Lindsay Mendez in Merrily We Roll Along- Page 5

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 1/9/24 at 2:20pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "The Tony nominating committee is small-ish, like 25 - 30 people I believe, maybe up to around 40 some years. They will often reschedule their attendance if a major actor is out, but not always. She will likely still be nominated. However, if she continues this attendance record, she has no chance of winning, since voters can only vote for actors they have seen.

Then again, she already has a Tony Award, so perhaps it isn’t that important to her."

If the policy is changed back after last year’s “you can miss one nominee and still vote” change because of so many covid/sickness absences, then anyone who votes in that category will have had to see all nominees (including Lindsay, if nominated) in order to vote. The absences won’t really matter if they’re voting purely on merit.

[BernadetteJD]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 12:14pm

She was in the matinee yesterday, but out for the evening show (which I attended). Bought these tickets all the way back in March 2023. Was definitely disappointed she was not there- as this show is obviously billed as a trio, but since Sherz has been on so often- you can definitely feel the connection between those 3 too.

[Robbie2]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 12:56pm

Loved Lindsay in this and not sure why people are keeping track of all her performances she's missing and or obsessed by her missed performances??? So what's the deal...........Vocal issues?

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 1:04pm

Robbie2 said: "Loved Lindsay in this and not sure why people are keeping track of all her performances she's missing and or obsessed by her missed performances??? So what's the deal...........Vocal issues?"

The internet was brutal on Donna Murphy and Laura Benanti when they had attendance issues years ago. The response towards Mendez feels mild compared to what those two experienced. 

[BernadetteJD]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 1:22pm

Honestly- I think it would just be nice for the show to post something on instagram of the schedule when/if they know. It would at least curtail expectations. All the interviews are the three of them; it’s clearly how the show is being marketed so I was a bit disappointed. Further, seems to happen at a fairly high %.  Unfortunately, was just in town for weekend, booked these tickets back in March 2023 and don’t know if I’ll be able to come back to see it. 

[Shubert Alley Cat]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 1:50pm

BernadetteJD said: "Honestly- I think it would just be nice for the show to post something on instagram of the schedule when/if they know. It would at least curtail expectations. All the interviews are the three of them; it’s clearly how the show is being marketed so I was a bit disappointed. Further, seems to happen at a fairly high %. Unfortunately, was just in town for weekend, booked these tickets back in March 2023 and don’t know if I’ll be able to come back to see it."

Exactly!  The three of them were on Colbert for their big interview on a Monday.  I went to the Saturday matinee only five days later and she is out which I did not know until I saw the slip in the Playbill.  So they are promoting her presence in the show to sell it but customers are only getting what is advertised like 75% of the time.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 2:07pm

Shubert Alley Cat said: "BernadetteJD said: "Honestly- I think it would just be nice for the show to post something on instagram of the schedule when/if they know. It would at least curtail expectations. All the interviews are the three of them; it’s clearly how the show is being marketed so I was a bit disappointed. Further, seems to happen at a fairly high %. Unfortunately, was just in town for weekend, booked these tickets back in March 2023 and don’t know if I’ll be able to come back to see it."

Exactly! The three of them were on Colbert for their big interview on a Monday. I went to the Saturday matinee only five days later and she is out which I did not know until I saw the slip in the Playbill. So they are promoting her presence in the show to sell it but customers are only getting what is advertised like 75% of the time."

It's clearly a show-by-show decision on her going on for any given performance.

I struggle to recognize what exactly y'all want...for her to be demoted?

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 2:50pm

It’s hilarious to me that some people are complaining that people are whatever about Mendez missing shows, yet when others miss shows people have their torches out. Nobody has even been outright rude about Mendez missing performances lol

[Kimbo]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 3:30pm

n2nbaby said: "It’s hilarious to me that some people are complaining that people are whatever about Mendez missing shows, yet when others miss shows people have their torches out. Nobody has even been outright rude about Mendez missing performances lol"

This is absolutely true. Forget about Benanti and you don’t even have to go back to Donna Murphy. It was less than a year and a half ago that all the chat boards and in fact most of the Internet seemed united in glee counting down the final months of Beanie Feldstein’s run in Funny Girl and tallying all of her countless absences - and in her case she actually WAS trying to be transparent about the reasons (Covid, a cold, a wedding, Covid again) but was still vilified for it. So nothing’s ever good enough. 
 

(To be fair, as people are saying Mendez has missed 30 shows since it opened, Feldstein was actually absent far more - I found one thread that totaled her absences as having missed more than 40 shows by 2 and a half months into the run. It was right around that time they announced Lea Michele would be coming in, and no wonder. But this situation on Merrily is clearly different: a) whatever absences were due to a personal matter it’s clear the producers want to support her through that, b) whatever absences are due to filming her TV show are ones they would’ve had to approve, and c) most importantly, by all accounts she’s a joy to work with and, unlike Feldstein, got great reviews!)

[Springtime]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 3:50pm

Mendez has missed 42 of 112 shows. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 1/14/24 at 4:09pm

veronicamae said:

"It's clearly a show-by-show decision on her going on for any given performance.

