BREAKING: Mandy Patinkin Withdraws from THE GREAT COMET

[devonian.t]

It's plain to see the producers have not been straight in this situation.  To state that Oak would be back after Mandy's stint clearly wasn't something Oak had told them, since he refuted the statement so promptly.

It also seems clear Mandy believed Oak was happy with the situation.

These producers seem to have said whatever they had to in pursuit of a box office boost and it has backfired.

Such a shame that the legacy of this incredible show will be such a fiasco. 

 

[blaxx]

schubox said: "When do you think we hear something official from the show? They have to say something soon right?

 

"

It will probably come with a closing notice, indirectly blaming Patinkin's decision for it. Don't expect a 'we screwed this up ourselves' release. 

[schubox]

vampire musical said: "So the lead producers wanted to save face by not admitting their show was on the brink of closing so they misled a Broadway legend into what would have been a highly anticipated comeback whilst screwing over a younger, but socially popular actor all so the producing team wouldn't have to admit failure.  And that "face-saving" made them fail the entire company.    

Here's another problem: Oak was scheduled to be in through Sept 3, but then asked to leave Aug 13 so the show could "make the big bucks" with Mandy.  Grosses probably would have been over $1M+ with all his Broadway and Homeland fans.  How high are the running costs that the producers couldn't have done a small priority loan to bridge those two weeks.  (Of course this is assuming Mandy could have come in after Sept 3 and that the timing wasn't "due to his Homeland schedule" but rather the desparation of the production as Malloy outed in his tweets).  

 

"

Patinkin said he was going straight to film Homeland. I'm sure if he could have done the three weeks after Oak's run they would have. Would have given them more time to hype it too. But they pushed Oak out because Patinkin only had those three weeks open 

[youwillbefound2]

trpguyy said: "youwillbefound2 said: "trpguyy said: "youwillbefound2 said: "My friend was going to buy tickets for the show.. is it even worth it anymore? Should I tell her to go see another show instead?"

Does she want to see Great Comet? If yes, she should buy tickets to it.

I just meant that since people think it's going to close is it even worth it to buy the tickets and have to go through the process of refunds. I know nothings been confirmed yet and these are just assumptions, but just in case"

Getting a refund for a show that has closed is no more involved than buying the tickets in the first place.

 

She doesn't live in the city, so if she gets the tickets and the show closes, she would've made that trip for nothing

[schubox]

Looks like they're doing refunds for people who bought to see Mandy

 

http://twitter.com/GreatCometBway/status/891048635366072325

[South Florida]

Can't read from this hyperventilating thread.  Has anyone mentioned that Mandy sucks?

 

[qolbinau]

Is Groban busy? He clearly would have so much power now to come back on a very very fat pay packet. The ticket sales would have lost some momentum so it may not be an instant recovery but they need him and fast. 

[blaxx]

South Florida said: "Can't read from this hyperventilating thread.  Has anyone mentioned that Mandy sucks?

 You spelled "Mandy made the right choice" wrong. 

 

[oncemorewithfeeling2]

Like it says in Dust and Ashes, 

Is this how I die?

Maybe if they hadn't done this twice in one season, it would be okay. Maybe if they had been totally truthful and transparent about having two principals step aside for bigger names this summer, people would be more understanding. I understand why the production team tried that--they wanted to save this remarkable gem of a show, but it read the wrong way from the start.

I think the show will run through Labor Day and then sadly close. I expect that Dave Malloy will come in for the final two weeks, but if not, Scott Stangland gets to be the star in a light that isn't shining as much as it had.

[10086Sundays]

qolbinau said: "Is Groban busy? He clearly would have so much power now to come back on a very very fat pay packet. The ticket sales would have lost some momentum so it may not be an instant recovery but they need him and fast."

Even if he wanted to step into that minefield, which I doubt he would, his people wouldn't let him.

Right now, he's lucky they didn't pile on to him too for his tweet welcoming Mandy to the role.  He's remained wisely silent since then.

[adagio]

oncemorewithfeeling2 said: "

I think the show will run through Labor Day and then sadly close. I expect that Dave Malloy will come in for the final two weeks, but if not, Scott Stangland gets to be the star in a light that isn't shining as much as it had.

 

"

I really hope you're right about the show making it to Labor Day - and I desperately hope they announce the closing date soon, so that I can get a flight before it becomes too ungodly expensive.


More realistically I expect it to end with Oak on 8/13, and even if flights were cheaper I'd rather not see him at this point anyway.


I'm really going to miss this show...

[Fan123]

I don't know if being upfront about the financial motives when first announcing Patinkin would have been the best move. The purpose of casting Patinkin was presumably to entice some people to buy tickets who otherwise would not have; and that would have kept the cast and crew (excepting Oak, sadly) employed for longer. Saying "our show is so amazing that this Hollywood and Broadway star begged to be in it!", as they did, might have sold a few tickets; but coming right out with "our show is in its death throes and we were so desperate we had to shaft our poor lead actor", not so much. A show's producers and/or PR team aren't going to gain any new interest by acting as though their own show is a loser rather than a winner. The fact that they're talking openly about the show's financial troubles now, IMO pretty much shows that it's definitely about how, not if, the show closes at this stage.

Although I feel for Onaodowan, I wish that Patinkin (and even Malloy) had held firm and just gone ahead with Patinkin's casting. I get that they feel the need to protect their 'personal brands', but choosing to do so right now will actually hurt the show's prospects and, by extension, the rest of the cast and crew. (Quite likely the show is fated to close soon regardless, but nevertheless.) And giving in to outrage culture like this will just validate it and make it that much more likely that other friends and colleagues of theirs will get burned by it in the future.

