Wicked Glinda Standby

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/4/15 at 10:34pm

I saw that the broadway production now has 3 glinda understudies and no glinda standby. Do you know why they changed this?

[Jace2017]

Posted: 2/4/15 at 10:52pm

Tiffany Haas who was (maybe still is) the Glinda standby js currently in Lady be Good and the city center. So maybe she with return after that's over.

[asmith0307]

Posted: 2/4/15 at 10:55pm

Tiffany just left this Sunday, so it is possible that they just have yet to replace her. I don't notice that they brought anyone additional in yet, so if they were to go down, they would be eliminating a cast member

[Starship]

Posted: 2/4/15 at 11:13pm

I've always found it interesting that out of the two (Elphaba and Glinda), 90% of the time, Glinda has the most covers.

[Tag]

Posted: 2/4/15 at 11:53pm

The tours don't have Glinda standbys, just Elphaba ones.

Anyone know if the Broadway company would have to get a concession from Equity in this case?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 7:59am

If there are 3 Glinda understudies, do they need a standby? And what concession would Equity get involved with?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 7:59am

If there are 3 Glinda understudies, do they need a standby? And what concession would Equity get involved with?

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 5:05pm

A person may be designated as an understudy or a stand-by according to their contract negotiation.
Hairspray sometimes revered to their Travy stand-by as an understudy and the Edna stand-by was often simply called understudy for the roles of Wilbur and the Authority Figure.
Sticking to the Hairspray example, AEA requires that a show mani train the number of actors, not necessarily their designation. Hairspray at one point added a stand-by for Velma and The Female Authority - Liz Larsen filled that position. At the time the show also only maintained one white female swing. When Larsen left the production, that stand-by position because a second white female swing.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 5:29pm

I would also imagine it's not AS dire to have a Glinda standby as an Elphaba one because slipping into the Glinda costume is MUCH easier than getting into all the Elphaba makeup.

[steven22]

Posted: 2/5/15 at 5:44pm

Just a guess, but Emily Mechler recently returned as a swing and u/s Glinda. Maybe she's filling in until the new s/b begins.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 3:07am

That's a good point, Maddie.

What happens in the event of a mid-show replacement for Elphaba? How long does an emergency greenafying take, does anyone know?

[allyk]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 7:16am

"What happens in the event of a mid-show replacement for Elphaba? How long does an emergency greenafying take, does anyone know?"
I saw a mid-show Elphaba swap about 8 years or so ago on tour. It happened seamlessly during "Dancing Through Life." Victoria Matlock ran off and Coleen Sexton ran back on at Elphaba's next cue in the song, so I am guessing the decision had been made earlier in the show to get Coleen in the green makeup, costume and wig.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 9:48am

From the behind the scenes (videos, etc) stuff I have seen it seems like they can greenify and do hair in about 20 minutes, maybe faster if it's a real rush. I'm guessing in the situation just cited they knew something was up ahead of time. I think in an unexpected witch switch they would have to stop the show for a bit.

[Tag]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 11:22am

Here's a great explanation of the 'witch switch' from the show's PSM:
Linky

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 11:25am

It would depends on the situation.. In the event the actress was suddenly injured or violently I'll, they would stop the show, if they have an idea that it may happen, they will get the stand-by ready in case. If they have determined during the show that it must happen and the lead actress can stick it out a bit longer, they rush the stand-by thru the process and make the switch as soon as she is ready.
That usually will happen during a regular exit / entrance, but if absolutely necessary, the switch will happen mid-scene.. One walks off, other walks on.
Were they needing to use an understudy, the understudy would bow out of a scene, re
Laced by a swing, and then the process begins.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:19pm

I believe when Idina Menzel had accident and broke a rib they stopped the show for awhile and then the understudy took over.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:38pm

When Menzel had her trap door accident, they stopped the show; I think it took half an hour for the stand-by to get ready at that time?

Eden Espinosa had a podcast interview where she described having to bow out in the midst of the show due to illness. I don't remember the details, but she said she struggled with an early song, then as she went off-stage, told someone in the wings to tell the stage manager that she was out and to have the stand-by get ready. However many songs later, they made the switch so there wasn't lost time.

[NiceWork2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:40pm

The Elphaba standby at Wicked is required to be in full green camo from the beginning of the show in the event something happens. the standby is allowed to leave at intermission. Presumably the understudy, one of the ensemble people, would go on quickly in ACT 2 if something happened to Elphaba in the second act.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:49pm

The standby leaving at intermission, is that a generally normal thing? Interesting.

[NiceWork2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:51pm

That did seem odd to me as well. Most standbys and swings usually have to stick around until only 15-20 minutes are left in the show.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:53pm

With the idina incident didn't that happen at the end of the show. So did they use the understudy instead of shoshana since the standby leaves after the first act?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:53pm

With the idina incident didn't that happen at the end of the show. So did they use the understudy instead of shoshana since the standby leaves after the first act?

[Pootie2]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:56pm

That must be the case. I think the intermission thing is weird, though.

[Tag]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:57pm

The Elphaba standby at Wicked is required to be in full green camo from the beginning of the show in the event something happens.

This is completely incorrect.

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 2/6/15 at 12:58pm

I know in some scenarios standbys can leave at intermission but have to stay within a certain distance of the theater so they can be called back if needed.

From the behind the scenes stuff that I have watched I did not believe that the Elphaba standby went full green every day. That seems like a big effort for the rare midshow switch. Maybe I'm wrong though.