What are the main reasons the original cast leaves?- Page 2

[NoName3]

Posted: 1/8/17 at 11:54pm

Isn't Mercury poisoning a frequent reason?

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 1/9/17 at 12:10am

No you don't. If the tour is a Full Production contract (very few are), you make just about the same as you do on Broadway. If you get rid of your NYC apartment and are frugal with your per diem, you can *save* more money than if you're working on Broadway, but you're not earning more. It may seem like I'm being bit-picky here, but it's an important distinction. Salaries are not higher on tour, and most of the time they're much, much lower. 

 

Ummm LOTS of full production contract salaries are TWICE as much as Broadway Contracts....without the per diem. I speak from full experience. 

[LaneBryant]

Posted: 1/9/17 at 12:13am

You're only focusing on what you see. You dont see how people are being treated, how taxing a show can be on an actor physically, mentally, psychologically, the amount of sacrifice that accompanies doing 8 shows a week. Also, every actor doesn't have the same dream. There are some actors at Lion King who have been there since it opened.....doing the same track for 18 years - they dont long for film and tv, they have bills and kids who need to go to college. Not everyone is looking for the same destiny. 

[Rainah]

Posted: 1/9/17 at 12:28am

LaneBryant said: "You're only focusing on what you see. You dont see how people are being treated, how taxing a show can be on an actor physically, mentally, psychologically, the amount of sacrifice that accompanies doing 8 shows a week."

This is so true. I know some of the main cast for Hamilton had pretty intense physiotherapy just to keep up with the demands of the show. I would expect that as soon as they stopped doing the show they just slept for a week straight

Also - a lot of them have families. Doing a show from off broadway to a broadway run can take two years. That's a lot of nights missing dinner, not helping your kid with their homework, not kissing your partner when they get home. Priorities. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/9/17 at 5:55am

The family reason makes no sense for most bway actors....that's the gig.  Nights. The trade off...you're with the family all day, many days,(or after school)  it's different, but certainly not an unknown factor.  Most can't afford to easily just stop working. 

Few leave voluntarily, without another gig lined up - just to spend time with family.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/9/17 at 9:37am

Very much on point: I just noted that the entire company of "The Humans" remained until the end. A relative rarity for a run that lasted over  a year, adding Off-Broadway performances.  Friends went to the last Wednesday matinee, and said they were all as fresh as ever.  Attention should always paid: it's the stage actor's craft, and it's a remarkable discipline.