Mandy Patinkin to join THE GREAT COMET as Pierre for 3 week run!

[schubox]

I traded in some airline miles, screw if. Really excited for this. Going on Sunday the 20th

[mullein]

bdn223 said: "If I were Great Comet's Publicity team and saw all the hate these Hamilton Fans are giving twitter, I would respond...If you had bought full price tickets instead of being a twitter troll we wouldn't have to replace Oak with Patinkin to keep the show open.... #moneytalks

Then again, I don't work in publicity, and probably shouldn't. 

 

 

"

I bought full price tickets to see Oak, and now getting a refund. So did at least a handful of the "twitter trolls".

[LizzieCurry]

bear88 said: "She's not the only black actor unhappy about this. I've seen a Twitter comment from Cynthia Erivo. Adrienne Warren is especially angry, noting the time Oak spent learning two instruments and prepare for the role, only to be ousted after two weeks. She says it's disrespectful to Oak as an actor to give him so little time."

Here:

https://twitter.com/CynthiaEriVo/status/890285909635198976

https://twitter.com/adriennelwarren/status/890293676966064134

And:

https://twitter.com/ArianaDeBose/status/890253474168020992

https://twitter.com/Sammie_Ware/status/890281654262128640

[afaye11]

Saw Oak, and thought he was wonderful, excited to see what Mandy brings to the role!! I think he'll sound fantastic.

[Huss417]

Discount codes still seem to be working for every date except 9/2 and 9/3. Grabbed 9/1. :)

[haterobics]

trpguyy said: "Planned vacation time" ... not how it happened. Like Oak, she did not take the time voluntarily, and is still being paid. Which kinda kills the racism narrative, the producers will also replace a white person with a bigger name."

I'm going by how Ingrid said it happened. Since everything else is speculation...

Still, five weeks of being paid without all those stairs?!

[trpguyy]

To clarify, nothing I've posted in this thread is speculation. But yeah, I can't think of many other professions where people would get upset over a forced, paid vacation.

[dramamama611]

^I think lots of people would....particularly in this business.  NO ONE wants to be overthrown for someone else.   Just because he's still getting paid doesn't mean a lot, performing isn't "just" a paycheck.

 

As I've said, I'm excited to see Patinkin.  But my son just talked me into another set of tix to see Oak.  (He paid, so I'm game.)  

 

Comet is hardly the only show to have done this.  I remember both American Idiot as well as Last Ship doing it as well.  (I'm sure there are others.)

[trpguyy]

Right, actors are particularly ego-driven. Which is why I wrote "other professions."

[Rainah]

trpguyy said: "To clarify, nothing I've posted in this thread is speculation. But yeah, I can't think of many other professions where people would get upset over a forced, paid vacation."

He's an actor trying to get established. Visibility is way more important than paycheck right now, especially considering he gets a royalty from Hamilton

[froote]

I doubt Oak wanted a vacation after only playing Pierre for a matter of a few weeks and after the time he's invested in the role. Actors want to act. It's not like he's been in the role for a year and has got all he can out of it. 

[dramamama611]

I don't think cops are too happy to be put on paid leave.  I know if I was told to stay home so someone else would still either teach my class or direct my show, Id be pretty pissed.  Or a doctor having someone else do their surgery....etc, etc.

[schubox]

Huss417 said: "Discount codes still seem to be working for every date except 9/2 and 9/3. Grabbed 9/1. :)

 

"

Yep, worked for me too 

 

[bear88]

If I'm Oak, there is no way I'm happy about this. He got a starring role in a successful Broadway musical, albeit for a limited time, and that limited time just got cut short after two weeks. There was a lot of publicity about him taking over for Groban, and now this? It's a professional embarrassment, no way around it, unless the Great Comet producers announced he was returning after Patinkin (with a date attached) or he wanted out because he got a better offer.

Getting paid for doing nothing is all well and good, but that doesn't really help his career.

[LizzieCurry]

??
http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat_new/d.php?id=2388834

[trpguyy]

I'm not suggesting that he did (or should) welcome the paid vacation. I'm saying that I think it's a little silly for people to get all up in arms about it, when I suspect that a vast majority of people wouldn't actually mind getting paid to not work.

[everythingtaboo]

It's a shame that some of the actors tweeting in the post cited someone who had to bring race into it:

@RafaelCasal
Imagine 2 weeks into your great review in a new show, the producers come to u & "ask" you to step down so a white actor can take your place?

Race isn't a part of it and I don't see race being part "of the optics" at all. It has to with it being MANDY PATINKIN. I think most producers would give their left nut if a legend like that happened to step in for a few weeks. As dramamama611 mentioned, it's hardly the first show to push an actor aside for someone who would give the show a shot in the blood of some attention, and then hopefully some higher grosses. I'll bet advance for this show is going to drop off a cliff come Labor Day, so any attention is going to be vital right now. 

[qolbinau]

AND THE sick obsession with race continues. Some of the biggest racists around apparently. 

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Honestly, I doubt this is a race issue. I'm the first one to read in to that aspect, and how certain events or opportunities may not happen for POC, but this is because the producers did not want to pass up on Mandy Patinkin making his Broadway return. He's a big name on Broadway, has a following from "Homeland," "Chicago Hope," and "Princess Bride," and can hopefully push them over $1 million for those three weeks. Hopefully they get smart and let Oak come in and do the three weeks after Mandy leaves before they ideally get someone bigger.

[leighmiserables]

Brave Sir Robin2 said: "Hopefully they get smart and let Oak come in and do the three weeks after Mandy leaves before they ideally get someone bigger."

That's probably what they're going to do, if only for PR reasons. Howard Kagan hinted at it in the official statement that he made, and the producers are probably getting their arms' bent from all the backlash. I doubt it'll be for a full three weeks (probably one or two), since it's already the slowest time of the year, but if they wanna save face it might be their only option. 

[dramamama611]

^If that were the case, that's the way they would have spun this.  The producer said he "hoped" Oak might return in the fall or winter.   Remember, we all highly expect someone (big) is already contracted for Sept/Oct.

[LizzieCurry]

qolbinau said: "AND THE sick obsession with race continues. Some of the biggest racists around apparently. "

[rangersrule132]

dramamama611 said: "^If that were the case, that's the way they would have spun this.  The producer said he "hoped" Oak might return in the fall or winter.   Remember, we all highly expect someone (big) is already contracted for Sept/Oct.

"

One would assume, but it's interesting to note that oaks announcement was given 5 months in advance and we only have less than two months before the end of Mandys stint.

[qolbinau]

LizzieCurry said: "qolbinau said: "AND THE sick obsession with race continues. Some of the biggest racists around apparently. "



 

"

Dw I've learned the new rules of Broadway - a white actor can't replace a black actor or it's racist. Come and join the picket line with me. 

[falsettoswasrobbed]

quizking101 said: "imeldasturn said: "How long before Patinkin starts beating cast members in character 

 

"

Dolokhov can stop him. He's a crazy good shot.

Not always.

"

 

[Kalimba]

Makes me dislike Patinkin more than I already do.