Quality Control over casting and performances

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

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.

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.
"

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.