Posted: 5/11/15 at 11:37am
And those humoring the crazies with your responses? Cut it out. The internet is a scary place.
Especially when psychopaths go on a rampage trying to find out your real identity.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:20pm
Says the troll who sent out hundreds of PM's to posters nearly two years ago professing an obsession with trolling and then profusely apologizing for it... only to show up several months later with a brand-new username and "personality." Self-reformed apparently. Give me a break.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:21pm
Be careful. Your trollish ways are starting to reappear. You're getting too comfortable. We all know what this leads to, broadway guy.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 12:44pm
3-17-14. Never Forget, Headband.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:23pm
I was at the show on Friday night, and went backstage to see Matt afterwards. We basically played charades, as he was on total vocal rest. His dad and stepmom came from California specifically to see him on Saturday night, and had to see the show with the understudy. It was NOT a planned break, nor was it a "need for rest". They recorded the album on May 4-5, so everyone's voices were tired. Two of the kids were also out on Saturday.
I can understand your disappointment, but it was not planned nor wanted. It's the beauty of Broadway. People are not robots.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:28pm
"People do buy the tickets for certain performers but they're human."
A bit too human for my taste. Growing up in the Golden Age of Musicals my folks took me to see shows on an average of one a month. In the dozens of shows I saw I never once missed a star performer's appearance and that's when everyone did eight shows a week. Streisand, Verdon and Lansbury seldom left the stage yet were able to appear regularly (okay Verdon cut material from matinees). And even with laryngitis Barbara Harris persevered on in THE APPLE TREE and a pre Broadway LuPone insisted on going on in EVITA until her voice gave out and she was replaced for the second act. Not saying of course one should chance ruining their voice yet these performers gave it their all whether or not they were feeling their best. Some stars (Liza in THE ACT and even Jackman in BOY FROM OZ) didn't even have understudies.
In recent (and not too recent years) I always first check that board in the lobby to see if a star name is missing. Never got to see Christine Ebersole in 42nd STREET both times I went. Bebe Neurwirth in CHICAGO, neither of the stars in the original SIDE SHOW on two different occasions (it's rumored Skinner use to cancel if she was on her period). And the list goes on. Even missed Chita in a KOTSW matinee although she was well enough to appear in the show that evening. It just seems to me theatre ethics have changed drastically over the years. And I won't even go into audience behavior and dress....let's put on our shorts and flip flops and catch a show!
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:30pm
secondstarontheright: Do you know for sure they were offering refunds, or are you just guessing? He is not above the title.
http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/Whos_who/14084/58718/Finding-Neverland
Updated On: 5/11/15 at 01:30 PM
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:33pm
A few weeks ago I was in the box office to see about purchasing tickets. There was an older couple in front of me buying for a couple weeks in advance. They ended up purchasing tickets for June 6th and then asked "If Matthew Morrison is out, we can get a refund, right?" The gentleman in the box office responded immediately, "No refunds. No on in the show is above the title."
Similarly, on Saturday morning in the rush line, someone asked the box office if it was true that Matthew Morrison was out for the matinee and the same man in the box office said they they are never made aware if someone is going to be out.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:36pm
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:41pm
I thought they were offering refunds because I heard a cast member telling someone at the stage door that very few people brought their tickets back. Perhaps that merely meant they were allowed to trade them in for another day.
Posted: 5/11/15 at 1:44pm
i reframe
understudies are awesome adn their performances are often better!
Posted: 5/11/15 at 4:34pm
""People do buy the tickets for certain performers but they're human."
A bit too human for my taste. Growing up in the Golden Age of Musicals my folks took me to see shows on an average of one a month. In the dozens of shows I saw I never once missed a star performer's appearance and that's when everyone did eight shows a week. Streisand, Verdon and Lansbury seldom left the stage yet were able to appear regularly (okay Verdon cut material from matinees). And even with laryngitis Barbara Harris persevered on in THE APPLE TREE and a pre Broadway LuPone insisted on going on in EVITA until her voice gave out and she was replaced for the second act. Not saying of course one should chance ruining their voice yet these performers gave it their all whether or not they were feeling their best. Some stars (Liza in THE ACT and even Jackman in BOY FROM OZ) didn't even have understudies.
Indeed! I just happened to read an article about Lainie Kazan who was Streisand's understudy for "Funny Girl" which stated that Kazan did not get to go on for Streisand till a year and a half into the show's run, when Streisand was felled by acute laryngitis and could not sing. That seems rather impressive especially considering that Streisand notoriously did not enjoy the repetition of performing the show once it was frozen.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 8:28am
""People do buy the tickets for certain performers but they're human."
A bit too human for my taste. Growing up in the Golden Age of Musicals my folks took me to see shows on an average of one a month. In the dozens of shows I saw I never once missed a star performer's appearance and that's when everyone did eight shows a week. Streisand, Verdon and Lansbury seldom left the stage yet were able to appear regularly (okay Verdon cut material from matinees). And even with laryngitis Barbara Harris persevered on in THE APPLE TREE and a pre Broadway LuPone insisted on going on in EVITA until her voice gave out and she was replaced for the second act. Not saying of course one should chance ruining their voice yet these performers gave it their all whether or not they were feeling their best. Some stars (Liza in THE ACT and even Jackman in BOY FROM OZ) didn't even have understudies.
