The Elephant Man- cancelled performances

[GatorNY]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:34pm

Just got an email from telecharge saying the the show I bought premium seats for had been cancelled. According to the email, these shows have been cancelled: Saturday, February 7 at 8pm, Sunday, February 8 at 3pm, and Sunday, February 22 at 3pm.

Anyone know why?

Updated On: 1/21/15 at 06:34 PM

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:38pm

8th is the BAFTAs.

22nd is the Academy Awards.

[Lavieboheme3090]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:38pm

http://oscar.go.com/nominees

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:39pm

The 7th and 8th are so Cooper can present at the DGA awards. The 22nd has been cancelled because the show is now closing on 2/21 to accommodate Bradley's Oscar schedule.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:44pm

Thanks guys...

[haterobics]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 6:46pm

Oops, yeah, he isn't nominated for a BAFTA, so no use flying over there. They are on the 8th, though, heh.

[GatorNY]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 7:29pm

One more question since we already got our train tickets, so we're scrambling to find a show. We're thinking of getting "Curious Incident..." as a consolation. Would that be a wise move? Looks like it was well reviewed.

[bfreak]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 7:31pm

That's what I'm hearing! (especially from this message board)

[romain2]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 7:33pm

Gator: Curious Incident is definitely worth seeing! If you can get front row mezzanine tickets, that's a great place to sit!

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 7:54pm

Curious Incident would be a wonderful substitution. The first few rows of the mess allow you to see the entire stage in all it's glory. The show is visually beautiful, the acting is some of the best I've ever seen in a younger actor, and it's extremely well-written. I think you'll enjoy it.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 8:12pm

I don't get it. When Ellen Burstyn won her Academy Award for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, someone accepted for her because she was in NY doing a play-Same Time Next Year. And just yesterday I read that Jean Stapleton didn't attend Carroll O'Connor Mass because she was doing a play. Seems odd to cancel some final performances in a short limited run.

[Susanswerphone]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 8:29pm

I don't get it either--especially since he doesn't deserve the nomination, let alone the award for Sniper. Obviously someone else is convinced he'll win this and thus, the unfortunate early close of the play's run. I'd planned on waiting until late in the run to see this, but have just now bought a seat for his final Friday evening performance.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 8:58pm

it's a shame they did this and didn't at least reschedule the performances for either a Monday evening or even a Thursday matinee.

Updated On: 1/21/15 at 08:58 PM

[rjm516]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 10:18pm

Whoaa! One thing to cancel a performance for the Oscars I guess, but to close early for it?? And he's not even going to win, and he has gone every year for several years now...so...that's crap. Broadway is a commitment!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 10:35pm

I saw it tonight and I thought it was a snooze fest to be honest. He's great in the role, but the role doesn't really allow him to show any real "acting." One you get the deformity down, you're good to go. I kind of feel like a lot of other actors could do what he's doing. He's not bad by any means. He's just not the stand-out I thought he would be. I rather liked Clarkson. She gave the show some needed energy. And Nivola was the standout to me. He gave so many shades to a rather dull character and felt so natural in the roll.

For those interested, I got standing room at like 6pm.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 1/21/15 at 10:43pm

They're cancelling one show for the Oscars, which happens to be the closing performance. It's not now suddenly ending weeks early.

While I can imagine it's frustrating to have tickets to a performance that has been cancelled, the Oscars are such a major media event that it's easy to understand why an A-List actor like Cooper would make it a priority to be there. It's not that he'll win, but it's important to be seen there.

[MegInManhattan]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 3:13pm

Shouldn't someone have realized they scheduled closing night the same night as the Oscars a long time ago? I mean, it's not exactly a secret for what night the Oscars happen...

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 3:26pm

I wouldn't be surprised if Cooper stepped up to the dough dish to cover potential losses for this generosity from the producers. Or maybe, because he has made them so much money on this production, they instigated it in thanks.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 3:32pm

Cooper was not a lock for a nomination. In many circles the other four nominees were locks, and the fifth slot could have gone to any number of actors who gave good performances. Have you seen Mr. Turner or Selma for instance? Sniper with 6 nods including Picture, Actor and Screenplay came as a bit of a jolt.

Cooper will attend not because he's going to win (Put your money on Keaton), but because it is good politics to be there.

As for Curious Dog (as I seem to end up calling it), it is selling very well and like any show, weekends will go first, so get cracking. What others have said is true, mezzanine is preferable over orchestra. If it is sold out already, look at Disgraced which packs a wallop. The Audience is pretty good too.

When Ellen Burstyn won 40 years ago, there wasn't the pressure to get the nominees to the awards like there is today. There always seemed to be at least one winner who wasn't there.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 3:42pm

"Cooper will attend not because he's going to win (Put your money on Keaton), but because it is good politics to be there."

I don't believe it's bad politics to miss the awards because you're starring in a play on Broadway. In fact I think it's good politics, indicating the professioanlism of your commitment (especially if you're unlikely to win).

Updated On: 1/22/15 at 03:42 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 4:22pm

Dumb question: I know for other, less "prestigious" award shows, often people do satellite or pre-taped speeches if they do win and are working or on tour, etc. Would it be terrible to do that for the Oscars? Some quick "hey i'm in my dressing room, getting ready for the last show, thank you to..." or something?

It's not that big of a deal, but I think it would have said something if he had stuck with the final show. Being a professional and sticking to a commitment would be a good PR move, if not better than zooming in on his "oh I didn't win but GOOD FOR THAT GUY..." smile.

[nyla123]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 4:49pm

I imagine that Cooper had a provision in his contract for American Sniper requiring him to attend the Oscars and do at least some promotion if he were to be nominated as that's standard practice for film contracts. They probably didn't think it would be an issue because he was a relative longshot for a nomination (only in the last few weeks before the nominations did American Sniper look to have a chance of getting nominated for anything) and thus scheduled The Elephant Man accordingly.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 4:50pm

I wouldn't be surprised if Cooper stepped up to the dough dish to cover potential losses for this generosity from the producers. Or maybe, because he has made them so much money on this production, they instigated it in thanks.

Weirdest post of the day.

[decast]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 5:07pm

There's no way he's going to win the Oscar but American Sniper was tipped as an Oscar contender very early on in the season, I'm amazed they didn't take the awards season schedule into account. He's also one of nine, I think it is, actors to have been nominated three times in a row, so I guess that's enough of a big deal to attend. There's really very few people who get Oscar nominated and just don't go, no matter their chances. He'd have a great excuse, doing the show, but perhaps to the industry it wouldn't look good.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 1/22/15 at 5:38pm

Hepburn never attended-has 4 Oscars. (She did show up once-to give the Thalberg Award.)