You can thank the Tony Awards/2024 Broadway superspreader event for her absence (lol).
Her understudy is very good in the role. I can see in certain moments how Rachel’s charm or “it” factor may add an additional layer, but Katya is fantastic. The crowd was so enthusiastic and supportive of her at both the announcement and curtain call, and she really had us in the palm of her hand. I truly can’t think of the last time I heard straight silence from an audience as I did during the intense or high emotional moments in this show. No wrappers, no coughing, no cell phones. Might I mention that not a whole lot of people asked for refunds, as the mezzanine was about 80% full, as well as the front half of the orchestra.
I will say though - this show needs an intermission and a whole second act. It cuts off at such a weird moment and there’s no real…conclusion? Button? I’m going to read the script to see if I’m missing something, but it really feels (to me) as an incomplete work.
I am big. It’s the REVIVALS that got small.