Threaded Order Chronological Order
| Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Beanie Feldstein and Madeline Kahn come to mind of course. Any other big firings post-opening that you can think of? |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Pinehurst 09:58 am EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| In 1996, 12 actors were fired from the Broadway production of Les Mis and others were asked to re-audition. | |
| Link | Cast Members Sacked at 'Les Miserables' as 10th anniversary nears. |
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| Barbara Barrie/Nancy Opel | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 04:52 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - Pinehurst 09:58 am EDT 05/26/23 | |
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| Barbara Barrie was replaced by Nancy Opel as Yente in the 2004 revival of “Fiddler on the Roof.” | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: venividivideo 09:05 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Chris Kattan (of Saturday Night Live) was replaced in Lincoln Center Theater's production of Sondheim's THE FROGS (with a book by Nathan Lane and directed by Susan Stroman). He was replaced by Roger Bart. Does anyone know details? | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: BHandshy 02:50 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Not post-opening (it was while "on the road"), but director Martin Scorsese was replaced by Gower Champion in the Liza Minnelli-starring "The Act" - aka “Shine It On,” (which was its title when I saw it in San Francisco) and before that, “In Person” (the title which was advertised in the season subscription brochure). | |
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| Since Many Out-Of-Town Firings Were Mentioned… | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 05:46 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - BHandshy 02:50 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Tony Curtis in I Ought To Be In Pictures and Lee Remick in Agnes of God. | |
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| re: Since Many Out-Of-Town Firings Were Mentioned… | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:03 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Since Many Out-Of-Town Firings Were Mentioned… - TheOtherOne 05:46 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Piper Laurie from "Brighton Beach Memoirs" -- not sure if she made it to previews. | |
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| re: Since Many Out-Of-Town Firings Were Mentioned… | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 03:13 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Since Many Out-Of-Town Firings Were Mentioned… - PlayWiz 12:03 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| I never knew about Piper Laurie in Brighton Beach Memoirs at all. | |
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| I'll add one and thanks for all the responses | |
| Posted by: bobby2 12:54 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| One of my own I read about: Carrie Fisher from Agnes of God. This one makes me sad because it sounds like she was really trying to grow but her addictions got the best of her. In that recent bio Elizabeth Ashley says Fisher was great in the role but would miss shows too much. That gave Maryann Plunkett lots of time in the role. Eventually Geraldine Page started to prefer working with Plunkett and Fisher was let go do to missing something like 20 shows in 6 weeks or some number like that. |
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| re: I'll add one and thanks for all the responses | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 01:21 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 01:18 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: I'll add one and thanks for all the responses - bobby2 12:54 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| The third Emile de Becque during the original Broadway run of South Pacific, Roger Rico, was fired one day between matinee and evening performances after he had been playing the role six months. There were just too many complaints that the genuinely French Rico was unintelligible even after six months. Also, I think Timothy Nolen, the first replacement Phantom on Broadway, was essentially fired. He had signed for six months with an option for another six, but he was gone after five. They'd had to put "Music of the Night" into a lower key for him, and Lloyd Webber was not pleased. |
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| From 1935 | |
| Posted by: showtunetrivia 11:14 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| …but during rehearsals, not post opening. In Rodgers and Hart’s JUMBO, Ella Logan was slated for the female lead. She was let go and replaced by Gloria Grafton. Grafton had been singing in nightclubs; she also was in a 1934 play called KILL THE STORY in which she sang a song. That play was directed by JUMBO’s director, George Abbott…..who just happened to be having an affair with Grafton. Laura in LA, still hanging around in the thirties… |
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| re: Ella Logan and "Kelly" | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 12:16 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:16 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: From 1935 - showtunetrivia 11:14 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Ella Logan was also fired via her role being wriiten out from "Kelly", a one-night notorious flop. The NY Times review started: "Ella Logan was written out of "Kelly" before it reached the Broadhurst Theater Saturday night. Congratulations, Miss Logan" | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: SDB 08:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| IIRC, David Garrison was fired from the original TORCH SONG TRILOGY after 2 months as a replacement Arnold. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:55 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - SDB 08:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| And another Arnold replacement, Donald Berman, was demoted to alternate after just a performance or two. He got a standing ovation, back when they were less common, when I saw him at a matinee so even if he wasn't great at first, he got it together. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 08:12 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:01 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| It's pretty rare that someone, at least a lead, is fired after the opening. Usually firings come during rehearsals or previews, or out of town back in the day. A firing during the Broadway run, but in a supporting role, was Doretta Morrow in The King and I. She was taking a six-week leave of absence (after having already taken a 10-week leave of absence for film work) because of a throat ailment, but she appeared on television during this time. She was fined by Equity and presumably was fired from the show as her understudy then took over. Len Cariou was fired post-opening from Ziegfeld in London, although producer Harold Fielding said that Cariou was not fired, it was merely suggested to him that he might want to negotiate a withdrawal. Well, can you blame him for then telling the cast that he'd been fired? This was crazy as they had no one lined up to replace him, and the understudy played most of the run. Eventually, Topol took over (by which time the show had been significantly revised but it quickly closed after Topol took over anyway), getting perhaps just slightly better reviews than Cariou had gotten, but the problem was the show and the role, not the actor(s). |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 08:06 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - AlanScott 08:01 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I think Louis Gossett Jr. lasted less than a week in "Chicago" as Billy Flynn in the late 90s. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:08 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - PlayWiz 08:06 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| A few hours ago, I meant to mention him, but then forgot. I think it was one night. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Boodle 07:50 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Roger Rees in The Red Shoes | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Guillaume 08:41 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - Boodle 07:50 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| AND the first director, Susan Schulman, AND the production stage manager! A trifecta! | |