I struggle to recognize what exactly y'all want...for her to be demoted?"

As far as I know, she hasn't performed a Wednesday matinee in months, which doesn't indicate a show-by-show decision. It's pretty clear that they're planned absences, and all anyone is asking for is some transparency about it, as a courtesy, since she is above the title. The fact she's smallest draw of the three is irrelevant to those audience members who want to see the principal cast, and could possibly make other arrangements if they knew about her absences in advance.
 

Updated On: 1/14/24 at 04:09 PM

[bwaydreamer]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 11:29am

I think people are annoyed when actors do this because if you can't do 8 shows a week, then Broadway isn't for you.  It's the Olympics of acting and there are literally 1000s of insanely talented people waiting in the wings so when someone is calling out left and right, for a role that isn't even that difficult vocally, it is bound to annoy some people.  If you are a legend playing a very difficult part (see Bernadette in Gypsy) then that is a different story.  But Lindsay should not be missing all these performances.  Its rude to the audience, theater fans and other actors who can do their jobs.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 11:34am

It's been established at this point that Mendez has a lot going on in her personal life. Her absences have nothing to do with the part being vocally demanding or not. If the producers had an issue with her absences and felt they were excessive or without merit, there are just cause termination contractual terms to replace her.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 11:45am

Springtime said: "Mendez has missed 42 of 112 shows."

and Alex Newell called out ALOT after winning the Tony, including the entire last month of the run of Shucked, thou they did go on for the final perf last night since the media was there.  But that's completely acceptable and understandable....... 

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 12:01pm

Kad said: "It's been established at this point that Mendez has a lot going on in her personal life. Her absences have nothing to do with the part being vocally demanding or not. If the producers had an issue with her absences and felt they were excessive or without merit, there are just cause termination contractual terms to replace her."

Has it been established, or is it just conjecture by gossipy people who did an internet search, found an article about her personal life from early 2023 (an article BWW rightly keeps deleting every time it's posted), and keep claiming that has something to do with her absences ten months later with no other proof?

[Kad]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 12:13pm

MemorableUserName said: "Kad said: "It's been established at this point that Mendez has a lot going on in her personal life. Her absences have nothing to do with the part being vocally demanding or not. If the producers had an issue with her absences and felt they were excessive or without merit, there are just cause termination contractual terms to replace her."

Has it been established, or is it just conjecture by gossipy people who did an internet search, found an article about her personal life from early 2023 (an article BWW rightly keeps deleting every time it's posted), and keep claiming that has something to do with her absences ten months later with no other proof?"

As opposed to what- the needless conjecture without any semblance of any evidence at all, and then getting outraged over it?

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 12:19pm

I don't think anyone is villifying Mendez for whatever is plaguing her, but with Feldstein and many others the production or the actor themselves offered explanations about pre-planned events, illness, etc. In todays age of media saturation, and since every actor and every production has 64 different ways of communicating with us whenever they feel like it, it has become expected to have a general idea of whats going on, especially as the price of admission to these shows ticks way up, and we have more and more options re where/how to spend our time and money.

This scenario is the worst elements of all that context: the ticket prices for this are through the roof, the production is constantly advertising and social-media-ing all over the place, particularly emphasizing an ad campaign that showcases these three leads, and not a single word has been offered as explanation/contextualization for one of the lead's missing a third of the performances--actually, forget explanation, just information so ticket buyers and audiences know what to expect. 

This isn't an accident. This is a choice by the producers. And its theirs to make! But its not exactly the most honorable/transparent one. People are right to keep pointing it out and highlighting it, because its ugly.

None of this has anything to do with whatever is causing all these absences- maybe shes sick, maybe shes got alot going on, maybe her understudy is holding her hostage backstage so she can launch her own career.  But the lack of information is a bad look. 

(and fwiw I saw her understudy and thought she was fantastic. do not let this detract from your experience with the show).

[quizking101]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 12:35pm

In the post-COVID era, many performers are taking more steps to take care of themselves in spite of producers wanting them to just continue chugging along like machines.

The example I recall at the same time as Beanie was A STRANGE LOOP. That show was physically and emotionally tough on everyone involved, especially Jaquel. Many people made hay of him not being in, especially during Tony season, but his health had to take priority or he risked destroying his voice. Not to mention the multiple waves of COVID that ran through the company. Many people on here complained about not being able to see the full original company, but don’t realize that part of the magic of that show was that, when an understudy went on, their individual performances were so distinct that the role they went on in was just a framework. (I say this as having seen Kyle Ramar Freeman go on not only as Usher, but Thoughts 4 (Mother) and 6 (Inwood Daddy) as well.)

Whatever is affecting Lindsay should not really be our business and I feel like we should be a little more forgiving. It’s clearly something that is incapacitating her from performing to the full extent and I’m sure it’s not something she purposely planned to have throw a wrench into what is arguably the biggest role of her Broadway career so far

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 12:35pm

Kad said: "MemorableUserName said: "Kad said: "It's been established at this point that Mendez has a lot going on in her personal life. Her absences have nothing to do with the part being vocally demanding or not. If the producers had an issue with her absences and felt they were excessive or without merit, there are just cause termination contractual terms to replace her."

