The end of SARA RAMIREZ's career?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:18am

On Broadway anyway? If Riedel's story today has any truth, and her abscences are not related to being sick, I can't imagine any Broadway producer hiring her to carry a production in the near future. Shame cause she's a super talent.

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/51742.htm

Didn't anyone learn from the Donna Murphy fiasco last year?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:20am

Wasn't Audra known for missing a lot of performances during Ragtime and Marie Christine? She still gets work.

But yeah, Ramirez doesn't want to play certain performances? Get over yourself Sara!

I hope that Riedel's article makes her feel a little guilty about what she's been doing.

[Popular]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:23am

Can someone cut and paste please?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:24am

Can't copy/paste - copyright issues.

I'd like to believe she was sick - at least for PART of that absence. I mean, she sure as hell sounded it at the Tonys.

Reidel'll make a mountain of a hole, though. That's right - a hole. Not even a hill.

Updated On: 8/12/05 at 11:24 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:29am

Audra actually didn't miss many if any performances of MARIE CHRISTINE. She wasn't contracted to do matinees. There was an alternate Marie, much in the same way as shows like PHANTOM, and EVITA have alternate leads. Completely understandable as MARIE CHRISTINE is virtually an opera.

She did miss a lot of performances of RAGTIME, however.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:31am

Ramirez has been in and out of the show repeatedly since previews. She was out the night I went in previews, and has been out at various times when friends have gone in the last few months. From reports I've heard, she hasn't been able to go more than a week or two without missing a few performances. Some of this may be health-related, but.......

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:33am

Well I think that there is an increase in missed performances, not just by Ramirez or the cast of Spam. I'm glad Riedel "called them out". I think that teh work ethic of some has decreased in quality, and hope, that this article will make a small change

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:34am

I don't have a Post account - who else did he call out, though?

I'll register for one when I'm not "working," later tonight. I promise!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:34am

I guess I got lucky when it came time to seeing Audra, because in all of the shows I have seen her in, I never once saw her understudy.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:35am

Just the line about this being a problem on Broadway in general.

We should start a website tracking who's in and out each performance.

Updated On: 8/12/05 at 11:35 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:35am

Well, like I said, I adore Sara Ramirez's work, but I heard stories way back during A CLASS ACT, that she can be...well difficult. I'm sure Riedel's claim has at least a shred of truth to it.

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:36am

I have never seen Laura Benanti in a show as she was always out as well.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:37am

Didn't she have a big injury during Into the Woods?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:38am

Yeah but she was out of NINE all the time, and she didn't have to do much with her neck in that show...

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:38am

Here's an excerpt:


'SPAMALOT" director Mike Nichols is "livid" that several actors in his hit Broadway show are regularly missing performances, production sources told The Post this week. Among the worst offenders is Tony Award-winner Sara Ramirez, who, the sources say, is often out of the show three or four times a week.

A wave of fear swept through the dressing rooms at the Shubert Theatre Tuesday night after the stage manager announced there would be a "mandatory" company meeting with Nichols — the most powerful director on Broadway — following Wednesday's matinee.

Nichols, it was whispered backstage, was going to "ream" the cast out for missing shows.

The meeting did not occur — it has been postponed indefinitely, a production source says — but the grumbling about missed performances continues, and the cast expects a dressing down from either Nichols or one of the show's producers in the coming weeks.

"The performance is off when people are out, especially the principals," says a "Spamalot" company member.

In addition to Ramirez, Tim Curry, who plays King Arthur in the musical, has racked up a string of absences.

He took a vacation recently, but he was missing performances before the break, and he has missed at least two since.

Curry, sources say, finds the eight-performance-a-week schedule grueling.

"I'm too old for this," he's been heard to say, only half-kidding.

Ramirez, who is quite wonderful in the role of the Lady in the Lake, is rapidly earning a reputation as a diva backstage because of her frequent absences.

She has told people backstage that she does not want to do Tuesday evening shows or any of the matinees.

David Hyde Pierce gets a gold star for attendance.

He has not missed a show since a brief absence due to illness during previews last March."

Updated On: 8/12/05 at 11:38 AM

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:39am

edit: Margo beat me to it
Updated On: 8/12/05 at 11:39 AM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:39am

Well, and she quit or was fired from everything else. It will be interesting to see how often she's in Wedding SInger or even if she makes it through rehearsals.
Updated On: 8/12/05 at 11:39 AM

[chess12]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:40am

Audra McDonald missed loads of her contracted MARIE CHRISTINE performances. And the box office was issuing refunds right and left every night.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:41am

"In addition to Ramirez, Tim Curry, who plays King Arthur in the musical, has racked up a string of absences."

It's free to register and you dont have to agree to any contracts or anything...I just did it and it took me 5 minutes tops.

[Yorkie1276]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:46am

Sara was out of the show the day that I saw it, which was the day before the Tonys. Her understudy (Darlene Wilson, I believe) was not very good.

As far as Laura Benanti goes, I remember her understudy in Swing (can't remember who it was) saying that she went on for Laura for three solid months. Laura was in Nine when I saw it (I thought she was wonderful), but Erin Dilly had replaced her by the time I caught Into the Woods.

[broadwaybelter]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:48am

wow thats something--well that'd be a waste of Sara's talent

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:49am

"David Hyde Pierce gets a gold star for attendance.

He has not missed a show since a brief absence due to illness during previews last March."

He gets a "gold star" for doing his job? How many of you show up every day for work/school unless you're sick? All of you? Right. Where's your praise? You don't get any - because it's what you are PAID TO DO. It's your RESPONSIBILITY. If you're not living up to it, there are plenty of other people who will.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:50am

Something tells me Mike Nichols is not someone to be f**ked with. Good for him stepping in, I think most directors would be like "Well, my job is over, so whatever will be, will be."

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:51am

Yeah, I agree Borstal. This man has incredible influence in all areas of the Entertainment Biz. He is the last person you'd want to piss off.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 8/12/05 at 11:51am

Lol Rath. I'm so glad Sara could grace us with her presence today! How nice of her.