Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows...or not
Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows...or not
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows...or not#1
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:05pm
http://www.broadway.com/Gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=559790
Updated On: 1/30/08 at 06:05 PM
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#2
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:06pmThat's odd.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/05
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#2
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:06pmWeird decision. You would think she would want to stick it out until the end.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#3
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:16pmPerhaps her performances aren't up to par with what it was before, possibly because of the closing. I can see why she would want to leave and come back later. I also hear that Bebe Winans keeps hitting on her. I only kid.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#4
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:24pmHow is Angela Robinson in the role? Would I be missing a lot if I don't see Mendes?
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#5
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:27pmMaybe she was originally scheduled to be out and it just so happened that the show will now be closing.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#6
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:31pmI was wondering the same thing, BroadwayEnthusiast2. Elisabeth has always been one of the highlights of the show for me when I've seen it. I haven't heard too much, but the little bit I've heard about Angela has been pretty good. Is there anyone who could share a little bit more on what they've thought of her performances?
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#7
Posted: 1/28/08 at 6:34pm
Robinson is awful in the role that should have won Withers-Mendes a Tony Award.
Withers-Mendes is and has always been magnificent in this production, and I've seen it six times (once with Robinson, five with Withers-Mendes).
Robinson has a sub par singing voice, cannot move the way Withers-Mendes does, and injects no feeling into the dialogue scenes.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#8
Posted: 1/28/08 at 7:35pmWell I guess Im going Feb 24th to see the show again.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/29/04
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#9
Posted: 1/28/08 at 8:37pmI thought that Angela Robinson did a wonderful job. I've seen her more than once as Shug Avery and she seemed to find some humor and some depth in new places. Elisabeth Withers-Mendes is fantastic in the role, but Robinson definitely held her own.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#10
Posted: 1/29/08 at 12:20am
My guess is Mendes was scheduled to depart the show that day, but is returning to close the show since she has played the role so long.
I don't know who suggested her performance is not up to par anymore...that could not be further from the truth. She was magnificent last time I saw her.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#11
Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:12am
Maybe she was originally scheduled to be out and it just so happened that the show will now be closing.
That's what happened. She had a scheduled leave of absence for most of February, but evidently wants to be able to close the show.
Robinson has a sub par singing voice, cannot move the way Withers-Mendes does, and injects no feeling into the dialogue scenes.
To those wondering if they should see TCP in the last month, I would take this opinion with a grain of salt. While I do prefer Elisabeth's singing voice, Angela certainly holds her own, moves just as well as Elisabeth, and I prefer her acting. Given that Elisabeth has been out for about a third of the past two years, my guess is that there are a number of people on this board who can confirm this.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#12
Posted: 1/29/08 at 11:50am
adamgreer, my apologies. What I meant was, she might feel like she can't perform as well towards the end, but obviously I am wrong. 'She had a scheduled leave of absence for most of February, but evidently wants to be able to close the show.'
She was fantastic when I saw her last month.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/8/04
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#13
Posted: 1/29/08 at 1:34pmElisabeth gave my favorite performance in the show when I saw it just before the TONYS that year.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#14
Posted: 1/30/08 at 12:52pmActually....Playbill.com is reporting now that she will NOT be returning at all. Robinson closes the show.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/26/07
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#15
Posted: 1/30/08 at 2:25pm
ACTUALLY, if you look at the Playbill article carefully, it reads that neither Mendes OR Robinson will close the show...
"Robinson will perform the role through Feb. 23."
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114692.html
I assume it is just a typo, but how exciting would it be to have a suprise star to close out the show as Shug?!
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#16
Posted: 1/30/08 at 3:48pmI think they have already corrected it. I don't see that now.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/26/07
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#17
Posted: 1/30/08 at 4:26pmYeah, they edited it out. It was the last sentence in the paragraph about Angela Robinson.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/26/07
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#18
Posted: 1/30/08 at 4:26pmYeah, they edited it out. It was the last sentence in the paragraph about Angela Robinson.
Understudy Joined: 7/13/05
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#19
Posted: 1/31/08 at 10:17pm
Elisabeth confirmed to Broadway.com that she received notice of the show's closing only days after renewing her contract:
"What is your primary reason for leaving?
The show is closing on February 24, 2008.
Did anything trigger your decision to leave?
When I recently renewed my contract for the third time, I asked for a month’s leave during February. Days later, it was announced that the show would be closing."
I thought I had remembered her mentioning an extension.
Lakisha told a fan that she had signed a one year contract, and Chaka was scheduled through April.
Someone speculated that the theatre may have executed a stop clause. It makes sense because the Color Purple should have had enough in reserve from Fantasia's run to stay open at least a few more months. On the other hand, maybe Elisabeth's reluctance to return for the final show is driven by a feeling that the producers were not upfront with her.
link
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#20
Posted: 2/1/08 at 3:38pmI saw her final performance last night and she was AMAZING! I've seen the show six times and I've seen Robinson twice before, so I believe that the role is in good hands. The mezz. was completely empty, but the energy was high for Elizabeth's numbers. Unfortunately, the show is the worst shape I've seen it in. The principle cast was the worst I've seen (with the exception of Elizabeth and Krisha).
Understudy Joined: 7/13/05
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#21
Posted: 2/1/08 at 3:51pmGlad to hear that Elisabeth went off on a strong note. How was Zonya as Celie? And Chaka, BeBe, Lakisha?
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#22
Posted: 2/1/08 at 3:52pm
Does anyone know if Brandi Chavonne Massey has gone on as Celie?
On that note, it's kind of sad that this show is just limping its way on out. They should just close it already.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#23
Posted: 2/1/08 at 11:26pm
Zonya was pretty weak as Celie. She cracked during "Miss Celie's Pants" and sounded like she was reading her lines for the first time. I really wanted to like her, but she didn't make any character choices. Chaka and BeBe were ok. They had good vocals, but they drained the life out of those characters. Even "Any Little Thing" wasn't funny. Lakisha sounded great, but I wish that she was a little more vibrant. It was just dissapointing that the leads leave a lot to be desired.
Oh, and I don't think Brandi has gone on yet, but I would really like to see her in the role before the show closes. I don;t know why they didn't give Celie to her or Montego. At least they can both handle the score.
re: Mendes leaves COLOR PURPLE Jan 31, returns for final shows#24
Posted: 2/1/08 at 11:38pmWell, I'm seeing the show on the 9th, so we'll see how it goes!
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