The Mark that never shows up! (A Chorus Line)- Page 2

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:01am

Don't put LaChanze and Donna Murphy in the same category, neddy.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:06am

You're right, BSO.

Just put LaChanze in that category.

Donna Murphy actually had health problems.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:42am

BroadwayGuy: you said "doing any show 8 times a week is a KILLER". Why would you say that? 8 shows a week is standard, and if it was "killer", that wouldn't be the performance schedule. Yes, being in a dance show is very very physically demanding, but isn't that one of the reasons dancers train so much ... so that have the stamina to get thru 8 shows a week. Honestly 8 shows a week, an average of 2.5 hours per show of which most dancers are not onstage the entire time ... they're working less than 20 hours a week. How is that killer? If you prepared, take care of yourself, don't go out partying into the wee hours, 8 shows a week is not killer. Certain roles / shows can be killer but to say to perform any show 8 times a week is killer is a gross over-exaggeration.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:45am

Clearly you have never performed a physically demanding role.

They work more than just what you see on stage. They have rehearsals as well.

In fact, A CHORUS LINE is particularly daunting. Much of the original company experienced injuries during the run (I think only one did not) so it's not as if it's just a case of this cast being lazy.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 9:52am

"Yes, being in a dance show is very very physically demanding, but isn't that one of the reasons dancers train so much ... so that have the stamina to get thru 8 shows a week."

Yes. That's what dancers do. The whining and crying on this board for their lots in life is ridiculous.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 10:45am

Munk ... You obviously didn't read my post correctly ... I did say some shows are much more physically demanding. My objection was to the comment that to perform in ANY show 8 times a week is killer ... that simply is not true. Marilyn Cooper performed (brilliantly) one number, in one scene in Woman of the Year (and sat on a stool thru most of it). Was that killer? I don't think so! I would hardly call Mama Morton or Mary Sunshine in Chicago "killer". Evita, yes killer, Girl with the Suitcase, not killer. Mama Rose ... killer; the 3 strippers ... not killer.

And no, I'm not a dancer, but have had my fair share of 8 performance weeks in musicals, and I loved every minute of it and would have never called it "killer". It was thrilling!

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 10:48am

Excellent post, WV.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 11:11am

"Well, all I know is that he was in tonight and was in when I saw the show a month ago."

I've seen the show twice and he was in both times.

[jess20882]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 11:58am

He was in on opening night when I saw it, and also the second time I saw it about a week ago.

And as for the whole LaChanze thing...I have seen the Color Purple 6 times, spread out over the past year, and she has been in every single time...

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 12:10pm

"And as for the whole LaChanze thing...I have seen the Color Purple 6 times, spread out over the past year, and she has been in every single time..."

I've seen it three times, and she was in all three times.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 2:13pm

I've seen it twice and she was in both times. Despite her frequent absences, I LOVE LaChanze and think she is a fantastic performer. I hope she gets work again soon.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 3:08pm

Leave the guy alone. If he's got a bad knee, he's better off not dancing on it, especially in such a demanding show. If he did come in and perform with his bad knee, you'd all complain about what a crappy job he was doing. It's betetr that he lets it heal so he CAN dance again.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 4:05pm

LaChanze also has health problems that were quite evident at the beginning of the run.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:30pm

Yes but then how do you explain LaChanze's recent absence?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 10/19/06 at 5:35pm

Just FYI, Paul McGill has been out only once in NY so far.

[Cootchobee]

Posted: 10/20/06 at 11:15pm

Okay...

First of all, I'm not going to even dignify the posters on this thread who claim that either A Chorus Line is not a physically demanding show or that dancers, all dancers, any dancer, should be able to perform it 8 times a week injury-free with a long response. I will say, however, that you should try the opening combination just once, full out, the way it's supposed to be done and see how you walk in the morning.