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| Chaim Topol and THE BAKER'S WIFE | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 07:10 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| In the 1976 pre-Broadway tour of The Baker's Wife Topol played the baker Aimable for about 5-1/2 months. However, he was eventually fired, and Paul Sorvino took over the role for the last two weeks of the show's run at the Kennedy Center. David Merrick then decided not to take the musical to Broadway. | |
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| Matthew Broderick and PARADE | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 06:36 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Broderick played Leo Frank in the 1997 tryout/workshop of Parade in Toronto. There were about 5 weeks of rehearsal in September, followed by some performances in October. When Parade began previews on Broadway in Nov., 1998, Brent Carver was playing the role. Years later in Feb., 2008 at the Don't Tell Mama nightclub, Seth Rudetsky asked Broderick point blank "When were you fired from Parade? Broderick replied that he was never actually fired, and, in fact, Prince praised him after each performance. Broderick joked that he didn't know for sure what was going on until he read that Carver had been cast for the Broadway production. |
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| re: Matthew Broderick and PARADE | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 10:14 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Matthew Broderick and PARADE - BroadwayTonyJ 06:36 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Had they already changed the name? When I auditioned for the workshop in the mid 90s, it was called I LOVE A PARADE. | |
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| re: Matthew Broderick and PARADE | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 10:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Matthew Broderick and PARADE - KingSpeed 10:14 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| The '97 tryout in Toronto was titled Parade. | |
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| Eve Arden. Fired or Quit? | |
| Posted by: winters 05:27 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Moose Murders. | |
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| Butterfly McQueen in The Wiz | |
| Posted by: Cormanjones 04:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Does anyone have information on what happened to Butterfly McQueen in the Wiz? After listening to the Athenian Touch I can imagine her not being a strong singer. Apparently the entire part she played was cut out of town prior to Broadway. | |
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| re: Butterfly McQueen in The Wiz | |
| Posted by: Maguire75 09:22 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Butterfly McQueen in The Wiz - Cormanjones 04:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| From someone on the creative team, she had trouble remembering her lines. The show was also running seriously long and her character was excisable. | |
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| I saw the first preview performance of the Philly out-of-town tryout | |
| Posted by: aleck 05:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Butterfly McQueen in The Wiz - Cormanjones 04:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Butterfly McQueen was nowhere in evidence. BTW, that performance ran over three hours long. The scenery kept falling down. And the dancers kept bumping into each other. But people were dancing in the aisles. That audience was cheering. (Another Philly tryout -- Miss Moffat -- was not as joyful . . .) |
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| I saw the first preview performance of the Philly out-of-town tryout | |
| Posted by: aleck 05:51 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Butterfly McQueen in The Wiz - Cormanjones 04:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Butterfly McQueen was nowhere in evidence. BTW, that performance ran over three hours long. The scenery kept falling down. And the dancers kept bumping into each other. But people were dancing in the aisles. That audience was cheering. (Another Philly tryout -- Miss Moffat -- was not as joyful . . .) |
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| re: I saw the first preview performance of the Philly out-of-town tryout | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 05:57 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: I saw the first preview performance of the Philly out-of-town tryout - aleck 05:51 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Just want to note that The Wiz played Baltimore and Detroit before Philly. Surprised to hear that it was still more than three hours when you saw it in Philly. | |
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| Carole Demas | |
| Posted by: FleetStreetBarber 03:45 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Was replaced during rehearsals by Susan Watson in the 1971 revival of "No, No, Nanette" and later by Patti LuPone in the pre-Broadway tryout of "The Baker's Wife." | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 03:04 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Another previews firing- Christian Hoff in PAL JOEY | |
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| Two more | |
| Posted by: aleck 03:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - KingSpeed 03:04 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Celia Kenan=Bolger Light in the Piazza William Duff-Griffin Passion The Duff-Griffin story became rather famous after Duff-Griffin became seriously ill after being "left go" but with a contract that paid him for the run. The producers reasoned that since Duff-Griffin was not able to perform because of his illness that they didn't have to pay him any more. A spirited court case followed and Duff-Griffin won. |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Two more - aleck 03:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I don’t think Celia was fired. She chose another show. Spelling Bee, I think. Jesse also chose Spelling Bee over Spamalot. Christian Borle took over and his part was blown up in rehearsals because he was good. He wasn’t nominated for a Tony but this got him noticed in a new way and was a big step forward in his career even though he had already played leads in FOOTLOOSE and MILLIE. But I digress. | |
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| Celia Keenan-Bolger talks with Kelly O'Hara in her Podcast | |
| Posted by: FIG 12:32 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - KingSpeed 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Celia Keenan-Bolger did a podcast with Kelly O'Hara and they discuss most of the situation. It is an amazing podcast and they share how bad both of them felt about the whole situation. Worth the listeningd | |
| Link | Sunday Pancakes - Having A Hard Conversation (And The Healing That Accompanies It) with Kelli O’Hara |
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| Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) | |
