MURPHY'S FLAW - nypost.com

[Here_I_Go_Again]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 6:55am

I think this is a FLAWED article in the NY post part. If a performer is TRULLY sick (in which ms. Murphy was), there is really no reason for them to go on. Not only will it slow down there recovery, but they will not perform near as well. I doubt that she would make this up. I’m sure she was devastated having to miss the shows. If the voters are that shallow to think that because you can sick then you don’t deserve an award, then they can keep there plastic based trophy. the woman is a GEM on and off stage. Did anyone else happen to hear her speech from the other night, one of the few who really poured out her heart and soul with Gratitude... If i was a Voter, my vote would be cast 100% more the amazing gifted and VERYY talented Donna Murphy!!!

[Plum]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 7:31am

What, was the gossip columnist from Hell criticizing Donna Murphy's attendance? He did the same thing to Bernadette Peters, who proceeded to not miss a single scheduled performance for something like a year. He just likes to tear down whoever's on top because he's a spiteful prick.

Posted: 5/21/04 at 8:01am

People..

He's stating a fact..

If a Tony voter can not SEE the performer LIVE...HOW can they VOTE for HER!!???

Should TONY voters vote because they HEARD she was good??

If that's harsh then yeah...then it's harsh!

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 8:13am

Here, Here, the Count VonVoiceanth speaks da trooth!

[Plum]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 9:35am

Okay, I'll agree there. But it doesn't change the fact that he's a prick. :)

[Craig]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 9:51am

Maybe we can start a thread of who Eddie Varley will never be able to work with in this town again

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:08am

The list is ENDLESS! The only people left are the Naked Cowboy on 45th and a small theater company in Marco's Deli's basement in Staten Island..we are doing MAME in the fall!

[Craig]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:31am

Are you playing MAME, or Dennis as a boy?

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 10:48am

It's a small budget, I'm playing all of THEM!

[cmleidi]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:10pm

I agree with Voicenath. There was nothing wrong with the article. I was struck by this portion of this column;
"Of course actors get sick, and no one begrudges them the chance to make some money in Hollywood. But Murphy's absences have been too frequent and have come at inopportune moments.
Broadway likes its stars to be troupers. This is, after all, the industry that gave the world the adage, "The show must go on."

The problem is that performers (with few exceptions) don't subscribe to that adage anymore, and if I were in a show that is in danger of closing, I would do my best to make sure that I was there every night, and that I was promoting it as best I could. Murphy's absences and the loss of the Tony could close the show.

I'm rather amazed by the number of performers who act as if showing up for a performance is optional. Would these performers who miss a lot have the same "work ethic" when working in television or films? Of course not, because they would be fired or be held financially responsible for not showing up to work.

[EddieVarley]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:13pm

a bravo to you also cmleidi

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:13pm

another fact is...should she lose that Tony...well, that show could close even sooner than anyone thought....

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:16pm

When one of the women who took over as Aida was negotiating her contract, she made it clear from the start that she wouldn't do 8 shows a week - her experience on the tour made it clear that that was too much for her. They ended up agreeing that she would be contracted for 7 - but also with the understanding that she would most likely call off one show a week. And this was what they all agreed to! Times have changed. Thankfully, there's still people like Hugh and Harvey out there working their butts off.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:29pm

First of all, there are no understudies in film and television, so that's a moot point. I too hate it when actors feign "illnesses" because they want to throw there weight around (Raul Esparza)...but if it is, in fact, a genuine illness, why do people insist on having performers go to work and spread the damn bug around? How the hell does that help?

All that being said, Reidel is still a total schmuck that clearly has an issue with woman over 40 (theater legends, if you will) because I rarely see him going after others who have also missed alot of shows, who shall remain nameless.

[cmleidi]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:33pm

I'll be curious to see how Sean Combs holds up throughout the run of RAISIN IN THE SUN. For all the criticism he received, it would be interesting if he had a better work ethic than those performers trained in the theatre and those theatre actors who criticized his casting.

