The Official Enjolras Understudy Thread...because it happens all the freaking time

[secret-soul]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 2:20pm

Aaron's out again for the matinee today.

Drew Sarich is on.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 2:40pm

Aaron was badly injured a while ago, which is reason for a lot of the absences.

[billygoatgirl300]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 2:44pm

He was also out with the flu a week before Lea came into the show.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 2:52pm

well i was lucky enough to see him at the matinee yesterday (3/17) and he was aboslutely incredible. i'm pretty much in love.
and he's such a sweetie also =)


maybe it's just a marketing ploy.. people will have to keep buying tickets and coming back until they see him on, hahaha.

<33

[BobbyErikValjean]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 5:17pm

Good for Drew! Aaron's good, but I think Drew needs to take on the role full time.

[BroadwayBound86]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 5:25pm

Aaron has health issues. Give the man a break.

[Loruh28]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 6:48pm

Drew should go on when I see it. I'm still wondering why Aaron got cast in the first place. It's not even that he has a bad voice. He does have some really good saving moments. But his acting is just bad and he's a pompus jerk of a person..

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 6:51pm

I couldn't disagree with you more. Aaron is one of this production's only redeeming qualities, and this is coming from someone who hated him in THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. I haven't seen Drew, but he doesn't strike me as the Enjorlas type at all.

And for those keeping track, Aaron was on this past Wednesday afternoon.

[Mythus]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 6:54pm

Yay Drew! Mmmm, I love him. And...that's all I have to contribute.

[secret-soul]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:20pm

I couldn't disagree with you more. Aaron is one of this production's only redeeming qualities...

I'm sorry but his "Marius, you're no longer a child" sounded like a 14-year-old scolding her 7-year-old kid brother.

Plince! Plince! Nein! T-Rex!!

[Loruh28]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:24pm

AARON is a redeeming quality? Aaron Lazar would be the reason I stop seeing the show altogether. Lets see for me the redeeming qualities would be Alex, Norm, Celia, Gary, Jenny, Brian, Drew, Vicktor, Nikki, Blake, Adam, Becca, Marissa, Megan basically everyone in the company minus Aaron. And Little Cosette's who's names I don't know.

Aaron Lazar you are the weaking link. GOODBYE.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:34pm

We must have seen completely different shows. I found Gemignani, Lewis and Beach miscast. I enjoyed Celia, Aaron and Jenny Galloway. The critics seemed to agree with me. Oh, well.

Aaron took a throwaway role and made something of it. Bravo to him for that.

Updated On: 3/18/07 at 07:34 PM

[typecastme22]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:41pm

Loruh, first of all it's you are the WEAKEST link, goodbye. but that doesn't really matter.

Do all of you understand how horrible these threads are? These actors are actual human beings, many of whom read these boards and see how you bash them for missing performances. First of all, you don't even know the reasons for them missing the performances. Second of all, I don't know about you, but I would MUCH rather see a good performance by an understudy rather than a subpar performance by the permanent cast member. I am not paying $100+ to see a subpar performance. And I thinkm any of the actors realize this and want to make sure the audience sees the best show possible. So give these guys a break. They are people too and have things they need to deal with. And after performing 8 shows a week, they certainly don't need to read a post about how someone dissaproves of the amount of performances they have missed when the poster has no idea what the actual reason for missing the show is.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:52pm

I can't quite say that Aaron is the best Enjolras I've ever seen. He's better than some I've seen and not as good as others.

One thing I will say for him...he made me pay attention to a character that I stopped noticing as I got older. Years ago, "Enjy" was one of the highlights for me. Now, I'm much more focused on the more mature characters...Valjean, Fantine, Javert...than the students and the Eponine/Marius/Cosette triangle.

I've never really seen one Enjolras that's stood out enough for me to remember the actor's name without looking him up in my programs. But, as I said, while Aaron isn't the best...he got my attention.

I have to say Drew didn't live up to my expectations this time around. I'm not saying he wasn't good...it's just I felt like I was watching Drew as Grantaire...not Grantaire. I felt like the actor was showing through the role too much...or that I was watching him play Armand again...only a drunk, less dark Armand.

[Loruh28]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 7:58pm

"Aaron took a throwaway role and made something of it. Bravo to him for that."

I don't think Enjolras is a throwaway roll I think he's a decently important Character. But then again if the show could have been done without Cosette I think I would have much perfered that. I dispise her roll entirely.

"The critics seemed to agree with me. Oh, well."
Yay for them. I'm disagreeing. I don't think you're a bad person for liking Aaron trust me haha I just can't stand him at ALL.

and typecastme22 --> sorry I did the weakest link thing wrong haha and I don't care how many times he's been out. He could have showed up twice for the whole run so far and I still wouldn't like him.

And Gingersnap...are you sure you were watching the same Les Miz we're talking about?
Drew standing onstage saying nothing is more entertaining than Aaron doing just about anything.

