Is it common to replace entire cast with no notice?

[Ontoitnow]

paid full price for tickets to She Loves Me for this evening, Saturday, June 18. Upon arrival, there were two boards set up in the lobby indicating that pretty much the entire cast was replaced for this evening's performance. I cannot find any prior notice about this.

i understand that things can happen and a lead may have to miss a performance, but both Laura Benanti and Jane Krakowski were being replaced and it appeared many others as well for this performance. I have never had an experience like this - is it something theater goers should expect? 

Do they just all bail once the Tony's are over?

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

First, I hope you arent posting from your seat. 2nd, talk to the box office and get a refund. If more that 50% of the leads are out, youre seeing a very different show from the one promoted. Its fun for people who have seen it before to see all the understudies, but it shouldnt be your sole experience of the show.

[CATSNYrevival]

If it's just Jane and Laura what's the big deal? Watch them on the live stream.

[Ontoitnow]

I assume you are joking, but no, it was not just Laura and Jane. It took two boards to list all the cast replacements for the evening.  $157 per ticket. Maybe you can waste that kind of money but I can't.

[Call_me_jorge]

So were over half of the stars out? 

[Jordan Catalano]

I'm assuming you left since you're posting during the show.

[Ontoitnow]

No. I think there is a special place in hell for people who use their cell phones in theaters. I left without going inside the theatre.  The obvious bait and switch was so disgusting that I didn't want to see the play at all and, at least for this moment in time, am doubtful about purchasing tickets for future plays. Very bad feeling as a result of this. For those of us who are not "insiders" it is very expensive to see Broadway plays and I am not going to subject myself to anything like this again anytime soon.

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

If you are worried about understudies, I think you should see plays over musicals. Musical stars are out much more often.

[Skip23]

As long as Jane, Byron and Nicholas are there, no problem.

Without them, it's an entirely different show.

 

 

[mailhandler777]

When you buy a ticket to the show you are not guaranteed that everyone will be on. I saw a few shows where a lot of people were out. I watched some amazing understudies go on and some were making their Broadway debuts in their roles. 

 

They had the understudy board and I'm guessing understudy slips so they don't need to give people any notice anywhere. 

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Idk how id feel with Zach and Gavin out Skip. But I guess the other Laura is the more common Amalia these days so nbd. They shouldve been co-nominated for the tony.

[Bettyboy72]

What you are describing is a very rare occurrence. There is "no bait and switch" going on. This clearly was not done to irritate audience members. There is a reason. Actors often do crash after award season and get ill. Also, Laura has been sick and Janes father is gravely ill. 

Yes it's a total disappointment and I feel for you but get your money back if you are so mad. As far writing off live theatre because this happened to you-you need to get over it. 

Also you keep saying the whole cast-is Zak, Laura, Jane and Gavin out?

[pupscotch]

I think I heard that if anyone above the title is out you can get a refund. Did you go to the box office and ask for one?

[WhizzerMarvin]

Why didn't you just go to the box office and get a refund?

[Ontoitnow]

It sounds like you are someone who is closely tied to the Broadway ethos. For those of us exponentially removed from that, it is a much bigger deal for us to plan three months ahead for an evening in the city to see Jane Krakowski. If it had JUST been her who was out tonight, we probably would have been disappointed but still attended. Seeing both her name and Laura's as not present indicated a major change. I did not have time to take in both the boards because the ticket taker told me I had to move out of the way so I am honestly not sure whether the two boards indicated a wholesale change in the cast.

What I had time to see, in the nanosecond I was allowed before the ticket taker demanded I get out of the way, was two pink boards with names on one side and then name changes on the other and as a certainty the two female leads listed as absent. 

Thanks for the responses. Even the flippant ones are helpful as they reinforce my enlightened image of what Broadway is really all about. 

[WhizzerMarvin]

Again, why didn't you get a refund from the box office? Are you really just going to eat the cost of those tickets? Either see the show with the understudies or get your money back at least. 

[gypsy101]

lol how is two people the "entire cast"?

[ljay889]

gypsy101 said: "lol how is two people the "entire cast"?"

 

Yeah exactly. And can this person please tell us if they are posting from their seat or not? 

[qolbinau]

It is disappointing but at the end of the day people are people and sometimes have to take time off work - it's how the world works. Fortunately, you were able to be offered a full refund and could have gone to the TKTS booth to catch something else. There is no "bait and switch" here, in my opinion.

That said, this doesn't mean I feel some criticism is deserved to theatre practices though. When there are "below the title" stars out that are clearly a draw to the show, refunds should be given. In London, where the star is currently out of "Funny Girl", refunds should be given. But in this specific case, I think you have been accommodated for well. 

[Jordan Catalano]

So instead of going to the box office, you created an account on Broadwayworld.com? 

 

Somethings not...right. 

[gypsy101]

the op left the theater immediately I believe 

[WhizzerMarvin]

I wonder if anyone else if there tonight who will be able to tell us exactly who was out tonight. I don't doubt both Jane and Laura were out, but if the "entire cast" were out the performance would be canceled because there wouldn't be enough understudies to go around.  

[Jordan Catalano]

The understudy board at Studio 54 is pretty big so if they had to put up a second one, that would mean there were 10+ people out of the show tonight. 

[smidge]

Even if you are not a regular at Broadway theatres, I can't imagine you would just leave without at least attempting to get your money back.  

[WhizzerMarvin]

Is the OP certain that one board wasn't the cast list and the other was the understudy board?

 

 

[ACL2006]

something's a miss here....