Jamie Farr pulls out of touring play
Actor Jamie Farr TOLEDO — has pulled out of a nationally touring production of “Tuesdays With Morrie” based on a visa hangup with his Canadian director and co-star, representatives of the M*A*S*H star and Toledo native said in a statement Monday.
The show is slated for a Toledo performance on Oct. 7.
Producer Bill Rogers said on Monday that he is still working to resolve the visa issue. Stranahan Theater Executive Director Steve Hyman said he had not received a cancellation notice of the local performance.
“As soon as we know something, we’ll let everyone know,” Hyman said.
The hangup affects director Ron Ulrich and co-star David Keeley, each of whom is Canadian. Farr learned at a rehearsal in early September that their visas had not yet been secured by Rogers, who disputed the assertion that he had applied for the visas without adequate time. The show debuts Sept. 25.
The Artists Group East, which represents Farr, decided to withdraw the actor from the show based on Rogers’ failure to fulfill his contractual obligation in relation the visas, according to the statement. Farr described Ulrich and Keeley as an “integral part of our previous successful tour throughout Canada.”
“I would have loved to participate in the celebration and replicate our wonderful Canadian production with the same ensemble but unfortunately that will not work out,” Farr said in a statement. “I hope the show continues with a great cast and recommend that you still see this incredibly moving show.”
Rogers has appealed the visa hangup. As he waits for a decision, he said he has an American cast and director lined up and is waiting to hear whether the booked venues want to move forward with the production without Farr.
Hyman estimated early ticket sales for “Tuesdays With Morrie” at the Stranahan Theater at around 1,000.