How to avoid cast changes in plays?
 

I saw Proof this past friday in NYC, and although the standby was impressive, I was disappointed that Jennifer Jason Leigh was not performing that evening. I admire her as an actress and that was one of the main reasons I bought the tickets. Is there any way to assure that the "main" stars are going to perform on a given evening?

Isn't this the wrong website? This is for travelling. Not play-watching--sorry to be rude-but that's not what this site is for.

What are ya, the Fodors police??<BR>Dude, chill! I'm just asking a question, if you feel the need to scold people, look in the mirror. What kind of loser posts messages simply to chide other people?? Get a life, will ya???

If you came in from out of town, I guess that makes it a travel question. Its always tough to determine if a particular actor is going to be in the show that you want to see. You can always call the boxoffice the day of the show and inquire, but it won't do you much if you have already purchased the tickets. I have a friend that saw the Producers, and Matthew Broderick was off filming the Music Man. The understudy was good but not the real thing.

Hey TravelOnly - get a life you looza. This site is about travelling, and many of us purchase plane tickets and THEATRE TICKETS IN ADVANCE so go take a flying hike, dork breath.<BR><BR>Kelly - I've had this experience too. There's some fine print in the various theatre policies that protects them. Sometimes when the celeb is REALLY big they will do things like reschedule tickets or refund them. I haven't found a way to "guarantee" a performance. I guess it's one of those risks we are forced to take. Kinda lame.

If a star has planned a vacation for a certain period of time, the box office is supposed to tell you when you buy the tickets. (Of course they never do). It rests on your shoulders to find out before the show starts who is appearing it. <BR><BR>A show can't do anything if a star calls in sick or (in Patti LuPone's case) throws a temper tantrum. There is no absolute way to guarantee a star's performance on any given night. However, before the start of the show, many box offices will exchange the tickets for a performance in the future when the star will supposedly be appearing.

ooooohhhh Philip: what's the scoop about Patty LuPone (aka The Nose) throwing a hissy fit?

She felt it inappropriate for cast memmbers to hit up the audience for Aids donations. Her thoughts were that the audience had already paid enough for the show tickest ($85.00 and up) and to make an announcemnt that before the performance started, ushers would walk thru the theatre collecting cash for aids causes was too much. <BR><BR>Good for her I say!!

Adults can just say no. If you don't want to give a donation, then don't. Geez.

While disappointing that a performer isn't in the show that you bought tickets for there is nothing that you can do. Just like the rest of us stars can and do call in sick and take time off. No theater or show will guarantee the performer. <BR><BR>I hope you still enjoyed the play.

Whatever Ms. LuPone's thoughts, she was still outvoted by the rest of the cast members who decided they wanted to make the appeal. She got mad and would not play the rest of the week's performances. She let down a great number of her fans by not appearing. Sounds very selfish to me.

If it helps, Tammy we saw Proof WITH JJL, and were NOT impressed with her. Hopefully she was just having a bad day, but she was so clearly "acting", that I hear other people talking about it as we were leaving the theatre.

We saw Proof in mid-Feb and JJL must have been having another bad day! We were disappointed too. In fact, we felt that some of the other cast members, particularily "her father", had much more stage presence. Compared to the other actors, JJL had a weak voice too.