Video: A Declassified Standby Survival Guide with REDWOOD's Jessica Phillips
Phillips stands by for 'Jesse' in Redwood, normally played by Idina Menzel.
By: Joey Mervis May. 07, 2025
Click Here for More on A Declassified Understudy Survival Guide
How do Broadway understudies survive? The gig isn't easy! Understudies and swings are some of the hardest working performers on Broadway (and beyond), having to be ready to go on at a moment's notice, often for multiple tracks. Think you could swing it?
In this special episode, we're checking in with Jessica Phillips, who is the standby for 'Jesse' in Redwood, usually played by Idina Menzel. What makes a standby different from an understudy?
"A standby is not onstage for the course of the production," explained Phillips. "A standby is simply there to cover a specific principal role and they are backstage and available incase something happens mid-show and they have to jump in.
"As is the case for many understudies and standbys, [for my first performance] I had not had a full rehearsal. I had not had a chance to do the show from beginning to end with the other characters," she continued. "Going on the first time was wild... but thrilling!"
Jessica recently received rave reviews for her singular portrayal of Penelope in Signature Theater’s Penelope. Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen (Heidi Hansen); Leap of Faith (Marla); Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Marian); Next to Normal (Diana standby); Jesus Christ Superstar; The Scarlet Pimpernel. National Tour: Dear Evan Hansen. Off Broadway: Next to Normal. Regional: Goodspeed: Deathless (dir: Tina Landau); Williamstown Theatre Festival: Unknown Soldier, and more.
