Actors being fired / replaced- Page 6

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/18/20 at 4:06pm

cliffordbradshaw2 said: "When "Wicked" played its tryout at the Curran, San Francisco, Robert Morse was the Wizard, Kirk McDonald was Boq, and John Horton was Dr. Dillamond. All three were replaced for Broadway: Joel Grey took over as the Wizard, Christopher Fitzgerald became Boq, and William Youmans was the new Dr. Dillamond."

I've always wondered about Robert Morse as the Wizard. I know he was in at least one workshop as well. It seems like such a good fit for him...who knows?

[Tag]

Posted: 5/18/20 at 5:49pm

I think the straw hat went along with Robert?

[Mitch101]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 12:23am

Has anyone mentioned Tom Aldridge becoming a replacement during previews of “Passion?” I saw the first preview and a very stout, strange non-singing actor (who I guess was popular in the downtown avant garde scene) played Fosca’s father. At that first preview I knew how beautiful the show was, but much of the audience non-intentional laughter wasn’t helped by this actors bizarre performance. I’m sorry I don’t recall his name.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 12:29am

William Duff-Griffin according to IBDB.

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/passion-4606#OpeningNightCast

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 3:54am

The late Barbara Cook, who played Margaret White in Carrie had quit the out-of-town tryout of Carrie back in 1988 after she was almost decapitated by a car set piece (I believe it was a car set piece used in the song Don’t Stop the Moon. Betty Buckley replaces Cook for the Broadway version.

Vanessa Williams was originally said/listed to play Queenie in Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party, however she eventually was pregnant so the role went to Toni Collette. Collette nailed the role But I would LOVE to see Williams’ interpretation of the role! (:

[AC126748]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 8:44am

LizzieCurry said: "William Duff-Griffin according to IBDB.

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/passion-4606#OpeningNightCast"

He was ill with cancer and left the show for medical reasons. He ultimately died a few months later, while PASSION was still running. 

[LarryD2]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 10:46am

Vanessa Williams was set to do the Broadway production of THE WILD PARTY but withdrew because she was pregnant with her youngest child.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 11:25am

Whatever happened to Barbara Barrie in the 2004 Fiddler revival? She was replaced by Nancy Opel in previews. I recently watched a clip of both of them as Yente and Barrie seemed to be perfectly fine in the role.

Also, there was Diana Rigg who was “fired” from the 2018 My Fair Lady revival after criticizing Lauren Ambrose.

[matt1982]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 11:35am

Call_me_jorge said: "Whatever happened to Barbara Barrie in the 2004 Fiddler revival? She was replaced by Nancy Opel in previews. I recently watched a clip of both of them as Yente and Barrie seemed to be perfectly fine in the role.

Also, there was Diana Rigg who was “fired” from the 2018 My Fair Lady revival after criticizing Lauren Ambrose."

I don't know that Rigg was fired.  I think she just left when her contract was up.  

[LarryD2]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 11:47am

Rigg declined to renew her contract.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 12:12pm

Barbara Cook claimed she narrowly escaped a collision with the piece of scenery that comprised the back wall of Carrie's house. The original set design was a sort of elaborate puzzle box that one person I know who saw it described as being rather like a "series of reverse garage doors:" pieces came up, slid back, and then over to come into place.

But I think Cook likely used the incident as an excuse to get out of the show. From her biography it sounds like she was unhappy way before then.

 

Updated On: 5/19/20 at 12:12 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/19/20 at 5:08pm

I have heard a rehearsal tape from the original Carrie that is Barbara Cook and Linzi Hateley working on "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance" and someone (who is either Barbara Cook or her understudy) makes some whispered asides into the tape the make it clear that she's very unhappy with what she's working with. One direct quote is "They've changed the f*cking key. I'll never sing this sh*t" and then after singing through a section in the new higher key "They like it... I hate it"

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 2:53pm

It has probably been posted already, but Garn Stephens was fired during the Boston try-out of A Little Night Music and replaced by D'Jamin Bartlett in the role of Petra before the show opened on Broadway. I think Len Cariou said that he much preferred Stephens' Petra and that he thought her Miller's Son was sexier. 

[Falsettolands]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 4:16pm

imeldasturn said: "It has probably been posted already, but Garn Stephens was fired during the Boston try-out of A Little Night Music and replaced by D'Jamin Bartlett in the role of Petra before the show opened on Broadway. I think Len Cariou said that he much preferred Stephens' Petra and that he thought her Miller's Son was sexier."

I believe I've read somewhere that this was a really difficult decision for the creatives, and that she acted the hell out of it, but she simply couldn't sing it.

[brettarnett]

Posted: 5/21/20 at 12:06pm

If I remember correctly Robert Morse didn't want to relocate his family from CA to NY for Wicked. And I thought it was known that Amy Spanger was injured vocally during Rock of Ages? Maybe that was just the gossip at the time?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 5/21/20 at 6:22pm

I recall reading that Robert Morse had an ensemble member “assistant” kind of guiding him to his marks as the Wizard.

An inverse of being fired: for a bit of time towards the middle of Rent’s run a Roger allegedly went to rehab, and either the producers or stage management opted to not replace him, but alternate understudies for the remainder of his contract.

[Zion24]

Posted: 5/22/20 at 11:02am

brettarnett said: "And I thought it was known that Amy Spanger was injured vocally during Rock of Ages? Maybe that was just the gossip at the time?"

If I remember correctly, she was going to take time off for "vocal rest" but then after a few days it was announced she was never coming back. Seemed strange, and i think in the middle of all of that she performed with the cast on the Tony Awards and sounded just great. Never really made alot of sense to me. She was a phenomenal Roxie Hart and I loved her in Tick Tick Boom. 

Confused by the Roger/RENT rumor discussed above. I know of one Roger who left RENT rather abruptly in 2003 or 2004 but i dont think it was drugs related, and i am pretty sure he was formally replaced, not just replaced by rotating understudies....

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/22/20 at 11:20am

Ryan Link?

[Luminaire2]

Posted: 5/22/20 at 11:26am

LarryD2 said: "If I recall correctly Daphne said in an interview somewhere that she had to teach Joan backstage etiquette, including tipping her dresser.

I've worked in theater for thirty-plus years. To be fair, I doubt this is common knowledge among people who have little/no theater experience, as Jett did when she was in ROCKY HORROR."


sorry wait... tipping your dresser? 

[Zion24]

Posted: 5/22/20 at 11:35am

LizzieCurry said: "Ryan Link?"

Excellent memory, I had forgotten all about him. I was thinking of Cary Shields, who left under a cloud of rumors about his conduct (though I thought he was a great performer). Ryan LInk replaced him but lasted 2 months before he went on "medical leave"- but he wasnt replaced by understudies, he was replaced by Jeremy Kushnier who stayed with the show for more than a year (through Melanie Brown's disastrous run, I think). I dont remember if Ryan Link ever came back?. 

Just can't think of a time when a series of understudies covered for a departed Roger. But my memory aint the best.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 5/22/20 at 12:07pm

In THE BAKER’S WIFE Carole Demas and Topol were due to play the lead roles in the Broadway bound musical. Soon after performances begun Demas was replaced with Patti LuPone. Eventually, after many complaints and a letter to Equity, Topol was replaced Paul Sorvino. 

Despite this the musical never reached Broadway and never made it past the out-of-town tryout.