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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 20:11:34 GMT
The usual arguments going on in the comments.
Waiting for the blocking to commence.
The inevitable whole back and forth of ‘you pay to see a show and not the performer’ or ‘you should see the star as advertised’ is getting really tiresome now. However much the cover and understudy stans protest / yes people actually DO book to see a certain person... with hard earned cash and expectations of what they will be getting for it. Many will have booked in advance with out of towners less likely to be able to take advantage of early morning day seats. For some it may be a treat only afforded once in a blue moon. I think sometimes people who can afford multiple trips or actors can forget this.
I can’t ever remember this being discussed to such a great extent in the past bar the more recent debate about a huge movie star Glenn Close in Sunset (maybe cos Glenn wisely didn’t get involved in the debate? ) .
The blame should be placed firmly at the feet of producers pushing a ‘name’
While people might be a little more tactful how this is expressed on SM. I feel they have every right to express their disappointment when the understudy is on - especially when the schedule seems to be made up as they go along - illness is different of course..
Yes the understudy could probably perform better then the ‘star’ in some cases. But let’sbe real understudies and covers are wonderful but for many reasons (not all of them fair) they aren’t first pick for the role. It’s only human (however ‘wrong’ this is ) to feel you’ve been shortchanged?
If we place it in ‘real world’ terms - it’s like booking your favourite hairdresser to cut your hair and turning up to find they’re on holiday and they’ve given the job to someone you don’t know. Would you risk it? Most people honestly would say no thanks I’ll wait.
Any theatre boarders from across the pond?
Are refunds given on Broadway if a booking is made before the ‘star’ announced holiday?
What are people’s thoughts on refunds if you booked then holiday at short notice is announced?
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 20:14:19 GMT
Has anyone heard anything new about what changes are taking place?
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Post by max on Nov 10, 2021 20:56:17 GMT
Re. the performers' schedule - I noticed the other day that the show website had CHF's holiday dates very clearly displayed, and has done so for some time. BUT...nothing to indicate which are the performances when her alternate plays the role (even though we know there was a default pattern).
So by being so crystal clear with the exception to the rule (her holidays) it's fair that anyone booking to see her would assume that (bar illness) the rule was in place for all other dates, and she was on. That's sheer incompetence by management/those running the website, and miserable for audience members who thought they'd done their research, and for the performer taking the flack. [All this is notwithstanding that appearance of a given performer is not guaranteed, and blah].
They have ALL the info on the website now - finally. Though they'd do themselves a favour by having it on the seat booking page too. Lord - it's not that difficult to design out problems. Can someone there go on a course or something?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2021 21:01:33 GMT
I'm in New York. If an above-the-title star is out, a refund is possible. MANY theaters will allow exchanges if a previously announced schedule changes.
Whatever's happening there is ridiculous. Her absences are atrocious and would be unacceptable here, and while yes - you do pay to see a show, not a performer - her attitude about it all is a real turn-off.
I'm coming in February, and I plan to book on a date when Carrie is out.
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Post by justsaying113 on Nov 10, 2021 21:04:19 GMT
Whatever happened to the "star" doing eight shows a week for an entire run. Assuming CHF is a box office draw (I have my doubts), this is pathetic. How many breaks/holidays does the woman need?!
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 21:06:33 GMT
I’m in NYC, also. It sounds like any number of stars we have here like Donna Murphy, LaChanze, Laura Benanti etc. who, if you book tickets to see their show and they’re actually in, you breathe a sigh of relief.
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Post by Mark on Nov 10, 2021 21:09:52 GMT
Whatever happened to the "star" doing eight shows a week for an entire run. Assuming CHF is a box office draw (I have my doubts), this is pathetic. How many breaks/holidays does the woman need?! Everybody needs holidays. Hopefully she'll have the equivalent of 5-6 weeks a year to take (as should all the cast). Nobody seems to have a problem with Victoria Hamilton Barret taking Sundays off as part of her contract? It won't be Carrie who will be deciding which shows she does/doesn't do as part of the alternate schedule. |
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 21:14:09 GMT
Victoria is out ALL Sunday shows? I was JUST about to book for Sunday a few weeks from now, so I’m so glad i saw your post!
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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 21:17:12 GMT
Whatever happened to the "star" doing eight shows a week for an entire run. Assuming CHF is a box office draw (I have my doubts), this is pathetic. How many breaks/holidays does the woman need?! Everybody needs holidays. Hopefully she'll have the equivalent of 5-6 weeks a year to take (as should all the cast). Nobody seems to have a problem with Victoria Hamilton Barret taking Sundays off as part of her contract? It won't be Carrie who will be deciding which shows she does/doesn't do as part of the alternate schedule. True. But maybe it just seems an awful lot of absences for a lead when the show opened just over two months ago? It seems pretty much a lottery of who you’ll get as Cinderella at the moment. They really are taking this ‘you booked to see Cinderella, you will get Cinderella’ thing to the nth degree. Re: VHB no disrespect intended to a wonderful actress but she’s not really the advertised draw here. Also at the start of a contract it is usual that all known absences will be factored in right at the start. |
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Post by cezbear on Nov 10, 2021 21:20:04 GMT
Holiday is holiday, I can't see the issue there. But is it not really odd to have two alternate shows a week? Much more vocally demanding roles only have one (or indeed none).
It could be it suits Carrie to have the time freed up for other projects, but it doesn't read that way, it reads as though she's been given the schedule. Which makes me wonder why.
