Shuffle Along previews

[uncageg]

I heard they have been rehearsing her for 2 days. Not sure if that is true but I went to exchange my ticket today and they were about to start rehearsals. Evidentally the show will go up tonight. Don't think Audra will be on tonight. Box office told me Audra is sick.

[TNick926]

Now they've just announced they're cancelling March 27-April 1 shows...sounds like they're going to make some major changes and this will give them time to get it performance ready again...could ultimately be very good for the success of the show...we'll see!

[BroadwayConcierge]

Performances from 3/27 through 4/1 have been cancelled. The heck...?

[JudyDenmark]

Man is this frustrating. The entire reason I wanted to see this show is Audra, and I have a ticket for tonight. Is this an above-the-billing situation where I could ask to exchange for a later date?

[neonlightsxo]

JudyDenmark said: "Man is this frustrating. The entire reason I wanted to see this show is Audra, and I have a ticket for tonight. Is this an above-the-billing situation where I could ask to exchange for a later date?"

I would be shocked if they didn't let you exchange.

[uncageg]

Looks like that is the dark week. Originally weren't they dark the week before opening? They now show performances for that week on the box office schedule. 

 

The upside of today is I got a nice seat for The Humans matinee today!

[TNick926]

"They didn't "just announce" next week as dark. BWW doesn't know what they're talking about. It's been planned to be dark for next week for awhile."

AH!  So the week of no performances was already scheduled...  Actually seems pretty smart to preview for a few performances, see what needs to be fixed, cut or changed, go "dark" and fix it, and then resume with a streamlined, tighter show as of April 2...

[QueenAlice]

Yes next week has always been planned to be dark. The very first day the box office opened they had a calendar posted in the lobby that made that very clear.  BWW should take that news story down or re-word it so that it doesn't give the impression this is a new development.

[regnad kcin]

Does anyone know who Audra's understudy is?

[LizzieCurry]

regnad kcin said: "Does anyone know who Audra's understudy is?"

 

Darlesia Cearcy and Amber Iman.

http://www.playbill.com/personlistpage/person-list?production=00000150-aea8-d936-a7fd-eefc72eb0002&type=op#oc 

[JudyDenmark]

I just went to the box office, and they confirmed that the show is definitely happening tonight, but they don't yet know whether it'll be Audra or an understudy. I was worried about risking it (and frankly it'd be a bummer to see a recovering Audra instead of full-health Audra either way) so I asked for an exchange... the guy said he could do it, but advised against it since I have an amazing 5th row center orchestra seat that I got with a discount code last week, and any exchange for a future show at that price would be for a far worse seat. So I'm a little bit in limbo right now. If she's in, I'll go and enjoy myself - the box office guy is right that I'd be nuts to give up that great seat. But selfishly, I'm secretly hoping she's out so I can get a refund and go back at a later date. I hate to be so entitled about it... but man, these things are expensive and I want the best possible experience. 

[Nomusicalsforme]

Thanks for the update.  I also have tickets for tonight, but would rather postpone than see a quickly rehearsed understudy.  Ill check at the box office around 6.  Telecharge said she was going on tonight but I would think the box office would be more reliable.

[ACL2006]

I wonder what kind of discounts they'd offer if her u/s goes on tonight assuming a lot of people would want to exchange their tickets.

[neonlightsxo]

Is the discount code expired, JudyDenmark? I don't understand how he couldn't find you a similar seat unless that was the case.

[JudyDenmark]

I don't think it's expired. But when I was originally searching for tickets, I was first looking at May/June, and the good-seat availability wasn't great. But within the week (I bought this last week), they had last-minute released some of these single-seat center orchestra tickets that I believe would normally be premium. So it's entirely possible that that will happen again, but I'd have to wait until right before the performance. Looking at future dates, those seats haven't yet been released. (To the best of my understanding.) 

[christinelavin]

Nomusicalsforme said: "Thanks for the update.  I also have tickets for tonight, but would rather postpone than see a quickly rehearsed understudy.  Ill check at the box office around 6.  Telecharge said she was going on tonight but I would think the box office would be more reliable.

