Not having Betsy Struxness in the Hamilton movie does a disservice to the show

[massofmen]

Ms Struxness ( i don't know her) was one of the best parts of that original cast. She elevated the ensemble to a level that gave the ensemble framing devices of the leads that much more "punch". 
The movie is great. Ms Struxness helped make the show incredible. Watch some b-roll footage with her in it (badass girl with the white hair). Her story telling, her dancing and her overall essence is incredible. 

Too bad they didn't get her back for the filming. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Add it to the list of reasons people are pissed at the show this week.

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

massofmen said: "Ms Struxness ( i don't know her) was one of the best parts of that original cast. She elevated the ensemble to a level that gave the ensemble framing devices of the leads that much more "punch".
The movie is great. Ms Struxnesshelped make the show incredible. Watch some b-roll footage with her in it (badass girl with the white hair). Her story telling, her dancing and her overall essence is incredible.

Too bad they didn't get her back for the filming."

You could also say it's too bad she left the show before it was filmed.

[massofmen]

itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "massofmen said: "Ms Struxness ( i don't know her) was one of the best parts of that original cast. She elevated the ensemble to a level that gave the ensemble framing devices of the leads that much more "punch".
The movie is great. Ms Struxnesshelped make the show incredible. Watch some b-roll footage with her in it (badass girl with the white hair). Her story telling, her dancing and her overall essence is incredible.

Too bad they didn't get her back for the filming."

You could also say it's too bad she left the show before it was filmed."

Groff left as well and he came back. 

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

massofmen said: "itsjustmejonhotmailcom said: "massofmen said: "Ms Struxness ( i don't know her) was one of the best parts of that original cast. She elevated the ensemble to a level that gave the ensemble framing devices of the leads that much more "punch".
The movie is great. Ms Struxnesshelped make the show incredible. Watch some b-roll footage with her in it (badass girl with the white hair). Her story telling, her dancing and her overall essence is incredible.

Too bad they didn't get her back for the filming."

You could also say it's too bad she left the show before it was filmed."

Groff left as well and he came back."

Groff made a name for himself in lead roles on the stage and on the screen. I have no doubt that Betsy is talented and worked her butt off in Hamilton, but nobody was tuning into Hamilton to see an ensemble member. 

[Sutton Ross]

"A gentle reminder that Hamilton on Disney+ is not the original cast. It is the original production. Both Betsy Struxness and Emmy Raver Lampman are absent as they’d already left the show. These are 2 brilliant artists who poured their hearts into creating their tracks."

-Javier Munoz

[Islander_fan]

Look, I have no dog in this fight. But, I think that bringing back Groff as King George is a bit different than someone in the ensemble.

And I will say to the credit of the ensemble, out of the 200 times I’ve seen the show, the ensemble has always been amazing. Always on their A game.

[kofler22]

GRoff is a star in a juicy role for which he was nominated for a Tony

[KJisgroovy]

This thread does a real disservice to the performer that replaced her. And to Emmy Raver-Lampman’s performance that was also unrecorded. And I guess to every terrific performance in Hamilton that wasn’t filmed (and there are many)?

Betsy was great. Stunning, even. It would have been great if she had been included in the recording but she left the show and did so in a way that ruffled feathers. Unfortunately when you burn bridges, even if it’s justified, you can’t expect to be able to use them again. Also. You just toss her hard working and talented replacement?

C’mon. This is silly.

[Huss417]

It sounded like she wasn't happy when she left the show so why bring her back I ask?

[HogansHero]

First of all, she was as incredible as the OP says, and was definitely a part of what made the show what it was.

Second, her website very clearly explains the forces that led to her departure and you should read it if you are interested in this thread.

Third, it is incorrect and wrong to describe the film as the OBC and that error has been corrected.

Fourth, in the theatre an actor cast in a role cannot be required to relinquish a performance. In Groff's case, O'Malley relinquished, and may have even agreed to do so when he signed his original contract. I have no idea if Struxness was asked if she wanted to come back, or if she asked to, or if anyone was asked to relinquish. I do know that she said she left the show tired and angry etc. on her website and that she had no regrets.

Fifth, I don't find it necessary to compare two performers to justify what happened here.

[LizzieCurry]

Sutton, you could at least link to his tweet

https://twitter.com/JMunozActor/status/1279165708333711360

[BrodyFosse123]

Second, her website very clearly explains the forces that led to her departure and you should read it if you are interested in this thread.

Where is this on her website?  I looked everywhere and found nothing about this.  There is no direction or cohesiveness to her website I was sure I’d stumble onto a sourdough bread recipe or a TikTok on iPhone shortcuts.  

[Sutton Ross]

You're so obsessed with linking everything. I quoted it and stated who said it. There is no need to include the tweet. Jesus. 

[VotePeron]

While it may have been in Rory’s contract to not participate in filming, the fact he had to miss 2 shows definitely means he was compensated for his time off, and probably then some. It cost $10 million to film it, and I’m betting a large sum went to actors fees. Most indie films cost less than $10 mil.

[LizzieCurry]

I like sources. This way no one has to scroll through his feed to find the tweet. Not to mention you didn't say where he even said this.

