad that Laura and Jane weren't there.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:17pm
Why did you join the board if you aren't considering the advice everyone's trying to give you? It reads to me like you came here hoping to be told Jane and Laura are sitting on a beach together somewhere in Mexico as a part of their scheme to fool the ticket-buying public, which is not the case.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:23pm
Ontoitnow said: "And if, by "loser", you mean someone who is dumb enough to pay $157 for a ticket to a play that is built around specific lead players and then expect those lead players to actually present themselves for the performance, yes, I am that loser. I promise you, it will not happen again.
"
How is it different from buying a concert ticket to see a band or singer and the concert is cancelled? What would you do? I bet you would get your $ back. And if the venue said another band would be playing in their place you would have the choice of demanding a refund.
If a venue announces "this or these artists" playing tonight" and such artists are not there, you would get a refund or take the offered alternative. This is not exclusive to theater, this is for any live performance.
And if the event is advertised around the show and not the performers, they only guarantee that. You will see a production of such show with whoever is fit to perform from their company of actors.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:26pm
@Ontoitnow "Thank you. I have learned a great deal tonight about Broadway and its denizens."
Actually you learned nothing. The name you chose for yourself-before anyone here said a word-tells us all we need to know about your predisposition. Do us all a favor-stay away from the theatre, far away.
@Jordan"This is the weirdest thread I've read in a long time."
I didn't realize you skipped that many threads.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:27pm
Ontoitnow said: "Thank you. I have learned a great deal tonight about Broadway and its denizens."
You should have learned that people get sick,tired or hurt and miss performances. Nothing is a guarantee when seeing a show(any team sporting event can be included too).
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:29pm
I'm in two minds about whether and when refunds should be offered when understudies are on, but I do think theatres (and fans) should be accommodating of people who don't know the 'rules' of things like understudy boards. I love theatre, but due to budgetary considerations I don't get to see it enough to even know all the minutiae myself yet. I've never been to a show on Broadway per se, and there are always plenty of posts on this board making reference to very Broadway-as-a-location-specific things that mean very little to me. I know what it's like to be blindsided by some 'strange' aspect of theatregoing (or of any new thing), and then be stonewalled by staff who assume that everybody should know it all already. As to whether the OP should have taken more time and looked at the boards more closely, they stated that a theatre staff member told them to move away quickly.
To the OP, if I were you, I'd write an email politely explaining your experience and asking for a refund. As someone else said, even if they say no, you'll know that you tried. An email will also enable you to get all your feedback through, which might be satisfying, and there's a (small) chance that somebody might take it into account and take steps to make understudy protocol clearer for infrequent theatregoers.
Posted: 6/18/16 at 10:30pm
Hogan, I don't read 99% of the threads here lol
