Miranda Taking Off Performances
Miranda Taking Off Performances
indytallguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/08
#1Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/2/15 at 11:35pm
Seems a bit casual in the way he announces his understudy is going to be stepping in for him now and then. Of course, my ticket is for tomorrow night when Miranda will now be out.
#2Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/2/15 at 11:39pm
Don't worry about it. Javier is supposed to be fantastic in the role. As much as I adore Lin-Manuel and his music, to me, his performance as Hamilton is not what makes the show so great. It's the show itself. I understand being disappointed that you won't see him, but rest assured that tomorrow's performance will be in good hands. And if you really don't want to see Javier, I'm sure there will be tons of people willing to take your ticket.
indytallguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/08
#2Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:06am
I'm not concerned about enjoying the show. More surprised that the change was presented so casually by Miranda via Twitter as if it won't be a big deal to some of his fans. Doesn't feel right to me and to do it so close to the actual performance dates.
#3Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:14am
^ I'm with you. I'd be pretty disappointed too.
#4Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:17am
He actually doesn't have to make a public announcement at all. I think his honesty on Twitter is endearing: the way he promotes Javier actively in his stead, I find it to be rather honorable and I wish others would emulate him in that manner. Besides, as he often states on Twitter, when Javier is on that means he will be sitting in the audience. If, for some reason, your fandom is reliant upon seeing him, you'll probably be able to see him in the house before, during or after the show.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
FishermanBob
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/9/12
#5Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:30am
Javier is the understudy. If Lin felt Javier was better than him in the role, he'd be on all the time. If Lin is not on vacation and is physically able to perform, he should go on and figure out another way to do what he needs to do, perhaps by videotaping the performance and watching it later. At a minimum, if he wants Javier to perform, he should be declared an alternate and go on per a regular schedule, not according to Lin's whim.
Bwaydide92
Leading Actor Joined: 5/16/12
#6Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:37am
I feel like he's softening the blow for his fans. They could just arrive at the theatre and get a slip of paper saying they won't be seeing him, but now they can go with the knowledge and not just have 15 minutes to cope. Plus, audiences tend to look down on understudies (not saying you are), so he's probably trying to make it better for him too. Praising his understudy, telling audiences that they'll be getting just as great an experience. I don't see the problem.
Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
#7Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 12:37am
"He actually doesn't have to make a public announcement at all. I think his honesty on Twitter is endearing"
100% agree. He owes no one anything.
iluvtheatertrash
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/9/04
#8Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 1:01am
I agree with you entirely, FishermanBob. I've paid a good deal of money to see HAMILTON next week and I'd be pretty darn annoyed to see him in the audience taking notes when he could be on stage.
"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman
#9Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 1:09am
^It's not like he's sitting in the audience cuz he feels like it; there's still work to be done on the show. Sure, it sucks to miss his performance, especially since his mere presence on stage will unquestionably be talked about for years to come, but you have to respect his decision to still be working on the show. And gosh, give the guy a night or two off. He's doing quadruple duty (on stage, music, lyrics, book), as well as being a new father!
#10Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 1:17am
Why are we assuming it's Lin's whim, as opposed to when he can get the rest of the creative team together? He's not taking off performances as a personal affront to you, and he's doing you a favor by letting you know ahead of time that you'll be seeing his (also wonderful) understudy.
If anyone's seriously that offended by the fact that he won't be on, I'll gladly take the ticket off of your hands. Just saying.
the artist formerly known as dancingthrulife04
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Sutton Ross
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Corine2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/14/03
ZannaDo
Stand-by Joined: 12/1/14
#13Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 3:41am
Yeah, I think he gets to call out to work on HIS show, whenever he feels it's necessary. As someone else said, he wrote the book, music, & lyrics for the show in addition to starring in it and the Broadway opening is mere months away. He's got more **** to do in the next few months than most people on this board will do in their entire lives. He's not sitting taking notes when he "could" be onstage. He can't be onstage. He has to work as a creator, not just an actor, and that means watching the show. Video isn't even comparable to the experience of seeing a show live. Lin's going above and beyond to even put the information out there in advance, it certainly isn't required of him.
Viva Javilton.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#14Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 6:16am
More work than most of will do in their lives?? Really?
But the rest is true. He's got more than just performing going on. And he's got to wear more than one hat.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
MyLife
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
#15Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 8:56am
Yes, Lin casually mentioned it on Twitter but the Public also has had it listed (along with the matinee next Wednesday) for at least a week.
LINK:
http://www.publictheater.org/en/Public-Theater-Season/Hamilton/
(right under Okieriete Onaodowan's crotch).
Javi is fantastic in the show (I saw his second performance on). Overall, they are more alike than different and the show has more than enough to stand on its own. Is Lin a better rapper? Maybe so - after all, he's rapping his own lyrics. Is Javi a better singer? Yes. And it's definitely worth seeing the role sung his way.
edited to provide link
Updated On: 4/3/15 at 08:56 AM
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#16Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:02amLin can do whatever the hell he wants. Anyone complaining can give me their ticket. Thanks.
grumpyoptimist
Leading Actor Joined: 2/26/11
#17Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:08am
I think it's worth noting Munoz was also his In The Heights understudy, then replaced him in the show when Lin left. This ain't their first rodeo together. There is probably NO ONE who can come closer to the complex cadences Miranda writes for himself than Javier.
bwaybby
Stand-by Joined: 6/22/08
#18Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:16am
Chill people. Anyway, Lin is a prolific writer and a good actor/singer as far as I've seen. Not the other way around. Right? Now, if he had invited someone to come in and re-write the show then there should be an uproar. That wouldn't happen because he's smart and it's not what's in the best interests of the show. By the same token, for whatever reason, he IS doing what he feels is best for the show.
indytallguy
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/08
#19Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:20am
"Yes, Lin casually mentioned it on Twitter but the Public also has had it listed (along with the matinee next Wednesday) for at least a week."
Thanks for sharing that info. As a long-time theater patron, I know we are never guaranteed who will perform a role on a particular day. Maybe I just have different hopes for customer service. And this isn't a huge deal for me, I made the original post just because I found the Tweets curious. I mean, not everyone seeing the show follows him on Twitter or checks The Public's site after buying their tickets.
Miranda obviously can do this and I know his understudy will do a great job. Since he seems to be doing it in order to fulfill director-related needs, it would have been nice (not necessary, but nice) if from the onset the Public might have provided a disclaimer saying that Miranda may be out of some performances for that reason and that minimal advance notice would be provided. It's not implausible to have foreseen that this might become something he would feel the need to do.
MusicAndPassion
Broadway Star Joined: 9/14/05
#20Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:30am
It's like taking a day off of work to make sure your baby is getting better. Lin Manuel Miranda is on the verge of having another hit Broadway show in his hands, and he clearly wants to make sure it's excellent.
neonlightsxo
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/29/08
#21Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:32amTo the OP: You bought a ticket for Hamilton written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and that's what you're getting. End of story.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#22Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 9:40am
And MOST people coming to see the show are NOT coming to see him, but the show that everyone is raving about.
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#23Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 10:14am
this is not unheard of. when i saw "A Class Act" off-broadway Lonny Price didn't go on but was in the audience taking notes.
And I Am Always So Vitriolic
#24Miranda Taking Off Performances
Posted: 4/3/15 at 10:32am
I haven't seen the show, but of course am eager to do so. Was not a big fan of IN THE HEIGHTS (second act pretty much a repeat of the first), and did not think Miranda was an exceptional performer. And if he thinks his understudy is good enough to do the show, I would have no problem NOT seeing Miranda.
