Jaquel Spivey Sick/ Continuing to Miss Performances

I'm a bit curious if anyone has info on what's happening with Jaquel Spivey? Apparently, at last night's performance, A Strange Loop stopped about 10 minutes into the show and Spivey's understudy went on.

This comes after many reports of Spivey missing performances. I have also heard that he's unofficially announced that he is no longer doing matinees for the time being, but is also missing a number of evening shows. I'm curious if something is going on with him. No doubt the role of Usher is quite difficult and emotionally draining, but I think it's far from the most physically or vocally demanding role on Broadway. If he's sick, it seems like this is an underlying issue that's been going on for some time, which is concerning. Maybe it's just that it's Spivey's first real professional gig and he has to adjust to the rigorous schedule?

I do wonder at what point they officially announce an alternate.

I apologize if this sounds negative or gossipy. I really admire A Strange Loop and the whole cast, and I wish them nothing but the best and good health. I'm simply curious, as this situation seems out of the ordinary.

This is also Spivey's first major role/show since he graduated college. Maybe it's just too large of a role for him to handle?

The good news is that Jaquel's understudy is well equipped. Kyle Ramar Freeman is absolutely incredible in this role and worth seeing on a matinee if you haven't had the chance to see him.

Updated On: 7/9/22 at 02:17 PM

And for the record regarding Beanie, we’re just having fun with it at this point She literally has weeks left in her contract and we know there’ll be countless performances she’ll be missing between today and her last performance, so we’re just enjoying the ride.

In regards to both, it sounds like both just don't have the background to be leads in a big Broadway show. 8 shows a week is taxing and if you don't have the stamina and background, I'd imagine it's difficult for anyone.

RippedMan said: "In regards to both, it sounds like both just don't have the background to be leads in a big Broadway show. 8 shows a week is taxing and if you don't have the stamina and background, I'd imagine it's difficult for anyone."

I do question how their attendance will impact both of their Broadway careers. Of course, it's incredibly impressive that Spivey was nominated for a Tony for his first professional role. But I wonder whether more capitalist-minded producers will take a chance on someone who hasn't proven they can do 8 shows a week.

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Not to be a d*ck, but the show is like 90 minutes long. Including the half hour call, that is two hours of work a day if one isn’t doing matinees. For my generation of theatre actors, our first jobs out of college were doing summer stock of rehearsing one show during the day while performing another at night while also helping with the sets. And then graduating to working a survival job while rehearsing, performing, and auditioning all at the same time. Just sayin’."


And I'm sure if Spivey and the producers were okay with him giving a summer stock-level performance, he'd be going on every night. But this isn't stock, the role is a tough sing + emotionally taxing, and he is 23 and still learning how to conserve energy to get through 6-8 perfs a week for this specific role.

Sutton Ross said: "It's in incredibly poor taste, especially after the OP said twice they "don't mean to be gossipy Im just curious!" Gross.

I didn't say it twice. The second time I fully acknowledged that this is gossip. It is, 100%. I have heard a lot of gossip about this situation, and was curious to know more. In my years of lurking on this forum, I have seen many, many threads speculating about actor attendance, conduct, backstage drama, etc., and so I didn't think this was a frowned-upon topic of conversation.

However, I clearly crossed a line here, and I apologize. I will leave this thread alone and let the conversation die or progress in another direction.

I think you all misunderstood his summer stock comment. He was saying that actors usually get their stamina from working so hard right out of college. I've done 8 show weeks where I was a lead role while rehearsing another show during the day. It just builds stamina as a performer and you learn where to put your energy, how to sing, etc.

Just look at LuPone, she had to learn to sing and evolve into Evita.

I don't think anyone's calling anyone out, just saying, given their backgrounds that they may have (the producers, the creatives, the actors themselves) under estimated the stamina it takes to do 8 shows a week.

CreatureKitchen said: "Sutton Ross said: "It's in incredibly poor taste, especially after the OP said twice they "don't mean to be gossipy Im just curious!" Gross.

I didn't say it twice. The second time I fully acknowledged that this is gossip. It is, 100%. I have heard a lot of gossip about this situation, and was curious to know more. In my years of lurking on this forum, I have seen many, many threads speculating about actor attendance, conduct, backstage drama, etc., and so I didn't think this was a frowned-upon topic of conversation.

However, I clearly crossed a line here, and I apologize. I will leave this thread alone and let the conversation die or progress in another direction.

"

There really is no need to apologize. I personally saw nothing wrong with what you posted.

For the person who said it was "in poor taste" Makes me laugh. They have said so many disparaging things on here and not sure why they even needed to add their two cents.

JBroadway, I agree with many of your points and don't want to dump on this young man too much. He is a very unusual situation to be making his professional debut on Broadway in a hugely demanding leading role. I don't mean to say that he doesn't have a good work ethic, especially since I don't know him or his situation.

That said, I think some of the posters here clutching their pearls over my comments should use their empathy super-power to try to understand how this situation might make other actors feel who would give their right arm to be in his position and would gladly take his place for one of the performances he "didn't feel up to" doing. If I finally make it to Broadway one day, you can bet I won't be missing a single performance unless I'm going to a wedding, a funeral, or I've died myself!