| Posted by: DanielVincent 02:42 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Celia Keenan-Bolger talks with Kelly O'Hara in her Podcast - FIG 12:32 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| She was interviewed on the Hollywood Reporter's "Awards Chatter" podcast after she was Tony nominated for To Kill a Mockingbird, and discussed being sort of gently let go, how much it hurt, and how it all sort of worked out in the end. I saw Keenan-Bolger during Piazza's run in Chicago. She was not, by any stretch of the imagination, "bad," but the show didn't work as well with her as Clara. Her acting choices and petite stature first made it very difficult to discern how old the character was supposed to be. When it became clear she was supposed to be a young adult, it became so obvious that Clara was living with a mental impairment that it was impossible to believe Fabrizio and his family wouldn't notice it. Margaret's "tricky game" didn't make sense and felt lower stakes. And, yes, as Keenan-Bolger has acknowledged, she could not sing the score with the huge and luscious soprano that O'Hara has. I was not shocked when it was announced that O'Hara would be replacing her. I was much more surprised that Wayne Wilcox, who was FANTASTIC as Fabrizio, was also let go. I've always felt that, had he opened the show in New York, he would have become quite the musical theatre star. It may also be worth mentioning that, as much as I loved Sarah Uriarte-Berry as Franca, O'Hara was ALSO better in that role. Her Franca was funnier and more mercurial. |
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| Link | Celia Keenan-Bolger on Awards Chatter |
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| re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) | |
| Posted by: tenor1350 11:38 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) - DanielVincent 02:42 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| It may also be worth mentioning that, as much as I loved Sarah Uriarte-Berry as Franca, O'Hara was ALSO better in that role. Her Franca was funnier and more mercurial. This is saying a lot. Sarah Uriarte-Berry is a fantastic talent. She's currently in Night Music at Pasadena Playhouse and stealing every scene in which she appears. |
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| re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) | |
| Posted by: mikem 03:13 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) - DanielVincent 02:42 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| This is all really interesting to me. During Piazza's Broadway run, because O'Hara didn't seem to be that impaired, there was speculation that Clara in fact did not have any significant medical impairment at all, and that Margaret had shielded Clara her whole life in a way that was unnecessary (and constricting to Clara). That interpretation obviously places a very different spin on Margaret's behavior and actions, both before the play begins and during the course of the show. At some point, I asked O'Hara about this possibility at some stage door, and she said that her understanding was that Clara in fact had a legitimate medical issue, but that the creative team didn't feel it was best to play the role with a large degree of impairment (basically, what you are saying). I love Piazza, but I think that having Clara be impaired but as subtly as was portrayed in the Lincoln Center version is a bit problematic, because it raises this possibility that Margaret is overreacting. Which is an interesting show also but apparently not the show that Guettel and Lucas wanted us to be watching. |
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| re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 04:52 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) - mikem 03:13 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| I think perhaps Katie Clark found a good balance between seemingly too obviously impaired and hardly seeming impaired at all. Re whether Margaret had overreacted: Of course, it's not just Margaret. It's also Roy. I think we are meant to believe that Clara's impairment is significant and real. Have you seen the film version of the novel? It seems to me that Yvette Mimieux as Clara is rather obviously impaired, and it is odd that the Nacarelli family never seem to notice anything off about her. |
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| re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 02:32 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Celia Keenan-Bolger also confirmed she was fired on another podcast. (Plus memories of her performance) - AlanScott 04:52 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| The problem with Keenan-Bolger's performance at the Goodman was that she seemed very obviously mentally challenged, no doubt about it. This made Matthew Morison seem like a horny young guy wanting to prey on a nice looking, but challenged young woman who is (as a result) an easy fuck. He's not a bad person, just immature with a lot of testosterone and not behaving responsibly about his future. Keenan-Bolger comes across as a girl where O'Hara is definitely a woman. Just IMO. It's been a long time since I've seen the film, but I've always thought that the chances for a long happy marriage between Mimieux and George Hamilton were not good. I think de Havilland deep down inside knows this but wants her daughter to experience the relationship and perhaps motherhood even if it is shortlived. However, I probably need to watch the film again. |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: ablankpage 03:57 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - KingSpeed 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Celia didn't choose Spelling Bee over Piazza, it just worked out that another show fell into her lap. I also wouldn't categorize her as being fired, but she was definitely not asked to move with the show to Broadway. She has been fairly open about how painful it was to see it go on without her. Kelli O'Hara had played Franca in Seattle and was bumped up to Clara for the Broadway run. Celia did a workshop of Spelling Bee, then opened it off-Broadway and moved with it to Broadway in quick succession, opening the same season as Piazza. She and Kelli were both nominated for Best Featured Actress that season. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: theaterisok 03:55 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - KingSpeed 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Celia was most certainly fired. After Chicago, I'm pretty sure. Adam and Craig always had their eye on Kelli, who was playing a smaller role. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 03:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - KingSpeed 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I always thought that Celia completed the Seattle run of Piazza and was then replaced by Kelli O'Hara for the next incarnation, which I think was Broadway, but I can't remember now. If Celia already had Broadway in her contract, then I suppose it was a firing. But if not, it's more like she wasn't invited to continue. I very much doubt she chose another show. I think she was no longer going to be involved with Piazza, THEN Spelling Bee became an option. And she was wonderful in that. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 03:59 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - EvFoDr 03:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| The Light in the Piazza started in Seattle, then played the Goodman in Chicago. Celia Keenan-Bolger was Clara in both of those, but it does seem, as you say, that she was not invited to continue after that. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 05:27 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - AlanScott 03:59 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I saw Celia Keenan-Bolger at the Goodman in Chicago. Her performance was fine, but she has sort of a natural childlike quality that made it obvious to audiences (right at the beginning of the show) that she was mentally challenged. When I saw Light in the Piazza on Broadway, O'Hara was much, much better in the role. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: larry13 05:35 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - BroadwayTonyJ 05:27 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| AND didn't Keenan-Bolger herself admit she couldn't compare as a singer to O'Hara? | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: theaterisok 03:43 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Two more - aleck 03:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| For what it is worth, Duff-Griffin really was awful in the role. It was the right move, despite the off-stage drama that ensued. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 07:38 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - theaterisok 03:43 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| It's so funny that you say that because I also saw Duff-Griffin at an early preview and then returned at some point later and saw Tom Aldredge in the role. And I genuinely could not figure out why Duff-Griffin had been replaced. I didn't think his performance was bad and also didn't see Tom Aldredge doing anything so differently as to really affect anything or make one realize why he was preferable to Duff-Griffin. Both were solid, small featured performances in a show that doesn't have a lot of room for characters other than the three leads. |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:22 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - JereNYC 07:38 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| I didn't think Duff-Griffin was bad, but I think his dry, ironic delivery was getting laughs when discussing Fosca. As the authors/director were trying to get rid of laughter at Fosca, they thought he was part of the problem. This is my perception of why he was fired. Personally, I think they made a mistake in trying to eliminate all of the laughter, but it was their choice. | |
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| re: Two more | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 03:27 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Two more - aleck 03:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| If William Duff-Griffin, whom I saw at an early preview of PASSION, became ill AFTER having been let go from the show, I don't see why the producers would retroactively attempt to blame his dismissal on his illness. Why would anyone even have considered that his becoming ill after whatever financial agreement was made when he was let go, would affect anything? It doesn't seem like the producers would've had a leg to stand on and I hope they were made to pay the costs for Duff-Griffin as well as their own. Seems like the very definition of a frivilous lawsuit. |
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| I recall | |
| Posted by: aleck 05:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Two more - JereNYC 03:27 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| 1. Keenan-Bolger says she was "let go." 2. I couldn't find the coverage on the Duff-Griffen case, but I remember that the Passion producers had to keep paying the estate AFTER he died in November before the show closed. Bob Joy, Duff-Griffin's husband, brought the suit. That's my memory, but it's not mentioned in the Time Duff-Griffin obit. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: theatreguy40 12:55 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Robert Stack in the original Broadway run of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES. He was in rehearsal and about to take over the role of Georges. The creatives came to see run-through and it was an ultimate disaster. He was let go immediately and never even performed in front of an audience. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: pecansforall 01:10 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - theatreguy40 12:55 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| What's the story behind Daniel Davis leaving the 2004 revival of LA CAGE? | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: twiceroyale 04:50 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - pecansforall 01:10 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Mr. Daniels screamed at an ASM during the first run thru in the rehearsal hall and then rampaged around the halls when the Director told him he, "owed the SM an apology". He called the replacement PSM the "C" word, told the PSM "he'd seen better stage management in college productions", told Gary Beach he was "the worst kind of actor there is" during the filming of the TV commercial and shrieked at the Marquis Theater House Manager in frontof his entire house staff after a matinee. He also demanded the temperature on stage be kept below AEA rules for his own comfort. And last but not least he stopped the show in the middle of the 1st Act in a preview and announced that he was "indisposed" and that the show would continue with his Understudy in 5 minutes and walked off. P.S. John Hilner, (his Understudy) who had never had a rehearsal did a fine job! |
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| Wow! The butler from The Nanny had an inflated sense of self... | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 11:32 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - twiceroyale 04:50 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| ...goodness... what a terror he sounded like. Was he more well behaved in the 2016 Noises Off revival? | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Delvino 01:58 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - pecansforall 01:10 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Same question. Fierstein wouldn’t even use his name in his memoir. Instead, he’s especially generous to Goulet, who replaced him opposite the adored Gary Beach, and faced memory problems. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: bobby2 01:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - pecansforall 01:10 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| As I remember he was clashing with the rest of the cast being difficult so they let him go. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: toros 12:41 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Carolyn Mignini in GUYS AND DOLLS, Dorothy Loudon in DINNER AT EIGHT, Jack Noseworthy in LESTAT and Annabelle Gurwitch in WRITERS' BLOCK (which she wrote about in FIRED) | |
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| FIRED | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 06:03 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - toros 12:41 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| There was a show at 2nd Stage where actors including Gurwich talked about being fired from acting roles. I can’t remember them all. | |
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| Dorothy Loudon | |
| Posted by: dannyr416 01:56 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - toros 12:41 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Dorothy was not fired from Dinner at Eight. I think she played one preview, then became ill with the disease that would unfortunately take her a short while later. Marian Seldes was an emergency replacement. | |
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| re: Dorothy Loudon | |
| Posted by: toros 10:47 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Dorothy Loudon - dannyr416 01:56 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Thank you for that clarification. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: charles1055 12:12 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I'm blanking on his name, but he was Jersey Boy and was replaced in that horrid Pal Joey with Stockard Channing. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: toros 12:24 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - charles1055 12:12 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Christian Hoff was replaced by Matthew Risch in that "Pal Joey," but he wasn't officially "fired." Producers said he left due to an injury. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: toros 11:43 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Fairly recently, James Snyder was fired from "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 11:34 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 11:31 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Not post-opening but Jason Pebworth (Judas) was fired from the 2000 JCS revival in previews. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 10:43 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Not post-opening, but Jean Fenn was fired from Sail Away, and her character eliminated, in order for Elaine Stritch to take over and become the show's star. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Amiens 10:24 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Replacing designers is rare because of the enormous costs involved but three instances that come to mind (all happened in out of town tryouts): David Merrick famously fired renowned set designer Jo Mielziner and replaced him with Robin Wagner on SUGAR. Tony Walton replaced Adrianne Lobel on MY ONE AND ONLY when Tommy Tune replaced Peter Sellars as the director. William Ivey Long replaced Catherine Zuber on SEUSSICAL. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Last Edit: pecansforall 10:01 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: pecansforall 09:52 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Regarding Madeline Kahn leaving ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, I've read explanations from Hal Prince, John Cullum, and Paul Gemignani and each story is a little different. One thing that does seem to be consistent with all the stories though is that her leaving the show was not the result of her being a diva or being difficult. | |
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| re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century | |
| Posted by: theatreguy40 12:49 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - pecansforall 09:52 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Madeline wasn't fired... She left pretty much by mutual agreement - mostly initiated by her. The true story goes: She gave a wonderful Opening Night performance -- Hal Prince went to her dressing room to congratulate her and she said something akin to: "I hope you don't expect me to do that every night!". Hal was heartbroken at her response. Then as the run continued, she started taking all the high notes that Cy Coleman had written and changed them to alternate (lower, easier) notes for her to sing. Also, her comic "energy" often sagged. When she started missing performances, understudy Judy Kaye went on and literally "wowed" everyone! It was finally agreed among Madeline and Hal and Cy that everyone would be better off if Madeline left the production. So - technically NOT a firing. | |
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| re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 03:23 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century - theatreguy40 12:49 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| According to William Madison's bio of Kahn, it was not initiated by her. She did not want to leave, if only because she needed the money. The money she agreed to take in exchange for leaving was, according to the book, considerably less than she would have made if she had played out her contract. She may have wanted to have Judy Kaye play two performances a week, but (again, according to the Madison book) she did not want to leave. I have heard that even though Prince has told that story, the person it really happened with was Ruth Mitchell. |
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| re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 03:34 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century - AlanScott 03:23 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Kahn's famous remark in this story about how she hoped he didn't expect her to do that every night has always seemed to me like a joke that someone would make after knowing that they did a particularly terrific performance. It's hard for me to believe that anyone would say something like that seriously, especially to the director of the production. I've always wondered if Kahn's tenure in the show was ended due to a poor joke that went over like a lead balloon when Kahn failed to read the room. Did she ever confirm or deny saying it? Or comment on the story at all? |
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| re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 03:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century - JereNYC 03:34 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| She commented as little as possible on On the Twentieth Century. I think she was fired because too many of her performances seemed listless and uncommitted to the audience. I know there are people who say she was great when they saw her, but she wasn't great when I saw her. She seemed, if anything, to be working too hard to physicalize things, and she seemed tense. She was the star, and I think the producers would not have agreed to fire her unless they also saw that her performances were leading to the show having bad word of mouth. She was part of the reason for the show having had a good pre-opening advance. |
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| re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century | |
| Last Edit: EvFoDr 03:42 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 03:41 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Madeline Kahn & 20th Century - JereNYC 03:34 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I think the context, though, is that there was disatisfaction with her performance leading up to the infamous comment. It's one thing if you've been doing a great job, and one night do an exceptionally unmatchable job, and make a humourous comment not to expect that repeated all the time. I got the sense from what I read that she was consistently low energy, tentative, and not delivering the goods, and then on opening night gave the "normal" great performance one might have expected and that Prince has been longing for, and then indicated that she wouldn't be doing that on a regular basis. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 09:38 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Henry Goodman from THE PRODUCERS comes to mind. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: ablankpage 09:15 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I'm not so sure Beanie and Madeline were fired. I think they both (in an unamicable way) left their contracts early. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: AC126748 01:19 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - ablankpage 09:15 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| The producers of FUNNY GIRL bought out Beanie Feldstein's initial contract, shortening it from one year to six months, and then she elected to leave the production nearly two months earlier than her revised departure date. So, you could say that she both quit and was fired. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Maguire75 09:11 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| There is certainly a long list of actors who have departed productions, but rarely is it articulated publicly as a "firing," so the question is a little hard to answer definitively. Usually the situation is handled, as it was, when Jenna Elfman departed replacing Jane Krakaowski in the revival of NINE, just days before she was to premiere. The producers dodged the question by saying things like, "she needs more time," and "we haven't set a start date for her yet." |
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| Link | Elfman departs NINE |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Michael_212 08:17 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Peter Sellars from My One And Only, putting Tommy Tune in charge of fixing the show while starring in it. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Famous Broadway firings - bobby2 01:03 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| A few that come to mind… Daniel Davis in La Cage Aux Folles (also Jeffery Tambor in the later revival) Matt Cavenaugh in West Side Story James Snyder (replacement Harry in Harry Potter) Daphne Rubin Vega in Les Mis revival Not exactly after the show opened on Broadway but close: Shia Labeouf in Orphans (before opening) Richard Dreyfus in London’s The Producers and Henry Goodman after he took over from Nathan Land Patti LuPone in Sunset Boulevard (and Fay Dunaway for that matter, for the LA production.) |
