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Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

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#1

Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 6:25pm

I was wondering how common this practice really is. I can think of 3 instances off the top of my head;
ava gaudet- maureen in rent u/s mimi
jenna leigh green- nessa in wicked u/s elphaba (tour)
sean mccourt- dr. dillamond u/s the wizard

so are there any others?
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#3

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 6:35pm

I was just thinking about this. Whoever is playing Franz Liebkin (sp?) in The Producers understudies Max and Roger. I think Carmen understudies Leo as well.
"I don't wanna see that!" -Aunt Sassy (as played by Valerie Cherish) on Room & Bored
#6

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 6:42pm

I'd love to see his take on the character, he has a knockout voice.

We all know you love him, look at that love thread!
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
#14

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 7:56pm

as to raouls understudying the phantom, doesn't like everyone and their father cover the phantom? Okay not really that much but i know theres at least 5 covers


another one, i believe when joan jett left rocky horror early her u/s moved up (kristin lee kelly) and also covered janet, also i believe when jason wooten was dropped from riff to eddie he still covered riff
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#15

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 7:58pm

Wasn't Laura Bell Bundy (Amber) Kristin's Wicked understudy?
If Percy Blakeney were in Les Mis....

Percy: Sink me! If it isn't Javvurt!
Javert: Zsah-vair, it's pronounced Zsah-vair.
Pecry: But it's spelled J-A-V-E-R-T Javvurt.
Javert: Repeat after me Zsah...Zsah....
Percy: Oh! Zsa-Zsa! Like the Gabor sister! Well I personally have always prefered Eva.
Javert: (Looks for gun)
#16

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 7:59pm

she was but that doesn't really count, she left hairspray and joined wicked
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#18

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 8:17pm

There aren't usually more than three understudies for the Phantom -- often one is Andre and one is Raoul.
"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt
#19

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 8:53pm

Jeff Binder and now Tony Freeman play Zazu and understudy Scar in The Lion King.

In Wonderful Town, do the Editors count? Ray Wills was u/s for Chick and the landlord Apopolus and Ken Barnett was u/s for Baker.
Dean: Can I tell you something? Lorraine: That depends on what it is. Dean: I think you're really really pretty. Lorraine: (after a pause) Ok, you can tell me that.
#20

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 8:53pm

oh, well the playbill my aunt gave me listed 5 hence my confusion
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#21

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 8:56pm

interesting side note, i was supposed to understudy Lucy on tour when i played Emma on tour. we were going back and forth during contract negotiations on this. then one night i saw the musical director at JR's in NYC and i went to his table and sat with him and held his hand and i said "I REALLY want to play EMMA but i can NOT sing Lucy too!!!!!" he told me not to worry about anymore and it was never mentioned to me again!
HOWEVER....Shani Nielsen who played Emma on the non eq tour understudied Lucy and played BOTH roles equally well!!
Coleen Sexton also was the swing for the Broadway company AND played Emma and Lucy before she played Lucy fulltime. I heard her Emma was amazing too!!
#22

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 9:16pm

Wow if I had to be ready to play two roles like that, I would really freak out. I wish I could remember J&H better, most of the first act is blurry.

I really love this thread topic! Wish I could think of more examples!

In 1989 Sweeney Revival, Bill Nabel played Pirelli and was stand-by for Beadle

Gypsy- Jana Robbins was Mazeppa and stand-by for Rose
Michael McCormick and William Parry had many featured roles and u/s'd Herbie.

In Mamma Mia, some people have been Eddie, u/s Sky.

In previous version of Sweet Charity, didn't Bebe Neuwirth play Nickie and understudy Charity?

In A Chorus Line, Vicki Frederick (among others) was Sheila, u/s Cassie
Dean: Can I tell you something? Lorraine: That depends on what it is. Dean: I think you're really really pretty. Lorraine: (after a pause) Ok, you can tell me that.
#23

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 9:18pm

I could definitely see you doing Lucy, but your Emma is Flawless. Coleen has such a powerful voice, I'd love to hear her take on the sweeter voice part to play Emma. Very interesting, nonetheless.
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
#24

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 9:48pm

The one that comes to my mind is Charlotte d'Amboise being the understudy for Christina Applegate while starring in Chicago.

Also, I think one of the women in the Pajama Game is an undertudy for Roxie Hart in Chicago as well.
"The hallmark of aristocracy is responsibility. Oh brother, that got me, that did me in!"
#25

re: Leads understudying another slightly bigger lead

Posted: 4/25/06 at 10:44pm

I think Carmen understudies Leo as well.

This is not always the case, It has really only ever bneen true when Nathan and Matthew retured, and Roger Bart (the cutest and most talented man alive) understudied and played Carmen

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