Parade performances:- Page 5

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 12:31am

Bettyboy, perhaps your luck has just been down on those days? Every time I went to see a show Karen was in she has been in. It gets really old hearing the same complaints about how Karen "never shows up" and how Karen "can't dance". I don't think any of us are entitled to debate whether Karen Olivo is "really troubled".

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 12:42am

It also gets old hearing people defend Karen anytime someone expresses displeasure with her professionalism. Attempting to see a performer 4 times to no avail, I feel slightly justified. I never said she was troubled, I said I just don't know what her deal is. She must have a great contract that lets her pick and choose what she does. I have a feeling Natalie might be taking over sooner rather than later.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 12:44am

" I have a feeling Natalie might be taking over sooner rather than later."

Highly doubt that. Karen's contract presumably would have ended on December 13th, the same day as Cavenaugh's. If she were leaving then, it surely would have been announced by now.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 1:23am

I thought Natalie Cortez there was about 100 times better than Karen Olivo. An Anita who can dance? Wow what a novelty!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 11:00am

^^my thoughts exactly!!

[musicalbluemirror]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 1:50pm

i really liked seeing natalie as anita
i knew that she was up for anita from the beginning but i didnt know she was put in at all

[Kad]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 5:08pm

^ She may have been up for Anita, but she never would've been able to do the show, as she was pregnant (and had her child in the early summer). I believe she's a (fairly) recent addition to the production.

I loved seeing Natalie as Anita, but is it really fair to completely judge her Anita versus Olivo's, particularly in terms of "spark"? Of course there wasn't the same spark as a live performance- Natalie was (I assume) lipsyncing and doing the performance in an alley, in front of cameras.

Natalie Cortez is an excellent dancer and good singer- anyone who saw ACL can attest to both. I'd love to see her Anita- in context, at the Palace. Not lip-syncing in an alley on YouTube. Ten bucks says any "spark" you're saying she lacks will be there.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 7:05pm

I agree Kad, it's completely wrong to judge someone based on a parade performance. However, what I did see of Cortez really made me want to see her play the role. She was one of the few things I enjoyed about the misguided revival of A Chorus Line. I'd be excited to see her play Anita. I would never say either lady was "better" until I've seen Cortez in the role in an actual performance.

As for Olivo not being there...the CBS performances (including WSS) were not live. They were taped earlier in the week. We have no idea why Olivo may have declined to participate. She could have had a legitimate reason for not being there.

[wicked4l]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 7:12pm

What were those two new fairy-tale creatures in Shrek.I saw Jack-Frost but I couldn't make out who the guy with the black jacket on was or the big round thing.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 11/27/09 at 11:20pm

I'm not going into the Karen vs Natalie debate. I'm just wondering why the producers would let their on Tony winner skip out on a nationally televised performance.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 12:01am

I mentioned loss of spark in my comments about this performance, but I was talking only about this performance of this number
(I agree it is tough lip-synching) and am totally willing to give Cortez a chance in the entire role.
I will probably go back to see her when, and if she takes over. Her line and extention are beautiful, I would hope they would put the leaps back in for her, which to me are part of the "spark" of the number, without them the thrilling end of the number just ain't there.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 4:01am

Eris0303, keep in mind that the producers couldn't force her to do the parade filming or any other performance for that matter that isn't part of the 8 show a week schedule at The Palace. Anything like a parade or a morning show performance etc, is above and beyond the contract of the performer. Of course, if they decide to do it they get financially compensated. However, it is their choice should they decide not to do it.

For all we know, Karen could have been sick and tired of filming and doing the same song for TV time and time again and felt that she needed a break from it.

And as for the elitist sense of entitlement when it comes to seeing a performer. Suck it up, it's live theatre and there are only three things that are sure fire guarantees. The name of the show, the theatre that you're seeing it in and your seat number. Anything else other then that is up in the air and therefore off limits in terms of complaining.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 10:41am

"keep in mind that the producers couldn't force her to do the parade filming or any other performance for that matter that isn't part of the 8 show a week schedule at The Palace."

