Mid-show lead actor switch in "Jersey Boys"- Page 2

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 7:37pm

Isn't there an understudy in addition to the alternate?

It depends on the show. Generally, yes. Unless it is a show like Matilda, with multiple alternates.

Or does the alternate act as a standby as well?

Yes, most alternates act as standby performers too (Phantom, Maltida, etc.) Depending on the radius from the theater they can be found at, it may be easier to just put in the understudy.

Does this impact the other performances the alternate should be performing at if they're contracted to do two shows a week?

No, they are already scheduled to do specific performances.

Again, we are talking on a case to case basis.

[willep]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 8:28pm

Happened to me during The Nance, Nathan Lane's understudy took over halfway through the first act.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 8:57pm

Midway through the first act of Avenue Q, Princeton played by Barrett Foa disappeared into Kate Monster's bathroom and Princeton played by Howie Michael Smith emerged. :) There was no interruption in the show at all; they just made an announcement at the start of the second act.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 9/2/13 at 10:11pm

It's happened twice to me, and it's always very strange.

Once during Hairspray, Curt Hansen took over for Constantine Rousoli as Link. Constantine left after "It Takes Two", and Curt walked on as Link for the dodge ball scene. The audience was very confused at first, but an announcement was made at intermission.

During opening night of the Wicked tour in Philly just a few months ago, Alison Luff left after receiving the hat from Glinda, and Laurel Harris (the standby Elphaba) made her entrance when Elphaba arrives at the Ozdust. It was confusing, because Laurel took over half hour into the show, but the announcement about her being on (and her name being placed on the understudy board) didn't get made until intermission, when she had in fact done more than half the show.

With Curt and Constantine, I knew immediately they had switched, but with Alison and Laurel, it was a little more difficult to notice, even if I began to notice she did look different and sound different.

[bobs3]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 7:06am

Actors sometimes get ill or they injure themselves during the performance. It happens, that why they have standbys, understudies and swings.

I remember the story of Debbie Reynolds getting ill during a performance of WOMAN OF THE YEAR and she was rushed to the hospital while her standby went on.

[noisefunk2]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 5:30pm

ClumsyDude was that toward the end of the run when Marisa Jaret Winokour came back? I think she talks about the time that happened in one of her video blogs on Youtube.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 8:27pm

How could I have forgotten this?

When Richard Burton revived CAMELOT at Lincoln Center, it was obvious at the performance we attended that he was drunk as a skunk. He was weaving about in the first scene and during "I Wonder What The King", the orchestra was way ahead of him. Eventually someone in a knight's costume came out and stood in front of Burton with his back to the audience. The knight walked off and the curtain fell. Moments later an announcement was made that Burton was unable to continue the performance and after a 15 minute break, William Parry would assume the role of Arthur.

The theater emptied out quickly but we stayed and enjoyed Parry's performance. We also sent in our ticket stubs and got a full refund.

[Calvin]

Posted: 9/3/13 at 11:45pm

It happened when I saw Jersey Boys, back in the John Lloyd Young days. He was in only in a scene or two when they stopped the show and made an announcement that Dominic Nolfi was taking over. (If memory serves, that might have happened more than once with him?)

It also happened when I saw Porgy and Bess. Norm Lewis was clearly ill and was losing his voice, so they replaced him at intermission.

Updated On: 9/3/13 at 11:45 PM

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 9/5/13 at 9:55pm

I've often mentioned the recent Arena Stage "My Fair Lady" production where the flu travelled like wildfire through the cast. Eliza was visibly ill in the first few scenes, and had to leave the show. The understudy was still sick. They had to stop the performance, because there was no one to take over.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 9/6/13 at 3:47am

noisefunk2 - Yes, it was. It was December 17th, 2008 matinee. Ironically, that evening is when Marissa hurt herself and ended up being replaced by one of the understudies.

Updated On: 9/6/13 at 03:47 AM

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 9/6/13 at 3:33pm

If there is a mid-show performance, what do Equity rules say about pay?
Does the replacement get full pay for the entire performance in the new role?
Does the ill cast member use a pro-rated amount of sick pay?

[BwayGeek2]

Posted: 9/6/13 at 3:55pm

This happened last year at a matinee of The Heiress... There's a scene where David Strathairn's character gets really sick and I remember being super impressed because his coughs sounded so real. Then he opened a door on the side of the stage, repeated a line twice and the curtains came down. It took a few minutes before they announced that David was ill and we were just waiting for the standby(understudy? I never know) to get into costume. Really weird experience, but everyone was super professional!

[Bwaydide92]

Posted: 9/7/13 at 12:10am

When I saw The Lion King the actress playing Nala didn't come back on after "Can You Feel the Love tonight" her replacement came on in the next scene with no character makeup. She only had the costume on. It was really strange because Nala was only in like one more scene by this point.I don't think most people noticed because Nala didn't have many more lines and no solos. But I was in the first row so I could clearly see the change. The show didn't stop at all though.

[Griffin2]

Posted: 9/7/13 at 3:31am

We were at Wicked June 13, 2004 when Idina was sick and left at Intermission. Eden did Act 2. First/only time we've ever experienced a change!

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 9/9/13 at 11:08am

Pretty sure we had a replacement Sandy after intermission at Annie recently.