Jan Maxwell, who received stand-out notices for her performance in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane, has left the off-Broadway play. Barbara Sims has taken over the role of Kath and is set to stay on until the show ends its limited engagement at the Laura Pels Theatre on May 21. Alec Baldwin, Chris Carmack and Richard Easton will remain with the production.
"Maxwell gave the production three weeks notice last week," a production statement read. "She was asked to reconsider her decision to quit and stay on for the remaining two weeks of the subscription run beyond that, which she declined. After Ms. Maxwell made it clear that she did not want to stay, Roundabout decided for the benefit of the entire Sloane company to let her know that she need not return to the production of course receiving payment for the notice period of her contract which she gladly accepted."
A report in today's New York Post states that Maxwell who received a Tony nomination last season for her performance in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang left Entertaining Mr. Sloane because of trouble with Baldwin. She was quoted as saying that while Baldwin can be "very compelling, funny and enjoyable, when something clicks in him, I don't want to be around." She claims she feared for her safety after an incident in which Baldwin began throwing things because the air conditioning was not on high enough for his tastes. She also alleged he purposely changed the blocking at a recent performance, throwing her off. Baldwin countered that Maxwell was always unhappy in the production and chose never to learn the correct lines. He said that he had asked the theater personnel repeatedly to put the air conditioner on higher because he was sweating too much on stage and one day he indeed lost his temper over the matter, punching a wall. But he said he apologized to Maxwell shortly after the incident and, once she had given notice, asked her not to leave.
The Roundabout did not confirm that there was any inappropriate behavior on the part of Baldwin. According to a production spokesperson: "Mr. Baldwin has been totally professional in all dealings with the company and management throughout the engagement of Entertaining Mr. Sloane and we are delighted to have him in the show."