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| The staircase. | |
| Posted by: keywslt 03:39 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| From Rebecca. Every damn night. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Last Edit: toros 11:53 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: toros 11:49 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Word Baker was fired as director from "A Family Affair" out of town, and replaced by Hal Prince, and Edwin Sherin was fired as director from "Seesaw" out of town, and replaced by Michael Bennett. Also, Ron Fields was fired as choreographer from "Merrily We Roll Along" and replaced by Larry Fuller. |
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| Some more few that come to mind | |
| Posted by: aleck 10:24 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Roger Rees Red Shoes Lainie Kazan The Women Louis Jordan On A Clear Day You Can See Forever Donna McKechnie Joyful Noise All before opening. And, um, Jasmine Guy during an intermission for The Violet Hour, but that might have been a case of physical collapse -- and never to return to a B'Way stage yet. I witnessed that event. Robert Sean Leonard literally was holding Guy up during that first act. Leonard surprised me with his strength. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: BruceFH 07:48 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| These come to mind, but I am sure I can come up with more. Lainie Kazan in Seesaw James Weissenbach in Merrily Mary Ure in Love for Love. I know this well as I had a ticket for the first performance after the day she was fired. She was replaced by Glenn Close in her first lead on Broadway. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Gustave 07:43 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Mary Ure was fired from the 1974 Broadway production of "Love for Love" just before opening and was replaced by her understudy making her Broadway debut, Glenn Close. Gustave | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: TheOtherOne 07:40 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - royscho 04:35 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Matt Cavenaugh was fired from West Side Story? That certainly wasn't the word at the time. | |
| Link | West Side Story To Lose Its Tony |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: toros 08:43 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - TheOtherOne 07:40 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| He was not fired, but Arthur Laurents saw to it that his contract was not renewed. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: ablankpage 09:17 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - toros 08:43 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Yeah, I don't think he was fired but Arthur certainly made his life unpleasant and he probably couldn't wait to get out of there. I do remember Cody Green very suddenly departing the production though. | |
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| More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: WaymanWong 07:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: WaymanWong 07:33 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - ablankpage 09:17 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| ''I don't think he was fired but Arthur certainly made his life unpleasant and he probably couldn't wait to get out of there.'' Laurents had a reputation for his mercurial temper. At one point, Cavenaugh was his golden boy and the director raved about his Tony. Laurents also praised him in his 2009 book ''Mainly on Directing.'' In an interview with the Advocate, he gushed that Cavenauh had ''a depth and passion I suspect he didn't know he had, that exploded during rehearsals.'' Laurents added: ''Matt hits notes Larry Kert couldn't," referring to the actor who originated the role of Tony many years ago. "I really love [Matt]. He's a lovely guy.'' Cavenaugh got an Outer Critics nomination for playing Tony (and a few years later, got a Drama Desk nomination for ''Death Takes a Holiday''). At any rate, his relationship with Laurents got rocky. The director started criticizing Cavenaugh for being too old (even though he cast him). I heard things might've soured after Cavenaugh wanted some time-off for his honeymoon with Jenny Powers. According to a source that Michael Riedel quoted in the N.Y. Post: ''Arthur turned on him. And once Arthur turns on you, it's over.'' I once asked Cavenaugh if he wanted to tell his side of the story, but he declined, and instead took took the high road with the N.Y. Times. |
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| Link | N.Y. Post: 'West Side' Whack (2009) |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 11:29 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 11:28 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: More to the 'West Side' story - WaymanWong 07:33 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Laurents added: ''Matt hits notes Larry Kert couldn't" There's only one such note. The long held high Bb in "Maria." (The score includes the optional line that Kert sang, which only goes up to an A - an option many other actors have sung as well - even though the Bb is more impressive, and IMO, actually easier than the alternate line.) Otherwise, Kert sang everything as is, as far as I know. |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 11:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - Chromolume 11:28 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Am I wrong or is there a high C at the end of the "Quintet," for them as can hit it? Mike Eldred on the Naxos recording hits some high note there. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Last Edit: Chromolume 12:04 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| Posted by: Chromolume 12:03 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 11:52 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Yes - but it's also marked optional. And I think not necessary to be honest. Whereas Maria's high C will undoubtedly be heard over everything else, Tony's high C, if he sings it, could easily get lost in the mix (especially if all the Jets and Sharks are singing, not just Riff and Bernardo as written). Unless of course the theatre's A1 or the recording engineer really likes the guy playing Tony lol. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - Chromolume 12:03 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Thanks! Yeah, I thought it was probably marked optional. But it could be that's another note Cavenaugh that Kert could not have sung. Personally, I think we probably don't want a Tony who sounds too tenory, but Eldred on the Naxos manages that, while nailing that high C (at least I think he sings a high C there), and, yes, the engineers makes sure we hear it. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Eldred does sing the high C at the end of the Tonight Quintet, though it's something of a strong mix. Curiously, he takes the lower, Larry Kert alternate notes in Maria. When he very likely could have done the B-flat... | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23 | |
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| Thanks. I remember that, now that you mention it. It is odd. Perhaps it's because the recording is supposedly presenting the original version. Even though Kert almost certainly did not take the high C, it is perhaps not so definite if you're relying on the cast recording to give the answer. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
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| Wasn't the story that Larry Kert was hired among other cast members at first as one of the Jets and only found out after being cast (or perhaps at rehearsal) that he had been cast as Tony, the male lead? The creative powers might have felt differently about such things as demanding a high C or sustained Bbs if he had auditioned specifically for Tony and prepared, say, a difficult tenor aria. But apparently they thought he had the right quality for the role that those high notes weren't required of him after all, with Bernstein's approval. | |