[rosemarycountess2017]

Fan123 said: "I don't know if being upfront about the financial motives when first announcing Patinkin would have been the best move. The purpose of casting Patinkin was presumably to entice some people to buy tickets who otherwise would not have; and that would have kept the cast and crew (excepting Oak, sadly) employed for longer. Saying "our show is so amazing that this Hollywood and Broadway star begged to be in it!", as they did, might have sold a few tickets; but coming right out with "our show is in its death throes and we were so desperate we had to shaft our poor lead actor", not so much. A show's producers and/or PR team aren't going to gain any new interest by acting as though their own show is a loser rather than a winner. The fact that they're talking openly about the show's financial troubles now, IMO pretty much shows that it's definitely about how, not if, the show closes at this stage.

Although I feel for Onaodowan, I wish that Patinkin (and even Malloy) had held firm and just gone ahead with Patinkin's casting. I get that they feel the need to protect their 'personal brands', but choosing to do so right now will actually hurt the show's prospects and, by extension, the rest of the cast and crew. (Quite likely the show is fated to close soon regardless, but nevertheless.) And giving in to outrage culture like this will just validate it and make it that much more likely that other friends and colleagues of theirs will get burned by it in the future.

 

"

That's very true. 

[Steve C.]

If ever there was a show or situation that doesn't deserve this it's "Comet" They just got an effing Actor's Equity award for diversity in casting last week!! 

I sincerely hope this doesn't close the show but I'm doubtful...

"Is this how I die?" indeed... 

[ACL2006]

$10 bucks says they announce the show is closing on August 13 on Monday.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Grabbed a table ticket for August 9. Possibly sending off the show that gave me a chance to be on a Broadway cast recording!

[kdogg36]

orlikethecolorpurple said: "Is it kind of like the stupidity we're up against with you, qolbinau?"

I don't agree with everything qolbinau writes here, but I have never seen him post anything that was stupid. Certainly, he goes to great lengths to explain why he believes what he believes.

In terms of condemning religion, I admire him for going places where I would fear to tread.

[jpbran]

I see 2-3 instances here of people taking issue with the producers saying Oak would be coming back after MP. Didn't they just say they "hoped" he would come back? 

[Nicole7579]

devonian.t said: "It's plain to see the producers have not been straight in this situation.  To state that Oak would be back after Mandy's stint clearly wasn't something Oak had told them, since he refuted the statement so promptly.

It also seems clear Mandy believed Oak was happy with the situation.

These producers seem to have said whatever they had to in pursuit of a box office boost and it has backfired.

Such a shame that the legacy of this incredible show will be such a fiasco. 

 

 

"

Geez I step away for a bit to find this imploded. Yikes. So yes the producers handled this ALL wrong. I'm sorry but aren't they professionals? Did they not see how starting Oak late, then two weeks in saying "hey we kicked him out for a bigger name" after the work he put it WOULDNT rile people up? I never thought this was a race issue but I thought they dealt him the raw deal. Then to announce today that he wouldn't be back (his right) Oak killed the possibility that this was amicable or handled right. 

I said in the other thread that they put Mandy in a tough position. I didn't think he should step away from the role (like others suggested) because he didn't fire Oak. Now it seems like Mandy wasn't given the full facts either. For professionals these producers caused a fiasco that could've been avoided. I can't see that Oak wouldn't have been open to a 3 week hiatus and coming back possibly extending three week past his original end date. 

It sucks because I love the show and the actors do not deserve this. Like I said earlier Mandy and Oak did not deserve this either. The producers were stupid and possibly caused the end of the show. Seems like they didn't have anyone for after Mandy anyways. What a mess 

[Margo319]

The show is done.  Heartbreaking.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

If ever there was a show or situation that doesn't deserve this it's "Comet" They just got an effing Actor's Equity award for diversity in casting last week!! 

Right? And I get that it's 2017 and racial inclusivity is important (and rightfully so!), but deep down we know this is about the finances and not race. I'm just bummed we won't get Mandy singing "Dust And Ashes."

Also, why didn't the producers just as Oak to extend three weeks and return when Mandy leaves? It was already weird to have Oak rehearse for MONTHS for a five week performance contract.

[BroadwayNYC2]

 You spelled "Mandy made the right choice" wrong

 

You spelled "Mandy made the choice people on the internet forced him to make" wrong

[kdogg36]

qolbinau said: "Is Groban busy? He clearly would have so much power now to come back on a very very fat pay packet. The ticket sales would have lost some momentum so it may not be an instant recovery but they need him and fast."

For what it's worth, I saw Great Comet on Sunday and Josh Groban was in the audience (in the seating area stage left).

[BroadwayConcierge]

Cynthia Erivo is one of this generation's greatest talents, but she must stop being so patronizing to people on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/cynthiaerivo/status/891062644056236032

[Glittergrrl]

kdogg36 said: "qolbinau said: "Is Groban busy? He clearly would have so much power now to come back on a very very fat pay packet. The ticket sales would have lost some momentum so it may not be an instant recovery but they need him and fast."

For what it's worth, I saw Great Comet on Sunday and Josh Groban was in the audience (in the seating area stage left).

 

"

Is there the teeniest possibly Groban could come back for a few weeks? I ask for purely selfish reasons... I missed the show with him and I've been kicking myself ever since.

[Nicole7579]

BroadwayConcierge said: "Cynthia Erivo is one of this generation's greatest talents, but she must stop being so patronizing to people on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/cynthiaerivo/status/891062644056236032

 

"

Eh the response was appropriate given the original patrionizing comment towards her. ¯\_(?)_/¯