Laura Marie Duncan is going on as Nellie in SOUTH PACIFIC tonight!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 7:59pm

But anyone who is in attendance of the show tonight, please give a review! I'm sure you're all (or by the time you read this, you were) in for a treat.

Very much wish I had night tickets for today instead of matinee tickets. Oh well.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 8:06pm

I hope Kelli is back by April 20 because she's the only reason I'm going to see it.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 8:20pm

Hm, Laura was actually out last night.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 8:24pm

BoCo graduate!

That's all.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:38pm

Laura Marie Duncan:


And as Christine Colgate in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS:

[aliciag]

Posted: 4/12/08 at 11:44pm

I saw her on the tour of DRS and she was great. Anyone who went please tell us how she was. I'd love to know!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:44pm

Bump, was anyone there to report?

[AC126748]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 1:59pm

There are reports on ATC. The general consensus seems to be solid but nervous.

[ljay889]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:03pm

Hopefully Kelli won't miss many more performances. Her Tony buzz will go down the tubes.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:04pm

Her performance in DRS was lackluster at best. Wonderful cast but she had the quality like an understudy who'd barely looked at her part.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:10pm

Though there IS a thread about this on ATC, only one person actually attended the performance (all the other posts are about Kelli and her performances prior to missing last night).

Saw SP last night. Beautiful production. Great performances, but no Kelli O'Hara. We were told she took ill at the matinee. Understudy was okay, nice voice, but really nervous and no chemistry with the audience. Anyone know what happened to Kelli?

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 2:39pm

Yeah, I saw that thread, but of course, wanted to get as many thoughts as possible.

Said ATC poster further adds: "She has a lovely voice and was good in the part."

Yay. I actually noticed at the matinee that Laura disappeared midway through the 2nd act, and then found out it was to get in some rehearsal.

[NYChottie]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:11pm

Folks- Some information you should know. This was a very unexpected and situation.
She has had ONE rehearsal for the role and was learning her lines and blocking while the show was going on. I think she was brilliant for the amount of pressure she was under and quite frankly it was a little irresponsible on Lincoln Centers part.
They should have realized Ms. Ohare is only human. I actually think everyone who saw the show got their moneys worth with Ms. Duncan, And got an excellent opportunity to witness someone stepping up to the challenge. Her voice rocks her acting is superb and today she didn't seem nervous. People loved her. Last night she had the energy and support from the entire cast and crew and audience members, because of her courage to go out there and make the VERY BEST of a VERY DIFFICULT situation.
We should all support her and understand for a moment what it must be like for even a very seasoned performer to attempt a role with one 3 hour rehearsal. Lets all imagine how Ms. Ohare may have felt if she was told on day one of rehearsals, "We need you to go on in a few hours."
Peace

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:14pm

O'Hara

[musicalmaster703]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:14pm

Ok, do you work there are you in the cast? If so how are the rehearsals?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:29pm

It was highly reported via the internet that Kelli O'Hara wasn't feeling too well at the matinee so they pulled Laura Marie Duncan out of the show and they started prepping her for that evening's performance during the end of Act 1 and all of Act 2 of the show. She was in the wings learning the blocking, etc. as the show was going on with O'Hara.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:41pm

God, that's really rough! I would be nervous as heck!

[caitlinette]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:46pm

I don't understand why Laura hadn't had any rehearsal time yet. Don't understudies get time to learn the part before the show opens? Is it really fair to anyone to wait to give them rehearsals until the day of what will be their first show?

[Steve2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 5:50pm

^
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I second caitlinette's question. If anyone knows any more about this I would appreciate hearing.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 6:00pm

To my understanding, rehearsal time for understudies is extremely limited during previews.

[DG]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 6:37pm

Rehearsal time might very well be limited, but someone who was hired as the understudy from the beginning shouldn't be learning the blocking from the wings.

[popular_elphie]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 6:41pm

Some understudies don't even rehearse in previews.

I have no doubt Laura did great! I saw her at the At This Performance concert singing "Cock-Eyed Optimist", and her voice is just beautiful.

[ElphabaRose]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:06pm

It is a fairly common practice that understudies receive little or no rehearsal time during previews. There is a set amount of time that casts can rehearse each week during previews, and in the long run it is more important to iron out the kinks in the show than to have the understudies rehearse.

[laboychanning2]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:36pm

I couldn't help but chime in. I saw her today and would never have known any of this behind the scenes stuff. I say rock on to Laura! I had so much fun at the show, and I have seen it with Kelli. Who I also enjoyed. I think Lincoln Center was smart to cast two incredibly talented ladies to take care of this wonderful part!
I do have a question for one of the posters...?

When would have been the time for Ms. Duncan to have learned the blocking? When she was waiting backstage and couldn't see the show and blocking?
Or when she was onstage trying to do the blocking she was hired to do?
Or maybe after she spent so much time with the Orchestra and Musical director on the many songs she sings, Oh that's right I am sorry, she never really had a chance to do that so I guess that's out.
Sorry, but you clearly have NO idea of what this business is about and how it works.
This isn't community theater, she can't just do what she wants. She is required to follow the rules as set forth by her employer and union. She can't just say, " You know, I think I am just going to hang out on the sidelines and learn Kelli's blocking!"
Or better yet, " I think I will just go into the audience and watch the show when I am not on." That's NOT how it works.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/13/08 at 7:43pm

This isn't the first-time that this has happened during previews, where an understudy has to quickly learn the show's blocking via the wings at the last minute, etc. Some recent Broadway shows have actually CANCELLED performances simply because the understudy wasn't ready.

SIDE SHOW cancelled several preview performances until understudy Lauren Kennedy was ready.

Others can respond with the other numerous shows that have cancelled performances due to an understudy NOT being ready.

Miss Duncan's performance last night attests to her talent as I'm quite sure they were ready to cancel last night's performance IF she wasn't ready.