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| re: More to the 'West Side' story | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 08:18 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
| In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23 | |
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| He is listed as a possible Tony on the list of auditionees dated May 16, 1957, which is out there. Maybe it first appeared on the NYPL digital gallery? Not sure, but it's out there. I think early on he might have been thought of more for Riff than Tony. Anyway, he definitely knew before rehearsals started that he was Tony as it was mentioned in the Herald Tribune on June 3, 1957. |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: twiceroyale 10:00 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - ablankpage 09:17 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Sir john Gielgud from IRENE | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: Amiens 10:28 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - twiceroyale 10:00 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| And Irene Sharaff was brought in to redesign Raoul Pene duBois' costumes for Debbie Reynolds and later Jane Powell. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: duckylittledictum 11:42 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - Amiens 10:28 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Pre-Broadway, all in Detroit: Pleasures and Palaces: Alfred Marks, replaced (briefly) by Jack Cassidy Skyscraper: Victor Spinetti, replaced by Charles Nelson Reilly Step on a Crack: Nancy Kelly, replaced by Pauline Flanagan (to be fair, any of these might have been resignations!) |
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| Robert Morse in WICKED nm | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 03:03 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - duckylittledictum 11:42 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| re: Robert Morse in SHOW BOAT | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 04:44 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 04:43 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Robert Morse in WICKED nm - KingSpeed 03:03 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Robert Morse was also not in the Broadway company of the Hal Prince directed "Show Boat". Apparently Elaine Stritch, playing Parthy, had a lot of influence on Prince and supposedly she didn't get along with Morse, who played Cap'n Andy. Morse was replaced by John McMartin. | |
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| re: Robert Morse in SHOW BOAT | |
| Posted by: larry13 05:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Robert Morse in SHOW BOAT - PlayWiz 04:43 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| IF--IF--Stritch was at all responsible for Prince not letting Morse in the B'way. company, then it is a fact she conveniently left out of AT LIBERTY wherein she mentioned Morse admiringly, only as someone also very funny who, like herself, had career problems. | |
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| re: Robert Morse in SHOW BOAT | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 08:03 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:56 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Robert Morse in SHOW BOAT - larry13 05:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Unlike Stritch, Morse had a better Broadway track record, having starred in one smash, "How to Succeed.." and also had starred in "Sugar" which ran about a year, and had appeared in films including of his famous stage hit. Plus he made a great return and won a Tony for his Truman Capote on Broadway in "Tru" in 1989, just about 5 years before the "Show Boat" in question. While famous for "Company", Stritch played a supporting role in its success. Stritch starred in some other shows in NY like "Goldilocks" (and as one of my favorite flops, she sounds wonderful on the OCR), but her track record still wasn't as good as Morse's, which is why at the time of "Show Boat", he seemed to be the bigger star. Morse had a few flops like "So Long, 174th Street" and had also been knocked down a peg perhaps by getting under the title billing when co-starring in the tour of "Sugar Babies" with Carol Channing alone above the title. It is a bit surprising that there didn't seem to be enough comedic/character leading men type roles for Morse during that time. Both Morse and Stritch had personal health issues, too, which may have affected their careers for significant periods of time. | |
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| re: Famous Broadway firings | |
| Posted by: toros 11:45 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - duckylittledictum 11:42 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Faye Dunaway was fired from the Broadway-bound "Tea At Five" | |
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| Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: chrismpls 10:46 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Famous Broadway firings - Amiens 10:28 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Maybe not exactly fired but, in previews, she received a note from Neil Simon that she needed to learn her lines and then she left. That play practically disappeared. | |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: pecansforall 11:37 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Mary Tyler Moore - chrismpls 10:46 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Shortly before she was about to go onstage in an early preview of Simon’s latest play, Rose’s Dilemma, his wife [Elaine Joyce] handed her a letter from the playwright that said, among other things, “learn your lines or get out of my play.” Devastated, Moore quit. | |
| Link | Comedy of Manners |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: larry13 11:32 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Mary Tyler Moore - chrismpls 10:46 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Not Broadway but otherwise correct. | |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 12:49 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - larry13 11:32 am EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Lainie Kazan was also fired from being Barbra Streisand's understudy in "Funny Girl". That fact Kazan at least twice put the press corps on alert ready to review her during Barbra's absence and that she was really good in the role spooked Barbra. Louis Jourdan was fired apparently because Fritz Loewe wanted someone with an excellent singing voice to sing his beautiful melodies, especially the title song in "On a Clear Day". Jourdan, who spoke-sang in the Rex Harrison tradition, supposedly otherwise had great chemistry with Barbara Harris, and he had a good contract where he was paid for possibly the entire run of "On a Clear Day" without having to perform. This was understudy John Cullum's big break, giving him star billing over the title with Barbara Harris. Carolyn Mignini was fired and replaced by Josie de Guzman as Sarah Brown in the early 1990s revival of "Guys and Dolls". Apparently Mignini's chemistry (yes, chemistry!) with Peter Gallagher was found lacking. |
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| Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl | |
| Last Edit: AlanScott 04:47 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 04:46 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - PlayWiz 12:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I think it's almost definitely a myth — one that will probably never die as I think it's in a book or two — that Lainie Kazan was fired as Streisand's understudy. She was in the job for at least a year. She did have a good rep who was getting her lots of publicity as the understudy who had never gone on. Then she got more publicity when she did go on. I think it's a myth that anyone reviewed her. I find no evidence of anyone reviewing her. (The same myth is out there about Jane Romano, Merman's standby in Gypsy.) By the time she finally did get to go on for Streisand, Kazan had gotten enough attention that she was soon playing nightclubs. I think it's quite possible that they didn't renew her contract, but I think it's also possible that she didn't want to renew her contract. In any case, I think it's unlikely she was actually fired. |
