Mandy Patinkin to join THE GREAT COMET as Pierre for 3 week run!- Page 11

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 12:39pm

Stage Door Sally said: "Okay, I had no intention of seeing this show, now I must. Mandy will be doing matinees right? Of course I will check with Telecharge, but just wanted to know if that info was out there. Also, I know somewhere there is a thread about TGC seats. To cut to the chase, I just want good, unobstructed-view seats. Don't want to break the bank, any reco's?  Thanks."

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1096717

Personally I'd say the first few rows of the mezz are the best for viewing the show as a whole, but you should look through the thread for more specific info. 

Updated On: 7/27/17 at 12:39 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 12:49pm

Dancingthrulife2 said: " Moreover, Mandy's only got four weeks' time of rehearsal for a role that requires a very nuanced, intricate understanding of the character, the show, and the book; there's just so much in Malloy's and Tolstoy's writing that takes time to digest. I'm not questioning Mandy's ability as an actor, but it's unfair for him, as well as the audience, to undertake a role in four weeks that other actors take months to prepare.

If you still think business should at any time override the respect that every living being deserves, think again."

...How is this unfair to Mandy in the slightest? He didn't have to sign on and doesn't need the work. He hasn't been coerced.

 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 1:22pm

seaweedjstubbs said: "As a very small member of the black NYC theatre community, I have to defend the people who are vocally upset about this decision. While I don't think it's completely fair to call anyone racist in this situation, it still hurts to see a talented black actor have to give up a role to anyone, even a legend like Mandy Patinkin. None of us besides Oak and the producers know exactly how this situation was handled, but from the outside looking in, it doesn't look good at all. It just adds to a growing list of situations similar to this, namely the way that the closings of SHUFFLE ALONG, MOTOWN (the 2016 return), and AFTER MIDNIGHT were handled. Each of those shows received abrupt closing notices under shady circumstances and were thoroughly discussed on this board and elsewhere. As a black actor, it just begins to feel like producers have very little faith in black performers unless they're in a show that's a hit right out of the gate like HAMILTON. I think this outcry is a culmination of those feelings. The anger and hurt people are expressing is not all stemming from this one decision. It's just hard not to take these decisions personally when they feel like they keep happening over and over again. Hope that this makes sense and explains why people are "bringing race into it" as you're all so fond of saying."

Someone already quoted this, but I wanted to do it again. Thank you, seaweed.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 2:34pm

Discount codes still seem to be working for every date except 9/2 and 9/3. Grabbed 9/1. :)

What is the discount code? Thanks.

 

[Margo319]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 2:42pm

"I think its pretty shameful to assume one of major reasons he WAS cast is because of his "Hamilstatus".

You're kidding, right?  Of COURSE it was.  Hamilton makes 3 million a week.  It's the biggest show in the world.  He was part of the OBC.  But, he isn't bringing people in and is not a money maker,  therefore he is done.   You are delusional to think he would have been cast if he had not starred in Hamilton.  

[PaulWom]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 2:49pm

Oak was also cast before Amelie arrived on Broadway, when the "Hamilfactor" was still an unknown quantity re: box office sales.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:03pm

Dave28282 said: "chyares said: "

Interesting thought but for the long run, I think Ramin Karimloo could potentially be fantastic as Pierre. Thoughts? "

Horrible idea. A big part of the beauty of Pierre is his relaxed silky notes in his lower vocal register.

We wouldn't want having the songs turned into completely different melodies because of the inability to stay on the right notes due to hysterical blaring.
 

 

"

I know I disagree with you at times on these boards, but boy, do I love when you throw shade at Ramin. Dude can't sing. 

 

And FWIW, Ramin wouldn't save ticket sales either. Outside of theater circles, he is an unknown. 

Updated On: 7/27/17 at 03:03 PM

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:15pm

Oak is also probably the least famous out of all the Hamilton leads.  If they were to have gotten Daveed or Christopher that would have been different and probably would've brought in the $$, but Oak is completely uninteresting even to those who love Hamilton.  It was a poor choice to cast him in the first place and he then started a week late because he wasn't ready.  Now they're simply asking him to step aside for the moment to let a famous actor who will bring in an audience play the role.  It sounds like this hurt Oak's ego and he went crying to his friends who then started a personal twitter war against Comet and Patinkin by calling them racist.

