Steven Blanchard of Beauty and The Beast

It's nice that he has the dedication to stay with the show for 56 years, but he's awful in the role now. He phones in every performance.

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A lot of people on this board don't seem to like him now. I saw him back in 2004 and thought he was perfectly fine. He made me like the song "If I Can't Love Her."

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I loved him in 2000.
He sang the crap out of If I Cant Love Her.

>> Dottie "He must be doing something right if the powers that be continue to re-sign him."

Um yea, he works for NOTHING~! That's why he is there, and I heard it from the horse's mouth. To his defense, maybe he enjoys the Disney benefits. He is the biggest joke at DTP (well up until Tarzan, and before that it was King David), if they had any respect for him they would let him go.

That said,, isn't anyone else grossed out that he is like 48 and often times playing opposite a 20 year old girl? Barf! The big reason Beast has never been stunt-casted is because of the Mask. Orignally Donnie Osmond was considered for that. Well years ago actually. There have been many HOT boys playing Beast on tour and abroad. It's a shame they wont experiment with it here. They could have had Nick and Jessica before they hit it big on MTV.

he phoned in the performance i saw in January

He is still playing the Beast??? Wow, I saw him back in October 2004!

I saw him in the role a few years ago, and wasn't that impressed. And when he came out as the Prince in the end, the woman I was with said "we're supposed to think he's the "handsome prince?"

But in his defense, ALL of the tempos were extremely fast, not just his songs. Maybe the conductor left her stove on and wanted to get home quickly.

To "phone in" a performance means that the actor wasn't really putting forth much effort...was just going through the motions.

He was phoning it in 5 years ago -- barely sung anything, and faked his way through it. I can't imagine what he's like now.

grrr. i hated him when i sayw it in 05. bad memories.

ps- when did ashley leave, i missed that?

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Clumsy--

To "phone in" a performance is to just go through the motions without really being into it, when it's already so ingrained into your mind and body that you just kinda go on "autopilot." It is a common complaint that Broadway performers will do this during a long run. First-time audience members usually won't know the difference, but those who have seen the show before can tell that the performer isn't giving it their all.

Absolutely. The first time I witnessed a performer "phoning it in" was Faith Prince towards the end of her run in Guys and Dolls. I went with a friend of mine, and at the end of Act 1 we both looked at each other and said, "WTF".

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