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| re: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 05:01 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 04:53 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl - AlanScott 04:46 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| "Funny Girl" opened March 26, 1964 and yet Lainie Kazan is on a Bell Telephone Hour special supposedly recreating her audition for FG which was televised November 24th of that year. That's eight months into Streisand's run -- rather remarkable how an understudy got such a prestigious gig at that time period though unless some of the infamous story was true. I almost always trust your research and knowledge, but that telecast existing is kind of bizarre. Robert Young's intro does mention that the "understudy might one day wind up playing the lead", so I guess she was still in the show. She really had a great PR person and must have had cooperation from someone with power at FG for the right to use those songs on tv! | |
| Link | Lainie Kazan on "Bell Telephone Hour" |
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| re: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 05:13 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl - PlayWiz 04:53 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Thanks for the link. Never saw that before. Interesting, though, that she sings only one song from Funny Girl — one of the two big ones — and then sings from other then-current shows. | |
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| re: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl | |
| Posted by: larry13 05:08 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Lainie Kazan and Funny Girl - PlayWiz 04:53 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| It MAY be remarkable how an understudy got that prestigious gig BUT since she didn't go on as Fanny until a year into the run, then she did NOT benefit from either the publicity for those performances NOR being(supposedly)fired. She could not have been "fired" in 1964. | |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: simbo 01:51 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - PlayWiz 12:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Fritz Loewe did not write "On a Clear Day", that was Burton Lane (while Loewe was temporarily retired after the turmoil of the production of "Camelot" - he'd be un-retired in the early 70s for "The Little Prince" movie and the stage version of "Gigi") | |
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| OMG, how did I do that!? - you're right , of course | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 04:38 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 04:35 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - simbo 01:51 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| hitting myself with a wet noodle! Thanks. It was Burton Lane who wanted a better singer as the male lead. I must have had Lerner (who did the lyrics and book) in my mind while I wrote before. | |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: champagnesalesman 01:09 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - PlayWiz 12:48 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Lainie was fired from Seesaw and The Women in the same season Christian Hoff left Pal Joey during previews and his understudy, many decades younger than Stockard Channing, took over Eleanor Parker also left Pal Joey(earlier revival) What is it with Pal Joey? |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: larry13 02:04 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - champagnesalesman 01:09 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Edward Villella left Pal Joey the day before Parker did! But again, these were not instances of firing. | |
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| re: Mary Tyler Moore | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 01:23 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - champagnesalesman 01:09 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| But Christian Hoff was injured in early previews, right? Am I remembering that correctly? That's not exactly being fired, at least not in the way this thread is talking about. Same thing happened to James Carpinello in XANADU. Early preview injury and replaced, in that case, by Cheyenne Jackson. |
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| Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY | |
| Last Edit: BroadwayTonyJ 02:55 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 02:54 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Mary Tyler Moore - JereNYC 01:23 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Hoff was injured in early previews, but apparently recovered. Nevertheless, he was replaced. I recall him dancing on some nationally televised TV special to show audiences that he was perfectly fine and should not have been replaced. I think Channing had better chemistry with Matthew Risch than she did with Hoff so there's probably more to the story than what was disclosed at the time. | |
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| On that note, Ron Orbach | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 03:56 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 03:54 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY - BroadwayTonyJ 02:54 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Ron got hurt during (before?) the Chicago tryout of The Producers. Swing Brad Oscar took over but Ron was back in time for the critics. He got a rave in Variety in fact but by that time, everyone wanted Brad back. Bummer for Ron. He did nothing wrong. | |
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| re: On that note, Ron Orbach | |
| Posted by: Jnf663 05:37 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: On that note, Ron Orbach - KingSpeed 03:54 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| What’s interesting to me about that one is that the video of The Producers that has circulated among collectors for years has Ron Orbach in the show instead of Brad Oscar. So at least for people like me who watched that video countless times growing up, Orbach’s performance has lived on. | |
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| re: Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY | |
| Posted by: EvFoDr 03:45 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
| In reply to: Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY - BroadwayTonyJ 02:54 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| Risch was (still is?) also the lover of the director which some speculated played into it. Not that Risch isn't talented enough to deserve the role, because I think he is. Also interesting to note that people like Hoff, and Matt Cavenaugh, and maybe others in this thread I don't feel like researching, never worked again in a Broadway show after exit from said show. |
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| re: Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY | |
| Posted by: dannyr416 11:12 am EDT 05/25/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Hoff, then Risch in PAL JOEY - EvFoDr 03:45 pm EDT 05/24/23 | |
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| I don't think Risch and Mantello are still together. A few years later though, Risch was Thomas Sadoski's understudy in Other Desert Cities, which Mantello also directed. I saw him go on. I think he was playing the role for an extended period, and he was very solid. Also one again opposite Stockard Channing. He also popped up in that unfortunate Tales of the City reboot on Netflix a few years back, so he's clearly still working. | |
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