Jordan - this has been included in the other Music Man thread - lots of conversation there if you want to catch up!
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
The new focus on mental health and it being okay if you are feeling off call out might give more Max more time as leading man as many suspect. Also, Hugh hasn't been in a full out Broadway musical in 18 years so he might be calling out more for rest. I'm surprised they don't have an alternate but I guess he doesn't want to disappoint anyone.
The focus on mental health is a little different when you're Hugh Jackman and probably earning the biggest payday of any actor on Broadway this season. Audiences are paying to see him specifically and will be entitled to a refund if he is out. That's not saying Hugh's health doesn't matter, but it's different than someone like Adrienne Warren or Sean Alan Krill calling out. We'll see what happens.
By the way, for those wondering, the website lists some of the understudies. It only includes 3 swings (one man, one woman, one child) so we can assume 2-4 more will be added to the company. Kathy Voytko is the Marian understudy; Sean Montgomery is the Harold understudy in addition to Max Clayton as the standby. Perhaps Clayton will also be a swing.
And for folks keeping track of diversity, a non-scientific look at Google and headshots indicates there appear to be 13 people of color onstage (about 28% of the announced cast); Rashad Chambers is also listed on IBDB as the Associate Producer.
Right, I would not be surprised *IF* Hugh even calls out they’ll just flat out cancel the performance. They don’t want another Linda Mugleston situation on their hands.
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Call_me_jorge said: "Right, I would not be surprised if Hugh even calls out they’ll just flat out cancel the performance. They don’t want another Linda Mugleston situation on their hands."
Sutton Ross said: "The new focus on mental health and it being okay if you are feeling off call out might give more Max more time as leading man as many suspect. Also, Hugh hasn't been in a full out Broadway musical in 18 years so he might be calling out more for rest.
wsondheim94 said: "What's the Linda Mugleston situation?"
I don't know what the "situation" is, but Linda was the understudy for Bette Midler in DOLLY and went on a total of one time (at a matinee performance) when Bette had to call out at the last minute. Many ticketbuyers cancelled tickets that day –– and I don't blame them. If you pay $200 (or even more) to see Bette Midler, or Hugh Jackman, or Daniel Craig, or whoever...you want to see them!
Sutton Ross said: "The new focus on mental health and it being okay if you are feeling off call out might give more Max more time as leading man as many suspect. Also, Hugh hasn't been in a full out Broadway musical in 18 years so he might be calling out more for rest. I'm surprised they don't have an alternate but I guess he doesn't want to disappoint anyone."
But what a very busy and active time for Hugh after he ended his TheBoyFromOz run --
*Hugh is very athletic (school athlete in track/swim/rugby) and is known to ski(snow), play tennis, golf, a lot of watersports ( his last Instagram story when he announced that rehearsals will start on Oct 28 showed him coming out of the water by his Hampton seaside home even when the weather was bad).
*He has a very strong sense of discipline ( he was performing with a foot stress fracture in the last few months of BoyFromOz - icing his foot before and after every performance) & never missed a show. Baz Luhrmann once said that he is the most disciplined and hardest working actor he has worked with.
*If you are not familiar with his film career -- since 18 years from TheBoyfromOz -- he has done so many films, in many cases with very difficult action scenes ( he once fainted while running up the mountain and "slashing" his enemies in Logan because the air got thinner - -but he actually prepared for it by doing dawn running up hilly places... in his last movie Reminiscence, he said he has never done such a long underwater action scene). He would also multi-task ( while filming Logan, he would spend weekends screen-testing leading ladies choices for GreatestShowman - a movie which was his passion project which involved him helping develop the songs in a series of workshop and act as uncredited producer. There was one year - 2006 - where 6 of his movies were released, meaning he worked very hard right after BoyFromOz closed. His other movies were mostly intense drama(Prisoners/Prestige/Fountain), action films (lots of XMen), dark comedy ( Bad Education) and even in lighthearted ones, he does some action scenes (Real Steel/Chappie/EddieEagle). He also found time to host the 2009 Oscars (which opening number won an Emmy) and the 2005/2014 Tonys.
He was in a film adaptation of a sung-through stage musical - Les Miserables for which he earned his Oscar nod. That was a relatively short shoot...and involved some overnight filming and takes-after-takes scenes. He won a Grammy for being principal soloist for The Greatest Showman ( a project that took almost 8 years to finally see the screen).
*His 90-show music tour before the pandemic involved performances across Europe, USA, Australia and shows in Canada, Mexico & New Zealand. Full houses at the London O2, Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Bowl among others. The show was autobiographical and theatre-oriented, involving production numbers from his film/stage musicals as well music from his personal soundtrack. Right after the tour, he immediately went into filming a movie before the pandemic struck.
I understand why regular Broadway fans may also want to see an upcoming performer get a crack at stardom... but that would probably only happen for Max at very long odds. But the training he will undergo will not only be good for his biodata but also for further building up his triple-threat skills! So, not a wasted opportunity for being a standby to Hugh Jackman!
It is not good to wish that an actor in the theatre will miss one of his performances!
Besides, if Hugh cannot perform for a show, for some reason or another -- it is very likely that people (especially for those who paid premium seats presumably to see Jackman perform) will request refunds. Even more true for those who are flying in from other parts of the world to see him.
Thrilled for Max Clayton. I’ve always loved watching him dance but this is a great part for him. Hoping he gets to go on - maybe a planned vacation or press for Hugh?
"Oh look at the time, three more intelligent plays just closed and THE ADDAMS FAMILY made another million dollars" -Jackie Hoffman, Broadway.com Audience Awards
I did not say that you had wished him to miss a performance. That was the general impression that was coming out of this thread (and the other related thread). But since you hinted that Hugh may not have the physical and mental strength to do the 8-shows a week regimen, it was hard to argue about that without having to cite examples.
Not a "rapid" Jackman fan - LOL!
More like someone who has followed the career of an actor whose work profile and discipline has been praised by so many.
jo said: "*His 90-show music tour before the pandemic involved performances across Europe, USA, Australia and shows in Canada, Mexico & New Zealand. Full houses at the London O2, Madison Square Garden, Hollywood Bowl among others. The show was autobiographical and theatre-oriented, involving production numbers from his film/stage musicals as well music from his personal soundtrack."
And a full house here in San Diego, as well. His energy level was crazy !!
Hugh and Sutton had great chemistry. Im seeing this show because I love the musical and I love Sutton, I can take or leave Hugh, won't matter to me if he's in or not.
We are all Broadway fans here - let us enjoy the fact that Broadway is back...and that The Music Man will be part of that!