Michael Riedel and West Side Story Turmoil- Page 5

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 3:39pm

Musicalmack, I completely agree with you. The whole thing just seems childish. Your adults, do you really need to fight via e-mail. The whole situation just seems uncalled for.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 3:40pm

Green was an extreme case. He had been missing performances on a consistent basis since the show opened. He missed over a month's worth of performances by Tony time. Everyone had been stating that it was only a matter of time until he was let go.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 3:46pm

The pre existing condition Laura talks about in the interview is called Myelopathy which, I guess is an existing consequence of either the initial condition or the surgery, which causes a loss of dexterity in her arms hands and face. It's a pretty good interview. I recommend it.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 3:59pm

Karen Olivo will never be a star. The most she can hope for are bit parts on Law & Order or maybe playing someone's girlfriend in a movie. Broadway is not the stepping stone it once was so I think many young actors take off when they need to looking for the next best thing. Karen hasn't realized yet that her Tony is worthless unless she stays in theatre and displays a strong work ethic.

Karen has been working on Broadway for 10 years now; she didn't just show up to her Broadway debut and take off 3 weeks of sick leave. And plenty of Broadway stars are still getting bit parts in TV and movies while continuing thriving careers onstage. Michael Cerveris had perfect attendance in Sweeney Todd (unlike that slacker Patti LuPone and her 2-week vacation /tongue-in-cheek) and his only non-theatre role lately has been the creepy stalker on Fringe.

Seriously Bettyboy, weren't you posting just last week that Riedel was a vile, hateful person who should rot in hell for saying...far less horrible things than you've said here? So does that mean you have miniscule genitalia and you're a hypocrite?

[homeimp]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:02pm

I'm pretty sure the audience knows what those inserts mean in the Playbills. But turning this around, the first time I went to Billy Elliot, the man beside me found the insert announcing that Billy would be played by Kiril Kulish. He turned to his wife and they both expressed disappointment that they were getting a Billy understudy. Then at intermission they commented on how good the understudy was. At the finish, they joined enthusiastically in the standing ovation, at which point I enlightened them as to the 3 regular Billys. Hah! Fooled 'em, Kiril! Well done.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:14pm

yes, CATSNY, I read an interview where she talked about that. I also am under the impression that she has a compromised immune system, since she said her doctor said she might be getting sick because of the stage door. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but it sounds plausible to me.

I also hope I don't come across like I'm defending some performers and putting down others. I have no idea who does and doesn't have a legitimate reason to be out. I just think actors need to learn to take better care of themselves. Benanti stopped stage dooring and her attendance seemed to improve, save her scheduled absences for TV.

[James885]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:21pm

While I think that Riedel can be vicious sometimes, he's right on the money with this column. It's about time somebody called the WSS cast on their outreageous lack of attendance. A friend of mine went to see the show a few weeks ago and said that there were 9 understudies in, including the ones for Matt Cavenaugh and Karen Olivo. Hopefully Laurents' little talk will whip them into shape.

I'd love for Riedel to get a hold of that e-mail but like others have said, he and Laurents are friends and he would never write that would cast Laurents in a negative light.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:32pm

Me saying Karen Olivo will never be a star is not mean, it is the honest truth in my opinion. I am far from being "like Riedel." I base my opinions on what I know to be true. Karen has had poor attendance in her most noteworthy roles, a Tony award means JACK in the real world and Broadway actors nowadays will rarely become a star or a household name, the reason for importing "stars" to grace Broadway stages. I'm not mean for giving my opinion and unlike, Reidel, I hold nothing personal against any production or Miss Olivo. I only speak what I know.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:36pm

The same can be said about Laura Benanti. She won a Tony, and she is not a star yet. But she does get new roles, and I have no doubt Karen will too.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:42pm

Oh Karen will work, no doubt, she is very talented. The days of becoming well known are over for most anyone starting in theatre now. Theatre actors typically are there because they love the craft and want to work, not because they are looking for fame. They are a different breed than someone who starts out wanting to be a film star. Older actors like Lansbury got famous from being on stage which led to lucrative offers in other media. That cross over is increasingly difficult. There is little to no visibility in theatre now and producers like interchangeable leads, its cheaper.

[ZiggyCringe]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:44pm

"Me saying Karen Olivo will never be a star is not mean, it is the honest truth in my opinion. I am far from being "like Riedel." I base my opinions on what I know to be true."

"Like Ridel" I'm guessing, is a compliment.

You are exactly correct, Karen Olivo will never be a "star", Tony notwithstanding. She doesn't SHOW UP.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:52pm

I just want to point out something that seems to be a serious misconception on this and the other similar thread on WSS attendance.

