Laura Bell Bundy

[babej]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 12:07am

Laura Bell Bundy would have been fantastic as The New Glinda. She turned it down. I am sure she will be working on something else real soon. Go Laura Bell Bundy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PennyLou]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 12:30am

yea I saw hwe as glindal last moth when she went on and I thought she was great, I hope to see her in a show again soon!

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 8:48am

Shill alert!

[Dawg]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 11:12am

Negative Nancy Alert!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 11:43am

that's no way to talk about a former first lady and on the day of the state funeral! for shame, dawg, for shame.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 1:43pm

Someone suddenly starts posting raves about a gal who just lost a big job, I call them out as a shill and therefore I'm negative? Maybe just not gullable.

[Amneris]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 1:47pm

I'm Al Dente's shadow.

[catcher]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 1:49pm

I hope Laura Bell works very soon, but I just wonder in what... Are there any upcoming roles that we know about that she would be great in? I'm not sure...

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 1:56pm

oh can think of a couple roles in which she'd fit quite nicely...i wonder how she feels about nudity?

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 2:06pm

I LOVE YOU Papa!

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 2:18pm

al, that's twice in two days. shucks, you'sa gon' make me blush!

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 2:21pm

Can't help it PLM, it's just the way I feel.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 6/11/04 at 2:34pm

which roles would those be... since with your stipulation you've guaranteed my attendance

[Dawg]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 11:21am

It so happens that Laura passed on an unreasonable offer...if anything else, she should be lauded for standing up for herself. It's somewhat well-known in the industry that the Wicked producers are not the greatest people in the world...they are known to spread terrible rumors about people who work for them and it's about time someone said NO to them. Several members of the cast are unhappy there...and good for her for getting out if she's not getting offered what she's worth.

[onlylisab]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 11:26am

Why did she turn down the role? I thought she was naturally going to step up.
And do we think that Jennifer Laura Thompson can pull it off?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 11:30am

"Natrurally going to step up"???? HUH? Stand-by status is not a "given" take ovet step. Many times a standby may be given "first refusal" whena role opens up, but it requires an entirely different contract when that role opens up.. contract negotions are VERY complex and, like thsi case, a deal can not always be agreed upon.

[etoile]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 11:32am

Wow, Dawg, now who's being a Negative Nancy?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 11:55am

I dunno...is Laura BB enough of an established name/talent that she can name her price? I would think that for a 22-year-old looking to build a career, the exposure of playing Glinda would be worth it under almost any circumstances. Maybe I'm wrong, and she just has an extraordinary sense self -worth and isn't willing to compromise.

But when weighed against the thousands of talented actresses working menial or boring jobs while waiting for a break, being offered the role of Glinda at any salary probably sounds like the chance of a lifetime. I'm just having a little bit of a hard time swallowing the party line explanation that's being offered. Sounds like there is probably more to the story.

[Dawg]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:04pm

Actually that's pretty much it...She had first right of refusal, they made an offer, she didn't accept and so they went elsewhere. I think any actress who would play the role should be paid what she is worth...and true LBB doesn't have a huge name, but you also have to realize that a name doesn't sell that show. Kristin is great and all, but her and Idina are not what sell tickets. The show would sell either way-to prove this, look at the number of returns whenever either of the girls are out...

I think the producers realize this and do not want to offer more money or anywhere close to as much as Kristin is making. It all makes a great deal of sense.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:13pm

People just want ajuicier tale to tell

[catcher]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:14pm

Good point, Dawg. (Though that sounds odd to write.) In the beginning they did show a drop when Kristin (who got by far the best reviews) was out--now it so doesn't matter.

So why pay someone Kristin's salary? Not worth it for them!

Although I cannot see that Jennifer Laura Thompson would want less than Laura Bell Bundy, unless Laura Bell Bundy is crazy... Jennifer Laura Thompson is a Tony nominee. LBB has never had a Broadway lead (and I love her, so don't take that as a slam, just the truth).

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:20pm

Ifflit, you and I are in total agreement. Check my posts on the "get your hankies" thread.

LBB was not as in control of the negotiations as many of you seem to think, in fact, when she walked the Tony red carpet with her "MamaRose" and Wicked handbag in a bid for attention, she was still under the impression she was the next "girl in the metal bubble". Little did she know, that Thompson was practically in costume fittings. I know that there's going to be MUCH clamor as to where I heard this, and I'll tell you flat out, one of my closest associates works for Allure magazine and had a prime postition on said red carpet and relayed this story to me days ago. I didn't see fit to retell it, I'm usually much more discreet but I'm sick of how many postings there are saying that LBB "turned it down". It only make her and her "great agent" sound none too bright.

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:26pm

This may be random, but I remember reading "The Longest Line", the book about A Chorus Line that came out a few years ago, and recall that certain understudies wanted to stay understudies because the pay worked out in their favor. They would perform certain roles rather frequently, and when all was added up, they were making more!
I don't remember the logistics, or if that's a possibility in this case, but we don't know if LBB is leaving, or will stay the standby. Maybe it's such the case that she might have lost some $$$ if she took the role.
Food for thought.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:33pm

since we're all specualting like rank amateurs here and none of us is in a position to know the truth, i'll happily leap in here.

first of all, flit, you sound like maragaret thatcher's cousin ethel, "why, she should be happy just to be on that stage in such a show! and she wants money on top of that? harumph. let her wither in debtor's prison until she come to her senses." i think the left is going to ask for your membership card, ya make any more arguments like that.

on the idea of whether or not she's worth some more money, who knows what they offered her? anybody? anybody? no? so it's possible that the producer's thought she wasn't enough of a name to take over the leading role so they low-balled her on negotiations in the attmept to get a bigger name in there that they could advertise as "tony-nominee jennifer laura thompson as glinda." now when i say low-ball, i mean low-ball. it's perfectly conceivable that they offered her a teensy weensy bump in salary. now she's not gonna get a nomination for taking over the role so that leaves cash and if they're not paying, why take it when there are roles out there that will be available to her that she can make her own?

when it come to negotiations it's a thin line that must be walked. if she was being low-balled, then she should be applauded for having fought for more cash as it could have set a precedent. "hey, c'mon, laura bell bundy didn't take that much to step into a lead role in wicked, and that's a huge show. we poor producers can't possibly afford such a huge bump in pay for you." and if you don't think precedents like that matter in the broadway world, you've never met a producer.

in the end, though, since none of us know what the situation was, it's pretty easy to let our emotions and feelings color our judgements, isn't it?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 6/12/04 at 12:45pm

You're right, papa, I don't believe that people should be paid less that what they are worth. But still, listening to all the stories, and reading all the books of stories about how people struggle and sacrifice to get to a point where they can work, it strikes me odd that anyone building a career would (as opposed to 'should') pass on this role. And that's all I'm saying. If they were truely trying to screw her, then god bless her for drawing the line. I'm just not convinced...and certainly, you have to admit that there is room for speculation here.