Laura Benanti to replace Lauren Ambrose in MY FAIR LADY- Page 6

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 2:34pm

Why is this the first time Benanti has shared the story that she didn't even audition the first time around? Instead she said that they told her "hard pass," which to me implies that she did audition. There is certainly no shame in her passing on the role to stay home with her daughter OR in her not getting the role after auditioning.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 4:06pm

That's very interesting considering everything that had transpired since the Ambrose announcement. It is interesting that the story is now that Benanti just had her child and didn't want to be away from her when she was that young so she didn't even go for the audition. It still does not quite jive with the "hard pass" line and the whole thing about her liking some anti-Ambrose tweets saying Benanti was passed over for "that" when Ambrose's announcement was made.

Anyway, it is nice that she said Ambrose gave a "beautiful performance" as a response to somebody saying they finally have a reason to see this production as they had no interest in seeing Ambrose. Whether it's sincere or just good PR on Benanti's part, it's a nice gesture.

As much as I am in love with the current cast recording, I'd love it if they recorded Benanti for some of the songs. I really NEED to hear her sing these songs, and I didn't even know I needed it too much until the news settled and festered in my brain. 

Updated On: 8/27/18 at 04:06 PM

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 5:02pm

Her Instagram post is indeed interesting. So is the 'hard pass' comment now referring to Benanti saying 'hard pass' to being asked to audition...? Confusing... Does this mean that Benanti was pretty much guaranteed the role over Ambrose to begin with? 

[froote]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 5:11pm

Hasn't Ambrose put up with enough and now we have Benanti telling everyone she wasn't even the first choice. Laura puts a bad taste in my mouth too often, especially this coming after she liked those tweets.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 5:47pm

Musicaldudepeter said: "Her Instagram post is indeed interesting. So is the 'hard pass' comment now referring to Benanti saying 'hard pass' to being asked to audition...? Confusing... Does this mean that Benanti was pretty much guaranteed the role over Ambrose to begin with?"

Sher auditioned everyone, so she would’ve been auditioning against Ambrose and others. 

[hanabana]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 6:08pm

I have no doubt that Laura Benanti will be great in this role, and very disappointed that I won't be able to catch her performance or Lauren Ambrose's.  I had specifically booked my Linctix ticket for 11/17 before this announcement, so that I can avoid the cast's vacation schedules and see Lauren Ambrose, Norbert Leo Butz, and Harry Hadden-Patton in their roles.  And then this announcement happened - I was so excited and could not believe my luck because I am a big fan of Laura Benanti, and then I just realized today that she will not be performing during that weekend because she has a previous engagement out of state...  Even though we booked our Linctix without knowing the correct schedule, I highly doubt that they will allow my friends and I to exchange dates on our Linctix tickets (if anyone ever had any luck exchanging Linctix dates, please let me know)...  Oh well, I guess it is just not meant to be.  I am sure Laura's alternate will be amazing as well though.

But for those of you who are not aware:  If you want to see Laura's performance, beside from Tuesdays, avoid the weekend f 11/16-11/18.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 6:18pm

^ you'd be surprised. It's really easy getting your linctix exhanged for another date. First find the dates which do work for you which have tickets available, call me them. The way it worked for me essentially was they cancelled my original tickets (full refund) and I was immediately able to use my linctix membership to buy new tickets. I believe it worked the exact same way for a couple other posters too. Good luck!

PS - I did see Kerstin Anderson in The Sound Of Music and she really is a wonderful performer, but I feel this show is more of an event to miss Laura/Lauren.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 11:17pm

Valentina3 said: "^ you'd be surprised. It's really easy getting your linctix exhanged for another date. First find the dates which do work for you which have tickets available, call me them. The way it worked for me essentially was they cancelled my original tickets (full refund) and I was immediately able to use my linctix membership to buy new tickets. I believe it worked the exact same way for a couple other posters too. Good luck!

PS - I did see Kerstin Anderson in The Sound Of Music and she really is a wonderful performer, but I feel this show is more of an event to miss Laura/Lauren."

What number should I call? I had tickets for November 17th, and definitely want to move them so I can see Laura.

