Not having Betsy Struxness in the Hamilton movie does a disservice to the show — Page 3

Sutton Ross said: ""A gentle reminder that Hamilton on Disney+ is not the original cast. It is the original production. Both Betsy Struxness and Emmy Raver Lampman are absent as they’d already left the show. These are 2 brilliant artists who poured their hearts into creating their tracks."

-Javier Munoz"

With all due respect to Mr. Munoz, he's splitting hairs and being pedantic.

The absence of two members of the show's original ensemble does not invalidate the validity of describing the film as featuring its Original Broadway Cast.

I fail to see how the absence of 1 or 2 members of the ensemble affects the overall enjoyment/quality of the show. From what I could gather after filtering out the numerous posts in this thread is that Betsy Struxness, an original member of the show's ensemble since it's inception was disillusioned and left the show of her own accord and does not appear in the released film. The producers have since stopped promoting this as the Original Broadway Cast after much protest from original cast members who did not participate in the filming.

Maybe it's me but I don't know what the problem is. If I am missing something can someone kindly fill me in?

Theater_Nerd said: "The producers have since stopped promoting this as the Original Broadway Cast after much protest from original cast members who did not participate in the filming.

"

Which is just dumb.

Theater_Nerd said: "I fail to see how the absence of 1 or 2 members of the ensemble affects the overall enjoyment/qualityof the show. From what I could gather after filtering out the numerous posts in this thread is that Betsy Struxness, an original member of the show's ensemble since it's inception was disillusioned andleft the show of her own accord and does not appear in the released film.The producers have since stopped promoting this as the Original Broadway Cast after much protestfrom original cast members who did not participate in the filming.

Maybe it's me but I don't know what the problem is. If I am missing something can someone kindly fill me in?


I think this is a case of purism. 'It is not the original cast because some member of the ensemble was missing from the performance.' My response, however coldly, is that 99.999999999999% of the theatergoing audience does not care if a member of the ensemble is not in the show. Hell, 90% were probably only focused on LMM. Personally, the inclusion of 8 people was enough to make it the original cast for me: LMM, Leslie, Daveed, Christopher, Renee, Philippa, Jonathan, and Anthony. But, I guess I am not quite as literal s a lot of people.

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Again, they are not advertising/promoting it as the Original Broadway Cast. It is officially labeled as the Original Broadway Production, which is accurate."

Which is fine but I fail to see how Miss Struxness' absence makes this recording irrelevant. I am not familiar with her and I am sure she is a wonderful performer but going by the original poster's message they make it seem as if her presence was absolutely necessary to the show.

massofmen said: " you could have invited the 2 original ens members back for a week, gave the other 2 ens members the week of (paid vacation if you will) and done."

Bearing in mind that this is a non-issue everywhere on earth except in this thread, no (as rehearsed earlier in this thread but I guess you want to ignore that), you cannot give a company member a week off. It doesn't work that way: they have the right to the performance. Ironically, if they HAD kicked two performers to let departees return, we would have an inane thread with people like you haranguing the production for depriving the actors who show up every day of their opportunity to be seen by the wide audience.

Sometimes the silliness here seems unrelenting.

GiantsInTheSky2 said: "Again, they are not advertising/promoting it as the Original Broadway Cast. It is officially labeled as the Original Broadway Production, which is accurate."

Every performance of Hamilton is the "original Broadway production"; describing this live-capture film that way is nonsensical pedantry that means absolutely nothing.

HogansHero said: "DigificWriter said: "Every performance of Hamilton is the "original Broadway production"; describing this live-capture film that way is nonsensical pedantry that means absolutely nothing."

Not pedantry; it's marketing."

Marketing can still be pedantic.

This live-capture film features the Original Broadway Cast of the show and should be marketed as such; choosing to do otherwise, especially if said choice was influenced by complaints from people who were absent from the specific performances from which it was derived, is naked pedantry.

Updated On: 7/7/20 at 07:11 PM

HogansHero said: "DigificWriter said: "This live-capture film features the Original Broadway Cast of the show ."

It's impossible to put stock in anything you say because this is not true.

"

Keep telling yourself that.

The absence of two members of the show's original ensemble and the opinions of an original understudy do not invalidate or cancel out the fact that the performances that comprise this film feature every principal cast member who was with the show at the time it premiered on Broadway, which is all that is necessary for the description of "Original Broadway Cast" to apply.

The absence of two members of the show's original ensemble and the opinions of an original understudy do not invalidate or cancel out the fact that the performances that comprise this film feature every principal cast member who was with the show at the time it premiered on Broadway, which is all that is necessary for the description of "Original Broadway Cast" to apply."

Yeah, no.

DigificWriter said: "This bickering is pointless.

Then stop. Let it go.

99.999999999999999999999% of people are going to describe this film as featuring the Original Broadway Cast of the show, and they'll be accurate in doing so regardless of a pedantic decision not to tout that fact in its marketing and/or the opinion of an original understudy."

Incorrect. Let it go.