Santino Fontana Question?

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Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 10:39pm

I saw "Importance..." today, and I thought it was great, but I was really impressed with Santino Fontana's performance. Sure, Bedford was great, but he didn't really "wow" the way Fonatana did. Looking at his resume, I was impressed with his ability to segue into straight theater from a lot of musical theater roles. Anyways, I thought he was in "A View From the Bridge," but his resume said otherwise. But I noticed on IBDB that he was replaced during previews. What's the story there? I guess I wasn't around during that time.

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 10:41pm

He left due to an injury.

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 10:56pm

Oh bummer. I'm sure he would have been great. That would have been a nice bookend to this very "foppish" role.

I hope he gets a break-out role sometime soon.

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:10pm

I guess I'm not sure why that should be a suprise. Acting is acting -- you approach the role the same way -- you just have different objectives. He was also a part of The Neil Simon revivals for which I heard he was wonderful. That's the role he left Billy Elliot (in which he played a serious character) for, if I remember correctly.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:27pm

Lijay, you mean he "left" due to an "injury," right?

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:28pm

I saw his last performance in BRIDGE, the one during which he was injured. He was excellent and, if he'd been able to continue, would likely have been nominated for a Tony.

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:40pm

What Yankeefan said.

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:44pm

Why would they "let him go" though? I thought the understudy who eventually took over was just not good.

Updated On: 1/16/11 at 11:44 PM

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:50pm

The rumor, at least on this board last year, was that Mosher just didn't like the work Fontana was turning out.

And as we all know, an "injury" is a convenient way of letting someone go without the embarrassment.

#10

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:53pm

Last season was a rough one for him. It was nice that he won the Drama Desk for Brighton Beach Memoirs. He's a very talented guy. Can't wait to see him in Earnest.

#11

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:57pm

He was definitely hurt - just not badly enough to have to quit the show. One day it was "Get well soon!" and then it was "Actually, don't come back."

#12

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/16/11 at 11:59pm

That's surprising and stupid. Fontana was excellent, and the understudy who replaced him was barely serviceable.

#13

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:01am

I look forward to seeing him in EARNEST, having enjoyed very much his work in Fantasticks, BBM and View.

#14

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:14am

I worked on VIEW...and wish Santino would talk about what happened...but its a complicated situation, and I respect his decision to want it to go away. That said...I can assure you, and I don't think he'd be offended for you all to know that he suffered a CONTUSION...and a concussion on his brain, and was on bed rest for over 3 weeks, IN THE DARK. And no doctor would allow him back to the show, because his safety wasn't guaranteed. He's almost fully recovered now. But its well known that the "actor who injured him" was inconsistent, and often "under the influence" while onstage. And many of us who worked on that show, have stories upon stories about 2 of its stars. power is a disgusting thing in a broadway show, and when people get hurt, people get nervous, and the people in power want to protect themselves immediately. The way they handled it was disgusting.

It makes me sick to see posts like this, because the truth should get out there. I have a feeling eventually it will. Including details of why Scarjo got divorced...think bout it people.

#15

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:20am

I just saw EARNEST yesterday, and Algie was far and away my favourite part -- I thought he was absolutely perfect

And today there's a thread about Santino Fontana

I'm glad everyone enjoys him as much as I did

You don't go to the dragon without a present - Mark Rylance

#16

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:37am

Are you saying that Schreiber performed drunk and/or high and was abusive? Given his career and reputation, I find that hard to believe.

Updated On: 1/17/11 at 12:37 AM

#17

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:44am

Oh for crap's sake.

#18

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 12:45am

i saw the show a few nights before opening, and also thought Fontana was the standout. Glad to hear I'm not crazy.

Once again, Isherwood doesn't get it. I think I may write a reader review on the times website...

#19

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 1:20am

Oh, Lord. Liev is a "method" actor and felt like going too far one night and injured Santino. While he was out, he was replaced by Morgan and by the time he was ready to go back, ScarJo said that she didn't want him because she was already comfortable with Morgan and since it's ScarJo's show, that's how it went.

#20

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 2:45am

Jordan, that sounds like the most believable version of the story I've heard yet. And if it's true, then all I can say is that I hope "Scarjo" gets the same treatment by a more powerful actor than her one day and then she'll know how it feels.

That said, I'm very happy that Fontana is making a comeback with "Earnest." He deserves it after what he went through with "Bridge."

#21

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 2:54am

looking forward to his work in the new stephen karam play at the hungtinton in boston....have heard numerous accounts of his talent

#22

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 5:33am

He had a nice guest-starring role on The Good Wife not too long after leaving A View From The Bridge, which hopefully brought him whatever exposure he might have lost.

I know nothing about what went on backstage. I can only say it always sounded fishy.

But I saw Santino as Rodolfo and he was excellent, as he had been in Brighton Beach Memoirs. I'm glad he's enjoying a triumph as Algernon.

#23

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 9:44am

I too saw Earnest and enjoyed it very much however I didn't think he was quite as good as either Mr Bedford, Dana Ivey,Charlotte Parry or especially Sara Topham who is a ditzy delight as Gwendolyn. I found Mr Fontana altogether a little too busy and "big" in his manner and imbued his Algernon with forced charm than more often than not appeared distracting. The strength for me in this production were definitely the women including and topped by, with all due respect, Mr Bedford.

"Extraordinary how potent cheap music is..." Noel Coward-Private Lives

#24

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 11:17am

tigger,
i couldn't disagree more. the women seemed to me INCREDIBLY forced and cartoonish. I felt like I was watching two smiling robots on a predetermined track. They were playing style, but forgot to be people first. But, to each his own.

#25

Santino Fontana Question?

Posted: 1/17/11 at 11:29am

schrieber has a terrible reputation in the industry...its only critics who don't know about it. actors uniformly can't stand him. no actor works with him twice--ask jennifer ehle, sigourney weaver, lynn collins, erik jensen...He used to do shots before fight scenes in Henry V in the park. The drinking is not a fabrication.

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