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 8/27/18 at 11:27pm

gleek4114 said: "Valentina3 said: "^ you'd be surprised. It's really easy getting your linctix exhanged for another date. First find the dates which do work for you which have tickets available, call me them. The way it worked for me essentially was they cancelled my original tickets (full refund) and I was immediately able to use my linctix membership to buy new tickets. I believe it worked the exact same way for a couple other posters too. Good luck!

PS - I did see Kerstin Anderson in The Sound Of Music and she really is a wonderful performer, but I feel this show is more of an event to miss Laura/Lauren."

What number should I call? I had tickets for November 17th, and definitely want to move them so I can see Laura."

Call Telecharge directly, do not bother calling Lincoln Center. When I called Lincoln Center, they said there was nothing they could do and to call the box office. I then called telecharge and they gave me my refund right away and I was able to be a seat for a different night.

[hanabana]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 12:50am

Valentina3 and n2nbaby, thanks so much for the information!  How would I be able to check if there are any Linctix left for the other dates?  Since I cannot buy another Linctix at the moment, I cannot go in online to see if they have any tickets left (and I need 3 since 2 of my friends are going with me).  I am afraid that once I give up these tickets I will find out that Linctix for all other dates are sold out.  As much as I'd love to see Laura/Lauren, I would not risk the possibility of not seeing this production at all.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:05am

I need to see Lauren Ambrose one more time.  Her performance was so nuanced and glorious - and I hold her, as a performer who has been thrust into so much nonsense, in very high esteem.

It appears there’s a small window of dates to see her with HH-P, and the other leads.

Laura Benanti would be better served to stay quiet, and focus on giving a performance that lives up to this production.  I have no doubt she will, but she has big shoes to fill.

 

Updated On: 8/28/18 at 09:05 AM

[gleek4114]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 9:58am

Thank you to everyone who helped in directing me to switch my Linctix. If I hadn't caught up on this thread, I never would've seen Laura was to be absent the night I had selected! Now seeing the show two days early and Laura is scheduled to be in. Thanks again! 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:03am

I am so excited to see Benanti nail this role, but she needs to refrain from speaking about (or even alluding to) the process of how she ended up getting it. Liking tweets, saying "hard pass"... it's all very shady and strange. The Ambrose/Rigg kerfuffle shows that there's clearly already some tensions at the Beaumont, so Benanti would best be served joining the cast on a clean slate and just slaying this part.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:07am

IdinaBellFoster said: "Musicaldudepeter said: "Her Instagram post is indeed interesting. So is the 'hard pass' comment now referring to Benanti saying 'hard pass' to being asked to audition...? Confusing... Does this mean that Benanti was pretty much guaranteed the role over Ambrose to begin with?"

Sher auditioned everyone, so she would’ve been auditioning against Ambrose and others."

Or the "hard pass" comment was meant as the joke it was clearly was and people on here like to think they're reading between the lines and discerning the motives of people they have never met in order to stir up gossip.

 

[laurensambrose]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:08am

Wasn’t there also a rumor she and Kelli O’Hara were automatically turned away at first because they looked too old? I’m confused where this sudden post of acting like she was one of the first choices but turned it down because of Ella.

[Kad]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:14am

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Does it occur to anyone that if this has been your dream role since you were four and you are already a known name in the broadway community but not quite to the extent of Patti Lupine’s, you have to be seriously ill or mentally unhinged to NOT go to the audition? Everything about Benanti’s claim smells fishy to me."

Did it occur to you that maybe, just maybe, after enduring a miscarriage just a couple years prior, that MAYBE Benanti would be a bit more unwilling to be absent in the very early days of her child's life?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:26am

Kad said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "Does it occur to anyone that if this has been your dream role since you were four and you are already a known name in the broadway community but not quite to the extent of Patti Lupine’s, you have to be seriously ill or mentally unhinged to NOT go to the audition? Everything about Benanti’s claim smells fishy to me."

Did it occur to you that maybe, just maybe, after enduring a miscarriage just a couple years prior, that MAYBE Benanti would be a bit more unwilling tobe absentin the very early days of her child's life?"