Also, I think it's necessary to point out something else. Michael Bennett's choreography, particularly the opening combination, is "killer". It's wonderful and it's freeing but it hurts like hell. Any dancer, however trained, is more prone to injury in a Bennett show than they are in, say, a Stroman show. Furthermore, even if a dancer begins the show properly warmed up, standing on the line quickly stiffens muscles so fast that pretty soon it's like never having been warmed up at all. Any role in the show has to stand still on the line for a long while and then dance the forth montage. That itself is a recipe for injury.

Just to clarify for anyone who doesn't know, Paul is recovering from a stress fracture in his back. That's why he was out of the show in San Fran. That's the real story.

Moving along. The comment about him not being "up to it" because he just graduated from high school was absurd. This is his second Broadway show. He's been performing professionally since he was 10. He's seasoned well beyond his years, and he's more than "up to it".

Lastly, those of you who suggest that Paul should be replaced by Mike Cannon, I say this: I have seen both Paul and Mike in more shows in more roles than I can count for the past 10 years. Mike's a very nice guy, and a great talent. However, Paul is the most special dancer I've ever had the privilege to work with (with the notable exception of Danny Herman).

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 4:45am

Cootchobee pretty much summed it up and is probably much more "in the know" on this production than I am. but I have been at every performance thus far and can attest that Paul has only missed one show. He was injured in SF and needed take some recovery time, but that injury hasn't seemed to affect his Broadway performance or attendance. Some of the principles have yet to miss a show, but most of them by now have missed 1 or 2, a few more in some cases. It's been a bit more frequent than normal this past week, due to the schedule changeover (added Mondays instead of Sunday mat) which has resulted in 16 performances over the past 12 days (4 of which were 2-show days), with not a single day off in that span.

That being considered, no one in the cast has been habitually absent, but those swings and understudies have been a bit busier than usual- and handled it in an impressive, protean manner. Naturally everyone is entitled to their opinions on what justifies missing a show and of course there's disappointment when you don't get to see a performer you've been looking forward to, but do be careful not to attach labels that are undeserved. LaChanze or Donna Murphy you could maybe argue for but no one in ACL has had any substantial time out yet.

This cast seems to be extremely resilient, and I'm amazed at how quickly they can bounce back after taking a single show off. They are all in great physical shape and it's clear they know how to take care of themselves so as to avoid missing work unless totally necessary.

Updated On: 10/21/06 at 04:45 AM

[Trish2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 6:06am

Well , Im sorry you took my comment about his age so to heart. In my experience many of our "younger generation" have a very weak work ethic. They are lazy, irresponsible, and expect star turns overnight. Perhaps I jumped on Mr McGill too abruplty, but i see it in so any shows these days that i just assumed.

Having toured with the show for two years myself, I agree wholeheartedly with the fact that remaining warm throughout the show is quite the task. Think about Cassie. In the original production she stands in a pose with one foot crossed over the other so all of her weight is on one leg. For MOST of the show. Before her big number she is given the equivalent of ONE squat when she walks over to put her dance bag down before hitting her mark downsatge center. One wonders how much Bennett "loved" his Cassie by putting her through that torture.

[Feathah]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 9:25am

When people talk about attempting to see a specific performer and missing them each time, couldn't it be your bad luck also? A friend of mine went to see Millie three times and Little Women twice and Sutton Foster was out every time. (He finally saw her in Drowsy!) I'd seen Millie more than five times and she was always in. So who knows!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 2:01pm

I do think age comes into play a bit, maybe not in this specific case, but in general.

As long as he and everyone else are getting better, that's what's important.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 2:16pm

I passed the theatre on Thursday night and Deidre was out and so was Jessica ( I think I saw Val up there, but not 100%) And I think Mark was out too.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 4:08pm

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 4:08pm

How old is he?

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 4:12pm

If I remember correctly, Deidre and Brad Anderson (Don) were the only 2 principles out on Thursday. Charlotte went on that night but has been out since then. I believe Jessica is one of the handful who still haven't missed a show, and Paul was on that night as well.

Neddy: he's 19, but I think he was only 17 when he got LA CAGE

Updated On: 10/21/06 at 04:12 PM