Understudy questions..

[TanyaF]

We saw three shows this weekend on our trip to NY, all excellent. I do have a couple of questions!at Kiss Me Kate the understudy for Second Man carried a binder with what appeared to be a scrip in it for one of his numbers... I have not seen this before and just wondered if this is typical.

Today we saw Prom and Barry Glickman and Mr. Hawkins both had understudies in the roles announced in the playbill at the beginning. After intermission it was announced that Emma would be replaced with her understudy... I also have never seen a mid show switch... it seemed unusually sudden. Everyone was excellent so this is not a criticism - I just was surprised that so many main characters would be understudied!

[dramamama611]

If its a role that the actor hasnt had enough rehearsals for, a script sometimes accompanies them.

While a mid show replacenment is rare, it dies happen. Sounds like some sort of bug might be worjibg its way thru the cast. Actors, as a whole dont like to be out during nomination season.

[magictodo123]

TanyaF said: "We saw three shows this weekend on our trip to NY, all excellent. I do have a couple of questions!at Kiss Me Kate the understudy for Second Man carried a binder with what appeared to be a scrip in it for one of his numbers... I have not seen this before and just wondered if this is typical.

Today we saw Prom and Barry Glickman and Mr. Hawkins both had understudies in the roles announced in the playbill at the beginning. After intermission it was announced that Emma would be replaced with her understudy... I also have never seen a mid show switch... it seemed unusually sudden. Everyone was excellent so this is not a criticism - I just was surprised that so many main characters would be understudied!"

When I saw Falsettos, I think it was still in previews. The performance I went to was very interesting: Both Stephanie J. Block AND her understudy were sick. I guess the standby hadn't had enough time to rehearse, so she had her script with her onstage. It was interesting. 

[dramamama611]

Understudies are seldom rehearsed by previews. All the energy is going to getting the show on its feet. Understudies go into rehearsal once a show is open. (Under normal circumstances.)

[SomethingPeculiar]

It's odd that the understudy for the Second Man was using a script more than a month after opening. But there's only one understudy listed for the role, so perhaps he was also out this weekend.

[magictodo123]

dramamama611 said: "Understudies are seldom rehearsed by previews. All the energy is going to getting the show on its feet. Understudies go into rehearsal once a show is open. (Under normal circumstances.)"

Right. I don’t remember. It could have been after opening. 

[TanyaF]

It was well handled. The opening line of the second act was an ad libbed “you look different. Good, but different!”... the crowd went wild.

[TanyaF]

It was well handled. The opening line of the second act was an ad libbed “you look different. Good, but different!”... the crowd went wild.

[ebenn77]

I also had an understudy for Second Man at Kiss Me Kate on Friday. The only number that he had the script for though was "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". That was completely understandable in my opinion, because that number is ridiculously wordy and if you get one word wrong, you're messing up the next six jokes in the song lol. However, I was deeply disappointed because that's my favorite song in the show and they didn't quite perform it as well as they could have if Second Man had been off-book. Still, that was the only part that he had the book in my show and he really knocked it out of the park for the rest of the show.

[Broadway61004]

Like others said above, it's rare, but not unheard of for understudies to take over at intermission.  Think of it like any other job.  Most people will call off the entire day if they need off, but sometimes they get sick at the office or their kid has an emergency or something else that requires them to leave partway through.

Funny story: Sometime in the mid-to-late 90s I saw Les Mis and had an understudy take over for Eponine at intermission.  Didn't think anything of it until about 10 years later when I looked back at my program and realized the understudy was Sutton Foster.

[nasty_khakis]

Julie Andrew's standby in Victor/Victoria was Anne Runolfsson, who tells a story about having to get to the show to replace Julie at some point in the middle. She also sings a fantastic bit of Le Jazz Hot at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVhV_lOQHSA

[Boq101]

With Easter being this weekend, the majority of shows did a 9-show week instead of 8. That probably left a few more people winded by the end of the week than normal. 

[carolinaguy]

I saw Phantom once when they made an announcement at intermission that the Piangi understudy would go on for Act II due to illness.

