'Wicked' star bows out of Powerhouse

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 8:46pm

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/ENT06/70531026

'Wicked' star bows out of Powerhouse


Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel, the star of "Wicked" and "Rent," will not appear in the Powerhouse Theater production of "Romantic Poetry" this summer because of an unavoidable scheduling conflict, Vassar College announced today.

The college, in a press release, said Menzel's replacement will be named as soon as possible.

"Romantic Poetry" is a new musical by John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt") with music by Henry Krieger ("Dreamgirls").

The musical, which will be performed July 19 to 29 at the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film at Vassar in Poughkeepsie, also stars Mark Linn-Baker.

Tickets are $35 for Friday and Saturday evening performances and $30 for all other performances.

[folkyboy]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:04pm

thats funny for all the people who bought tickets just to see her.

[MovieGuy1031]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:11pm

What was the alleged conflict?

[Becoz_i_knew_you21]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:14pm

Folkyboy, you just cracked me up.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:15pm

Like omg who's gonna replace her? Eden? Shoshana?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 5/31/07 at 9:35pm

Bruce Vilanch will be replacing her.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 7:23am

I have a feeling that the Vassar boxoffice will be getting a lot of refund request once it opens.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 9:47am

I had a huge feeling she would not go through with it.

[flutesinger2626]

Posted: 6/1/07 at 11:43pm

What was the alleged conflict?


According to the Webmistress for Idina-here.com, who is in contact with Idina's managers, Idina's album will be coming out soon than expected. That probably means that its coming out this summer, because orginally it was coming out in the fall. So I guess shes going to be really busy with her record label this summer.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 6/2/07 at 12:04am

I was wondering what happened to Mark Linn-Baker.

[misschung]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 8:17pm

I have to confess that I definitely bought a ticket to this when I heard she was in it, since Vassar is pretty close to me- and now she's not. And they are non-refundable. And I am bummed.

oh well

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 9:45pm

So, the immediate question is, "Who saw ROMANTIC POETRY in its benefit reading at the Lortel two weeks ago?" I don't believe I saw any reviews (will search in a minute) but suspect that depending on how well that was received, we'll understand why and how the "conflict" arose. If the show was/is any good, then I wouldn't expect the exercise of an "out clause." If it was on the edge, then I'd expect this up-and-coming diva to bolt.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 10:42pm

I saw the benefit a few weeks ago, thankfully for a small fraction of the price that they were offering. It, unfortunately, wasn't very good. I had really high hopes for it, because Shanley is one of my favorite writers and since Krieger composed the music for Dreamgirls, I didn't exactly have low expectations for him either. Honestly, it was very forgettable, save Menzel's Italian girl from Long Island accent in the first act and the title song (but only because that had such a repetitive melody. And it had a reprise). I mean, once in a while, you could see what they were getting at with this piece, and Shanley, I think, always manages to have his share of witty lines, but it really was bland. And it was by far the most thankless role(s) Menzel's performed in.


To be perfectly honest, though, I don't think Menzel dropped out because of that--I'm sure she had read and heard the piece before signing on. She had to drop out because the record label is releasing her album sooner than planned and she's going to need to head back and forth between here and L.A. a good deal this summer to finalize some work on that. I don't think anyone should be making assumptions about her feelings for the material on here; I do know that she has options, so she must have chosen this piece because she saw something that would be good for her to work on.

However, I don't see this doing well in Poughkeepsie, unless there are some HUGE re-writes. And even if they do that...eh.
Updated On: 6/4/07 at 10:42 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 10:45pm

They should get Chuck Norris.

[broadwayboy1017]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 1:23am

thats so annoying that she pulled out of it, shes a real big whore!

[Christina Cooper]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 3:55am

Ok.. that was pretty mean.. Idina is amazing...

[misschung]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 8:19am

thanks for the review Broadwaygirl - I really wanted to see this out of curiosity because it sounded interesting, and also just for Idina.

Now I dont know if I want to go, but I dont know what to do with my ticket since its at will-call and on my credit card for verification....

thankfully it's one of the cheapest theater tickets I've ever purchased, but still

[erikaamato]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 9:39am

I would still go, if I were you. Vassar is one of the most beautiful college campuses in the entire country, and it's worth the trip just to walk the grounds. And they always do excellent work at the Powerhouse (NY Stage and Film), so I doubt you'll end up seeing anything truly "bad." Just my two cents.

[avab802]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 10:01am

I have that dilemma too, misschung. I really don't want to spend the money on the train to Poughkeepsie to see this show without Idina in it, especially after the mediocre reviews I've read of the benefit performance. The box office at Vassar opens I think tomorrow, so I'm going to call and see if there is anything I can do. Hopefully, if I can't talk them into giving me a refund, they will at least mail me my tickets so I can give them to someone else who may be interested in going.

[erikaamato]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 10:14am

Again, I think you're being silly. Make a day trip out of it. You can have a picnic by Sunset Lake. It's freakin' gorgeous up there.

But, to each his own.

Too bad I'm in LA, or I'd take your tickets!

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 11:29am

"thats so annoying that she pulled out of it, shes a real big whore!"

I thought whores don't pull out?


C'mon, people. Krieger and Shanley...new musical? What more could you want (besides Menzel).

[misschung]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 11:37am

(besides Menzel)

well...yeah, lol. I'm just thinking about the bad reviews it got, too. Erika, I see what you're saying but the thing is I was born in Poughkeepsie and I've seen that campus before so I think the thrill for me isnt really there. I will probably go anyway tho

[avab802]

Posted: 6/5/07 at 2:26pm

Erika, I definitely understand what you're saying. I just don't want to the spend the $50 ($25 x 2 people) on the train to get there. I'll probably wait until they announce her replacement to decide for sure. If it's someone else that I like, I may still go.

I do know that a lot of Idina fans who were planning to come from out of town (farther away than just the Metro North train)to see her are not going to spend the money to come now. So there will be many empty seats in the house if they refuse to refund any tickets. I understand the non-refundable ticket policy, but having a lot of empty seats in the house won't look good either.

[misschung]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 12:53am

Some people were planning to fly in just for her performance - yikes. I know I just need to get over this, but I really wanted to see her *whines like a five year old*

[erikaamato]

Posted: 6/6/07 at 10:35am

ava: I totally get what you're saying, too. Like you suggested, I'd just wait 'til you hear who the replacement is, and go from there. I mean, $50 isn't really all that much... How much were the tickets? If they're non-refundable, I'd rather spend another $50 and get some use out of them, rather than just throwing them away.

misschung: hehehe... A Po-town gal, huh? Gotcha. Funnily enough, I lived on that campus for four years, and the thrill is still there for me every time I go back and visit. Still, I understand where you're coming from, and I'm really sorry for your disappointment.