Hugh Jackman DID have a standby(Kevin Spirtas) he just never went on. They cancelled the shows when he was going to be out.
And Barbara Harris may have persevered at the Apple Tree- but she only did 6 shows a week. Phyllis Newman did the matinees.
No one can do everything and it is disappointing when you miss the person you want to see but it just is what it is.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 8:52am
Even with Newman coming on as a matinee alternate, Harris missed a fair share of performances in THE APPLE TREE and eventually exited the role with time still left on her contract. And it's been well-documented that when she was in SWEET CHARITY, Gwen Verdon would sometimes omit songs she didn't feel up to performing.
Even in the "Golden Age," actors were human.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 8:54am
"""People do buy the tickets for certain performers but they're human."
A bit too human for my taste. Growing up in the Golden Age of Musicals my folks took me to see shows on an average of one a month. In the dozens of shows I saw I never once missed a star performer's appearance and that's when everyone did eight shows a week. Streisand, Verdon and Lansbury seldom left the stage yet were able to appear regularly (okay Verdon cut material from matinees). And even with laryngitis Barbara Harris persevered on in THE APPLE TREE and a pre Broadway LuPone insisted on going on in EVITA until her voice gave out and she was replaced for the second act. Not saying of course one should chance ruining their voice yet these performers gave it their all whether or not they were feeling their best. Some stars (Liza in THE ACT and even Jackman in BOY FROM OZ) didn't even have understudies.
As stated earlier, Jackman did have an understudy but instead of using them when Jackman couldn't perform, they canceled the show because the knew that almost everyone was gonna ask for a refund anyways since they were there to see Jackman in the first place.
As for The Act, well Liza did have a standby. Claudia Asbury is listed on the opening night credits as the standby for Liza's role. So, do a little thinking about things prior to posting them right away.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 10:15am
Posted: 5/12/15 at 4:38pm
""and a pre Broadway LuPone insisted on going on in EVITA until her voice gave out and she was replaced for the second act."
LuPone went on because she knew her understudy was better in the role than she was and she wasn't about to let them see how good the understudy was. She stayed with Evita for two years and it's common knowledge that she would phone in certain performances because she was saving herself for her Les Mouches performance later in the evening. In fact, it became a joke. You want to see LuPone sing Evita? Get a ticket to her Les Mouches act."
wow, that sounds like something Rachel Berry would do on the show Glee.. lol.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 4:50pm
The internet gives us all a lot more opportunities to know that an understudy has gone on or is going on. I don't doubt back in THE DAY that they went on less, but I'm sure some exaggeration is happening as well.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 4:59pm
"I was at the show on Friday night, and went backstage to see Matt afterwards. We basically played charades, as he was on total vocal rest. His dad and stepmom came from California specifically to see him on Saturday night, and had to see the show with the understudy. It was NOT a planned break, nor was it a "need for rest". They recorded the album on May 4-5, so everyone's voices were tired.
"Two of the kids were also out on Saturday"
Not quite, the children are in rotation as alternates.
As to the accuracy of the rest of your statement, I cannot speak.
Posted: 5/12/15 at 5:28pm
One of the children had never been on until Saturday. No rotation.
Do I have to post pictures? My statement about Matt is 100% accurate.
Posted: 5/13/15 at 10:32am
I know they do rotate or will rotate more often as it moves along in time..but who are the "main four" children if you can call them that? I assume Sawyer, Aidan, Alex? and Christopher?..(who I see on the cast board most often when I walk by) with Hayden, Noah and Jackson as the extras?
Is that correct or are there no main kids?
Posted: 5/13/15 at 9:50pm
Having seems Matthews dull performance I would have been thrilled to see Kevin Kern take on the role...
Posted: 5/14/15 at 12:13am
The "regular" kids are Sawyer as George, Aidan as Peter, Christopher as Jack, and Alex as Michael. Jackson, Hayden, and Noah are the alternates who s of Saturday matinee are finally being rotated into the show.
Posted: 5/14/15 at 9:17am
"The "regular" kids are Sawyer as George, Aidan as Peter, Christopher as Jack, and Alex as Michael. Jackson, Hayden, and Noah are the alternates who s of Saturday matinee are finally being rotated into the show."
Thanks..that's what I assumed but you know what they say about "ass-uming"....
Posted: 5/14/15 at 9:33am
Kathy, for the record, both Kevin Spirtas and Michael Halling were at various times standbys for Hugh Jackman in THE BOY FROM OZ; additionally, John Hill and Brad Anderson understudied the Peter Allen role. And Hugh J. was never "out." The producers decided to let the show go dark when he took vacation days. He never missed a scheduled performance, even when he had a fractured foot (he had it taped tightly and slightly adjusted the choreography while he healed).