Also saw a tweet once from Idina Menzel when she was in If/Then that she hadn't been feeling well and was having her standby go on for Act II. She then made a comment that performing one act kept the star clause from being invoked for refunds. Not sure how the audience would have felt about that, but I'm sure her producers appreciated it.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

TanyaF said: "It was well handled. The opening line of the second act was an ad libbed “you look different. Good, but different!”... the crowd went wild."

I've heard about Alyssa Fox having to go on for Caissie Levy mid-show in Frozen - and the best part is, that line is already in Frozen's script!

[RWPrincess]

MollyJeanneMusic said: "TanyaF said: "It was well handled. The opening line of the second act was an ad libbed “you look different. Good, but different!”... the crowd went wild."

I've heard about Alyssa Fox having to go on for Caissie Levy mid-show in Frozen - and the best part is, that line is already in Frozen's script!"

She did an interview on Strahan and Sara last week and said that happened once when Caissie wasn't feeling well. It was during the first act and Alyssa ended up singing Let It Go.

By the way, it sounds like Strahan and Sara may have a regular segment on Broadway understudies now. The Frozen standbys last week was their first time airing it.

 

[Rainah]

carolinaguy said: "I saw Phantom once when they made an announcement at intermission that the Piangi understudy would go on for Act II due to illness.

Also saw a tweet once from Idina Menzel when she was in If/Then that she hadn't been feeling well and was having her standby go on for Act II. She then made a comment that performing one act kept the star clause from being invoked for refunds. Not sure how the audience would have felt about that, but I'm sure her producers appreciated it."

On one hand it sucks that people got half a show of the lead being played by an actor not at their best. On the other, my first trip to nyc was specifically to see Idina in If/Then and I went in not knowing anything about the show but wanting to see my at the time idol. I would have been pretty delighted that despite illness I got to see her do some of the show and would not have used thr star clause.

[mikem]

TanyaF or ebenn77, do you remember who was playing the Second Man at that performance? And was anybody else out? It seems strange that the regular understudy wouldn't know the part by now. 

[TanyaF]

Mike M.. The understudy was Derrick Cobey... and I don’t think anyone else major was out although my insert seems not to be with my Playbill.

Thank you everyone for all the insight! I appreciate it

[saxpower]

TanyaF said: "Mike M.. The understudy was Derrick Cobey... and I don’t think anyone else major was out although my insert seems not to be with my Playbill.

Thank you everyone for all the insight! I appreciate it"

  He is not listed as an understudy in the opening night program at Playbill Vault.  Of course, that could have changed.   The only understudy listed is Preston Truman Boyd- who also understudies the male lead and First Man (he's normally an ensemble member) [as an aside- I saw him as the Monster on the Young Frankenstein Tour- excellent].  They really should have more than one person covering those roles in case more than one person was out.  My guess is PTB was unexpectedly either out or covering one of the other roles and there wasn't time to get another understudy ready.  No hate on the understudy you saw- he was in a bad position- but it would seem the show could have gotten a second understudy ready to go by now.

[stinap117]

Originally only Preston Boyd covered both of the gangsters and Derrick was only recently given the cover. I was also there that night and although I was surprised at him having his script, this was only his second time on for the role, I believe, with I would assume minimal rehearsal hence the script. He only needed it for the last song which is very wordy, too, so it makes sense considering the circumstances!

[TanyaF]

Don’t get me wrong... he was still impressive! It makes much more sense to me that he only recently started to cover the role. I was surprised the show would put an actor in that position of not being fully prepared!

[dramamama611]

They only do that if they have no other option.

[BentleyB]

I    have been at 3 shows where an understudy went on unexpectedly.   One was the most recent revival of Annie, the lead was changed at intermission.  At Matilda, they brought the curtain down about 30 minutes in and then announced that the lead for Matilda was being changed and it would resume in about 20 minutes.   The second time we saw The Great Comet, Denee Benton was replaced at intermission.  We sat on stage near a table that had water and she was constantly drinking during act one.