I just think it’s odd that someone as interactive on social media as Benanti is didn’t say this THE FIRST TIME she saw a tweet that said “Ugh, i wish @laurabenanti was starting in My Fair Lady!!!!”

if that’s her reason, that’s wonderful. If she actually auditioned and didn’t get the part, that’s also fine! It just seems odd that this never came up any time she’s discussed wanting this part. 

[Kad]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 10:57am

She may not have been able to comment on the audition process at the time (and how often do you see Broadway names comment on auditions for shows that are upcoming or running? It's unprofessional). And, frankly, if she said she'd turned it down before having decided and committed to take over for Ambrose, she would have gotten flack on here anyway.

Social media is an incomplete presentation of people and events. I wish folks on here would stop using every comment and every action on it as a starting point for judgment calls and rumor mongering.

 

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:09am

Does anyone think this will still be running in June/July 2019? 

I was planning a visit in November but I am uninspired by the Autumn programme having seen Torch Song already. 

Anyone any ideas whether this will extend beyond March or just bite the bullet and go in November. 

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:19am

“Social media is an incomplete presentation of people and events. I wish folks on here would stop using every comment and every action on it as a starting point for judgment calls and rumor mongering.”

Very true, but the performers need to take responsibility for what they share on social media. I was just reading LB’s Instagram replies and she admitted jealousy was behind some of her earlier posts. She herself said that she shouldn’t have posted some of what she shared.

I still think she’s vague in her implications of how this all unfolded, but what ultimately matters is her performance.

I also respect Lauren Ambrose for not engaging and remaining classy through all that’s been thrown her way.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:20am

NYadgal said: "I also respect Lauren Ambrose for not engaging and remaining classy through all that’s been thrown her way."

Very much agreed.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:28am

No one knows how long this will run. I would assume it would at least last until it’s one-year mark in March, and probably to the summer, but if you’re able to go in November, why wouldn’t you go then?

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:56am

NYadgal said: "“Social media is an incomplete presentation of people and events. I wish folks on here would stop using every comment and every action on it as a starting point for judgment calls and rumor mongering.”

Very true, but the performers need to take responsibility for what they share on social media. I was just reading LB’s Instagram replies and she admitted jealousy was behind some of her earlier posts. She herself said that she shouldn’t have posted some of what she shared.

I still think she’s vague in her implications of how this all unfolded, but what ultimately matters is her performance.

I also respect Lauren Ambrose for not engaging and remaining classy through all that’s been thrown her way."

Your post made me curious, so I went on her Instagram, she did indeed admit she showed support to various online posts bashing Lauren Ambrose when she was announced and that it was not her finest moment and her behavior done out of jealousy. I respect Benanti so much for being big enough to admit it and to say she regretted living in that jealousy (her words). Not many people would be mature enough to do that, especially in a post full of people giving such positive and good wishes towards her, so I give her all the props for that.

Updated On: 8/28/18 at 11:56 AM

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:56am

ColorTheHours048 said: "No one knows how long this will run. I would assume it would at least last until it’s one-year mark in March, and probably to the summer, but if you’re able to go in November, why wouldn’t you go then?"

Thank you, I wouldn’t go in November because there’s not much to see. I have seen Torch Song, I would like to see The Cher Show and My Fair Lady but I’m hoping they’ll be running in summer ‘19 when I already have plans for NYC.

Therefore, freeing me up to see Phantom (Non -Replica) and Hunchback in Scandinavia in November. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 11:58am

Kad said: "Dancingthrulife2 said: "Does it occur to anyone that if this has been your dream role since you were four and you are already a known name in the broadway community but not quite to the extent of Patti Lupine’s, you have to be seriously ill or mentally unhinged to NOT go to the audition? Everything about Benanti’s claim smells fishy to me."

Did it occur to you that maybe, just maybe, after enduring a miscarriage just a couple years prior, that MAYBE Benanti would be a bit more unwilling tobe absentin the very early days of her child's life?"

I find it hard to imagine a director or casting director telling an actress who wasn't involved in the auditioning process to some degree that she was a "hard pass." She's been through a lot, and my heart goes out to her and her family. Her version(s) of the story, however, just doesn't add up and there are definitely better ways to handle the situation. Sure, there's freedom of speech in the States, but it also means you should take responsibility for whatever you say.