9 slips in the Playbill does NOT mean 9 people are out that day.

One lead calls out. His understudy goes on. But now a swing has to go on for the understudy, who is usually in the ensemble. So now you have two slips of paper because one person called out. I don't know the set-up of the WSS cast, but it may even be three.

If you open your Playbill to find 12 understudy slips, it is more likely that only 6 or so actors are actually out.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:53pm

Didn't Olivo sell her soul to Prince? She'll be lucky if she ends up as his backup singer.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 4:53pm

Didn't Olivo sell her soul to Prince? She'll be lucky if she ends up as his backup singer.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 5:44pm

I don't believe Laurents wanted to fire Karen. Just in late June, during her absences, Laurents was GUSHING over her on Playbill radio.

Oh, ljay, ljay, ljay...

How could you be so knowledgeable and still so naive?

That's what Arthur Laurents DOES: he turns on people.

To know Arthur Laurents is to remove a knife from your back. Karen thought she knew him when he was praising her to the hilt. But she didn't know Arthur. She only knew a character he created when his long-term partner Tom died--a character named "Grampa Arthur," whom everyone would love.

Now Karen Olivo knows the REAL Arthur Laurents. Cuddly he ain't.

And MusicalMack: I think you hit the nail on the head: Arthur turned sour when he didn't get the Tony nomination.

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 5:46pm

PJ, you have every right to stick your tongue out at me, and yell "told ya so." You really do.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:02pm

I just want to point out something that seems to be a serious misconception on this and the other similar thread on WSS attendance.

9 slips in the Playbill does NOT mean 9 people are out that day.

Still, they are not performing their assigned roles, they are covering / understudying. They might as well be out.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:07pm

For the 20 millionth time, WSS does not use understudy slips. There will never, ever be 9 slips of paper falling out of your playbill. They, like ITH, print one slip of paper announcing the complete cast for that evening. In order to see who the understudies are you have to either look at the call board in the lobby, or cross reference the list of that evening's company against the list in the playbill.

No slips of paper.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:21pm

You may not believe me, but I honestly wish it weren't so.

I honestly wish the man had genuinely changed.

Someday I'll tell you MY Arthur Laurents story.

Someday, like Mary Rodgers said, when he's dead.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:23pm

Whether it is one slip of paper or 12, or a call board, it still bites when leads are habitually out. I dont care how the news is delivered. And whether it is one slip of paper or 12, people can still read and are still pissed.

[sondhead]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:26pm

adamgreer: "For the 20 millionth time, WSS does not use understudy slips. There will never, ever be 9 slips of paper falling out of your playbill. They, like ITH, print one slip of paper announcing the complete cast for that evening. In order to see who the understudies are you have to either look at the call board in the lobby, or cross reference the list of that evening's company against the list in the playbill.

No slips of paper."

Thanks for that... very important-to-this-conversation... bit of information.... *cough*

Whether you think it's stupid or not, it's been my experience that people are disappointed when lots of understudies are in, even if they didn't know who they were in for. Many understudies are wonderful (sometimes better than the regular), but it is safe to assume that in most cases to SOME PERSON on the production team there is a reason why they are the understudy and not the regular, and I don't think it's ridiculous to be disappointed at having a bunch of understudies on given this.

However, that doesn't really matter in this situation. How about how actors are paid and contracted to do a job and it's simply unprofessional and deplorable to be out constantly?

As for this talk of injury, there are ways to greatly lessen your chance of getting injuries, be they related to dance or singing. It's called taking care of yourself. It's called going home instead of out to the clubs when you're done performing.

People have done it for years, and that's why people USED to not miss near as much.

Updated On: 8/19/09 at 06:26 PM

[madophelia]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:29pm

They, like ITH, print one slip of paper announcing the complete cast for that evening. In order to see who the understudies are you have to either look at the call board in the lobby, or cross reference the list of that evening's company against the list in the playbill.

So, they are essentially trying to hide it, by making it difficult for an audience member (most of whom need to pull out their bifocals to read the program) to figure out who's who and who's replacing whom.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:33pm

PJ, I'm always in awe when you whip out your theatre cred.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:37pm

So, they are essentially trying to hide it, by making it difficult for an audience member (most of whom need to pull out their bifocals to read the program) to figure out who's who and who's replacing whom.

They're not the only show that does this, nor are they the first. Besides In the Heights, Avenue Q and Rent (when it was open) do it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 8/19/09 at 6:39pm

Here, givesmevoice, for the umpteenth time, the thread with my West Side Story stories...but not the Arthur story. Not yet.
BLT III - clip from 1980 WEST SIDE STORY Revival