Quality Control over casting and performances

[Dave13]

Posted: 2/1/19 at 12:48pm

How much effort is there by productions to maintain the quality of casting and performances of the original cast?

I saw Wicked on tour last night. I thought a few of the actors were just going through the motions and didn't give much effort. I thought Kara Lindsay's performance in Popular was subpar at best. How much are the actors and the performances critiqued by the Stage Directors or even Producers themselves? 

With that said, I thought Jackie Burns and Jason Graae gave an excellent performance. 

 

Updated On: 2/1/19 at 12:48 PM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 2/1/19 at 1:06pm

I believe the production stage manager is tasked with upholding the quality of the performance. However, it varies with each show how often the director will check in on the show to see if the performances are being maintained. More often than not the assistant director will be the one to check out the performances. With that in mind, the current portrayals of the witches in Wicked are significantly different from the original cast.

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 2/1/19 at 1:20pm

Every show situation is different. Sometimes directors and lead producers check in on a touring show every few months. Often, they have very little direct involvement with the various national companies of each show, and the "quality control" is left to a Resident Director/Associate Director, stage managers, music directors, dance captains, general manager/company mgr, and occasionally the casting director.

As one of Broadway's busiest directors, I have a hard time believing that Joe Mantello is checking in on the Wicked tour frequently. Famously, Hal Prince gives notes at Phantom on Broadway every few months (though I don't think he's checking in on the touring/London production), whereas Walter Bobbie doesn't spend much time at Chicago now.

[freewilma]

Posted: 2/1/19 at 5:45pm

Christy Altomare said just last night in her Instastory that their director was on the 4th row last night watching the show.  

[bwaylinds]

Posted: 2/1/19 at 11:30pm

Dave13 said: "How much effort is there byproductionsto maintain the qualityof casting and performances of the original cast?

I saw Wicked on tour last night. I thought a few of the actors were just going through the motions and didn't give much effort. I thought Kara Lindsay's performance in Popular was subpar at best. How much are the actors and the performances critiqued by the Stage Directors or even Producers themselves?

With that said, I thought Jackie Burns andJason Graae gave an excellent performance.
When I saw Wicked on tour last month, I thought Kara was phenomenal but Jackie was phoning it in, despite it being early in the week.
"

 

[Dave13]

Posted: 2/2/19 at 10:36am

Interesting your experience was opposite of mine. I actually have tickets again tonight. Hopefully they both show up.

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/4/19 at 1:07pm

My husband and I first saw Wicked many years ago as a touring production in Tampa, Florida, and we were decidedly underwhelmed. We subsequently saw the resident production in London's West End and were blown away; it was like a completely different show.

The current Phantom tour (the "re-imagined Cameron Mackintosh production) was similarly disappointing, as was the touring version of Matilda (which we saw twice on Broadway and absolutely adored).

The only touring production we've seen in the last 6-8 years that impressed us was Love Never Dies.

[Kitsune]

Posted: 2/4/19 at 1:17pm

I remember an interview with Andy Karl where he talked about his experiences coming in as a replacement in two long-running shows, Wicked and Jersey Boys. He said something along the lines of how he had a lot more freedom to do his own take in Jersey Boys, whereas in Wicked there was a very specific vision from the creatives on how Fiyero, Elphaba, Glinda, etc. should be played, and that there was a worldwide Wicked brand to uphold.

That being said, I could see how a touring production could be much looser, especially after 15 years!