The Color Purple, a great movie and one of my wife’s favorites, itself based off the book of the same name by Alice Walker. Turned into an award winning broadway musical it finished its current run in Chicago this past weekend. On Saturday, star Fantasia fell ill, thrusting her understudy into duty for the matinee and evening shows. In the process, some attendees staged a protest, demanding their money back because they were unable to view the show with its star on stage.

I understand it may be disappointing, but to cause such a scene seems ridiculous to me and would also seem to be akin to going to the ticket counter at Wrigley Field and demanding a refund either because a few starting players were forced to sit out the game due to illness or injury, or paying to see a movie only to demand my money back because it was worse than Corky Romano. Unfortunately it also proves, no matter how wrong you may be, if you bitch loud enough, and in large enough numbers, you’ll get your way, if for no other reason, just to shut you up. I would guess, when the tickets were purchased, most people actually wanted to see The Color Purple. While Fantasia brings much to her role, it didn’t change the fact that The Color Purple still went on. The undo pressure this puts on a star like Fantasia who obviously wants to do all she can to please her fans, can’t even fall ill by no fault of her own without backlash against the theater/production company, etc. Plus, the poor understudy must have felt horrible, even though I’m sure she put on a hell of a performance in her own right.

It amazes me how people wonder why the prices of damn near everything keeps going up then demand their money back for no good reason at all. In effect, the production company, to some exent, put on a show for free when they were not planning  on doing so. Cast and staff salaries need to be paid as well as other routine expenses, but without the incoming ticket money. Granted, one or two shows wouldn’t put a huge ding in the profits, just don’t be surprised when todays $100 show ticket turns into tomorrows $150 show ticket.

All of that being sad, I hope Fantasia is feeling better and I hope the rest of the country enjoys the show just as much as most Chicagoans have.