[Sutton Ross]

Here's the rub, I respect you like sources. However, a lot of people have stated on here that they don't have and are not interested in having IG, Twitter or Facebook. Also, a lot of people don't want to go to a whole other website to read something someone said. It doesn't matter where he said this. It matters that he said this, and I quoted him. If I made up that he said that, it would be quickly and easily debunked by many people on here. 

So moving forward, I will link articles about things I think people might be interested in. But I will never ask someone to go to another website to simply see what another person wrote, that's ridiculous. Feel free, though. 

[Carol Channing, or Change]

BrodyFosse123 said: "Second, her website very clearly explains the forces that led to her departure and you should read it if you are interested in this thread.

Where is this on her website? I looked everywhere and found nothing about this. There is no direction or cohesiveness to her website I was sure I’d stumble onto a sourdough bread recipe or a TikTok on iPhone shortcuts."

She talks about her experience with Hamilton here (found by clicking About → Broadway & Beyond → Hamilton). This is her statement regarding her departure:

"With the move to Broadway, my experience with Hamilton began to shift. Gone were the days of collaborative developmental rehearsals where we all were creating and shaping the piece together. Our run at The Public Theater had solidified the mass of what Hamilton was, and the focus of rehearsals for Broadway were about whittling away some unnecessary story and making clearer the minutiae of the show. It was tedious and quick, necessary, but less enjoyable than the rest of the process. Hamilton being my 6th Broadway show in as many years, burning the candle at both ends was catching up to me. My body hurt. I found the show schedule frustrating and limiting. Performing 8 shows a week was losing its luster. I needed a break. About 6 months into the Broadway run, I was fairly angry most of the time and too tired to be almost anything but miserable, which were major indicators to me that I needed to move on, so I turned in my notice and left the show, ultimately at the apex of its popularity. To this day, I have never regretted that decision even though it meant not performing with the cast at the Tony Awards. Hamilton ushered me into full adulthood and with adulthood come priority shifts that one never dreams of as a child, when dreaming of taking centerstage on Broadway. I had finally accepted wanting both something more and something gentler at the same time. It was completely the correct decision. That being said, I am honored to have been part of such a magnificent show. I don’t think anyone necessarily thinks they’ll ever be in a phenom, like Hamilton or Rent or A Chorus Line. I certainly didn’t. Being in a theatrical game changer, also tends to change the game of life. I was ready for that."

[schubox]

Sutton Ross said: ""A gentle reminder that Hamilton on Disney+ is not the original cast. It is the original production. Both Betsy Struxness and Emmy Raver Lampman are absent as they’d already left the show. These are 2 brilliant artists who poured their hearts into creating their tracks."

-Javier Munoz"

Javier also threw a little fit on Twitter for not being name checked in some articles. I mean I get how much he was a part of getting the show up, but the average person doesn’t care about the guy that covered Hamilton one day a week. Or about an ensemble member that left 

[SouthernCakes]

Doesn’t sound like her leave was that dramatic?

And I’d still love to see Brian D’arcy James.

[Playbill_Trash]

So she didn’t like that the move to broadway involved refining the show for a broadway opening because that “wasn’t as fun” - ignoring the fact that that was the stage that the show was in and no longer in an earlier, developmental stage? And was tired of doing 8 shows a week?

Sounds like just not wanting to do 2 standard parts of her job, that any broadway performer does in any show. I don’t know if there are other personal reasons/stories I’m not aware of, but if she wasn’t up for fulfilling her job and chooses to leave, she bears the risk of losing whatever opportunities would have come with staying and doing her job. Part of being a performer, lead or ensemble, is knowing that you’re very replaceable if you don’t want to hold up your end of the job. That’s not even just for show business, that’s professionalism in general.

[Dolly80]

It sounds like she couldn’t be bothered to put the hard work in. So, yano- Bye Gurl!

I assume as a result she’s working in another career now ?

[SouthernCakes]

I wouldn’t be that harsh on here. Plenty of leading actors don’t do 8 shows a week. It’s tough. So why should the ensemble - especially in a show like Hamilton where they are on stage non stop and making a fraction of what the leads are making - be any different? It’s rigorous and if her hearts not in it, bow out. Which is what she did.

[SmoothLover]

Sutton Ross said: "You're so obsessed with linking everything. I quoted it and stated who said it. There is no need to include the tweet. Jesus."

Hysterical! You go girl.

[Loopin’theloop]

SouthernCakes said: "I wouldn’t be that harsh on here. Plenty of leading actors don’t do 8 shows a week. It’s tough. So why should the ensemble - especially in a show like Hamilton where they are on stage non stop and making a fraction of what the leads are making - be any different? It’s rigorous and if her hearts not in it, bow out. Which is what she did. "
 

Because a leading actor has more exposure and the pressures of the role are different. You often have to live like a monk or a nun to get through a leading role, not only because of the vocal and physical challenges but also the massive emotional and physiological marathon you might be running as both the character and as the actor impacted by said character. Ensemble members do not have to deal with anything on that level. Sorry. The ensemble are hugely, hugely important but it’s not the same.