[cmleidi]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:45pm

On daytime television (where some of the performers work like Tonya Pinkins), they have the equivalent of substitute teachers who step in for a performer. The fact is that these kinds of absences are not tolerated. If you're sick, it doesn't matter. You work twelve to fourteen hour days. Would Murphy's illness have kept her from filming a pilot in Los Angeles? Of course not. She can get away with absences on the stage, but she can't get away with them in television or films. If there were a financial penalty attached to missing shows, I think we wouldn't have the need to discuss performers' absences because they wouldn't be missing.

[thebigkrakowski]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 12:59pm

I don't understand why he lets Kristin off so easy.

Whatever.

[pitrepower]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 1:27pm

Before attacking miss Murphy for her sickness and absences last week.....one should really find out the reason behind it. The woman had no voice last week....which is why she left midway through last Wednesday's night show and didn't return till Sunday. I don't think lipsynching her performance would have been impressive to the Tony voters either.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 1:31pm

I'm glad someone said it, Krakowski. It's like I said, he goes after a certain "type" of performer. If I recall, Marissa Winokur missed quite a few shows last season as well, and there was not so much as a subtle mention of it. He's a fool.

About T.V./Film absences, again, you're not paying a hundred dollars to see someone on a daytime soap, it's there on your set, regardless. I, personally, have no desire to hear anyone perform in the the midst of an obvious head cold/flu. I'm even less "inspired" by the "troupers" that I'm told went on with the show, in spite of vomiting in a bucket off stage in between scenes. Just stay the hell home and screw Reidel (and the Tonys), for that matter. Updated On: 5/21/04 at 01:31 PM

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 1:36pm

I understand that Murphy got hurt during the show (in her recent missing of performances).

The funny thing is NONE of you have ever starred in a show on Broadway to know how difficult it is to do 8 shows a week. In film and TV, you can stop. You can reshoot even. But on stage, you have to give your all for two plus hours. Try doing that when you are sick or hurt.

The truth is Donna hasn't missed as much as some people like to make it sound. When she wins on the 6th, it will be very deserved.


In addition, shows are also written much differently today--Ethel Merman could never have done Aida, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, etc. 8 shows a week successfully. Donna is not playing Ruth the way Rosalind did--Donna sings the crap out of it.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 1:39pm

Thank you JRB. Reidel is a bored little man who is just plain malevolent. Maybe she snubbed him sometime, somewhere? hmmm? How else can you explain his lunatic rantings?

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 1:58pm

Simple answer. It sells papers and has threads dedicated to it on message boards.

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a handsome and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "WOW--WHAT A RIDE!!!!""

[Plum]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 2:12pm

The fact is that these kinds of absences are not tolerated. If you're sick, it doesn't matter. You work twelve to fourteen hour days.

When you're a star and a rare talent, all kinds of things are tolerated. Can you give me an example of the movie or television equivalent of what Donna Murphy is in musical theater being fired because of illness?

Al Dente, Riedel just likes to go after whoever's on top, as long as they present a juicy target. He's like a shark with blood- Murphy is vulnerable right now, so in he came. I really have no idea why he didn't go after Chenoweth. She seems like a perfect punching bag for his viciousness. Probably because Murphy is more prominent. I guess his goal is to destroy one leading lady per season. Idiot.

[robbiej]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 2:15pm

Donna Murphy does not need to worry about Michael Riedel. She does, however, need to worry about the people who are talking to him. Let's face it. We all know who and what he is. And he's got a job to do...and he does it well. What's more distrubing is the attitude of people within the business who are talking to him and making these comments.

[cmleidi]

Posted: 5/21/04 at 2:18pm

If Chenoweth doesn't show up, most (if not all) of the customers do not return their tickets for a refund/exchange. The customers are buying tickets for the show. The same thing with Winokur (although recent grosses would indicate HF was the main draw). If Murphy misses, a significant number of tickets are returned. There's a difference. WONDERFUL TOWN is a star vehicle.

I would not want anyone to harm themselves, but some of these performers miss because they can. It's that simple. It's not about the rigors of the job or the new way the musicals are written. They miss because they can get away with it. Hugh Jackman has said that he's been quite sick on occasion while performing, but that it was his job to show up and give the best performance possible. I doubt the audience knew he was sick those nights. I also highly doubt that Merman would be unable to meet the demands of an eight show a week schedule.