Profile for UnderstudiesAndStandbys

Caroline Bowman is currently scheduled to make her standby Norma Desmond debut on January 12, 2025. Debut date subject to change as the full coverage schedule isn't published

This is the most first world problem to ever first world problem, but I've been on an understudy streak with this show, catching all first performances of every understudy to go on -- Nicole is taking a week off January 7-12, 2025 and it seems like the standby and understudy will get a chance to finally go on for Norma... and I'll be away. I booked an international trip that leaves January 6th. 😭

At 2pm today (Wed Nov 20th), the role of Joe Gillis will be performed by Diego Rodriguez.

David Thaxton is away from the show this week. Shavey Brown performs as Max von Mayerling from Tuesday to Thursday, and Pierre Marais makes their Max von Mayerling debut on Friday evening, with additional performances on Saturday and Sunday.

I've seen every understudy's debut performance so far, with the exception of Giuseppe Bausilio as understudy Artie Green and Kristina Doucette as understudy Young Norma.

• Joe Gillis: Both Diego and Jimin are excellent. Diego is a star in the making, and Jimin plays Joe extremely youthfully and bashfully, emoting more than either Diego or Tom. I don't think you are missing anything not seeing Tom, and in some cases you're gaining.
• Betty Schaefer: Sydney Jones as Betty Schaefer is one of the best understudy debuts I've seen; very vocally strong in the role and connects with whoever's playing Joe a little better. Olivia Andrews has yet to debut.
• Max von Mayerling: Shavey Brown is very strong vocally. He's only had one performance and it was during previews (I believe without a put-in or understudy rehearsal) so he was getting a good grip on the role, so there's only room for improvement. Pierre Marais debuts this Friday and I'll be there to see his first performance, I can update afterward.
• Artie Green: Brandon LaVar EATS UP this role, I've had the chance to see him a few times in this track. Adds so many little blemishes and gives 110%. His little eye roll going into "Too Much In Love To Care" has the audience in stitches. Giuseppe Bausilio has debuted and played Artie for one performance, I wasn't in the city and couldn't catch it.
• Cecil B. Demille: There's not a lot to this role in this production; Pierre Marais does a good job while Shavey is on as Max or otherwise indisposed.
• Norma Desmond: Unfortunately, neither Caroline Bowman nor Emma Lloyd have had the chance to go on. I'm more curious to see Emma Lloyd's interpretation personally. Sharing something I wrote on Reddit: "[Emma] looks like she's 25 (her agent literally says on her profile that she can play characters 20-24) and I think there's a lot of room for "internet star left behind by new trends" interpretation in there. There's a lot of folks complaining/saying that Nicole is 'too young' for the part (I heavily disagree, I think this is staged in a way where ages matter much less), so I'd be really curious to see what the plan is when Norma looks like she just graduated college"

I run Understudies.org and this is what I'm hearing. Things can change very quickly and it's not apparent (to me) who is going on for Betty yet, that's not public.



TaffyDavenport said: "Broadway Understudies has posted that David Thaxton is out tonight, and Shavey Brown will be making his debut as Max."

Congratulations to Chris McGarry who swung on mid-show as Father Flynn!

This marks Chris' debut as Father Flynn with this run, but he is a veteran DOUBT performer - he was the standby Flynn for the original Broadway production, and was the principal Flynn when the Broadway production went on tour.

If you'd like to catch Chris s/b Father Flynn, he'll be on tonight at 8pm.

If you'd like to come support an understudy, Lily Kaufmann will be making her 2nd cover Lady of the Lake debut tonight at 7:30pm!

If you're interested in seeing another interpretation of a role, or want to cheer on an understudy: on February 29 at 7pm, the role of Ana usually played by Gabby Beans will be instead performed by Francesca Fernandez!

I just left this afternoon's performance (I was there to see Michael Kuhn's Broadway principal debut as Pirelli, and he smashed it!) and had the chance to see Aaron and Sutton again for the second time.

I think they're maturing in the roles quite a bit in a short amount of time! They're getting more comfortable with each other and the script. I didn't 'dislike' last night's performance, I just thought it was a bit all over the place (but still entertaining!). I was satisfied with what I saw today and would happily come back.

Back to the important part:

Here is our first look at the Playbill design for Aaron & Sutton's run in 'Sweeney Todd':

Source: https://assets.playbill.com/playbill-covers/Sweeney-Todd-Playbill-2024-02-09_Web.jpg

Wardelljclark2018 said: "I would love to see Isabel Keating tomorrow at the matinee, and I wonder how easy it will be to get todaytix rush tickets or should I try to get to the box office by 10am and if there has been a line for these first few previews given Tyne's illness? I also wonder with the refunds being given if it will be easier to get a seat this week? Any thoughts?"

Rush tickets were easy to get!

Here's a little blurb I wrote for someone else who asked how Isabel was + first preview:

The artistic director & director of the play, Scott Ellis, spoke to us before the performance began. He thanked us for being at first preview, and gave well wishes to Tyne Daly who is expected to resume performances next week.

Isabel Keating as standby Sister Aloysius may be the most incredible understudy performance I have EVER seen.

Scott told us that the understudies were hired 9 DAYS AGO in a strictly observational capacity, with understudy rehearsals beginning sometime after previews. When Tyne fell ill on Friday, they canceled that evening's performance (the original first preview) expecting her to return on Saturday. When later that evening that did not seem likely, Scott turned to Isabel and asked if she was ready to go on.

Isabel had 24 hours of rehearsal time. Scott said that she had never put on her costume, had never been on the (complex & moving) set, never heard the sound & light cues of the show. The focus shifted to getting her ready to perform for this evening.

Sister Aloysius is the leading role of DOUBT. She is on-stage for 80% of the show (only off-stage for a few scenes), and has hundreds of lines - many more than the other actors.

Isabel did the entire show off-script, with all of the blocking and prop work. She milked every funny moment. She sold every heartbreaking moment. She only called for a line once, but did it in-character and you could blink & miss it.

My mouth was literally agape for the first half of the performance before I remembered my manners.



 

Rush tickets were available as of a few moments ago at $40! Full view mezzanine. I’m excited to see Isabel in this role, and on first preview too! What a treat.