Has it been established, or is it just conjecture by gossipy people who did an internet search, found an article about her personal life from early 2023 (an article BWW rightly keeps deleting every time it's posted), and keep claiming that has something to do with her absences ten months later with no other proof?"

As opposed to what- the needless conjecture without any semblance of any evidence at all, and then getting outraged over it?"

There's no difference. A random internet article from early 2023 found in the laziest of searches is no semblance of any evidence at all of a connection to the current discussion. Nothing has been established. It's just more needless conjecture.

[Kimbo]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 3:26pm

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the best. I know this has been alluded to on here and I mentioned it myself, but Lindsay is one of the leads in the new series “American Sports Story”. Some simple googling shows that the series began filming in April and was suspended in July due to the strikes. Lindsay’s casting wasn’t officially announced until November 3rd, shortly before the strikes were resolved. Meanwhile the show’s Wikipedia page lists her as one of the 3 leads of that show.  And sure enough it was officially confirmed that they had resumed filming in New Jersey before the 1st of January.  
I know someone on here insisted without proof that the missed shows had nothing to do with a professional contract and all to do with other issues, and maybe that was true in mid-November. But by now it simply stands to reason that while some of the absences were unplanned ones due to personal matters, others have been scheduled in advance to accommodate the filming. (That would dovetail with what someone noted above that she’s missing all the Wednesday matinees, as no doubt the show is filming weekdays during the daytime as much as possible; people shooting shows such as Law and Order have always had a hard time getting out in time to make it to the mats.). And all along every report of the people who actually have seen her have said she’s terrific, heartbreaking, in great voice, etc. (Seriously has anyone heard, even from people who didn’t like her in this, that she seemed unhealthy or unfocused or turned in a phoned-in performance?)

Its clear to me this isn’t an issue of professionalism, work ethic, or being “difficult”; she’s filming a lead on a TV show while she’s playing a lead in a Broadway musical.  That’s the producers’ decision to allow it, and they may well be regretting it. I have no doubt believing she’s missed more than they anticipated, and I’m sure even more then Mendez herself was prepared for or had hoped for. That may continue for a bit while she does this double-duty. (When shooting schedules fall behind, due to weather, to Covid, or to other factors, people often find out only at the last minute.).

But at this point there doesn’t seem to be much of a mystery; she simply has a lot on her plate and by all accounts is balancing it all remarkably well. (The show itself, however, could indeed be handling it differently.)

Updated On: 1/15/24 at 03:26 PM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 3:47pm

If she is filming a TV show while performing a role on Broadway that would generally require your attendance 8 times a week, then it is "an issue of professionalism, work ethic, or being 'difficult'" to not schedule it out and announce it to the public in advance.

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/15/24 at 4:14pm

“This isn't an accident. This is a choice by the producers. And its theirs to make! But its not exactly the most honorable/transparent one. People are right to keep pointing it out and highlighting it, because its ugly.

None of this has anything to do with whatever is causing all these absences- maybe shes sick, maybe shes got alot going on, maybe her understudy is holding her hostage backstage so she can launch her own career.  But the lack of information is a bad look.”

Bingo. 

[bear88]

Posted: 1/16/24 at 4:43am

I have no idea why Mendez is missing so many performances. There has been all sorts of speculation but no explanation from the show or the actor herself. There may, of course, be a very understandable reason for that - and it may be none of our business.

But the producers aren’t quietly letting anyone know a thing. The average person knows nothing about the frequent absences. My daughter is seeing Merrily next weekend, traveling across the country, and she has no idea about any of this. I don’t think it would have affected her decision to buy a ticket, and I have heard nothing but good things about her understudies.

The decision to stay quiet, whether done for good reasons or not, hasn’t hurt the producers at all. The revival has been the smash hit of the season, and Lindsay Mendez - as wonderful as I thought she was in the show - is simply not a big enough name to affect ticket sales at all. Some people might be a little disappointed, especially given the way the musical has been promoted, but few people outside of this thread seem all that bothered.

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 1/16/24 at 5:49pm

I’m bitter because Mendez’s performance is actually great, one I actually prefer to Radcliffe’s and think is on par with Groff’s. Her performance really fleshed out Mary in a way that I think only she could. The understudy has great vocal, but there’s just not that oomph you would expect from a great Sondheim show. You’ll get a good night out regardless of who you get, but Mendez deserves to be above title 100% for her mesmerizing performance.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 1/16/24 at 6:23pm

Clearly to tell how many great featured performances there are going to be for the remainder of the season -- I do nt remember a season in which so many musicals are scheduled to open in the next 3 1/2 months -- I wonder whether all these absences will impact her Tony chances.  I would have said that it would take a lot for someone to come along and better her performance, but repeated absence has certainly been a factor in others' Tony chances.