Sandy Duncan to join Finding Neverland — Page 3

Interesting that it was deleted from the BWW post.

Also, he's posted an essay on FB now, but that's for you guys to find.

Here's the essay...

"The obsession with “tracks” and treating theater like a machine is widespread and does an immense disservice to actors, our profession, and the audiences who are paying absurd ticket prices to see live theater. Precision is extremely important. Standing on 6 instead of 5 can mean standing on an open trap door instead of in your beautiful special. Keeping the show locked and consistent is important…it prevents wild shifts in tone and performance and keeps the vision of the creative team in focus. But theater is a valuable medium because it’s alive. It’s living. It’s people sitting in the dark listening to a story, moment to moment, in THIS moment, and experiencing catharsis together. And when the show ends, so does that experience. No one will ever have it exactly like that again, NOR SHOULD THEY! They will have their own magical experience tomorrow that will only exist for them at THAT moment. What an amazing thing.
Collaboration is about many voices creating something together that transcends the voices themselves. What point is there in treating this beautiful art form like a machine? What point is there giving so many notes of minutia that the end result is nothing but hitting poses on marks and saying lines exactly the same way every night, justification be damned? What point is there treating actors like cogs in shrink-wrap at ‘The Actor Store’ (re: Ripley Grier) ready to be swapped out and in without any interest in what they can bring to the table? Why hire me if you don’t want ME to bring MY skills and MY experiences and MY interpretation to the piece and to actually collaborate together? And what’s the point if you DONT TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT? When did we get so lost? It’s gotta be the money…give me two people alive, present, and listening in a black box with no set and I’m happier than seeing a 10 million dollar behemoth of a production where style trumps substance.
Isn’t collaboration why we all do this? Isn’t that why we put up with the 4 roommates, the summer stock contract in the town you’re pretty sure they shot Deliverance in, the EPAs and ECCs with 1/2 the population of Astoria, the headshots that cost more than your rent, and working as a server for years before even making a ripple in this business? To work with creative people and discover and explore and then bring audiences along with us? When did this business become about “tracks?” I’m not a goddamn TRAIN, I’m an actor.
Without sounding like Enjolras, we actors must reclaim our rightful place, not as expendable automatons but creative forces who’s voices deserve to not just be heard but CELEBRATED. We are not interchangeable trains on tracks. We are artists. We are not here to just mimic what someone else did. We are here to be PRESENT, moment to moment, with whatever comes our way. That’s what makes theater worth it. Otherwise, to audiences I say just stay home and watch Netflix. Take from that what you will, if anything."

I dunno. It sounds like this separation is due to artistic differences because Duncan was (perhaps) not following Diane Paulus's direction for the character. If it were a question of having difficulty learning lines, I doubt her son would have written that diatribe, unless he means by #notarobot an actor should be free to paraphrase a script, but that doesn't sound like that is the situation at all.

The statement from the producers about "Family Obligations" does seem like a smoke and mirrors to save face for everyone.

A shame, because I think Duncan's returning to Broadway was an exciting occasion.

I don't know the situation, but I think what he is saying speaks to a lot of unfortunate replacement situations I have witnessed, and he is right that it isn't healthy or good for theatre.

I think things like what the son did usually tend to hurt more than help. Even if his heart was in the right place. He just sounds like sour grapes and Sandy Duncan doesn't need her son (of all people) whining on facebook for her. It's just unprofessional.

I have worked with Sandy and she is the ultimate pro. I very much doubt the rumor of her not being prepared. My first thought at the "family obligations" bit was to hope something isn't wrong with Don.

She has a professional team to make statements for her in a professional way. Her son is not employed by her and it just sounds like he is mad his mommy got kicked out of a role. Sure it makes him a good son but if Sandy wanted to say something, then why isn't she writing anything? The son's post is incredibly passively aggressive and borderline obnoxious. He had good points but you can tell it's just coming from butthurt emotion and not rational thinking.

Updated On: 2/17/16 at 12:15 PM

" She has a professional team to make statements for her "

What showbiz LaLa land are you referring too? This is Sandy Duncan not Oprah. Her team is probably two queens and a curling iron ( Old Bette Midler joke).

" you can tell it's just coming from butthurt emotion"

Yes. It is her son. Did I miss something? Was he pretending not to be her son?

Updated On: 2/17/16 at 01:03 PM

I wasn't agreeing with you. I was quoting you.

This is an omen of things to come... when will this tourist trap just close and open up the theatre for a fresh show?

I'll echo what was said here

random fact Sandy was first choice when "Chicago" played Encores but didn't do it cause she was attached to Easter parade

When Sandy took over Roxie it wasn't a cookie cutter put in. First Sandy got brand new Roxie costumes for a couple (All That Jazz, Funny Honey) numbers. If anything Sandy as Roxie more dancing was added. Sandy as Roxie would always do an improp dance as Roxie always got applause in the monologue.

ABrodyFosse123 said: "Why now though? Surely rehearsals for her stint in Chicago were as much about filling a track as this role was. It didn't bother her then.?

Totally the opposite. The CHICAGO revival creative team permitted actresses to embellish into their performances, especially during the "Roxie" number.

Duncan added to her "Roxie" number a manic hoofing/tap dancing break as well as random splits plus a delicious line-reading. This is why CHICAGO continues as this creative freedom allows each actress to add their touches while still keeping to the book.

"

Huh, I thought she had urgent family matters to attend to or whatever. They didn't attempt to keep up that charáde for long, did they