Posted: 5/12/21 at 10:49am
So I was discussing different things with my Dad this morning and he brought up an interesting point...I know leading actors usually have understudies and standbys, but do we think it's possible that they could hire more people just in case people happen to be exposed to COVID? Just a question he thought of that I wanted to bring to this board.
Posted: 5/12/21 at 11:02am
hearthemsing22 said: "So I was discussing different things with my Dad this morning and he brought up an interesting point...I know leading actors usually have understudies and standbys, but do we think it's possible that they could hire more people just in case people happen to be exposed to COVID? Just a question he thought of that I wanted to bring to this board."
Nope. It all stays as always: lead has his 2-3 understudies. If a lead has a standby, there’s also an understudy. The odds of all 3 being sick at once defies all odds.
Posted: 5/12/21 at 11:19am
BrodyFosse123 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "So I was discussing different things with my Dad this morning and he brought up an interesting point...I know leading actors usually have understudies and standbys, but do we think it's possible that they could hire more people just in case people happen to be exposed to COVID? Just a question he thought of that I wanted to bring to this board."
Nope. It all stays as always: lead has his 2-3 understudies. If a lead has a standby, there’s also an understudy. The odds of all 3 being sick at once defies all odds."
It may defy odds, but I'm sure it has happened. It wasn't the US, but Six in London got decimated by injuries/illnesses so much that Toby Marlow actually went on as Parr in an impromptu "pseudo- concert" version
Posted: 5/12/21 at 11:36am
BrodyFosse123 said: "hearthemsing22 said: "So I was discussing different things with my Dad this morning and he brought up an interesting point...I know leading actors usually have understudies and standbys, but do we think it's possible that they could hire more people just in case people happen to be exposed to COVID? Just a question he thought of that I wanted to bring to this board."
Nope. It all stays as always: lead has his 2-3 understudies. If a lead has a standby, there’s also an understudy. The odds of all 3 being sick at once defies all odds."
I wouldn't say it never happens...during Falsettos Stephanie J. Block and her understudy were sick so the standby had to go on, script in hand. Also see Waitress on the West End-Lucie Jones and both understudies for Jenna were sick so they brought in Desi Oakley!
Posted: 5/12/21 at 12:14pm
Posted: 5/12/21 at 12:37pm
BrodyFosse123 said: "The odds of all 3 being sick at once defies all odds. "
Steph Parry was a standby in 42nd Street and had to run next door to Mamma Mia because the lead was injured and no understudies were available. Parry had played the role on a cruise ship and had understudied the lead in the West End production for five years.
Posted: 5/12/21 at 12:48pm
Posted: 5/12/21 at 2:03pm
Posted: 5/12/21 at 2:36pm
Of course it's always POSSIBLE to add more understudies to any show. However, what producer in their right mind is going to want to INCREASE weekly operating costs now?
Posted: 5/12/21 at 4:02pm
AND.....(I think I'm correct on this) a company can INCREASE it's cast/crew numbers....but it's very difficult to DECREASE it. So, unless Equity approves something like this as a temporary measure (don't even know if they do this) this is unlikely.
