Scheduled absences for RENT?
Scheduled absences for RENT?
Scheduled absences for RENT?#0
Posted: 8/21/06 at 12:51pm
On Wednesday (the 23rd) I'm taking two friends to see RENT who have never been before (for one this will be her first Bway show!). Does anyone know if there are any scheduled absences for this day? If so, do you know who will be on instead? Nothing against Antonique (who I have never seen) but I would love to see Karmine on as Mimi. I just love her!
Thanks.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#1
Posted: 8/21/06 at 12:57pmTim is away so if you're lucky you'll get to see Luther on as Roger.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#2
Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:30pmI highly doubt Antonique will be out. Her last show is August 31, so I think she's gonna try to perform every performance until then.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#3
Posted: 8/21/06 at 3:54pm
Destan Owens is on vacation and Mark Richard Ford is filling in this week.
Trust me, that's a good thing.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#4
Posted: 8/21/06 at 4:08pm
Ugh, are you serious? Why do they keep dragging him back in for all Destan Owen's vacations? For god's sake, isn't the point of having an understudy so that they can go on for the vacations instead? How is Equity okay with all these "return engagements"?
God, Marcus is on his way to winning the Yassmin Alers award and he's only been in the cast a year.
Wanting life but never knowing how
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#5
Posted: 8/21/06 at 4:12pm
Yeah, I hear ya though avoiding the "boring stylings" of Destan is a plus, even if someone else is being screwed over.
BTW - regarding the Yassmin Alers award: I've been told by "people in the know" that Yassmin was actually approached about Mimi when Daphne left in 1997, but there was actually more money in being a swing (and she may have been co-dance captain at the time) plus having the flexibility of not being their everynight/other roles appealed to her.
It's also a little different in the case of Marcus because he actually is in the ensemble, while Yassmin was a swing.
The bigger issue is probably not wanting Philip Dorian McAdoo to go on for an entire week (or two week) stint.
I agree with your point though - Marcus should be Collins.
Updated On: 8/21/06 at 04:12 PM
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#6
Posted: 8/21/06 at 4:22pm
Hey thanks for all the info. My sister will be so happy if Tim is out . . . personally I didn't dislike him (just didn't love him) but she really disliked his Roger. We've never seen Luther, so that would be nice.
I have to say I would love to see Karmine again, but I would be happy to see Antonique as well. Have heard good things about her and it would be nice to see her before she goes. But I do love Karmine!
Will try to post a review after and let you all know who we end up seeing.
Thanks again.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#7
Posted: 8/21/06 at 5:30pmI totally forgot about Mark being there this week. That's a plus, in my book. As much as I love Marcus' Collins, he has to put in his time. It's just the way it works at the Neder, and always has, and Equity has no say in issues like this. Yassmin Alers was a fantastic resource for the show as a swing. There have been others through the years, but Marcus isn't even close to being anywhere near that position.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#8
Posted: 8/21/06 at 6:00pm
Equity has to be involved because they're the ones that have to keep approving these week-long contracts to bring in "new" cast members, instead of using understudies for their purpose. Rent has been on Equity's sh*t list since the non-Equity tours started, and stupid stunts like this probably aren't helping their relationship.
I'm not talking about Marcus taking over the role fulltime, but as Mr. Jefferson, he IS the Collins understudy; he shouldn't have to "put in his time" before you think he's ready- it's already his job.
Wanting life but never knowing how
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#9
Posted: 8/21/06 at 6:12pm
Equity is obviously involved in the issue of the contract but they are not involved in casting decisions, and shouldn't be. "Stupid stunts like this" have gone on at the Neder for the past ten years. There's nothing Equity can do about it. The contract is between MRF and TPTB at Rent. It's not like Equity is in there negotiating on behalf of the actors, it doesn't work that way. And if Rent is supposedly on Equity's '****list', then so are many other shows who are, or who are in the planning stages for, running non-Eq tours. Rent's been doing it for five years now. If it's a problem for Equity, that's too bad, isn't it.
Marcus is an ensemble member who happens to u/s a lead role. He occasionally goes on in that role at the discretion of the SM, just like any other u/s. When it's going to be for an extended period of time, like a vacation, it's common for them to bring someone who already knows the role back in for that period, to avoid a possible problem due to sickness. If Mark wasn't there and Marcus was playing Collins, Todd would be on as Mr. J, and thus, there would be no one else to fill those spots. This is why they do it for vacations, and always have done it this way because of the plethora of actors who have been in the show over the years and who are still in the city and available.
My comment about Marcus putting in his time was in reference to him getting the role full-time, not to him understudying the role.
Stand-by Joined: 11/20/03
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#10
Posted: 8/21/06 at 6:22pmWhen/how long is Tim Howar out? Hoping to catch Luther...
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#11
Posted: 8/21/06 at 8:42pm
Equity may not have a say in the casting at the Nederlander, but they can screw them over in other ways. I'm not getting into it on the boards, but it can/is happening.
If Mark wasn't there and Marcus was playing Collins, Todd would be on as Mr. J, and thus, there would be no one else to fill those spots.
Philip McAdoo.
Equity's rules say that understudies can cover the roles up to 2 weeks. Any longer than that, THEN they have to hire someone else or write up a new contract. Destan will be gone one week this time, he was gone 2 weeks total in March. They don't bring in other actors for week-long vacations in any other role, why just Collins? They don't drag Andy back every time Justin goes on vacation. Shaun goes on and Owen fills in for him and they manage to survive without the spare swing twiddling their thumbs backstage in the off-chance something goes wrong and they have to fill in.
Wanting life but never knowing how
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#12
Posted: 8/21/06 at 11:25pmActually, I meant Philip, not Todd. Todd isn't there anymore. That was the point I was trying to make. If both were on, that's it for those roles and no one left to cover either of those or Benny. It's different with the others covering Angel because there are others who could go on to cover them more easily. Shaun and Robin can both cover Justin, with even Owen as a backup for Angel, and there is still the possibility of covering those other roles with some shuffling around and using Luther and Kyle. There's more flexibility there than there is with either Collins or Benny. Then again, it may simply be a case of Marcus getting on John Vivian's wrong side and never getting to go on. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#13
Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:05amHope to see Haven Burton on for Ava, I saw her saturday and she was truly impressive.
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#14
Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:18am
Honestly, I'm sure Haven is wonderful, but if Ava (who I really enjoyed last time I saw the show) is out I would love to see Karmine. I know it probably sounds weird--almost stalker like (and I'm not, I swear!)--but I just love her voice!
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/14/05
re: Scheduled absences for RENT?#15
Posted: 8/22/06 at 12:21am
Erin, are you a union buster? Just curious? 
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