Taye Diggs- A Publicity Stunt Gone Bad

Wow- I caught Mr Diggs in the role tonight and what a huge disappointment. Please bring back Norbet ASAP!

It was quite obvious that the producers did not give Taye enough time to learn the part. While the part isn't that demanding, Taye managed to forget a lot of lines, had to sing "do do do do" during "Dancing through Life" because he forgot the lyrics, and had the sing all his songs in a much lower key than the role was written. Also, having seen the show a few times, he was ALL OVER THE PLACE as far as blocking. He looked completely lost.

Originally he was suppose to start on Xmas and believe me, he could have used the extra days to rehearse. I was able to speak to some of my friends in the show afterwards and most were pissed off that the producers let someone so unprepared, no matter how famous, go on in the role. As one cast member told me, "Had a stand by or understudy gone on and performed like that tonight, they would be out of work tomorrow".

Also, one cast member said that Norbert is more than ready to come back but the producers wanted to take advantage of his abscence to do a publicity stunt with Taye and Idena over the holidays--even the show the show is already sold out. So Norbet has been sidelined just to garner some press.

Don't mess with a incredible show and lower the quality just to gain some press.

---

The publicity generated by Taye joining his wife onstage in Wicked would be rather minimal at best. The two of them working together is hardly new news at this point. Sounds to me like he came in as a favor during Norbert's healing process, and so as not to expend the understudy during the entire period of Norbert's absence.

Taye Diggs has stage presence to spare, as evidenced by Rent, and MTC's Wild Party in particular. It sounds to me like he had a bad first night. But he is a very talented young man. Calling it "a publicity stunt gone bad" strikes me as a rather hysterical, alarmist reaction. It's not as if they put in a movie actor with no stage chops whatsoever. Unfortunate that he had a tough time of it, but I've no doubt he'll improve.

---

A little surprised to hear your review for word on other forums has been very positive. Sounds like you had a problem with the "famous" Taye stepping in at all. He has proven himself in the theater (long before he made a name in movies) so his casting was hardly a publicity stunt. Lighten up on the guy. I am also a little suspicious of the so called comments from the cast members. I'd be surprised if they were speaking so candidly about a fellow actor's first night. I've known people to fabricate conversations to further a point. Not sure that isn't going on here.

Updated On: 12/23/03 at 12:16 PM

Well, Taye is a great singer and actor and if he wasnt at the peek last night give him time! Im sure he will be amazing by the time I see him!

Broadwaylilhead wrote, "Don't mess with a incredible show and lower the quality just to gain some press."

Snicker. Snicker. Ahhahahahahahahahahaha.

---

perhaps a rabid Norbert fan???? That woudl NOT be an unreasonable assumption

And again I say, who on earth is Kris Cusick? As much as I get on you guys about mistaking B'way fame with actual fame, at least I know who Taye Diggs is. It must be a rabid Cusick fan, if there is such a thing.

Cusack played both Marck and Angel on the RENT "Angel" tour.. I saw him in the show and he was good... he IS one of the lesser known cast members.... so I take it we can assume that the original poster slammed Diggs is a rabid RENTHEAD.......

I hear rabid RENTHEADS trash a few members of the OBC...... though most of the cast is thought of as a collective god..





What about Idina and Taye as Penny and Seaweed in Hairspray????...
"But now I've tasted chocolate and I'm never going back!"

**wink wink** LOL

Updated On: 12/23/03 at 02:09 PM

LOL

I think this can all best be summed up with Lilhead's very first post on Broadwayworld:

"I saw the show the other night without Norbert and as usual, I was a little miffed when I saw that I was going to be seeing an understudy in one of the leads so soon in the run..BUT..WOW....where the hell did they find Kristoffer Cusick? I've always been a Norbet fan and foruntately got to see Norbert in Wicked during Previews;however, his understudy is AMAZING. I hate to say it, but I actually preferred Kristoffer's interpretation of the role more than Norbert's. I heard Norbet has actually been out over a week or so... not sure what is up with that.... "

---

KC shill???

shill

shill

shill

Shill

SHill

SHIll

SHILl

SHILL

SHILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!