Child Actors on Broadway

Clyde15
#1Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/6/15 at 8:07pm

I was just curious about the rules for child actors on Broadway. Why can Sydney Lucas do all 8 shows a week but the boys in Finding Neverland have the rotate parts? And the same with the Matilda's? I get that the Matidla's carry the show but the Finding Neverland kids don't. Why don't they just have the 4 boys? 

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Ado Annie D'Ysquith
#2Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/6/15 at 8:11pm

I'll say this much- whatever the future of FUN HOME is, be it Nat'l Tour or movie or otherwise, the girl who succeeds Sydney Lucas will have ridiculously large shoes to fill. It's bittersweet to think of when she will outgrow the role.


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buhbuhbilly
#3Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/6/15 at 8:17pm

I worked with Eli Tokash on a lab recently and he was simply the best. Sometimes the kids are really ment for this biz

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Elfuhbuh
#4Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/6/15 at 8:38pm

"I'll say this much- whatever the future of FUN HOME is, be it Nat'l Tour or movie or otherwise, the girl who succeeds Sydney Lucas will have ridiculously large shoes to fill. It's bittersweet to think of when she will outgrow the role."


 

I could be wrong, but I could've sworn that there were rumblings on this very board mentioning that Lucas' contract goes until October. (Which, as sad as that is, makes sense, if you look at how tall she's gotten.)


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KathyNYC2
#5Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/6/15 at 9:45pm

There is no set rule. It's what the producers want to do. The Matilda group are really careful with their children - don't let them sign autographs, take photos with fans, etc...work as a group..limited time as the lead, limited shows each week. On the other hand, the Annie people signed one actress for their part (and then had understudies fill in on a regular basis). Fun Home IS a shorter show - small Allison has a nice role but it's not huge. But hey...Sydney was so worn out and sick recently - she missed a whole week of shows.


Some shows want to bank on the "stars" - even if they are kids while others just want to give more children an opportunity for a great experience.


And yes Sydney is just fabulous but her understudy Gabby got raves when she went on recently. I am sure there are many talented girls who can do this role.

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mmFan
#6Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 12:58pm

"There is no set rule. It's what the producers want to do. The Matilda group are really careful with their children - don't let them sign autographs, take photos with fans, etc...work as a group..limited time as the lead, limited shows each week. On the other hand, the Annie people signed one actress for their part (and then had understudies fill in on a regular basis). Fun Home IS a shorter show - small Allison has a nice role but it's not huge. But hey...Sydney was so worn out and sick recently - she missed a whole week of shows.
Some shows want to bank on the "stars" - even if they are kids while others just want to give more children an opportunity for a great experience.
And yes Sydney is just fabulous but her understudy Gabby got raves when she went on recently. I am sure there are many talented girls who can do this role."


Sounds like the producers at Matilda are doing it right.  They are looking out for the kids with rotating them (school, childhood) and then good to keep them away from the public like that.


 


 

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starcatchers
#7Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 1:12pm

Like anything else, the producers have to follow child labor laws. It depends, I believe, on the stage time and the age of the child. 


 


EDIT: This chart lays out he maximum hours for child performers. If the amount of time adds up to more than these limits, the role must be split. 


https://www.labor.ny.gov/formsdocs/wp/LS559.pdf


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Updated On: 7/7/15 at 01:12 PM

KathyNYC2
#8Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 2:05pm

"Like anything else, the producers have to follow child labor laws. It depends, I believe, on the stage time and the age of the child. 
 
^^Absolutely...I should have mentioned that when I said it's up to the producers. But within that framework, different shows have different thoughts on what they want their kids to do. I don't think FN needs that many boys but more boys get a great opportunity by rotating.


Matilda has had 4 girls all along but they have had 3 recently and while it's probably temporary, it's obviously within the legal limit.  (and 3 on tour).

Becky
#9Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 3:36pm

I unexpectedly had lunch one day with a woman and her son who was on his way to his Broadway play. We had a conversation about him doing all 8 shows (I asked how they determined he didn't have to split the role), and his mom was telling me it was something they discussed with the production early on. They considered the kid, the family dynamics, consulted with parents, ect... and decided he could handle it. Not sure what the child "rules" are specifically with each production. 

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
#10Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 3:46pm

Maybe the Matilda producers watched Life After Tomorrow and got the message. 

Updated On: 7/7/15 at 03:46 PM

mikey2573
#11Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 4:32pm

I believe the multiple children rotating in a single role is something that developed in London, primarily to deal with the strict child performing rules in that country. However, here in the US, our restriction are nowhere near as harsh. The first time I had ever heard of it being done was with BILLY ELLIOT, and the rationale was that the role was so physically demanding that no one that young could do that more than a couple of times a week. And the production was still plagued with BIlly injuries, forcing them to bring in BIllys from London and Australia for emergency coverage on Broadway. I am not sure why they need 4 MATILDAs as I don't that sure is anywhere near as demanding as BILLY ELLIOT. And we have had only alternates in children's roles --they usually just did matinees
Annie in ANNIE had an alternate who usually did matnees. Same with Mary Lennox in THE SECRET GARDEN. And Ralphie Parker in A CHRISTMAS STORY (don't get me started).

