Broadway Legend Joined: 8/2/15
I found it interesting how Aaron Tveit spoke of his excitement of returning to the stage. Even though he has had quite a bit of television in closure. Plus with the Tony nomination it wouldnt surprise me if he returns to it or back and forth for the first six months.
Im curious who you think wont be returning to their roles when broadway reopens.
Obviously I think Armie Hammer will likely site scheduling conflicts. But I cant see him returning. I also think recasting will occur with more of the long standing shows upon return.
We will find out these next several months- patience.
First to come to mind is Patti LuPone if the HBO pilot she'll be starring in is picked up. Could she get out of her COMPANY contract if she wanted?
Aaron has been doing movies and series just to pay the bills. I think his main love is Broadway and he definitely was not done with Moulin Rouge!
I do think Karen Olivo won't return considering her horrible attendance/health pre-Covid.
I hope Jeremy Jordan can finally do Little Shop of Horrors but he's been too busy doing asinine Hallmark movies. Sigh.
Swing Joined: 3/1/21
If you have been keeping up with what is happening with Armie Hammer, I doubt he will be returning to ANYTHING any time soon....
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/2/15
I was thinking the same thing about Patti in Company. Unless she decides to do a 8-12 week spot and then leave
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/2/15
I was thinking the same thing about Patti in Company. Unless she decides to do a 8-12 week spot and then leave
I feel for those poor talented kids in MRS DOUBTFIRE originating Broadway roles.
Will they have outgrown the role by then?
In a perfect world Amra Fay Wright will announce her retirement from the role of Velma Kelly.
Patti will definitely be there for when Company reopens - how long she will remain is up for question though. She wants the triumph of a major success at this point in her career, and her Joanne is a guaranteed Tony nomination (and likely a win) when things get straightened out.
I'm keeping an eye on members of the decades long running shows (Chicago, Phantom, The Lion King). They all have a handful of people who have been doing it for YEARS who may have taken the shutdown as their sign to either retire or move on to a different project.
I hope Rachel Tucker will return to Come From Away, but I am not holding my breath unfortunately.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
I
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
I did see Loretta Swit walking through Shubert Alley with the score for COMPANY peeping out of her tote bag.
The newest Star Trek series, Strange New Worlds, has begun production and Celia Rose Gooding is a regular! We'll have to see what that means, I suppose.
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-production-start-cast-paramount-plus-1234929230/
Good for Celia! I give her a nice big Vulcan salute.
Maybe this is obvious but I don't think Chad Kimball will be returning to CFA.
I think it’s safe to say that basically every show will have new cast members. Whether ensemble or in leading roles, I find it hard to imagine any production will resume with the exact same cast they had a year ago.
Not to mention all the people who had been planning on leaving their shows anyway in March 2020.
Exactly. One thing to look forward to is that even the oldest show will be fresh again and worth checking out.
Not gonna lie, I think many shows will have to rethink their casting to be more racially inclusive. Like Flying Over Sunset and The Music Man to name a few.
Call_me_jorge said: "Not gonna lie, I think many shows will have to rethink their casting to be more racially inclusive. Like Flying Over Sunset and The Music Man to name a few."
I'm sure Scott Rudin & co don't give a damn about that. The race issues existed long before the productions began their casting processes.
Most producers will feel an obligation (moral not legal) to offer a job to everyone who was in the show on March 11, 2020. And if anyone says no, then that will be an opportunity to recast. Obviously some folks have moved on to other jobs, left the business, etc. But if theatre is an actor's main form of livelihood, they'd be idiotic to turn down an offer for the highest-paying weekly salary you can make in the American theatre.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/19
That’s why I’m so curious the process! Like we all want theater to return but the casting process, rehearsal process, takes time! So if you’re saying Fall 2021. That means all this crazy casting has to go down in May/June. So will there be this big casting blitz? Is Telsey gone?
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Most producers will feel an obligation (moral not legal) to offer a job to everyone who was in the show on March 11, 2020." Actually, it is a legal obligation.
I just saw a short profile on some Broadway performers that focused on how they adapted to the pandemic. Some discussed the new opportunities they created for themselves. Some discussed leaving NYC. I get the sense that many are traumatized how vulnerable they were and how their livelihood was not a priority to all the parties making money off their backs. I think some may not return and focus on building a more viable financial life. There were also swings that said they no longer remember their tracks and would need to start from scratch. It will be no small feat remounting shows.
Bettyboy72 said: "I just saw a short profile on some Broadway performers that focused on how they adapted to the pandemic. Some discussed the new opportunities they created for themselves. Some discussed leaving NYC. I get the sense that many are traumatized how vulnerable they were and how their livelihood was not a priority to all the parties making money off their backs. I think some may not return and focus on building a more viable financial life. There were also swings that said they no longer remember their tracks and would need to start from scratch. It will be no small feat remounting shows."
I've said this before but we have to remember that a lot of performers leave the business every year, and for much the same reasons as this year although obviously this past year is like no other. Maybe the most significant aspect of this trauma (aside from the generalized fear) is that many/most of the fallback/survival jobs (waiting tables, temping, retail) were hit very hard too. Regarding lines and remounting, no one expects anything less than a full rehearsal period, and obviously that no small feat is no greater (and almost undoubtedly less) than first walking into rehearsal for the first time.
Whether they do or not, MMs tickets have/will go fast.
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