Honestly! How Much Can One Performer Be Put Through?????

                                   Poor Audra McDonald!!!!!!  After winning a precedent setting fifth TONY Award for her spellbinding Bess in what is now entitled "The Gershwins' Porgy And Bess" (because, who knows, some today may be so ignorant, they have no idea who wrote this classic), she is now out of the show--at least until July 3. The reason given is, I believe, inflamed vocal cords.

                                     Well, honey, what can you expect???????? Singing a killer role eight times a week--sometimes twice a day, at full vocal throttle--and in a piece that is actually an opera and is generally performed in opera houses all over the country, what do you expect????  The one I blame is that Diane Paulus, for not only reimagining something that did not need to be reworked, but putting her cherished star through such a grinding pace.  Gifted as Audra us, as strong as she is, even she has to succumb to weakness in what is one of the performing arts' most demanding roles.  While Audra recuperates, someone should bring that Paulus up on charges--where is this show's Equity Deputy????   This is the second time Audra has had to take a break from doing Bess due to vocal exhaustion.  Honey, not even I would step into this role, not because of gender or color--when would that stop me, loves???--but because I would have to vocally train several months for it, before I would even sing it in front of an audience!!!!!!!!!!

                                       I wish Audra a speedy recovery, as I am sure do my girls!!!!!!!  But what is further wished is that alleged artists like Paulus stop exploiting their more talented peers, to their physical detriment.  Audra is in her vocal prime, and she needs to preserve her carefully tuned instrument.

                                         It's like when Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft once had a fight. According to the story, Mel was shaking Anne for emphasis, and she said, "Let go of me!  My body is my instrument!" To which Mel replied, "Oh, yeah? Let's see it play 'Begin The Beguine!"  Performers need to be tended to as well as anyone else, and it is disgraceful to see someone as strong as Audra be exploited by Paulus, or allowing herself to be!!!  Come on Audra, you are stronger than that!!!!!!!!!!

                                         And speaking of disgrace, you know what Paulus wants to tinker with next????
Are you ready, darlings????? "Pippin!"  I can just imagine what she'll do with that!  Probably set it at Rikers!

                                         Even Ellen Stewart (RIP) would not allow that at La Mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!