ok i know I sound stupid but...

[BroadwayGirlWicked]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:05pm

what exactly does a swing do? What type of part are they?

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 11:05 PM

[Type_A_Tiff]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:07pm

Make sexual intercourse just thatmuch more enticing.

Updated On: 6/14/05 at 11:07 PM

[Kimmygonbefamous]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:10pm

I. Love. Tiff.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:22pm

i may be coming off as rude, but broadwaygirlwicked, can you please shorten your signature...its REALLY long and gets verya nnoying to have to scroll through it all to get to the next post.

[ally_kay_on_broadway]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:34pm

while we're on this can someone tell me what a 'stand-by' is without me being kicked off this message board for being retarded :P

[TheatreDiva612]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:42pm

Stand-by- is someone who is basically on call for a lead role in case something happens. he/she is within a certain radius of the theatre in case he/she needs to come in.

swing- someone who is usually in the ensemble and also covers parts of the leads if need be.

[Blair]

Posted: 6/14/05 at 11:42pm

A stand-by is basically an understudy who is not part of the ensemble, and only covers one role. They are the first ones called if the actor is out.

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:37am

A swing learns almost every(if not every) role for their gender (and race if race is an characteristic), and must be prepared to go on for ANY character in the show.

[Jon]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 8:45am

The most typical scenario: A principal performer is out, so their understudy (who is in the ensemble) plays the principal role. The swing takes over the understudy's ensemble duties.

When an understudy replaces a principal, it is always announced and/or a slip is inserted into the program. When a swing replaces an ensemble member who does not have a specific character name, it does NOT have to be announced, since no one really cares who's playing the "third knight from the left".

[Thetruth]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 1:47pm

OK, Jon you're saying that the typical scenario is that the understudy is called to play the principal's role. Blair, says the standby is the first one they call when the actor is out.

That kinda confused me. How do they decide if the understudy or standby will go on?

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 1:55pm

This was (still sort'a is) confusing to me.

Stand-by (not in the ensemble) is the first person called in case the principal can't go on.

The understudy (in the ensemble) goes on otherwise... though I don't really know under which situation that would be.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 1:59pm

Yes, this is a little puzzling for me, too ! Paging Margo, Margo are you here ? I am sure she knows ! :)

[ikmbway]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 2:45pm

I think if you search there are a few threads on this right??

[Broadway_freak]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:27pm

And sometimes if two people are out, the swing has to cover for both roles.

[Blair]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 5:38pm

Okay, I'll use examples so maybe it won't be as confusing. :)

When Shoshana Bean calls out in Wicked, the first person to get a chance to go on is Saycon, her stand-by. They have a stand-by so no understudy has to be pulled out of their ensemble track. If for some reason Saycon cannot go on, they call Shoshana's understudy. This opens up an ensemble role and a swing gets called. Swings cover all ensemble roles, and sometimes can even cover leads if both the stand-by and understudy can't go on. They are not regular members of the ensemble, and they, like a stand-by, have to be within a particular radius of the theatre in case someone has to call out.
Updated On: 6/15/05 at 05:38 PM

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 6:06pm

No, they do sometimes announce the swing coming in:

But they will say something like if Brian Stokes Mitchel was out from a performance of Man of La Mancha:

CERVANTES Peter Paul LimboBimbo
ENSEMBLE Hukare Zmyné Misz

And normally Hukare Zmyné Izz is a swing and Peter Paul LimboBimbo is an understudy.

Updated On: 6/15/05 at 06:06 PM

[Blair]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 6:14pm

I didn't say they didn't announce it. What I meant is, they do not have a regular role in the show, they are on call. Yes they do announce it if it is known at the beginning of the performance, but if the swing is not on at the beginning of the performance, they still have to be at in a certain radius of the theatre in case they get called.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 6:16pm

Not you, Blair. Jon said they don't have to announce it.. I was saying when they do, it looks like that (above)

[Blair]

Posted: 6/15/05 at 6:19pm

Oh okay sorry, my bad!

[Dre2387]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 8:24pm

but wait, why is it more common then to hear that the understudy is going on instead of the standby. I always thought that the understudy is given a day to prepare (or at least a few hours) Standby is given more like a few minutes to gather themselves together before going on. That's why they aren't mentioned in the playbill, cause it doesn't happen that often.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 8:27pm

A standby is usually called in an emergency/last minute situations. That's why they don't have as much prep time and why they have to be in a certain distance from the theatre. Kristy Cates, for example, stays inside the theatre until Ana finishes The Wizard and I, but afterwards, she has to stay in a 5-block radius of the theatre. But there are times that the standby will take over completely for a certain period of time.

Updated On: 8/8/05 at 08:27 PM