Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
BigEOnBroadway
Swing Joined: 4/14/16
#1Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 7:34pm
I have tickets to see Hamilton tomorrow night (Friday) with my girlfriend. We are both very excited to see the show with members of the original cast.
However, we both noticed that Leslie Odom Jr. posted on his Twitter account that he was dealing with a mild throat infection and I know he was definitely out of the show on Monday night. Does anyone know if he performed on Tuesday or Wednesday this week?
Hoping he's back on stage tomorrow night but certainly understand that rest and care are both necessary for an actor dealing with an illness.
#2Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 7:58pm
I would like the opportunity to nurse him back to health...lol
#3Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 8:34pm
Second that lol
Hopefully he is feeling 100% soon. I'm looking forward to seeing him and Cynthia Erivo at the Drama League's Up Close event this Sunday night.
I like a good rhyme more than a good time
#4Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 10:21pm
He wasn't part of the cast pictures shared on twitter for the Wednesday matinee's Edu4Ham either.
Caption: Every so often there was a rare moment of perfect balance when I soared above him.
#5Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 10:24pm
Valentina3 said: "He wasn't part of the cast pictures shared on twitter for the Wednesday matinee's Edu4Ham either.
"
But he tweeted about the performance, saying that it made the show feel new again:
Use my code "YZTFG" for $20 OFF tickets on TodayTix!
mar6411
Broadway Star Joined: 9/19/09
Broadway Star Joined: 12/31/69
#7Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 10:47pm
He was out last thursday. I was very disappointed when I saw that he was out, but I decided that surely they would have a great understudy. Boy was I wrong. His understudy was very weak and much too mild-mannered for Burr. His Room Where It Happens was on point though, but everything else was lacking. Which is crazy because you'd think that Hamilton could and would get the best of the best.
MyLife
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
#8Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 11:08pm
245601, I sadly agree. I saw the same understudy on Monday and I was thoroughly underwhelmed. I also agree that Room Where It Happens was fantastic but the energy of Burr was not in the room the rest of the evening. He was my third Burr too.
#9Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/14/16 at 11:13pm
245601 said: "He was out last thursday. I was very disappointed when I saw that he was out, but I decided that surely they would have a great understudy. Boy was I wrong. His understudy was very weak and much too mild-mannered for Burr. His Room Where It Happens was on point though, but everything else was lacking. Which is crazy because you'd think that Hamilton could and would get the best of the best.
"
Sadly I found this to be the case when John Rua played Hamilton. Not sure why more time is not spent on understudies. Never been that disappointed with understudies in other shows. Sometimes I find they can be better than the lead.
Not to be confused with Dave19.
#10Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 7:36am
I was there last Thursday and reacted differently. At first I was thrown because Austin Smith's voice is lower than Leslie's and blended in with the other vocals so much that Burr got a little lost for me. But as the performance went on I thought he was very effective at portraying Burr's hesitancy and indecision. Leslie is such a star that it's hard to see the ambivalence in his portrayal although the lyrics get you there. I was very disappointed that leslie was out, but was pleasantly surprised by the substitute. Fortunately I had seen leslie before.
Updated On: 4/15/16 at 07:36 AM
#11Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 8:36am
The one thing I give credit to the ensemble members in Hamilton is that some of them are covering multiple roles (especially the swings). Not an easy thing to do. As I've seen both Sydney and Austin as George Washington (and having read here how Austin is as Burr) I wonder how Sydney is as Burr.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
Updated On: 4/15/16 at 08:36 AM
#12Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 8:50am
This is probably the place in the show's run where we're going to see a lot of the principal actors starting to become exhausted and get sick a lot. The show requires a LOT of energy, and LMM is doing a ton of stuff on the side too. They're all troopers, God bless 'em, but they're only human. I don't think I could do it!
MyLife
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
#13Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 8:58am
DottieD'Luscia said: "The one thing I give credit to the ensemble members in Hamilton is that some of them are covering multiple roles (especially the swings). Not an easy thing to do. As I've seen both Sydney and Austin as George Washington (and having read here how Austin is as Burr) I wonder how Sydney is as Burr.
I've been fortunate to see Leslie, Sydney, and Austin as burr. Sydney was fantastic. Going of what SleepWalker said, I found that Sydney was the perfect blend between Austin and Leslie. His acting choices were superb and his voice stood out above others. His voice may not be as silky smooth as Leslie's but it's still passionate, beautiful, and powerful. What I loved about him was he showed Burr's insecurities in a way most people do in real life. From the beginning he was cockier and less genuine when putting on a smile, covering up for how Burr really feels. But then after Room Where It Happens that mask comes off and you see the 180 burr made. Sydney's Burr before that change made the entire development more dramatic and I loved it. Leslie is a little more tender and subtle in his portrayal, almost like he doesn't want behave this way or make this change but feels like he has no other choice. Sydney, however, seemed more out of control like he could not stop it from happening. Both incredible. With Austin, his indecision and hesitancy came off as bored and just going through the motions. It lacked energy all over.
"
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#14Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 9:00am
I may be mistaken, but Sydney seems to have been out a lot lately, meaning Austin has been going on for Washington & Burr. Does anyone know if he's injured or something?
I do know, via Instagram, that Nicholas Christopher was just hired as a standby for Washington/Burr, and he's an excellent performer.
Updated On: 4/15/16 at 09:00 AM
#15Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 9:05am
MyLife, thank you so much for the detailed response! I would love to see Sydney as Burr.
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#16Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 10:47am
There's been a lot of illness/injury plaguing the cast, plus vacations. Or they could just be rotating in other understudies, like how Ephraim Sykes was on for Mulligan/Madison a week or two ago or how Emmy went in for Angelica before she left.
There was a NYT article (I think) from April 5 that was about Jeffrey Seller, but they mentioned watching Sydney because he was being considered for Burr in the Chicago or touring casts.
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#17Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 10:49am
Right, but there's a reason Sydney hasn't been going on, especially if he's as good as everyone says. It's been several weeks. Just hoping he's OK.
ChiTheaterFan
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/15
#18Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 12:40pm
When Syndey isn't in as Burr or Washington he plays James Reynolds and the doctor. Has he been out of the show entirely or just not covering Burr/Washington? If he's still in the show I wouldn't worry too much. I can imagine many reasons they'd want to rotate in some other understudies, especially with cast changes likely coming, the Chicago production, the tour, etc. No idea, though.
I would LOVE it if he took over Burr (or Washington or any other role) in Chicago! Leslie is by far my favorite so I always think I would hate to see him out the show, and I love Christopher Jackson so likewise I am always happy when he's in. But I think Harcourt is great in the roles he has and I'd love to see him cover one of the principals.
sorano916
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/6/08
#19Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 2:25pm
Has Andrew been on as Burr? He's also an understudy...
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#20Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 2:35pm
No, I don't think so. Also, I think that's a recent addition- he didn't always cover Burr.
sorano916
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/6/08
#21Leslie Odom Jr - out sick this week?
Posted: 4/15/16 at 2:50pm
Strangely enough, according to Playbill Vault, it says he became an understudy in September so it's been a while, but I guess he's more useful/settled in his other understudy roles than as Burr. Plus Leslie's attendance has been pretty good until lately with sickness.
Sydney's birthday was on the 2nd so some of his absence might be due to a vacation. *shrugs* Sydney recently was added a Lafayette/Jefferson understudy so that would be interesting to see, too.
Videos