Jinkx Monsoon as the Hedwig understudy/standby?

[juice23]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 2:38am

I have been praying that this would happen since I heard the news that Hedwig was coming to Broadway. She just won an award in Seattle for playing the role, and tonight Jinkx posted a post-show photo with NPH, John Cameron Mitchell, and Stephen Trask. Is it just a coincidence, or do you think they were scoping her out for a possible role/ replacement/ understudy spot? I think it would be an amazing opportunity, and she's already shown that NY audiences like her!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 7:27am

Given that NPH is such a name and the show *IS* Hedwig, it is entirely possible that there may not be an understudy for the role. If Neil is ill, they may just cancel the performance.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 8:06am

Another fellow named Charles St. Michael (who played the role before on the West Coast in a production at the MET Theatre in the early 2000's) is actively campaigning for the understudy slot on YouTube, encouraging his viewers to tweet his video to Neil, John, and Stephen. He's pretty good, in my opinion. He's already garnered (at least) Trask's attention.

Midnight Radio

Updated On: 11/5/13 at 08:06 AM

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 8:42am

There was always an understudy in the off broadway show, if that's any indication.

I don't know Jinx Monsoon, but could she play Yitzak?

[greensgreens]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:10am

Actually... having "her" play Yitzak would be a really interesting commentary and subtext, although I believe the role is typically reserved for biological females as a counterpoint to Hedwig, right? Jinxx is a talent, well-suited to a smaller venue at this stage in her career, but not a name big enough to understudy NPH. You need someone with some name appeal unless you are cool with a really big line at the BO when the slips come falling out. I'd like to think that there's some C-list celeb who'd be up to the task with enough name recog to keep butts in the seats rather than just closing up shop when/if NPH should fall ill.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:46am

Given that NPH is such a name and the show *IS* Hedwig, it is entirely possible that there may not be an understudy for the role. If Neil is ill, they may just cancel the performance.


Yeah, but they have to HAVE one. Hugh Jackman's never went on in the Boy from Oz, and the aforementioned cancellations happened instead, but there has to be an understudy.

[Jane2]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:52am

greensgreens, oh, ok. I'm not familiar with Jinx so I didn't know if he were biologically male or female.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:54am

Yeah, but they have to HAVE one. Hugh Jackman's never went on in the Boy from Oz, and the aforementioned cancellations happened instead, but there has to be an understudy.

^ This. Dem's de rules. There has to be a listed (and rehearsed, and paid) understudy, even if they don't wind up using them.

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:26am

I doubt Jinkx could actually do this. THE VAUDEVILLAINS is touring. They're playing Provincetown June 27-Sept. 20 at The Art House and going to Australia either before or after.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:41am

Will THE VAUDEVILLAINS get another NYC extension?

[Kad]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:44am

I believe this 6th extension was announced as being the last.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:55am

That's exactly what they said about Naomi Campbell's hair.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:57am

Re "Dem's de rules."

Actually, the rule is precisely to the contrary. Stars (and bit players) do not require understudies. That, of course, requires a concurrence that the person is indeed a "star" (not an issue in this case) and it of course does not mean that the production will not have an understudy for the role notwithstanding. They usually do, because it almost invariably is more financially sensible to pay the minimal differential and have the show go on, even with lots of refunds, rather than cancelling the performance entirely. I would think in this case that there will very likely be an understudy, because the strength of the show itself will cause a lot of folks to keep their seats even if NPH were to be out. Similarly, I would expect the producers to continue the run beyond Neil's time in this show, assuming it gets overall favorable reviews, which I can't imagine it won't.

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:15am

The same happened with Daniel Radcliffe and the 2011 revival of How to Succeed. They had a Finch understudy but he never performed. Performances were cancelled when Radcliffe had prior Harry Potter commitments instead of putting his understudy on.

[hak5]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:21am

I would LOVE to see Jinkx Monsoon take over after NPH's contract. I believe she would be a huge draw!

[JBradshaw]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:45am

Neil was on a talk show last week - forget which one it was think it may of been "the talk" - and he said it's all him no understudy.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:46am

Well there we have it. LOL.

[finebydesign]

Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:56am

I'd much rather see Jinx in ANYTHING over NPH

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 6/20/15 at 10:57pm

I was perusing thru the Hedwig website and noticed that there's no one listed as an understudy/standby for Darren Criss.  Who is the Hedwig u/s?

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/20/15 at 11:03pm

There isn't one and there hasn't been one for the whole run. http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/14041/Hedwig-and-the-Angry-Inch 

Updated On: 6/20/15 at 11:03 PM

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/20/15 at 11:08pm

though in an interview with the show's dance captain, Paul McGill, he basically stated he's the "unofficial" understudy and could go on at a moment's notice if need be. He plays Hedwig when they have an u/s rehearsal or any "put-ins".

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 6/20/15 at 11:18pm

That is not at all what McGill was indicating.

mcGill performs the role of Hedwig in understudy rehearsal because they need a body. He is  in no way an understudy that would ever perform.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 6/20/15 at 11:23pm

never said he was the actually u/s as there clearly isn't one. but he stated himself he could go on if needed.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 6/22/15 at 9:29am

"There isn't one and there hasn't been one for the whole run. http://www.playbillvault.com/Show/Detail/14041/Hedwig-and-the-Angry-Inch "

 Exactly.

 

Which is why they canceled shows when JCM was having his knee fixed

[macnyc]

Posted: 6/22/15 at 10:07am

They did cancel a couple of shows, but Michael C. Hall went back into the show for, I believe, a week or two.