That's not entirely true, according to the Production rulebook

52.(J) It is understood and agreed that it is part of the Actor’s job to
participate in reasonable promotional and/or publicity appearances, as
requested by Producer.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 11:50am

Does anybody know the exact date this was filmed? I would guess it wasn't live. Maybe they did it when she was on those two vacations recently?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 11/28/09 at 12:29pm

Those appearances were taped around November 16-17-18. Olivo was away on vacation or personal days during the tapings. My understanding is that the producers asked her to consider changing her schedule to appear in the "America" taping, she would not and they proceeded with Cortez.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:11am

AEA AGMA SM, you are right i right in that the producers can request that they do a promo performance of a song. However, if the actor does not wish to do it then the producers cannot fire them over not doing the promo performance. And, keep in mind that all actors have differenct contracts that allow them to do different things.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:25am

I was not implying that she (or any actor) should be fired for not wanting to appear in publicity and promo events. I was merely pointing out that publicity and promo events are indeed expected and part of the rulebook, their duties do not just end at the eight performances a week.

Now what Smaxie said does make sense if that were the case. If her vacation or personal days had previously been scheduled for the time that the taping came up then the vacation days would take precedence over the scheduled taping and they then could not force her to appear.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:42am

AEA AGMA SM, as far as equity is concerned, the job starts and ends at the stage door. Meaning, that once an actor signs in for work then they can be under contract to whatever the producer wants. But, they can't have it in their contract that they are forced to stage door or to do promo performances. The producers can ask, and the actors can say yes. But, the producers are out of luck if a given performer says to a producers that there is no way that I am going to wake up at an ungodly hour to perform. And, you know what? If they do say that, then that is fine and that is their right and nothing can be done about it.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:47am

If it matters, here's a higher quality video of Billy Elliot. Now you can see how bad the lip-synching REALLY is!!

Thank you for posting this. Something I noticed is that evn when Meredith and Matt are introducing the number their mouths are not quite in synch with the sound, and obviously they were speaking live. Also when I have the digital tuner my main TV on (with Digital cable) at the same time as the smaller (non digital) set near my desk the sound is out of synch by more than a second.

My point? Well It seems many of you want to blame the performers when it maybe technology. After all they are singing to a pre-recorded track being played live in front of Macy's (it has to be or the crowd there would not hear it) with a separate feed being sent to the broadcast outlet. I bet if you were there live the match would be better but somehow through the processing of the audio signal for TV it looks more off than it really was.

As for BILLY, saw the show (a 2nd time) when I was down the previous week. David Alvarez was on as Billy and he has gotten a lot taller and his voice has deepened. My friend found out from one of the cast members that David is leaving the cast in December and Trent is supposed to leave in the New Year.

Kate Hennig is terrific as Mrs. Wilkinson!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:11pm

"and nothing can be done about it"
Well, a lot can be done about it when an actor's contract is being reviewed for renewal.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 12:56pm

Curtain, what I am trying to say is that is the contract for an actor can only pertain to that which they have to do at the theatre to do their job. Other then that and Equity gets pissed off. For example, if you're a producer, you can't put it in a contract that the star of a given show has to wait outside the stage door and sign autographs. The same way you can't say that an actor of a show has to do a particular number on The Today Show. Things like those I mentioned are optional and cannot be put into a contract. However, many Broadway performers decide to do them doesn't mean that they have to or that it is in in their contract to do so.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 1:30pm

But the rule I quoted is a cut and paste directly from the Equity contract.

52.(J) It is understood and agreed that it is part of the Actor's job to
participate in reasonable promotional and/or publicity appearances, as
requested by Producer.

That is a quote from Equity. So to say Equity would get pissed off for the producers to ask and expect a cast member to appear in the parade, Letterman, Good Morning America, etc, etc, is wrong. "Understood and agreed that it is part of the Actor's job." You can read it for yourself on Equity's website.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 1:39pm

The key word there is requested. The producer can request but the actor can still say no without there being an issue.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:10pm

I thought the key phrase was "it is part of the Actor's job".