What happened to Audra?

[rthib]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:16am

Last two days, understudy in for Bess and huge lines for people exchanging tickets.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:32am

Just curious becaus I have never done it, can you exchange or get a refund for a ticket you bought just because the star is not appearing. How do you know ahead of time they are not performing. I know it is in the Playbill (paper slip) but by that time you are already in the theatre.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:37am

Yes, you can get a full refund if the absent star has his/her name above the title of the show in the Playbill. Sometimes you don't know if an understudy is going on until just before showtime. At other times, the cast changes are posted in the lobby. Aactually, you have up until the 1st intermission to get your refund.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:37am

^ I think the rule only applies if the person's name is above the title. Besides the slips in the Playbills, there is usually an understudy board up in the theater entrance or signs can even be put up. That's what happened when Ricky Martin was out of Evita on Wednesday. Also, someone made an announcement when they were opening the theater up.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:45am

Dollypop & Marianne2 - Thanks for information. I go to see a certain musical for the show itself and not the star, although it is a added bonus if you get to see somebody like Bernadette Peters for example. Since I live out of state and only make it to NYC once a year, I can't see myself doing a ticket exchange or asking for a refund but it is nice knowing it is a option.

[rthib]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 10:52am

I asked at box office and he had no idea. Not why or when she would be back.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 11:07am

And even if he did know, it's not really the box office's place to say.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 1:49pm

Haha- this thread is shorter than it used to be...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:19pm

Audra won her Tony and has departed the show. Fantasia is expected to join the show in a few weeks, but only playing 4 performances a week. Fantasia will decide on a weekly basis what 4 shows she'll do, she just won't inform anyone which ones she'll show up for.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 2:57pm

Lin Manuel Miranda was out the night I had tickets to the In the Heights tour and was offered either a refund or exchange. I chose an exchange and got even better seats to see it the following day. I heard his understudy was great and I'd usually just stay but he's something special; rare for a show's creator to appear in their own show and be acclaimed in their role. i wasn't going to miss out on that.

[aussieskates]

Posted: 6/17/12 at 3:07pm

In tonight's performance, the role of Bess will be played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

[BWAY_Rob]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 10:59am

I was in NY in May and Audra was out the night I went to see Porgy and Bess. It was too late for me to get tickets to another show, so I stayed. The understudy was fine, but ultimately the role of Bess was forgettable. Nothing special. I went back two nights later and saw the show with Audra. It was such a difference. It was probably one of the best musical/acting performances I have ever seen. I just regret that I didn't have enough time to exchange my ticket and see another show the first night.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 11:34am

I saw the show on Wednesday the 13th. She was amazing in the show and she was kind and seemed fine and happy at the stage door...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 11:45am

She's got her Tony. She need never show up again.

[callitquits]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 12:55pm

There may be a nasty virus of some kind going around the cast -- I, too, saw the show on Wednesday the 13th, and there were understudies on for Sportin' Life, Clara, AND Serena. Just a guess.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 2:37pm

C'mon, that was funny.
no harm meant.

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 5:36pm

I hope she's ok. When she was sick for that week or so a few months, she was still tweeting her apologies and keeping her followers updated. Now,she hasn't tweeted in two days. I hope nothing is wrong.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 7:56pm

yeah, a lot of people were out there the past week I was told by a friend who works in the box office. It is really hard when a whole cast passes around a virus.

[Bwayman2]

Posted: 6/18/12 at 8:40pm

I saw Sister Act a few months back and Patina Miller was out. I exchanged my tickets for the next day. I was actually able to sit in the same seats I would have the night before. A friend of mine stayed and saw the understudy (whom I do not know by name) and said she was NOTHING compared to Patina.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 4:10pm

Just to update, tomorrow's performances are up on TDF, and it says in big, yellow-highlighted font that Audra will be out of tomorrow's evening show. It doesn't say anything about the matinee. Tonight's show was up earlier today (which I think is rare- Broadway up same-day on TDF), and it didn't say anything about Audra. I hope she's feeling better.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 4:14pm

The website now says that ALL Wedneday nights will be played by Alicia Hall Moran. I'm guessing she's having vocal issues?

A new development?

[jv92]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 4:34pm

She couldn't have decided not to play Wednesday nights before awards season? Seems to me like she wanted that Tony, and now, to hell with it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 5:02pm

Oh, please. If she decided not to do Weds, they would have just told the voters to NOT GO on Wednesday nights. No conspiracy needed.

I'm going to GUESS that perhaps this was a medical choice, and not a personal one.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 5:11pm

I can't remember which actress it was, but during Hello Dolly she was missing a lot of performances and producer David Merrick was pissed about giving out refunds to people who didn't want to see Bibi Osterwald instead. At the time you had to post a notice in the lobby OR make an announcement pre-show. So he'd have the house manager make an announcement as the houselights went down "At this performance, the role of 'Mrs. Levi' will be played by Bibi Osterwald!" and the orchestra would immediately start the overture. It lead to Equity insisting that the announcement be made in at least two locations (Lobby, program insert or announcement) and that the characters name be the same as listed in the program.

[jv92]

Posted: 6/19/12 at 7:20pm

It might have been Ginger Rodgers, JoeKv. Did she ever do it in NY?