Todd Buonopane is Lord Farquaad in SHREK Tour! — Page 2

how unfortunate...Buonopane is a very talented performer and could have done some awesome things with this character...hopefully he can move on and I'm sure he'll find something even better!

I have to say I agree with theaterbear. I just don't believe anything about Todd being anything but sweet and dedicated to what he does. I had the opportunity of doing a week-long workshop last summer, and anything demanding from him would seem out of character to me from what I got to know of him.

I don't. And as you weren't there maybe you shouldn't be so sure of it either.

I saw Todd during the first week of previews. He was average at best. There was no shading to his performance, and he didn't really offer up the outrageousness the part demands. They were probably wise to let him go. Talented guy, bad fit.

"I saw Todd during the first week of previews. He was average at best. There was no shading to his performance, and he didn't really offer up the outrageousness the part demands."

You realize that you are saying you saw his 4th or 5th public performance, right? It's not like you saw him three months into the run where he has had the time to find shading and outrageousness for the part?

People who judge solely on previews don't really deserve an opinion.

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There will be a noticeable deficit of opinions on Shrek in Chicago, then...the discounts have already begun.

At least it's better than Young Frankenstein.

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I confess that I am baffled by this more-widely-held-than justified belief that an audience member shouldn't expect a good performance, ready for evaluation, from an actor until some months into the run.

A good performer knows how to work a show at their first performance in front of an audience (the actors I admire figure out how to do it during the weeks of full-time rehearsal that precede that first performance). They may hone some finer points as they continue, but the performance should be ready for audiences at the first paid performance.

I have less respect for the hack who makes audiences wait til after those weeks of rehearsal and months of paid performances to find their way.

Todd is such a sweet person, he is anything but a diva. After getting consistent praise from the creatives of the show, he was a victim of a sudden whim from a movie studio mogul.
He is a great actor and I'm sure something much better will come along for him. I wish Todd the best in everything and will continue to show my support for him.