Matthew James Thomas out of pippin today- Page 2

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 1:20am

double post.
Updated On: 7/8/13 at 01:20 AM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 8:13am

wdwfreak, why would someone who's already in a principal role remain first cover for another principal role? That would require two understudies going on every time Thomas is out instead of one, which seems to be why they've added another understudy in the first place. It makes significantly more sense that the off-stage cover will now become the first cover.

Updated On: 7/8/13 at 08:13 AM

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 8:23am

gchris, I was there on Saturday night, who else was out besides the Bolero?

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 10:59am

Spoiler Alert******






Olga Karmansky, either Molly Tynes or Kelsey Jamieson ( I don't know which one because of the make up) , Not sure of the other players names. In Glory, Philip usually goes up on the set piece chasing after one of the players catches her and "slits" her throat, she falls backwards to be caught by the rest of the players. Philip then jumps off the top of the set on to the left pole and swings back down to the stage. That did not happen Sat night. Not enough people. I have also noticed there is a gentleman that fills in for Anthony Wayne, I don't know his name and I have never seen him listed in the playbill or on a notice slip. Or if he is listed the make up changes his appearance a lot. Great dancer.

During Simple Joys there should have been 2 girls flipping over the balls, there was only one. Then Philip does his slide across the balls.

Also absent was the clown bike Rachel usually rides twice in the show.

[isaac.evans]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 12:41pm

Billy and Erik share Pippin understudy responsibility equally. In fact, neither Billy nor Erik has been told they are "first" or "second." The only thing keeping Billy from going on is the fact that his costumes are not completed and does not fit in Erik or Matthew's existing costumes.

This was told to me directly from a good friend of mine who is close to the production. Just thought some of you would want to know.

Updated On: 7/8/13 at 12:41 PM

[Anshel2]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 12:53pm

I enjoyed Matthew very much, but would much rather watch Erik Altemus shirtless participating in an orgy on stage.

Updated On: 7/8/13 at 12:53 PM

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 1:04pm

I noticed Erik has been getting in on the Orgy. That is kindda creepy to me. Being watched by my 1/2 brother While I am getting it on.... ICK!

Although I do enjoy seeing Erik shirtless.

[Anshel2]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 1:13pm

Gchris, I guess you don't have a hot 1/2 brother!

[TheLadyoftheWood]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 1:57pm

Billy can't fit in the costumes?

Doesn't Pippin wear an over-sized sweater most of the show?

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 2:26pm

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS***

For those who saw the show with Erik as Pippin, did he do the trick with the dog (who belongs to Matthew James Thomas)? If so, Is it still the same dog? Or is that only done with Matthew????

[isaac.evans]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 2:36pm

Actually, the chain mail shirt is specifically tailored to fit the boys.

Updated On: 7/14/13 at 02:36 PM

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 7/8/13 at 3:09pm

gchris,
Oh okay! Yeah I thought something was different during "Glory" and other little bits of the show, not super noticeable though (I've seen the show 3 times). Thanks!

[gchris11]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 12:41am

The chain mail shirt was looking rough tonight. There was damage to one of the sleeves. How does that happen. It is chain mail.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/10/13 at 6:03am

I don't trust anybody with three first names.

[mikem]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 3:51pm

Hey guys,
Sorry it's taken so long to report back on Erik Altemus's performance and the rest of Pippin last Sunday. I thought Erik did a great job. He sang Corner of the Sky really well (although I think he cut off the last note earlier than he meant to), and he did a great job in general. I saw the show early in previews, and one big change from Matthew James Thomas is their apparent relative ages.

I have no idea what their actual ages are, but Erik without the mustache looks really, really young. He looks much younger than everyone else on stage besides Theo (which I didn't feel was true with MJT). Erik is also in excellent shape, but he's not as much hard muscle as most of the rest of the cast (again, in contrast to MJT). For me, Erik's Pippin seemed much younger and more innocent, which I think works really well for the character. The only place where I noticed he was a little bit tentative was when he was jumping to and from the poles in Extraordinary (and, since there's no safety net, I'd rather have him be careful than hurt himself). I think both Erik and MJT do a great job.

