2 possibly stupid questions

[BWayFanatic]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:34pm

I have to questions, whoch to you may seem stupid, but here it goes.

1. What is a SWING

2. What determines whether a playbill is black and white or in color.

Thanks!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:36pm

1) person who understudies a role but is not in the ensemble

2) cost

[BWayFanatic]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:38pm

Thank you Millie! I thought the Playbill printed playbill for productions for free?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:38pm

a) a swing by defintion is someone who can go on as anyone in the show. They usually have one male swing and a female swing. They have to know the lines/blocking of many characters if not all.
b) When a show first opens, the playbills are in color but as time goes on and depending on how sucessful the show is, it either continues to be printed in color or goes to black and white which is cheaper.

[mijofly19]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:40pm

Why do some shows open in Black and White though? I'm pretty sure The Pajama Game had a B&W one on opening night. Is that because it's a limited run and they want to earn as much money as possible?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:41pm

and the Roundabout theater is greedy. They are really evil charging partial view seats for $50 and just because of that I won't be able to see it! -end of rant-

Also, Sweet Charity opened in Black and White which was a sign of what was to come.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:42pm

Yeah, probably just the way it is...because it's cheaper to print in black and white.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:47pm

A quote from my math teacher: "There are no stupid questions. Unless it's like, what is the opposite of bread. That's just really stupid"

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:49pm

Roundabout never uses color Playbills.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 7:53pm

gypsy, not all swings cover all roles. In fact, in most shows, that probably isn't the case. A swing always covers more than one role, but it varies as to number and to which roles. Many shows have more than two swings.

[FoscasBohemianDream]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:02pm

Another way to define a swing is as an understudy to the understudy. An understudy is usually a member of the ensemble, so when the understudy goes on for the role he/she understudies, then the swing's job is to take over that person's role; therefore, a swing usually has to know every step, every move, and all the lyrics and music for the ensemble. This is usually a very hard job, especially in shows with heavy ensemble pieces such as Chicago, A Chorus Line, The Lion King, Follies, etc. Swings are very much underrated, in my opinion.

[Katt]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:08pm

They are very underrated. Yassmin Alers ended up going on for 8 different roles when she was a swing in Rent. She almost had to go on for a ninth.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:11pm

The FAQ is your friend...

27. Standby? Understudy? What the h-?

This can be quite confusing, but easy to understand once you sort of grasp it.

The STANDBY is the first to cover the role when the main performer is out. The standby doesn't perform every night in the ensemble. They're only assigned to the role they're performing. They are required to stay within a close proximity of the theatre, in case of emergencies. Standbys are paid their weekly dues as well as "extra" for performances, but obviously, not as much as the main performer.

If the standby isn't able to make it, the UNDERSTUDY (who normally performs in the ensemble) covers the role.

The SWING covers the UNDERSTUDY's role while they're covering the main role. A swing is a sort of understudy for the all the members of the ensemble. They have to know all of the "tracks" in the ensemble (separated by gender -- there are usually separate male and female swings) and will go on when an individual chorus member is out for whatever reason.

For example, look at a show like Chicago. In the opening "All That Jazz", Velma sings the number surrounded by a dozen chorus members. Each chorus member has his/her own individual steps and movements and blocking to do in that number (that's different from the other members of the ensemble) -- this is called a "track." If a male member of the ensemble is out sick, a male swing will step in to that "track" for him, doing all of his specific blocking and dancing in that number. That swing will know all of the individual choreography for every male dancer in the show (and know exactly where on stage an individual dancer is at all times), so he can step in for any male dancer at any time. The female swings know the individual choreography of all of the female chorus members.

Swing can also refer to understudies for multiple roles in dance heavy shows where the ensemble members also have lines and songs. In "A Chorus Line" a single male understudy/swing would cover the parts of Al, Don, Mike, and Mark and a female swing would cover Val, Bebe, Judy et al......
Thanks Margo!

So. Let's put it into example.
Shoshana Bean is sick, and cannot perform as Elphaba.
Her standby, Saycon Sengbloh, is called in, however, she is unable to perform as well. So the role goes to Shoshana's understudy: Brandi. Brandi is normally in the ensemble, so a swing is called in to cover her role in the ensemble.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 8:27pm

Oh, so what? Don't jump all over him for not checking the FAQ...read aspiringactress's post...

[slimandslam]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:28pm

Okay, so... what is the opposite of bread?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:32pm

Croutons? (hard bread as opposed to the soft bread simply called "bread")

[BSoBW3]

Posted: 3/9/06 at 10:41pm

Not ALL shows open with color Playbills.

Sometimes it just looks better in B&W.

[Becky2]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:06am

Swings are definetly amazing!

[secret-soul]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:25am

Roundabout isn't greedy--it gives back to a LOT of people. The subscribers pay so little per ticket that RTC is making less per performance than another, commercial production. So the single-ticket prices have to creep up.

Oh, and you SHOULD have bought that $50 ticket--first off, the real price of those partial view seats is 66.25 and the view is still REALLY good so you should have bought when you had some sort of discount. Secondly--the show is now sold out thru the entire run. THAT's why you won't be able to see it.

Updated On: 3/10/06 at 09:25 AM

[thetheatrekook]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 9:34am

wait...now the partial view is really good? i thought they were reported as being horrible?

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 10:53am

About the color playbills, I was wondering if anyone knew if Sweet Charity started previews with a colored playbill becuase on opening night, it was black and white.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 10:54am

About the color playbills, about Sweet Charity, I was wondering if anyone knew if it started previews with a colored playbill and switched early on to black and white. Also, I saw Caroline or Change in July and it was black and white. Does anyone know if it was ever in color?

[newsieboy23]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 11:11am

Sweet Charity actually had a completely different playbill cover for previews. It was Xtina with her hat and cane, looking down at her foot (from If They Could See Me Know)- it made no sence to have her face, or Charlotte's on the cover- knowing they would both be performing before opening night.

[chenofan]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 11:45am

The original opening night Playbill in Minnapolis was in color and was the pic of Christina and the flower.

[peach]

Posted: 3/10/06 at 11:55am

In the Boston previews of Sweet Charity it was a color Playbill. this picture was of Christina's face, and she was coquettishly holding the little flower. Included a photocopied insert of Charlotte.