Jesus, this whole thing is despicable.  I wouldn't be surprised if Comet closed because of this in the near future.  Frankly, I hope it ruins Oak's career.  I worked in the industry for quite some time and if anyone dared to do something like this then, they would've never worked again.  It's entirely unprofessional.  What's going on, on Twitter is horrible.  So many nasty comments towards Patinkin and the Great Comet (mostly by white fan girls, which I find hilariously ironic) because he couldn't suck it up and be professional about the situation.  A lot of people are calling the show out on it's lack of diversity.  Last time I checked the Tony nominated leading lady is a beautiful, young, unknown black woman.  Let's also not forget the incredible Amber Gray and that gorgeous ensemble of young people of every color.  Oak's "retaliation" is putting a whole cast of PoC at risk.  He's going to close the whole g*ddamn show because he's petty.

If only the Broadway community cared as much about their trans friends right now...............

[PaulWom]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:17pm

^seriously true. I wonder whether these twitter trolls understand how much they are actually hurting Oak's career, rather than helping it.

[froote]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:26pm

Um...there is no proof that Oak has gone crying to his friends, encouraged them to post things on Twitter or anything of the sort, nor has he made any comment at all. He's handled this as profesionally as possible, unlike the show itself.

Saying that you hope his career is ruined because of this is absolutely gross. He has done nothing to deserve any of this BS.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:29pm

^Yes he does.  It's very clear what's happening.  I've seen this kind of thing happen many, many, many times.  The actor can't say anything because that's career suicide, but his friends can say whatever they want.  It's ridiculously unprofessional behavior.

[mullein]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:33pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Oak is also probably the least famous out of all the Hamilton leads.  If they were to have gotten Daveed or Christopher that would have been different and probably would've brought in the $$, but Oak is completely uninteresting even to those who love Hamilton.  It was a poor choice to cast him in the first place and he then started a week late because he wasn't ready.  Now they're simply asking him to step aside for the moment to let a famous actor who will bring in an audience play the role.  It sounds like this hurt Oak's ego and he went crying to his friends who then started a personal twitter war against Comet and Patinkin by calling them racist.

Jesus, this whole thing is despicable.  I wouldn't be surprised if Comet closed because of this in the near future.  Frankly, I hope it ruins Oak's career.  I worked in the industry for quite some time and if anyone dared to do something like this then, they would've never worked again.  It's entirely unprofessional.  What's going on, on Twitter is horrible.  So many nasty comments towards Patinkin and the Great Comet (mostly by white fan girls, which I find hilariously ironic) because he couldn't suck it up and be professional about the situation.  A lot of people are calling the show out on it's lack of diversity.  Last time I checked the Tony nominated leading lady is a beautiful, young, unknown black woman.  Let's also not forget the incredible Amber Gray and that gorgeous ensemble of young people of every color.  Oak's "retaliation" is putting a whole cast of PoC at risk.  He's going to close the whole g*ddamn show because he's petty.

If only the Broadway community cared as much about their trans friends right now...............

 

"

Um... what? First you all say that only money makes the difference, and now "twitter trolls" have gained enough power to "close the whole show"? Pick one.

And the whole show is going to close because, despite all of this, the producers are failing to secure a marketable lead after Mandy's departure. White teen girls don't shutter Broadway shows.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:47pm

It just adds to a growing list of situations similar to this, namely the way that the closings of SHUFFLE ALONG, MOTOWN (the 2016 return), and AFTER MIDNIGHT were handled. Each of those shows received abrupt closing notices under shady circumstances and were thoroughly discussed on this board and elsewhere. As a black actor, it just begins to feel like producers have very little faith in black performers unless they're in a show that's a hit right out of the gate like HAMILTON.

Wait a second...I'm confused.  Are you saying that the shows were doing well and closed with no warning whatsoever?  

After Midnight was struggling to keep its head above water from the beginning.  Ticket sales were largely dependent on fan bases of the cast of featured performers that were to be rotated every couple of months.  It stayed open through the Tonys, but only won for choreography.  With grosses averaging around $565k, there was simply no warning that the show created for black actors would close shortly after losing out on multiple Tonys because the producers had no faith in black actors?  

Motown had the exact same producers in its return as it did in its original run when it was making money.  When it returned just 18 months later, subsequent to a national tour, it barely broke $400k.  But its because the producers had no faith in black performers?  In a hit show they created for black performers?!?!  That most of the country had already seen and no longer needed to travel to NYC?

Shuffle Along was riddled with controversy from the start, but it did sell fairly well, with a bit of a dip near the end.  I know there was a lot of gossip and not everything is 100% known to everyone, but Audra did get pregnant and the show opened during the season of Hamilton.  Did the producers simply give up on a show they created for black actors, specifically to pay tribute to the history of Broadway's first all-black musical, that potentially could have turned a profit or did the advance dry up when Audra announced her departure?

And now with Great Comet, the Oak issue is because he's black but Denee, Sumayya, Lulu and Azudi...aren't?  Or are you being more specific that the producers have no faith in a black male lead?  To me, it appears as though the producers are doing a really crappy attempt at stunt-casting replacements and whoever fills in as a placeholder gets the shaft.  But you're saying the producers did this because Oak is black?