As for the other players, both Olga Kurmansky and Lolita Costet were out, and Colin Cunliffe was playing Lewis, so there were 3 swings on. The circus tricks were cut back a little -- all of the changes noted by gchris11 earlier in this thread was also missing on Sunday. I was a little disappointed with that, although I don't think I would have noticed if I hadn't seen the show before.

In response to the earlier question, the dog came out (and I think it was the same dog as usual).

Some other changes from the earlier performance: the audience didn't seem to know the show as well -- no anticipatory applause at the top of the show, the sing-along with Andrea Martin seemed pretty tentative (and she did not get a standing o and she also did not get entrance applause). The orchestra did what seemed to be the exact same warmup as on the cast recording, which I don't remember from before.

Also, the first time I saw the show, MJT looked like he could barely hold it together during Andrea Martin's song. He looked like he was going to start laughing for quite a while. I thought that was part of the character (it kind of led into the "That's my grandma!" line, and Andrea Martin seemed to be encouraging it), but Erik didn't do it at all. Has anyone seen MJT do that in performances they have seen?

The other interesting thing that happened was that one of the hula hoops in Simple Joys shot out into the audience and hit the people in the front row. Then about 30 seconds later, the exact same thing happened again! The audience member was not hurt, and both Patina Miller and the ensemble member who bobbled the hoops were very nice about it. Patina went up to the front row and shook hands with the people and asked them if they were okay after the song was over, and I think the ensemble member asked them as well.

Terrence Mann, Charlotte D'Amboise, and Andrea Martin all did not come out the stage door afterwards. At this point, are they still coming out in general?

Updated On: 7/13/13 at 03:51 PM

[broadwayboy924]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:02pm

Responding to two of your questions in your post...I've seen Pippin twice on Broadway and both times MJT cracks up at the end of Andrea's song. Also later in the show Rachel Bay Jones laughs too during a scene or two. I think both MJT and RBJ are such great actors that their laughing looks genuine (maybe it really is?) and the audience seems to really like that (myself included).

I last saw the show about two and a half weeks ago, and both Terrence and Charlotte came out to sign. Terrence seemed a bit more talkative and interactive with the crowd and they both stayed to sign for quite a bit. Andrea I saw 'sneak' out another exit and she hasnt came out to sign for either times I've gone so far, but Im sure she has other nights.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 4:43pm

Is Kelsey Jamieson also a new swing?? she's not listed on PlaybillVault.com. or is she replacing one of the circus performers?

This was one thing I was worried about with the show is that when these circus performers start missing shows how their tricks would be replaced. I have to wonder if Yannick Thomas ever misses a show, if they have someone to take his spot during "No Time At All"??

was July 7 the only performance Thomas missed this week?? Are Costet & Karmamsky still out?? Would really suck if multiple players are injured for this show.

Updated On: 7/13/13 at 04:43 PM

[bundy5000]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 9:48pm

At Broadway bark mjt hair was dyed blonde I thought it was brown in character and out of character. jw

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 10:06pm

I noticed that, too. Technically, it doesn't matter; in fact, John Rubinstein (original Pippin) was blonde. Matthew has also had blonde hair before, so it is possible he is a natural blonde and he simply dyed it back.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 10:13pm

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 10:15pm

I noticed that at Broadway Barks, too. I know it doesn't matter (like someone said), so does he just play the role with his blonde hair now or does he wear a wig?

[ultraviolet99]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 10:21pm

Hot either way. Looks better with the dark hair though. He's almost too pale to pull off a light color.

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 7/13/13 at 10:39pm

WHY WOULD HE GO BACK TO BLONDE?! HE LOOKS 60.

[getatme]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 12:01am

Matthew's current blonde hair isn't as bright blonde as that picture. It's really similar to Anna Kendrick's awkward blonde dye job for The Last 5 Years. It's sort of muddled looking. It doesn't look terrible, it's just a little strange.

Kelsey Jamieson is Lolita's temporary replacement. She's in the playbill as a player and she was wearing the same costume as Lolita.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/14/13 at 3:46pm

MJT is always wearing a wig in Pippin. Its the fakest looking hair ever.