When your favorite star is out

I'm wondering what is considered reasonable for a top star to take days off? I understand that they are human, and that they have lives outside of the theater. I would never question the need to take time off for illness. My question goes to "personal reasons" (e.g. wedding, birthday, anniversary, or other life events.) In these cases, I can see missing one or two days of performances if it is truly unavoidable, but is there ever an acceptable reason to take as many as four days, and to miss 5 or 6 performances? I ask because of a situation from last year when Lea Salonga took off a long stretch from Allegiance to attend her friend's wedding in Florida that included the weekend before Thanksgiving. I had purchased a good number of seats (very costly) for the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The seats were purchased two months in advance in order to accommodate friends and family who were all coming with different schedules from far away places. A few days before Salonga's absence there was an announcement that she would be out, and apparently an opportunity to exchange tickets for another date (something that was not possible for us.) To add insult to injury the seats for the performances during her absence were suddenly offered at a deep discount once it was announced that Salonga would be out. It seems that there was some kind of breach of theater etiquette on the part of Salonga and the producers of Allegiance. The whole thing has left a really bad impression on me. Wouldn't it have been the right thing to do to announce Salonga's absence well in advance?

A wedding seems like something both Lea and the production team should have known far in advance. The fact that they would make you pay premium while they then were sold as less when the announcement was made is just horrible.

Kensdad, you said that apparently there was opportunity to exchange tickets--were you contacted in advance or did you hear thay after the fact? Just curious. If you wanted to keep those tickets, you should have been offered a partial refund. JMO.

I only heard about the possibility of an exchange via social media, and other ticket holders who had successfully exchanged their tickets. There was never any notice of the opportunity for a partial refund.

We also saw Anne Runalfsson in Victor/Victoria in place of Julie Andrews. We were given the opportunity to get a full refund at the box office when we arrived at the theater. We chose to see the show. It was a major disappointment not to see Julie Andrews. The difference was that Julie Andrews was ill. Lea Salonga was in Florida for four days, and tweeting about what a wonderful time she was having...

We know that they don't offer partial refunds, Dramamama. We're all clear on that.

The issue is that this stretch of scheduled missed performances was not listed. The producers of Les Miserables, for example, always updated telecharge with which scheduled dates Ramin K. would not be performing.

People get sick. That's life. No one can plan for that.

Updated On: 5/1/16 at 06:11 PM

Funny, I responding to the OP that brought it up (again) just before I posted...so it seemed that HE did not get the message.

It's also been addressed about her absence: its up to the producers to announce if they choose to. They are not under any obligation to do so, although many do. They are, however, obligated to allow a refund IF an actor's name is above the title. That's it.

Kensdad said: "Dramamama: I guess my only issue is that you state:

As to the appropriateness: just like YOUR days off, that's between her and her boss (the producers). Performers get X amount of days of (sick, vacation) just like "normal" jobs.

I don't consider being the lead in a Broadway production to be a "normal" job. I think there's an additional responsibility/burden that comes with it. If that means that you run down to Florida for only a day or two instead of four days, then that is part of life in your chosen profession. There should be a loyalty to the audiences who support you and come to see you. I think Salonga missed the mark on this one, and if she were going to be out for an extended period (other than illness), then there was a moral responsibility to notify audiences well in advance -- especially as the reason for her absence was a wedding that must have been planned months in advance.



I agree Kensdad. Producers certainly know how to market their shows around their hired big stars (e.g., Lea), and my opinion is that they have a responsibility to inform ticket buyers IF they know, well in advance, that a headliner is going to be out for an extended period (4 days). The reality is, some people ONLY see a specific show because of a featured player.

Dramamama, we know what producers have to and don't have to do. (They will offer full refund, exchange tickets.) We're just expressing opinion about what we'd like to see them all, universally do.

My daughter was on the flip side of the Salonga/Allegiance issue... as she, unknowingly, bought a hugely discounted ticket ($35ish for front row front mezz if I recall) for one of the "absence" shows you note - not knowing until she arrived at the theater that Salonga was gone.. She was disappointed, for sure, though understood the cheap ticket trade off. However, ultimately she left at intermission, less interested in the show, more in Salonga. I am not going to pass judgment on Salonga, but she was essentially the big draw in a show with iffy prospects at best and struggling biz, and well, some might say her presence was needed at every performance to ensure any success.

By the same token, Glenn Close missing ANY shows in a mere 5-6 week run of Sunset in London - let alone multiple shows - is totally unacceptable. Too big a draw and sold out a show - and too limited a run for pretty much anything to keep her out - and so glad Ria Jones showed that diva up with her apparently amazing performance.

One time when seeing If/Then, Idina was out that day and the theater was offering 3 options: get a full refund and not go to the show, exchange tickets for another night when Idina will be in, or exchange the tickets for when Idina would be in AND still watch that day's show.



I chose to watch it with the understudy and get the tickets exchanged for when Idina would be there.



Very happy I chose that option!

Was supposed to see Alice Ripley in Next to Normal on tour, it had been built up by all the ads reminding us of her Tony win and yada yada. She was out the day I saw it. Her understudy, Pearl Sun, gave of the best performances I've ever seen, she was just amazing. I understand seeing shows on the road and going to Broadway for a specific performer in a show are different, but I've never been disappointed by an understudy. They are usually just as talented as the star, and don't get the opportunity to do it as much so there is a little extra level of energy.

Attended a preview performance of Thieves in Boston expecting to see Valerie Harper, but instead saw Marlo Thomas.

LarryD2 said: "It doesn't matter that some of you don't consider acting on Broadway to be a normal job...whatever that means. Things aren't something else because that's how you feel. It is a job. The actors are paid a salary. They have access to benefits. And they're given access to a certain amount of paid time off, in the form of vacation, sick days, personal time, etc. It's their right to use it, just as I'm sure you use your vacation days at work. If you're disappointed, I'm sorry. But you try performing eight times a week, then having someone on an anonymous message board tell you that you shouldn't take the vacation you're entitled to by your contract. And seriously, who are you to say that it was inappropriate for Lea Salonga to take four days off -- that she should only take two?



"Hi LarryD2, I didn't say that actors are not entitled to benefits. Of course they are. My posts were in regards to opinion about producers letting ticket buyers know about a pre-planned headliner's extended absences. If Lea wanted to take 4 days off to go a wedding, she should! Thanks!