Jeff Loeffelholz suicide news coverage — Page 6

Lay off MosaicOwl, guys. Clearly they're going through a very rough time right now, and to me it feels like they're trying to raise awareness so that their cousin didn't die in vain. Sometimes if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. And please don't call for this thread to get deleted. The less people are talking about it, the less awareness of the events leading up to the tragedy is being raised. If you don't like the thread, skip it and move on. Just my two cents.

BroadwayRox3588 said: "The less people are talking about it, the less awareness of the events leading up to the tragedy is being raised."

The more people are talking about it, the less awareness of the events leading up to the tragedy is being demonstrated.

There. I fixed that for 'ya.

Did we ever get clarification about why he hadn't been on since February? Did the actual person not miss a show or? All in all this is super tragic and if the account of rehearsal is true... just horrible. Even if he wasn't doing his job that's no way to treat another human being.

The director can't lose his job - his job was basically finished when he - directed the show twenty-two years ago. He retains a royalty position of course and that has made him a very wealthy man.

In other news, a performer I know did one of the tours of Chicago and apparently Mr. Bobbie was very abusive to her in front of the entire company and she seems willing to talk about it and doesn't really care about this anonymity stuff. People remaining anonymous or off the record is not going to help change anything.

SeanD2 said: "mariel9 said: "The thing about "they couldn't have known he was suicidal/depressed/vulnerable" is that, no, you don't always know what someone is dealing with. Treating people with decency costs nothing. If you can't do your job without bullying or abuse, you are not good at your job. Someone who bullies or abuses a vulnerable person (even unknowingly) is partly responsible for the outcome, morally if not legally."

This is why unions need to lose their power. Actors are employees and should be able to be fired at will by their employers. Had Bobbie been able to fire this standby the “bullying” instance would never have taken place."

Oh, bull****. Trying to excuse abusing employees, and then blaming unions, which exist in part to prevent abuse, is so ass backwards it's pathetic and intellectual dishonest. Hell, using the word "intellectual" is laughably ironic, considering how utterly devoid of anything resembling intelligence this steaming pile of crap is. The producers signed the contract. They have the legal and moral obligation to fulfill it. Employers are not gods with unlimited power. This country tried that. It resulted in horrible, dehumanizing abuse of workers. That's what the organized labor movement was created in reaction to. Read a damn history book, you uneducated dolt!

The Distinctive Baritone said: "MosaicOwl -

I’m not sure exactly how it works for long-running Broadway shows, but in professional regional theatre, once the show opens, the director’s job is done. It could run for ten days or for ten months, it doesn’t matter. Once the show opens he is no longer an “employee,” and the stage management team takes over.

I do know that with Broadway shows, an associate director (basically, an assistant) is retained sometimes to coach replacement actors or to oversee a touring production. The original director will sometimes be involved in (re)casting or directing new principal actors, but I believe it’s up to them to decide how involved they want to be.

Financially, the director’s union, SDC, probably negotiated on Bobbie’s behalf for him to get a “cut” of profits in this situation. However, that is probably it, and he likely just checks up on the show when he feels like it, but is not actually required to. That’s my assumption."

Thank you, TDB. That was very helpful. I guess my big question then is why would Bobbie either want to or be asked to come in for this particular rehearsal? Especially if the show's standby hadn't even performed in four months? If the performance quality had become a problem, why wait so long?

That is the question everyone is asking.

Bobbie is quoted as saying, “You make more money than I do from this thing” - and that may have been unusually close to the truth. I am not claiming to know anything, but I can see how Bobbie could have potentially found the idea of a standby who rarely goes on making almost as much as he does to be infuriating, especially since from what I read, Mr. Loeffellholz was not even hired by him. If Bobbie was indeed trying to get rid of him - and let’s be honest, I don’t know how else you could interpret the incident based on what was reported - my guess would be that he and the MD were acting based merely on principal and ego.

BTW, as at least one theater critic has observed, Tony Award or not, Mr. Bobbie - like many directors - gets a lot of credit for simply riding on the coatails of others. When you have great performers doing great material with the original Bob Fosse choreography, with smart lighting and costume design, of course it’s a good show. What did Bobbie actually contribute directly to its success? The idea of the band being onstage the whole show? Oh wait, the production was originally a concert, so I guess even that wasn’t his idea.

Updated On: 7/9/18 at 12:34 PM

What does Walter Bobbie's talent or 'riding the coattails of others' have to do with this issue? And I don't see what the man's ego would have to do with this either. The most he and the musical director can be accused of is not handling a situation professionally in which they felt an actor needed to be terminated. Perhaps the word you looking to potentially describe Bobby as is 'pompous' -- but I don't think the firing of a swing falls in line with someone having an ego trip.

First, and most importantly, condolences to MosaicOwl and Jeff's family.

Could the reason "they" wanted him out was so they could hire an ensemble member who could cover the part? The idea being the part would be covered without having to pay a standby. To be clear I am in NO WAY saying the decision to do so, and especially how it was handled was acceptable. And obviously, I'm speculating. What doesn't make sense is the sudden need to save money... for the week ending 7/1 it was selling 85% capacity. Given the show has probably recouped several times over, and I assume has a lower running cost than an average show (no sets, fairly basic costumes, etc) I'd find it hard to believe the show is struggling fiinancially.

I actually saw Jeff perform the part when I saw the show in NYC- he was excellent and everyone was raving about him. Let me note that the performance I saw (a) was at the Shubert (b) had Bebe playing Velma) and (c) was a few days after Bill Clinton admitted to having a "relationship" with Monica. Obviously more than a little while ago, and I still remember it. That says something of the talent that has been lost in this tragedy.

MosaicOwl; Randy is a true gentleman. I would thru his FB contact him directly. He knows everybody

BTW, as at least one theater critic has observed, Tony Award or not, Mr. Bobbie - like many directors - gets a lot of credit for simply riding on the coatails of others. When you have great performers doing great material with the original Bob Fosse choreography, with smart lighting and costume design, of course it’s a good show. What did Bobbie actually contribute directly to its success? The idea of the band being onstage the whole show? Oh wait, the production was originally a concert, so I guess even that wasn’t his idea. His obituary should read, “Was the original Roger in Grease <<removed by moderator>>.” Seriously.

I'm not sure you know what a director does? None of those elements would be there without him. This revival is impeccably crafted and directed.