Laura Benanti on Medical Leave, Tina Maddigan to fill in.- Page 5

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:05am

Did I miss something? Is Tracee gone for a while? When did that happen?

[fishergirl819]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:08am

Tracee is on vacation. Not sure for how long, but I imagine its probably about a week and a half-two weeks, if they're changing the playbill. When Ashley Amber Haase was out for a little under two weeks because of her wedding/honeymoon, they changed the playbill so that Joanne Manning was billed as "Debbie."

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:12am

Yeah, Tracee is on vacation. I don't know how long she'll be gone. I didn't know until Eric told us yesterday.

[Yero]

Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:14am

I don't know if this was posted already, or if it's been this way for a while, but on Broadway.com, Tina is now listed as Julia.

Updated On: 8/17/06 at 11:14 AM

[Phantom2]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 5:57pm

I wonder if the producers will invite the critics back to review the show with Tina.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 6:00pm

ha ha, that would make your day wouldnt it? lol

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:47pm

is there now an understudy for Julia, whereas as i recall tina was the only cover, or will there be another "BKLYN(or however the hell they abbreviated it) incident" and cancel a show if she's out

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:50pm

i think i'm going to bite the bullet and go see this show with Tina next Saturday...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 7:50pm

christina sivrich is the 2nd understudy for laura so if tinas out christina would go on. as far as i know, christina has always been 2nd understudy

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 8:03pm

i stand corrected i guess, the understudy list from ibdb is the following;
Understudies: Cara Cooper (Holly), Nicolette Hart (Linda), David Josefsberg (Sammy), Kevin Kern (George, Glen Guglia), Christina Sivrich (Rosie), Matthew Stocke (Robbie Hart). and tina as the standby.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/18/06 at 10:06pm

Chrisitna sivrich covers both Rosie and Julia, and always has.

[thtrguy2]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 1:13pm

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/spot/benantiupdate.html


" year after Swing, Laura played Cinderella in the revival of Into the Woods. She received a Tony nomination for her portrayal, but she was also seriously injured during one of her pratfalls. It wasn't until nine months after the accident that she was diagnosed with a broken neck. Asked by the production not to mention her injuries publicly, Laura found herself in the uncomfortable position of missing performances, but unable to explain her reasons. She had neck surgery three weeks before beginning previews of Nine, once again missing some initial performances during her recovery, but finally able to stabilize her neck and remove the lingering threat of paralysis. "

LB: I took off for a little bit. I did physical therapy and then I tried to go back, but I just couldn't do it.

NR: I remember you got a lot of grief by people saying that you don't show up. How did that make you feel?

LB: It was really hurtful. I had a serious injury and there was absolutely no way I could have done the show. I tried to. I tried to go back and do it but I physically couldn't. My feeling was that it was unfair to the audience. If I'm out there limping and barely able to move my head, it's a hundred dollars to see a show. That's not fair.

"Then I got the surgery three weeks before the first preview of Nine. I missed some shows because I had just gotten neck surgery.

NR: Recovering from surgery is tough. How were you able to do a show only three weeks later?

LB: It was awful. It was sheer will because I knew people ... . some people ... The people who knew me understood, and that's always the way it is. Then the people who want to rip you down said whatever they said, so I just wanted to push through. But there were days ... Not only did I have neck pain, but they had to shove a tube down my throat. They went in through the front of my neck so my cords were incredibly swollen from just having neck surgery. There were days in Nine when I couldn't talk. I was so swollen in my neck and my throat that I couldn't talk. What are you going to do then? I'm not going to go out there and talk "Unusual Way." And you know what? I did the best that I could. I missed very little considering that I had just had a major life-altering surgery. "

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 2:00pm

That poor woman. I hope she heals well and quickly.

I don't know how she did a show three weeks after that kind of surgery.

That is bravery. My idea of courage. I respect her but I also feel sorry for her that she wasn't able to have some months off then to recuperate.

Her efforts helped bring Wedding Singer to its several Tony noms, I have no doubt.

[snl89]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 3:00pm

see, THAT is why I get so annoyed at people who are like "she should be coming anyway- and the worst part is she's being so mysterious".

Um..
Asked by the production not to mention her injuries publicly, Laura found herself in the uncomfortable position of missing performances, but unable to explain her reasons.

hmmmm, well lookie there.. she was ASKED not to tell. She WANTED to but was ASKED not to, so she had to oblige. To all those people whoe are like "well why doesn't she just tell us what's going on?" do you think that maaaybe just maybe it could be a similar situation? Does that seem SO far out of the realm of possibility? sorry, I'm being super jerky right now, its just reading that really made me frustrated at how insensitive some people are being. haha.

anyway, I totally and completely agree with nomdeplume.. it is remarkable that she did nine THAT soon after a horrible, HORRIBLE ordeal- and it really really makes me admire her :)

Get well laura!!

Updated On: 8/19/06 at 03:00 PM

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 8:20pm

Asked by the production not to mention her injuries publicly, Laura found herself in the uncomfortable position of missing performances, but unable to explain her reasons.


That's... ridiculous. I remember reading this a while back, and thinking it was horrible that they didn't let her say anything.

[GClef2]

Posted: 8/19/06 at 8:51pm

It is sad how people are so quick to judge and speculate, especially when a (phenominal) performer cannot do her job. I'm sure she wants nothing more than to just get up and go back to her job.

My love to Laura and her family.

[jdixon69]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 9:55am

Seems like Laura has been unlucky not only with injuries, but in working with producers who mysteriously and for no apparent reason forbid her from disclosing those injuries.

[WiiCKED x3]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 10:26am

I saw TWS with Tina on the 17th. I thought she was really good.

[bwayondabrain]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 10:35am

poor Laura
she is so awesome
i hope she is getting better!
and, yeah, people on this board shouldnt make such quick assumptions...golly

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/20/06 at 3:01pm

i remember reading that interview a while ago. I feel so bad for her, that she had to go through all that and then gets criticized for it! and now, its happening yet again!

"and, yeah, people on this board shouldnt make such quick assumptions...golly"

AGREED!!!! ugh, that drives me crazy when people do that!