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
#12Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 5:12pm

I remember hearing an interview with the producers answering why they wanted to rotate four Matildas. I think no matter whether you agree with them or not, I like that they made a proactive decision to protect their childhood, and they said they got the benefit of keeping the Matildas fresh for their performances. That is not saying they still wouldn't be fresh if they only used on actress or rotated with one other alternate, but they made a conscious choice after going over all their options. I don't know why people were somewhat up-in-arms about it when Matilda premiered, and keep negatively comparing it to A Christmas Story or telling us that it is unneeded. I don't know what the harm is.

Updated On: 7/7/15 at 05:12 PM

KathyNYC2
#13Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 5:32pm

I have also heard from a Matilda family member that by having four, they are not just" Matildas" but part of a team. They have three other kids besides themselves who are going through the same experience as they are...they look at each other as friends and are a huge support system for each other = which is why you never see a real interview with just one. They are grateful to have each other..and that's important for little kids.


You might say that the Billy Elliot role is more demanding which is why they needed more boys..but the Billy Elliot boys were a couple of years older at least (there were no 8 year old Billy's I don't think). But the girls are really young and it works.


 

Updated On: 7/7/15 at 05:32 PM

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rcwr
#14Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 5:48pm

you never see a real interview with just one


I remember reading about that rule -- that no Matilda was allowed to be interviewed without the other three present -- and thinking it sounded very wise.

mikey2573
#15Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 8:25pm

I have no problem with producers using rotating children in a cast. But I don't think it the children need a Tony Award for doing it. The four Matildas getting a special Tony completely mystified me in a way the three boys from BILLY ELLIOT getting the Best Actor Tony never did. The Billy Elliot ruling somehow made sense. And their win made sense to me too. The Matilda special Tony did not. It seemed like they were getting a booby prize because the Tonys did not want to put them in a competitive Tony slot. And I think the reason why the Tonys did not want them in a competitive category was because they shared the role; they did it 2 times a week compared to their competition who performed 8 times a week. There seemed to be a solid rationale for there being multiple Billys because of the size and physical demands of the show. But that was simply not the case with Matilda; that role is nowhere NEAR as demanding. So the Tony committee decided to award them a special Tony for juvenile performers. Again that is fine with me, but did they look at ALL the juvenile actors on Broadway that year or did they just say, "This has to go to the Matildas because we are not nominating them for a competitive Tony and we have to give them SOMETHING" ??
The ensemble kids from A CHRISTMAS STORY were on Broadway the same time as the Matildas, and they blew those Matilda kids away! Start with Johnny Rabe as Ralphie (what pipes and what great comic timing!), go through the entire ensemble of kids right down to little Luke Spring, whose tap dance solo in Act 2 stopped the show. Now THAT special Tony for the kids of A CHRISTMAS STORY would have made sense.

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
#16Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 8:36pm

And you've been harping about that forever. Weren't the Matildas ineligible for to be nominated due to procedural reasons (not enough stage time)? So they couldn't be in a competitive category unlike Johnny Rabe who was eligible and didn't get a nomination. Sorry you're bitter about that, but demeaning the performances of the actresses and downplaying the role demands of Matilda has nothing to do with whether A Christmas Story kids were robbed of recognition, which seems to be the bone you have to pick. It's fine if you don't think they should have gotten special recognition (not sure why though since they didn't rob anyone else of getting it), but that has nothing to do with whether the producers made a good choice in rotating the roles, which many of your arguments are touching upon (such as how it is not a demanding the role and could be done with one Matilda). The producers made a conscious choice for reasons beyond whether or not one actress could do the role 8 times a week. I guess I just don't see what the Matildas getting a special Tony has anything to do with Johnny Rabe and the other members of A Christmas Story's cast not getting nominated or a special Tony since even if the Matildas didn't get a Special Tony, it doesn't mean they were going to give it to A Christmas Story's cast.


Why don't you pick on the actual Best Actor nominees that year or lament the fact that the Tonys don't have a competitive award for ensemble?

Updated On: 7/7/15 at 08:36 PM

mikey2573
#17Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 10:00pm

Because, as I said, it seemed like a consolation prize for the Matildas. "Oh we are not going to put you in a competitive nomination but here is this "Special Tony" so we don't feel bad and so you don't feel dissed." And then you watch those kids from A CHRISTMAS STORY on the same Tony telecast and you think, "Matilda WHO???" When you compare the two performances just on the telecast, the kids from ACS far outshine the kids from Matilda. And the girl playing Matilda does not even participate in the big 11 o'clock number, "Revolting Children". She leaves the stage. It would be like Billy Elliot not being on stage during "Electricity" or Ralphie leaving the stage during "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" .

ScottyDoesn'tKnow2
#18Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 10:06pm

You're are pretty funny in how hard you're trying to reach now. I mean what does the Matilda ensemble have anything to do with it? Did they get a special Tony for their electrifying performance? As to your Eleven o'Clock number "argument", try harder.

Updated On: 7/7/15 at 10:06 PM

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starcatchers
#19Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/7/15 at 10:52pm

The ACS children were eligible. The Matilda's were not. If the committee did not feel they deserved a recognition, they would not have gotten any award. Let it go. 


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mikey2573
#20Child Actors on Broadway
Posted: 7/8/15 at 9:09am

Then you agree that the Matildas got the special Tony because they were not eligible for a competitive Tony?


All the children were eligible for a special Tony for juvenile performance.  I just believe that the kids from ACS were more deserving of a special juvenile Tony than the three or four Matildas.