Performers with a(n) (almost) spotless performance record — Page 3

I don't think Cherry Jones ever missed a performance in DOUBT.

I also think that Victoria Clark was also very good with going on in LITP up until Patti Cohenour started going on for her back in February, and pre-scheduled vacations.

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Jbara was out the night I saw DRS.

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Just wondering, how exactly do you know that a performer has never missed any performance? I mean, it's not like you're seeing every performance, right?

It's just knowledge that gets passed around. In a review that someone posts they can say "such and such was out." Or if a big actor was out, even threads are started about it.

I didn't say he was never out. I did explain those times when I knew for a fact that he was out.

For what it's worth - he has a great deal of respect and admiration for those performers who are always there - those who go out of their way to make sure they attend each performance. He's commented a number of times on this. eg - Jonthan Pryce pulled a calf muscle during a matinee performance and he had to leave the stage half way into the show. Nobody expected him that night and when he did show up, Greg was in awe - calling him the 'iron man'. People who feel this strongly about this subject aren't going to casually miss performances themselves.

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"It's not being 'soft,' it's about letting them see their families and trying to do some other things outside the box."

The fact is, a Broadway schedule is still fewer hours per week than 99% of other jobs in this world. They get to see their families. Yes, choosing a stage career means you're going to be at work at night and on weekends. If you choose that and to have a family, there are going to be sacrifices.

But that's the performer's choice.

ETA: For the record, I am all for a week's vacation every six months.

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Updated On: 7/9/06 at 12:40 PM

TomMonster --- I remember hearing that too (about Marian).

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Let's calm down about the vacations. It doesn't matter how many hours a week you work...don't most people with full-time jobs and benefits get vacation time? It's not like this is a special treat just for actors or anything. Everyone gets a little time off from their job written into their contract. That's the way of the market.

BTW Rath...you would definitely know more about it than me, but companies have rehearsals...I have absolutely no clue how often...it could be not much, and maybe even with them they work less than the average person. But like understudies rehearse with replacements during the day and play their ensemble track during the night, and dance captians work with especially new ensemble replacements. Again, I don't know how often or long these rehearsals are, but I'm at least defending that most actors do have to work more than just their showtimes.

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Updated On: 7/9/06 at 01:46 PM

Anyone (perhaps Margo) know how Stephanie Mills attendance was when she was in "The Wiz"?

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"The fact is, a Broadway schedule is still fewer hours per week than 99% of other jobs in this world."

Responsible Broadway performers spend a large portion of their day geared towards that evenings performance. True, they spend about half the time clocked in as most nine-to-five jobs do - but there's so much more to it than that. There's a chapter in the book "Making It On Broadway" about the misconception that broadway performers work only 3 hours per day.

Gym, dance class, voice coach, etc. All of these things take time.

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Updated On: 7/9/06 at 03:33 PM

When Christina missed in Sweet Charity did Charlotte d'Amboise go on for her, or her other understudy go on, whose name I cant recall? thanks

I think ti was a bit of both. Charlotte went on in Boston, where I saw her. Another understudy did some preview performances, but mostly Charlotte. But I may be remembering wrong.

as far as i know jerry orbach was pretty spotless (there was no understudy listed for billy flynn in the ibdb entry for chicago)

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