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Post by Mark on Nov 10, 2021 21:32:13 GMT
True. But maybe it just seems an awful lot of absences for a lead when the show opened just over two months ago? With rehearsals having started in May this year and performances from June, they're already 7 month into contract, regardless of when the show opened "officially". That leave entitlement will need to be taken within the contract period. And from what I gather, she's only been off "sick" for a couple of shows. |
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Post by h86 on Nov 10, 2021 21:43:02 GMT
Remember it’s not just about the songs being vocally demanding…..there is all the dancing….oh wait….or the fact that she is constantly on stage….right??!!
I was surprised there was a alternate and I’m even more surprised that there are now 2 alternate shows a week! That’s crazy! When you compare some of the roles currently at other shows where the lead is doing a lot more it just doesn’t make sense…..
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 21:49:29 GMT
Stagebyte, re: VHB - she’s not the advertised draw of the show but having seen her in it, I’d hate to go again and have her be out. She really is my favorite thing about it.  |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 10, 2021 21:56:58 GMT
Carrie saying she was hoping her time off allowed her to catch Giovanna Fletcher in 2:22 was an unexpected treat. See Carrie? People have preferences. Didn’t wanna see Lily in it did ya! The temptation to reply “you bought a ticket to see 2:22, you saw 2:22…”  |
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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 22:09:17 GMT
Stagebyte, re: VHB - she’s not the advertised draw of the show but having seen her in it, I’d hate to go again and have her be out. She really is my favorite thing about it. She’s brilliant - agreed - she definitely made the most out of the material given |
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Post by fiyero on Nov 10, 2021 22:23:16 GMT
The understudy for the stepmother is brilliant too, if you see her you really aren’t losing out (though agreed, scheduled absences should well advertised)
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Post by crabtree on Nov 10, 2021 22:27:57 GMT
I wonder what Ethel Merman, looking down from her painted cut out cloud, would make of all this alternate nonsense.
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 22:28:51 GMT
So just want to be sure about this -
If I were to book a ticket for Wednesday, Dec 1st matinee, there’s no scheduled absences, right? I understand you never know what’ll happen but Carrie and Victoria *should* both be in?
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Post by max on Nov 10, 2021 22:34:46 GMT
So just want to be sure about this - If I were to book a ticket for Wednesday, Dec 1st matinee, there’s no scheduled absences, right? I understand you never know what’ll happen but Carrie and Victoria *should* both be in? Correct - the Weds matinee on 1st Dec has no scheduled absence for CHF in the role of 'Cinderella', and is not a performance by the Alternate. I don't know about any of the other roles. |
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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 22:39:51 GMT
So just want to be sure about this - If I were to book a ticket for Wednesday, Dec 1st matinee, there’s no scheduled absences, right? I understand you never know what’ll happen but Carrie and Victoria *should* both be in? At this point it’s a lottery... Bad Lord Lloyd Webber might well have a crack at Cinders at this rate #youpaytoseecinderellayougetcinderella Wicked Stepmother possibles CamMack Andy’s mate Nile Rodgers Taylor Swift Mojito the dog As an audience member try not to worry about it too much and think of the mystery and anticipation as a high adrenaline experience... People would pay good money to recreate that feeling...oh wait. They do. |
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Post by mattnyc on Nov 10, 2021 22:41:07 GMT
Wel then I’ll roll the dice and play the game… lol
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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 23:03:17 GMT
So an interesting anecdote from a Twitter user about actors not taking time off in the early stages of a run and CHF reply...
Didn’t she say she was cast two years ago? Pandemic intervened of course, but in the run up to the opening it could hardly be described as a last minute casting? It was the longest opening in history
A year isn’t a particularly long time, in the world of work it would be described as a short term contract where holiday would be booked in advance? But I guess where a ‘name’ is concerned it wouldn’t be in the best interests of the production company to announce in advance in case tickets sales were poor? It would certainly help all this fallout though when a ‘star’ is ‘off’
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 10, 2021 23:09:36 GMT
Do people really think this is Carrie throwing a strop and demanding more time off? She's told which shows she's doing and which she isn't, not the other way around. Clearly something is going on behind the scenes of this show and it looks like ALL the cast is being subject to some... interesting management. I wouldn't be surprised if barely anyone wants to renew their contract.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2021 23:15:42 GMT
CHF might be playing the lead role, but its not advertised as 'CHF starring in ALWs Cinderella' 'CHF IS cinderella' She's not even on the poster. The poster is mainly a large pair of bollocks, which describes the show completely.
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Post by stagebyte on Nov 10, 2021 23:22:17 GMT
Yes hard not to feel sorry for her re the flac this whole scheduling mess is causing. Although I’m sure if we looked back over all the TV appearances, newspaper articles and ‘live from the Lord’s house segments’ she was always referred to as ‘my Cinderella’ ‘the perfect Cinderella’ etc and also has a huge sm presence and partly hired for this (I think she called it ‘smart casting’ not ‘stunt casting’ in one of her posts) so you can see where the confusion lies
It sounds like the production company have really ballsed up the handling and communication and as a result the audience who book in hopes of seeing the ‘advertised’ star are the ones to suffer. I do feel she should perhaps just let the company explain the changes - over explaining and being defensive towards fans wanting to see her while probably borne out of frustration isn’t a good look. The ire should be reserved for higher up ..,
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