[broadwaybound882]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 8:01pm

I'm just going to leave this reply to a quote from Drew himself:
"I truly believe that any part can be interesting. Grantaire isn't as big as Armand in scope, but you have to try to learn something in every role. I have learned that if you commit 100% to a role, however large or small, the audience will pick up on it. I also learned (I hope) what it means to be subtle on a grander scale than a space like The Zipper. Just stay true to fundamental acting choices. Every character has an arch, a development. And Grantaire has just that. I love playing him, also because I was given the room to make him new. Not the bumbling drunk that I was expecting. Our director, John Caird, said in rehearsals that Grantaire is one of his favorite roles in the piece. Has always been. He said, "He's not a drunk. He's a conscientious objector to Enjolras' campaign. He's an anarchist. He goes along with the group because they are his friends, and without them he's nothing. YOU decide when, how much, and why he drinks."

[secret-soul]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 8:15pm

I'm not hating on Aaron because he leaves room for his understudies to go on. In most instances, I've found that the understudies are much more interesting and often better than the actors cast in the role.

And I think we can all agree that every actor has his off performances. That last one I saw was definitely an off performance for Aaron. He left me wishing he'd just called out again. Alex was also having an off night (vocally) but he pulled it through in the end.

And Gingersnap, I have to disagree...not that you're not entitled to your opinion of course...I'd hardly say that Grantaire is anything like Armand. Armand is an over-zealous, angry 300-year-old vampire and Grantaire is a revolutionary's best friend, trying who drinks as a--gonna quote drew--"conscientious objector" hmm...nope. doesn't sound like Armand. Armand is a leader, Grantaire is not. *shrug*

And for the record, Chris Mark Peterson is leagues and leagues ahead of Aaron in my book. That man was an incredible Enjolras.

Updated On: 3/18/07 at 08:15 PM

[mrs felciano]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:11pm

"he's a pompus jerk of a person.."

I couldn't disagree more. Everytime I've talked to him he was a doll. But why does it matter? Even if he was a terrible person how does that justify him not being deserving of a part?

[Crapgame13]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:21pm

Aaron has a good post on his blog explaining his absence

Back in November of the run I herniated a disc in my neck during the show. I didn't realize the severity and exact nature of the injury and pushed on through December without seeing a doctor. When I did, and got an MRI, I was told I had to get on steroids, change some 'o-graphy' in my show, and do PT 3/week for 3 months. Over that time I missed about 2 weeks worth of performances. And since, sometimes when the nerve swells , I have to miss a show. Singing on steroids is a NO-NO. It's very frustrating to not be at 100%. And I have to protect myself from re-injury.

Then a few weeks ago I got the flu. And I missed some shows.

Performing is a challenge that I have always believed requires %150 percent of my being. Audiences deserve nothing less. Unfortunately, with the demands of Broadway schedules, and the time of year, it's difficult to maintain being 100% healthy. And with Enjolras, the challenge is even more acute. Les Miz is not a play. There is no dialogue. We're performing an opera 8 times a week. An Enjolras who can't sing the cast and audience into a revolution with power, authority, and heated passion with every cell of his being is no leader. And audiences deserve better.

perhaps this will quell the rumors

[Loruh28]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:34pm

mrs felciano <--- I'm glad you had a good experience with Aaron everytime I've spoken to or seen him speak to people he's been pompus, full of himself and always had some attitude.
I didn't say it made him undeserving of the part. The fact that *I* think he's horrible makes me not want him in the part.


"Armand is a leader, Grantaire is not. *shrug*"

I love Drew dearling but I hate Grantaire. I think he's a spineless whimp. He doesn't even think about helping his friends fight until after Enjolras has been shot to death. I really don't like his character.

[Loruh28]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:46pm

Before someone who gets on my nerves jumps on me. I can't spell. At all. I'm over it.

And maybe I don't "get" Grantaire but I think if you're gunna talk and be all oh lets have a revolution you should at least do something to participate in it. Maybe it's just me I dunno.

Maybe we should have a what do you think of Grantaire thread. Cuz I'm kind of curious now.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:48pm

Now, I have often snickered at some of Aaron's pretentious blog entries, but...

OH MY GOD, STOP MAKING THE DREW FANS LOOK BAD!

Updated On: 3/18/07 at 10:48 PM

[queenbee2]

Posted: 3/18/07 at 10:51pm

No comment on Aaron's blogs, but I will say, after seeing him in both Les Miz and Light in the Piazza, the man has a very nice voice.

I feel bad for him with the injury and illness. Is there a reason everyone so rough on this particular guy? I'm really asking.

-QB

[winston89]

Posted: 3/19/07 at 12:23am

I think that the fans feel that there is no way on god's green earth that someone can be THAT hurt. Or, I wonder if in terms of hearing that he is out somany times if the fans feel that there iis more then meets the eye on this subject.

[secret-soul]

Posted: 3/19/07 at 12:31am

Nehal's been on a few times in the past few weeks too.

Aaron must be a wreck. Whether he is or not, his understudies go on a lot.

Which is why this thread was created.

Because EVERYONE kept bringing it up in the other threads.