WAYNE BRADY bails out of L.A. Chicago run!! (plus tiny review of 1st night)

[Popular]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 3:15am

Wayne Brady apparantly stressed out his singing voice and will not be performing for the L.A run. I was so bummed, but I tried to enjoy the show anyway. Velma and Roxie were both terrific. The ensemble was great, Amos was adorable, ...and then there was Patti LaBelle. Oh, dear! I hope the critics don't rip her because she couldn't act AT ALL. Sure she belted out the tunes, but I felt like I was watching a Patti concert rather than seeing her in a show. I like Patti, really I do, and I respect who she is and what she has accomplished - but she is just not meant for the stage in my opinion. Maybe she had an off night or maybe I was expecting too much. I'll give her this, she looked GREAT! Updated On: 2/2/05 at 03:15 AM

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 8:22am

Wow...that's gonna cause problems.

[Popular]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 11:23am

Yeah - I really hope she improves. I think it could of been the first night jitters, still working out the kinks and adjusting to Wayne being out? I'm not sure how far in advance they knew.

[Thetruth]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 1:15pm

How did the audience recieve Patti?

[NBC]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 1:21pm

So who was on as Billy Flynn?

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 2:18pm

Too bad about Wayne Brady I actually really enjoyed him in the role in New York.

[emo_geek]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 7:24pm

EEEEEK I have tickets for it tonight...oh well

[dotmarie]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 7:34pm

That's sad about Wayne Brady. =( I love him and would have loved to see him as Billy Flynn...ah, well. I would have seen it for Bianca Marroquin too, I saw her last year as Roxie and she was FANTASTIC.

[rice and beans AND cheese]

Posted: 2/2/05 at 7:39pm

I wanted to see him as Billy Flynn too. I wish I could.

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:08am

EmoGeek I'll be curious to hear what you think after tonight.
I was looking in the playbill and they list Lloyd Culbreath and Kevin Neil McCready as Flynn u/s, but there are no photos of the cast so I can't tell you which went on. There was no sign at the door saying "at this performance, the part of...". Actually, it was a total shock to me when they introduced Billy and Wayne didn't appear. I went to see the show with a publicist who's clients were doing some press so they ran a little late with the interviews and we missed the 1st song. Apparantly they made an announcement before the show but I didn't hear it.

[CJR]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:11am

So glad you liked Bianca and Brenda. They're fabulous :)

I'm biased to Bianca, but you know I had to throw that in there anyway haha

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:20am

Billy was Gregory Harrison. Patti was fierce in the songs. But someone needs to sit down and direct her. I bet you anything that the performance you see later in the run will be night and day from the perofrmance she gave tonight. The show is in good shape. I really don't need to see Chicago again. Love the show.. but I have seen it way to many times to enjoy it anymore.

Updated On: 2/3/05 at 12:20 AM

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:28am

Gregory must've flew in to start tonight because he wasn't on last night. The guy I saw last night was Black. Looking back at the playbill I noticed that one of the u/s, Kevin Neil McCready, normally plays Fred Casley, so it must've been Lloyd Culbreath that I saw last night. He was OK, I wasn't blown away by him but I thought he did a good job covering. Definitely a talented guy in his own right and I'm glad for him that he got his chance to go on.

Iris - I'm wondering how you just gave a review when it's only 9:30pm here and the show is still going on?? If you were talking about last night you would've known that Gregory was NOT Billy last night. Updated On: 2/3/05 at 12:28 AM

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:30am

Tonight was definitely gregory. I recognize that gorgeous peice of ass anywhere. the man is FINE!!!!!

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:40am

And I also want to add; Roxie and Velma were sensaational. Both equally magnetic.

[CJR]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 12:48am

Hey, if YOU'VE seen it too many times, how do you think *I* feel? lol

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 1:06am

Iris - I'm confused. Are you talking about tonight's show in L.A.? How can you give a review when the show is still going on as I type? It's barely just 10pm now. Perhaps you meant LAST night? And if so, I'm even more confused because Gregory was DEFINITELY NOT there last night when I saw the show. Now I must humbly admit I don't know who Gregory is but I saw an article with his picture and the picture showed a White man. The Billy last night was Black. And after looking over the playbill again I noticed that one of the two u/s plays Fred Casely regulary which means the guy who went on must've been Lloyd Culbreath. I'm not saying that Gregory couldn't have flown in to start replacing Wayne by tonight, I'm just wondering how you got home so soon, or rather, why you left early?
Anyway, I'm still curious to hear what someone else thought about Patti, from someone who was really there.

EDIT: sorry for the double posting - I didn't think the 1st one went through because the server went down or something so I retyped another response Updated On: 2/3/05 at 01:06 AM

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 1:47am

Emo_Geek, any thoughts? Hope you give a review when you come back tonight!!

[Iris Chacon]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 3:24am

I was home by 10 30. Press night started at 7. And I am 10 minutes away from the Pantages. I don't opine ( is that a word?) about a show if I have not seen it. And this one I have seen over and over and over and over and over.. well... lots of times.

Updated On: 2/3/05 at 03:24 AM

[Popular]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 3:41am

Oh OK, thanks for explaining. That makes sense now. This was my 2nd time seeing it, the 1st time was at the Shubert when it was still here sometime back in late 90's. So last night was opening night but tonight was press night? Does that mean Patti gets her reviews tomorrow morning? Ooooohh, can't wait to see what they have to say! Glad you enjoyed the show. Nice to have an early night, I didn't get back till about 11:30pm... I'm in the valley.

EDIT: wait a sec, you got home by 10:30? but posted before 9:30? I'm honestly not trying to call you on anything, I'm just still soooo confused. Updated On: 2/3/05 at 03:41 AM

[DAME]

Posted: 2/3/05 at 3:49am

Have another drink ,Hussy.

Updated On: 2/3/05 at 03:49 AM