Maybe I misunderstood what you're trying to say because to me, the dots aren't really connecting.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:48pm

^What I'm saying is this is terrible press for the show and is caused by their lead actor being petty and unprofessional.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 3:50pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^What I'm saying is this is terrible press for the show and is caused by their lead actor being petty and unprofessional."

You do realize the vast majority of people will only know that Mandy is in the show for three weeks, and nothing else? A smaller number will know Oak's run was cut short. And almost no one will know that Twitter was annoyed about it for a day.

[froote]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:01pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^Yes he does.  It's very clear what's happening.  I've seen this kind of thing happen many, many, many times.  The actor can't say anything because that's career suicide, but his friends can say whatever they want.  It's ridiculously unprofessional behavior."

Very clear to you and you alone apparently. There's no reason suspect that Oak hasn't just told his friends what has happened and they have got publicly angry on his behalf. Know that if this was Cynthia Erivo she would have said a LOT about it. Oak has refrained from doing so and has been nothing but professional. You really are disgusting to wish for a career to end over this. A new low.

[mullein]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:07pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^What I'm saying is this is terrible press for the show and is caused by their lead actor being petty and unprofessional.

 

"

Mandy's casting has gotten nothing but ecstatic publicity from any given outlet... A few hundred dedicated fans saying mean things on twitter for 1.5 days is not what makes its way to the press.

[mpd4165]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:15pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^Yes he does.  It's very clear what's happening.  I've seen this kind of thing happen many, many, many times.  The actor can't say anything because that's career suicide, but his friends can say whatever they want.  It's ridiculously unprofessional behavior."

Do you seriously hear yourself? You're damning him if does and damning him if he doesn't. 

Oak was phenomenal in the role when I saw him Friday and I hope people see him before he leaves.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:22pm

Well I hate to break it to you, but if this happened back in the day, he would've have been fired from the show and his understudy would've taken over until the replacement was ready.  I've seen it happen.  Actors who start wars against the shows that they're in, even if it's through their friends, didn't get to stay in the show.  It's unprofessional and he should have shut it down immediately.  He's known that he was getting bought out of his contract early for months.  This was no surprise to him.  His silence speaks a thousand words.

[Babe_Williams]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:24pm

GeorgeandDot said: "^Yes he does.  It's very clear what's happening.  I've seen this kind of thing happen many, many, many times.  The actor can't say anything because that's career suicide, but his friends can say whatever they want.  It's ridiculously unprofessional behavior.

 

"

Surely you are aware that many fans are passionate about their favorite shows or actors even absent any prompting from the lead actor? See: Any thread about DEH or Hamilton

 

Oak has been silent on twitter and social media about this and reports are that he staged doored yesterday and was gracious to his fans, so you are speculating a lot.

Updated On: 7/27/17 at 04:24 PM

[PaulWom]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:27pm

I'm sorry, but Oak must be aware that several of his high profile friends are waging this war against the production on social media. In fact, one of them (Rafael?) even tweeted about being at the show last night. 

[Kalimba]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:29pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Well I hate to break it to you, but if this happened back in the day, he would've have been fired from the show and his understudy would've taken over until the replacement was ready.  I've seen it happen.  Actors who start wars against the shows that they're in, even if it's through their friends, didn't get to stay in the show.  It's unprofessional and he should have shut it down immediately.  He's known that he was getting bought out of his contract early for months.  This was no surprise to him.  His silence speaks a thousand words."

Oh honey, I love how you seem to know exactly what's going on. Take a seat.

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:38pm

Oh, honey.  I do, Kalimba.  I will not be taking a seat.  You can take a seat.

There is very little damage control being done here.  Oak is not telling his friends to back the fuck off like he should be and the producers aren't dealing with it very well either. Oak's response to this whole issue is extremely passive aggressive.

Look, I understand the problem of diversity in theatre.  I was a mixed race woman working in the industry way back in the day and I have seen some horrible discrimination.  This is not one of those moments, however.  This is a man who I'm sure makes more than decent amount of money from Hamilton and has been bought out of his contract for a large sum of money.  This is business.  This is how it works.  The show is hurting and it's time to bring it a star in order to drag this show past labor day.

[froote]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:40pm

PaulWom said: "I'm sorry, but Oak must be aware that several of his high profile friends are waging this war against the production on social media. In fact, one of them (Rafael?) even tweeted about being at the show last night."

So what do you want him to do, lose his friends along with his job?

[PaulWom]

Posted: 7/27/17 at 4:42pm

Lose his friends? How? By asking them to stop attacking the show on his behalf?