Riedel on Diana Rigg being annoyed Ambrose misses Sundays — Page 4

Sally Durant Plummer said: "I think most of us would be a lot more forgiving if it had been announced before tickets went on sale. Still, it's not as if Eliza has historically needed an alternate. It's not Evita, the role isn't pushing the voice through the passagio. If the score had the difficulties of, say, Franchesca in The Bridges of Madison County, I might even be more forgiving with the length of Lerner's book scenes. But it's a relatively brief sing. Probably not more than 30 minutes a night, with the highest note being a G. Let's not pretend it's the most difficult vocal role ever written. Also, I would argue that the use of alternates became the norm because roles were being written without regard for the performer. The "in" style of today is screaming at the top of your lungs.

Also, don't think that I don't notice that most here are defending Ambrose after shredding Murphy and Benanti for missing performances. Especially in Benanti's case, where she had severe medical problems and was not allowed, per the producers, to announce her departure from the show or her physical problems."

And imagine if it was someone like Chita Rivera making these comments instead of Rigg. These <<edited by BWW staff>> here would be singing another story.

Updated On: 7/6/18 at 01:54 PM

Fewer (can't ever say no one on here) complained with the way Bette did 7 shows a week, since her schedule was locked and loaded from the beginning, so it seems more like the issue is how it was handled.

I guess I caught her last Sunday matinee then... of course, Norbert, Henry, and a handful of others were also out. So, if it comes down to reduced schedules or missing the people you want to see because of absences/illnesses, that is the better option.

Updated On: 7/6/18 at 02:07 PM

Does any think this leak has anything to do with many in the Broadway community still being salty Ambrose (A B-list TV Star at best, who hasn't been relevant in at least 10 years, let alone worked in 10 years) was gifted the role of Elisa over a Broadway star in the role of a lifetime? Laura Benanti's attitude in her Year In Review video about the revival seemed genuine. Ambrose gives a great, but not must see performance only fueling the fire of "They Cast Who as a Lead?" Bette Middler faced the same initial backlash in Hello Dolly being called to old, and there initially being massive speculation she didn't have the stamina for the role. Hell, she didn't perform on the Tony's because she feared being torn apart like Catherine Zeta Jones, who performed despite having having lost her voice on the telecast and was criticized for it. The way Bette over came that was taking her critics head on and giving the performance of a lifetimes. Ms. Ambrose on the other had, is taking off Sunday Matinees....

For Ms Ambrose to of succeeded she would of have to of given a performance on par with Natasha Richardson's Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Despite not being the most proficient vocalist, in his review Brantley said of her voice" a creditable, on-key voice" for a part immortalized by Liza Minnelli vocal chops on screen, Ms Richardson's performance has gone down in the history books. Ms Richardson's Sally cemented the role as one of the greatest dramatic roles in the musical canon on par with Mama Rose. Ambrose unfortunately gives a a great, but proficient performance, when she needed to redefine the role to shut down the haters.

bdn223 said: "Hell, she didn't perform on the Tony's because she feared being torn apart likeCatherine Zeta Jones, who performed despite having having lost her voice on the telecast and was criticized for it. The way Bette over came that was taking her critics head on and giving the performance of a lifetime."

She offered to perform from the Shubert, and host the night as a BC/EFA Tony watching fundraiser there, and the Tonys refused, so I'm not sure how her voice would be an issue in one theater, but not another?

bdn223 said: "Does any think this leak has anything to do with many in the Broadway community still being salty Ambrose (A B-list TV Star at best, who hasn't been relevantin at least 10 years, let alone worked in 10 years) was gifted the role of Elisa over a Broadway star in the role of a lifetime?Laura Benanti's attitude in her Year In Review video about the revival seemed genuine. Ambrosegives a great, but not must see performance only fueling the fire of "They Cast Who as a Lead?" Bette Middler faced the same initial backlash inHello Dollybeing called to old, and there initially being massive speculation she didn't have the stamina for the role. Hell, she didn't perform on the Tony's because she feared being torn apart likeCatherine Zeta Jones, who performed despite having having lost her voice on the telecast and was criticized for it. The way Bette over came that was taking her critics head on and giving the performance of a lifetimes. Ms. Ambrose on the other had, is taking off Sunday Matinees....

For Ms Ambrose to of succeeded she would of have to of given a performance on par with Natasha Richardson's Sally Bowles inCabaret. Despite not being the most proficient vocalist, in his review Brantley said of her voice"a creditable, on-key voice" for a part immortalized by Liza Minnelli vocal chops on screen, Ms Richardson'sperformance has gone down in the history books. Ms Richardson's Sally cemented the role as one of the greatest dramatic roles in the musical canon on par with Mama Rose. Ambroseunfortunately gives a a great, but proficient performance, when she needed to redefine the role to shut down the haters."



Bette had no backlash. She broke all advance sales. She won every award. She made everyone a ton of money. And you are completely wrong as to why she didn't perform at the Tonys. Why make up stuff?

behindthescenes2 said: "It comes down to a couple of criteria when casting an extensive musical like MFL. Cast someone who can do it, it you cannot take the role on and do it for the full 8 shows don't do it, you aren't meant for musical theater you don't have the talent. Andrews did it and in the original key and, WITHOUT MICROPHONES for every blasted performance - didn't miss one."

That is such nonsense. In her autobiography she specifically talks about Harrison missing several shows due to vocal distress and her losing her voice at the same time, and one night the show had to be shut down because both Andrews and Harrison's understudy were having difficulties. Finally Harrison returned so she could take time off and have her understudy go on (the thing being that it was considered disastrous to have both stars out). She mentions going to several vocal specialists and specifically mentions that the mid-week double show Wednesdays were the hardest for her. So yes, in those days the flinty stars did indeed get sick, they did indeed call out.

I remember watching Broadway: The Golden Age and Shirley MacLaine mentioned she was about to hand in her notice understudying for Carol Haney in The Pajama Game because she would have gone on with a broken neck while taking a job understudying for Gwen Verdon because she was "some times out". Then Haney injured her ankle that night and MacLaine got to go on and actually went on for Haney throughout the months after that where she was discovered by a Hollywood producer and off she went. So in that one story, two of the most notable names of the Golden Age did indeed miss performances.

NVM, found out Harrison was from Feb 1956-Nov 1957.

Updated On: 7/6/18 at 03:47 PM

First of all, imagine how many shows off Ms. Ambrose would have need had the misguided, miscast FUNNY GIRL revival with her as Fanny happened. She is giving a competent, lower tier regional performance. The show is on BROADWAY- supposedly the pinnacle of the industry. It takes a special skill set (including endurance) and those cast in roles should be able to carry them off with seeming effortlessness. I don't want to see the technique- I want to see someone transporting an audience.



As for Ms. Stitt's tweet- it is as poorly written as her "music". "Displaying to the public the inner workings of_____ (is) so disrespectful"- like someone using personal details of a divorce to write a show based on it? (Her husband obvs).



I suppose calling someone out on Twitter you feel behaved poorly is an example of "what makes Broadway special and taking care of each other"? The entitlement generation is killing Broadway more than high ticket prices and crappy new shows.

Dickson, I never said it was an easy role. It's a challenging role, but not more so than Gypsy or Funny Girl or The King and I (that's an easy sing, but those book scenes as well as the costumes make it difficult!). Performing is hard. But My Fair Lady is perfectly manageable to regularly do 8 times a week. Gypsy has never had a production where an alternate regularly went on for Rose. And that's probably one of the most difficult roles written in terms of the demands of the book scenes and score.