 

Although I might be in the minority here, my experience watching understudies, for the MOST part, has been very positive.  Never more so than after spending two hours in the cancellation line for "South Pacific" a few years back, finding out that Paulo Szot was NOT going to perform -- understudy Wlliam Michals was.  I was going to leave the line but the people behind me told me not to -- they had driven in from Connecticut BECAUSE William Michals was going to sing.  They insisted I would not be disappointed.  Two hours in, I decided to stay in line.

 

I got a ticket at about 10 minutes to 8, a good seat in the orchestra section, where as other audience members around took their seats, and noticed the slip of paper in the program about Paulo not performing.  Some were very angry and wondered aloud if they could get a raincheck -- but the show was about to start and they weren't sure they had time.  At one point I turned around and told the people behind me about how I met people in the cancellation line who drove in BECAUSE William Michals was singing, who insisted I not bail, so I thought t we all might be in for a surprise.

 

William Michals stunned the audience with his gorgeous singing.  During intermission I was fielding questions about him when word spread that I knew something (I knew nothing and told them that I was just glad I stayed -- as they all were, too).   I saw SP many times after that -- at that point it was like a tag team -- Paulo Szot, William Michals, David Pittsinger -- all very different, all terrific as Emile DeBecque -- but my first choice was William Michals (who is in Bright Star right now).  

 

So if you do find yourself in the audience when one of the stars is out, take heart.  You might be in for 'a star is born' moment.  

 

[JudyDenmark]

christinelavin said:  So if you do find yourself in the audience when one of the stars is out, take heart.  You might be in for 'a star is born' moment.  
 

I totally agree, when it's a general star who might be out. For South Pacific, I'd feel that way. Paolo Szot is wonderful, but he wasn't the reason I went to see South Pacific. So if he was out I might be bummed, but it wouldn't change my feelings about enjoying the show.

 

In this case... I've never seen Audra perform live, and she's the reason I wanted to see this in the first place. I have no doubt that her understudies are probably phenomenally talented! But... they're not 6-time Tony Award winning Audra McDonald.

 

[PalJoey]

 

Here's wishing them the best of luck with the hiatus and the rewrites.

http://www.playbill.com/article/broadway-39-s-shuffle-along-cancels-two-previews-plans-hiatus

 

 

[neonlightsxo]

christinelavin, I don't think any of us are saying the understudies aren't good. I'm sure they're all amazing. It's just the disappointment of not seeing a specific performer that you came to see, in this case one who has 6 Tony Awards.

[christinelavin]

neonlightsxo said: "christinelavin, I don't think any of us are saying the understudies aren't good. I'm sure they're all amazing. It's just the disappointment of not seeing a specific performer that you came to see, in this case one who has 6 Tony Awards.

 

To clarify, I meant what I wrote for the time you have no advance word that the star will be out -- you find out when you open the program -- I'm an eternal optimist -- and I love to see a standy or understudy strut their stuff to great acclaim.  Of course, not every time will it be a William Michals (or a Sutton Foster -- we all know how she stepped out of the chorus in TMM) -- but one can hope! 

 

[Robbie2]

Preview for tonight Wed. 3/23 CANCELLED per an email that a friend just received from telecharge!

[Nomusicalsforme]

Just confirmed cancellation with Telecharge.  Tickets can be refunded from the box office.  Now debating between The Humans and Disaster for tonight.  All suggestions welcome.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Re: tonight- I have tickets that I bought from the box office. Will my card be refunded, or should I go to the box office to exchange them? If I want to exchange, do I have to go today? I tried calling Telecharge to ask for confirmation about tonight, but I can't get through. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Nomusicalsforme]

I bought mine at the box office as well and was told by telecharge to go to the box office for a refund.  I did not get the impression it had to be today.

[neonlightsxo]

THE HUMANS for sure, nomusicalsforme.

[little_sally]

Nomusicalsforme said: "Just confirmed cancellation with Telecharge.  Tickets can be refunded from the box office.  Now debating between The Humans and Disaster for tonight.  All suggestions welcome.


Go with The Humans!