MISS SAIGON Men were Out
MISS SAIGON Men were Out
#1MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 7:32pm
Today, I was at the matinee of Miss Saigon where Jon Jon (devasted, but his understudy was excellent), Alistar (I was dying to see Colby as Chris, so that was perfect), and the actor who's Thuy (can't reach my playbill) were all out today.
this was very bizzare. Any reason why they would be out at the same time or is it because of sickness? Was it a understudy day or something?
veronicamae
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/13/09
#2MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 7:48pm
JJ was out last night when I went, but he was the only absence, and Billy B was great.
Updated On: 6/7/17 at 07:48 PM
#4MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 8:09pm
According to social media, Devin is on vocal rest.
#5MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 8:23pm
Ok cool. Julian who was Thuy had a gorgeous voice
smidge
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/06
#6MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 9:59pm
You can blame my friend who was at today's matinee also. When he saw Groundhog Day, Andy Karl was out. When he saw Bandstand, Corey Cott was out. So, of course, the leading men were out of today's show. (And I caught his bad luck when David Hyde Pierce was out of Hello Dolly)
#7MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 10:04pm
EDIT: now I get it!
Damn your friend 
Haha :)
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#8MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 11:25pm
Don't you feel like more and more people call out? I remember seeing Patti Lupone in Gypsy pulling a tissue out of her sleeve. #dedication
#9MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/7/17 at 11:33pm
RippedMan said: "Don't you feel like more and more people call out? I remember seeing Patti Lupone in Gypsy pulling a tissue out of her sleeve. #dedication "
That show-must-go-on professionalism is still alive. As a matter of fact Andy Karl has a reputation for showing up no matter what (as does Ben Platt). But there are certain physical realities that have to be faced, obviously. I think we all know that Karl is lucky to be in the show at all, and hopefully will be able to resume a full schedule soon.
#10MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 12:14am
Tony rehearsal was today, I wonder if that had anything to do with it. I think I've also seen that Colton Ryan has been filling in for Ben Platt.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#12MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 12:34am
I'm sure the getting hit in the head is heavily staged and is "stage combat" meaning no one is actually getting hit. And if he is, it is very soft.
I think the role - as is Platt's - is a lot, but is it too difficult? I don't know. I'm not doing 8x a week. I just think there are equally as grueling roles in the theater. Just feel like people call out like it's no big deal these days. And by that, I'm really judging the men of Miss Saigon. I saw it, and there's no reason why any of those men can't do the show. Unless there really is an illness. But seems like the Engineer is always out. Which I don't get.
Wayman_Wong
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#13MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 12:50am
''I remember seeing Patti Lupone in Gypsy pulling a tissue out of her sleeve. #dedication''
For the record, Patti has missed some performances at ''War Paint.''
#15MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 1:56am
Wayman_Wong said: "''I remember seeing Patti Lupone in Gypsy pulling a tissue out of her sleeve. #dedication''
For the record, Patti has missed some performances at ''War Paint.''
"
And missed some performances of Gypsy and a ridiculous number of performances in Evita.
Wayman_Wong
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#16MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 2:02am
To be clear, I was quoting RippedMan's quote about Patti in ''Gypsy.''
#17MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 2:36am
The roles of Chris and Thuy in Miss Saigon are very vocally demanding. I can't imagine how they do it eight times a week. There's a reason why Kim has an alternate.
And I don't know about you, but my allergies have been flaring up a lot this spring. I'm sure actors feel it too, and if you are required to sing for the better part of two and a half hours in a very high register, it could possibly affect the quality of the performance. I don't know if this is the case, but it's certainly a possibility. I'd rather see a healthy and capable understudy ready to go on than an actor who is under the weather.
#18MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 4:23am
None of the roles in Miss Saigon are so difficult that they should require an alternate. Kim is a very difficult part to sing, but it's no more difficult than Evan Hansen and Ben Platt misses very few performances. If the performers are supporting their singing with proper technique, they should not need an alternate. It's not like they're singing Mozart.
That being said, people do get sick and no one wants to see a performer end up causing permanent vocal damage because they thought that they could power through an illness. That being said, if I were performing in a Broadway show, it would take a lot for me to miss a performance. The audience has paid to see me and I, as an artist, should be deeply excited to get to show off my art. Basically, I keep on hearing from friends of mine that it's nearly impossible to see Miss Saigon with all the principles on. It seems like someone is always out and an alternate is on. These performers should be more than capable of performing this show 8 times a week.
smidge
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/06
#19MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 7:04am
disneybroadwayfan22 said: "EDIT: now I get it!
Damn your friend Haha :)
You were right though, he saw Bandstand the day after Corey's son was born. Sometimes it's just a matter of bad timing when seeing a show. But the amount of absences are surprising, especially for shows early in their run or during Tony time.
#20MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 7:31am
People call out for many reasons, not just because of illness. Death in the family, a family member's wedding, Doctor's appointments, family emergency, the list goes on and on. I understand the disappointment of not seeing someone in a show, but it seems unfair to blame or take a tally of a person's absences. These are real people dealing with real life - things happen that require absences. I work in a non-theater related job and there's at least 3 people who call out a day (out of a staff of 100). It sucks, but it is what it is.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#21MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 9:35am
I had no clue about Rocky! That sounds awful!!!
#22MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 11:04am
HeyMrMusic said: "According to social media, Devin is on vocal rest."
Devin Ilaw is a powerhouse.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#23MISS SAIGON Men were Out
Posted: 6/8/17 at 11:38am
Lot666 said: "HeyMrMusic said: "According to social media, Devin is on vocal rest."
Devin Ilaw is a powerhouse."
I agree, and I believe it would take a lot for someone like him to call out sick.
I agree that Miss Saigon isn't Mozart, but Mozart also wrote for natural voices and these singers may not have the vocal training of someone who would sing Mozart. It's not impossible to sing eight times a week, but it's hard to maintain I would imagine. I wouldn't want to sing Chris eight times a week.
Also, Billy Bustamante publicly posts when he has specific dates he knows that he's going on as the Engineer, so Jon Jon probably has specifically taken those performances off for whatever reason. Sure, there's an ego actors have about not wanting to take off because the audience paid to see you, but also life just happens sometimes and that's why there are two understudies ready to go on in case something were to come up.
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