Fantasia in the Color Purple

[provocation]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 3:36pm

I know the show recently opened in Los Angeles with Fantasia as Celie yet I was wondering if anyone had any information on performances she does not do. I'm assuming matinees, but according to the tour website, Fantasia and Kenita Miller split the role, or at least it's billed that way.

Now, the only reason why I am asking is because a friend of mine saw the show yesterday and an understudy, Brandi Massey, was on as Celie. I wouldn't mind seeing Brandi but I already have seen a stellar performance given by Jeanette Bayardelle. My entire reasoning to go back is Fantasia. And with the "tumors" she no longer has on her vocal chords, I'm sure she's fine.

Btw, throat tumors? Did she mean vocal nodules?

[jennafan]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 3:39pm

This show JUST started in L.A. and there was already an understudy? I don't get it.

[provocation]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 3:45pm

Yeah. I double checked with them to see if she was on as Nettie, which she understudies from as well, but it was Celie.

[californiasnow]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 4:00pm

Your friend most likely saw yesterday's matinee. The Pantages website, as well as Ticketmaster, state that Fantasia was not scheduled to perform yesterday afternoon, or at any of the Sunday matinees. As far as I know, Kenita Miller is no longer with the company, and Fantasia's shows off are alternated between the two understudies.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 4:01pm

yea, pantages is going to be giving refunds LEFT AND RIGHT

[californiasnow]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 4:06pm

I doubt they will give refunds, since I'm sure Fantasia is billed below the title. And they did send out discount offers (half price or more) that failed to mention that almost all of the discounted performances are ones Fantasia isn't doing. So, they were a little shady, but they don't technically have to give refunds.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 5:37pm

If you arrive at the theater and see that Brandi Chavonne Massey is on for Celie, run for the hills. If they won't let you return or exchange, give your ticket to a homeless person. I saw her in Boston as Celie and it was a complete disaster. A completely dreadful performance.

[provocation]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 7:03pm

Oh, so she only plans on missing matinees? Thank G-d.

AG, she was THAT bad? Oh my.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 8:13pm

She has already indeed missed an evening performance she was scheduled for.

But she is NOT doing any Thursday or Sunday matinees.

She is billed above the title for this show, and if she is not on you can exchanged your tickets (per the theatre themselves)

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/12/10 at 10:57pm

Its too bad Kenita is no longer doing the show. She was stunning on every level. I love how Fantasia is backpedaling in the LA Times about her Broadway absences, saying she only missed a "handful" of shows. I tried to see her 3 times (what I consider a handful) and she was out all three times. I think the 50 was right, because almost everyone I know who attempted see her in the show had a slip of paper in their Playbill.

Fantasia tells the LA Times of the end of her Broadway run: "Toward the end of ‘The Color Purple,' I was getting very sick and didn't know it... I would be dead, dead tired and very weak and sometimes dehydrated and no one knew what was going on. I would sweat a lot. Eventually, I went to the best doctor in L.A. and I had two tumors on top of each other down my throat, which were cutting off my breathing. I was busting blood vessels, which was why I tasted blood all the time. So now you have this thing of Fantasia missing 50 shows and it was more like a handful. I don't think they'd ask me to come back if I missed that many shows."

THEY ASKED HER BACK BECAUSE SHE WAS DAMN GOOD AND SHE SELLS TICKETS. She just needs to show up. Seems like the revised schedule might help her stay healthier.

[BwayTday]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 12:49am

Were these injuries due to singing? If so getting a better technique might also help with her attendance record. So is Brandy the only understudy? Because I don't want to see the supposed mess Brandy is if Fantasia is out. We'll see...

[californiasnow]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 2:21am

According to a post on the Pantages fanpage on Facebook, Fantasia called out tonight.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 2:40am

Tumors flaring up again...

I love Fantasia's voice, but damn, this is ridiculous.

[provocation]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 5:04am

BwayTday, I'm guessing the tumors are related to poor vocal technique. She was supposed to see a top vocal coach in L.A. but bailed to attend "meetings" instead rather than save her voice. She needs a vocal coach terribly. No voice = no career.

[chrissydee]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 6:10am

Im going to the final night on the 28th Feb.... she sure as hell better be on for that one!!!

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 7:06am

This thread needs "that" picture!

[Kalimba]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 7:48am

Every time I see Fantasia's name, I can't help put picture the "sweaty" Fantasia photos.

I agree with Adam Greer about Brandi Chavonne Massey. I had to suffer through one of her performances as Elphaba in Wicked. How she gets hired is beyond me.

[orlandog]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 9:50am

STOP hating on Brandi, she's great-she acts, sings the HELL out of Celie. To each his own, but judge her for yourself.

She 'keeps getting working' because she auditions, shows-up, and pounds the pavement. I've known Brandi for over 10 years, and she is one of the hardest working actress's i've ever met. She rarely misses performances, she's super talented, and she deserves all the praise in the world for NALA in London, Radio in Caroline, or Change, Elphba, Lucy in J/Hyde, and countless other roles...

To each his own, but she did an outstanding job as Celie the other night

you go girl

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 10:23am

Too bad they don't get Kenita back-she is perfection. Also sad that a talent like Kenita's get sidelined anytime Fantasia wants to step in the role for a bit. That happened during the last leg of the tour.

Fantasia has very little discipline because she never had to bust her ass in this business. Someone like Fantasia would have never made it the old fashioned way because she doesnt have the work ethic. Its what Elaine was referring to in the recent Susan Boyle press. Actors cut their teeth on the way up so they are ready for stardom and have the stamina and work ethic to match it. These overnight sensations dont have that and they dont have the patience for digging in their heels.

I was just reading last night that Debbie Reynolds never missed a performance or a preview of IRENE. That is showbiz! That is work ethic! Debbie was a HUGE star at the time but always showed up and worked-she could have done a star turn, but she never did.

Updated On: 2/13/10 at 10:23 AM

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 10:43am

^ Chiming in with the poster above, on a recent leg of his JCS Farewell Tour, Ted Neeley didn't miss a single performance.

[siny]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 11:22am

I agree about her lack of work ethic. Not only had she never had to bust her ass in this business, but she never even had a regular job before she showed up on Idol. I remember in one of the interviews she said that all she used to do during the day is watch TV and braid her daughter's hair. So, what do you expect ?

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 11:37am

It's a shame she doesn't appear to have a good work ethic, because I was one of the lucky few people who did get to see her on Broadway, and her performance was incredible. Like ridiculously amazing. Leaps and bounds ahead of all the other Celies I've seen. She's got a lot of talent, but is apparently not cut out for this. A true shame.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 2:18pm

Oh well, if Laura Benanti still gets hired, why shouldn't tasia? (Benanti had a pretty good attendance record in Gypsy til she won the Tony)

Maybe it's not that she doesn't have a strong work ethic, maybe she just pushes herself too hard. She's said in the past that she always gives 110%.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 2:40pm

Laura missed performances due to Walking Pneumonia & later on to film Eli Stone (Which she split up her vacation time into a few weekends for)

Granted she may have missed some performances here & there but to compare her to Fantasia, who does this every time she gets a stage gig, is ridiculous.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 2/13/10 at 2:50pm

Laura missed performances due to Walking Pneumonia & later on to film Eli Stone (Which she split up her vacation time into a few weekends for)

Granted she may have missed some performances here & there but to compare her to Fantasia, who does this every time she gets a stage gig, is ridiculous.