Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Vespertine1228
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/30/05
#1Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:21am
Just got back from Evil Dead and wanted to give praise to Ryan Williams, the male understudy of the show. About 25 minutes into the first act, immediately following the Cheryl tree scene, the show was stopped and the stage manager announced a technical difficulty.
It turned out that Cheryl, being played by female understudy Amy Shute, had twisted her ankle and could not continue. The show only has one female understudy, so there was no one to replace her.
At a loss for what to do, male understudy Ryan Williams agreed to dress in drag and do the part with about 10 minutes to prepare. Cheryl is the biggest female role in the show, and he tackled it head on as the production started up again.
Ryan did an incredible job, and made the show even campier. He even sang most of his songs in their original keys. Bravo.
It could only happen in the theatre.
Updated On: 2/4/07 at 02:21 AM
#2re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:23am
That is brilliant!
I *love* the theatre!
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
#2re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:28amOh wow! That would have been something to see!
--Aristotle
#3re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:31amThat's really cool.
It was awesome. - theaterkid1015
neddyfrank2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/23/05
#4re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:31amHe memorized the whole thing in ten minutes?
Vespertine1228
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/30/05
#5re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:34amHe knew the songs and choreography, but needed the script for a couple of book scenes. I'm sure he did a lot of studying during the intermission.
#6re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:35amRyan Williams is awesome and I'm so sad I missed this!
LollyNYC
Understudy Joined: 10/9/05
#7re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:41amIt was pretty much the most amazing thing that has ever happened. The audience loved it, and they gave him the final bow. He should win all the Tonys.
magic8ball
Broadway Star Joined: 3/28/04
#8re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:42am
It was truly an amazing performance and fantastic homage to "Evil Dead"'s campy predecessor "The Rocky Horror Show", and the audience ate the whole thing up with a spoon. After a debilitating fall in the infamous "tree rape" scene that occurs early in the first act, understudy for Jenna Coker (Cheryl), Amy Shute, could not continue the performance. The show was stopped temporarily. Then, lead actor Ryan Ward (Ash) emerged onstage and asked for a vote by audience applause to decide whether the show should go on with male understudy Ryan Williams (Fake Shemp) taking over for Shute. Obviously, the audience went wild, and "Evil Dead" resumed right where it had left off.
Ryan Williams used the ten-minute "technical difficulty" stall to clad himself from head to toe in the original Cheryl costume (which fit him like multicolored shrinkwrap) and a wig that leaned precariously to one side and fell off several times throughout the night's performance. He emerged onstage to thunderous applause, did several scenes off-book (and one of the most difficult numbers in the show, "Look Who's Evil Now", complete with choreography). He continued the rest of the show like a trooper, alternating between on- and off-book depending on the demands of the scene. He sang the songs not only in their original keys but in their original OCTAVES (think Marty Thomas). The few mishaps that occured (line flubs, the wig falling off) were not only understandable but also added to the charm of the situation. The audience loved it.
But kudos go not only to the phenomenal Ryan Ward. They also are extended to the cast and crew that banded together to pull off such a crazy performance. Bits of the show had to be changed in order to accomodate the new actor, and this group pulled it off pretty much seamlessly. Lots of jokes were thrown in as well; in the song "What the...", Brandon Wardell changed the line "Your sister has turned into a zombie" into "Your sister has turned into a shemale", etc.
This performance was unlike anything that I've ever seen in a theatre, and it was perfect for a show like "Evil Dead". The throwback to its cult genre could not have been more appropriate, and the theatre community should be proud that this phenomenal group of technicians and performers upheld the age-old saying, "The show must go on." Luckily, the audience was pretty large, so a good number of people got to witness the event.
It is such a shame that the show is closing because, as evidenced by what went on tonight, the creative team still has so much vivacity and (pardon the pun) life... And the audience absolutely LOVES it.
gumbo2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/21/05
#9re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 2:59amHoly smokes. That is awesome! What a way to go out on (since their run is ending so soon). Great job to all involved!
#10re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 3:21amI love Brandon Wardell. I love this whole cast! And I am going to miss this show so much.
-Kad
"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)
Julian2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/10/06
#11re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 3:28amIts sad its closing. But this story is amazing. Probably not going to go down in the history books, but its now on my list of "If you could go back and see anything list."
fairygodmother
Featured Actor Joined: 4/30/06
#12re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 7:24am
outstanding - i'd love to be at the theatre when something like that happens.
for someone living in the UK, and with vvv little chance it'll make the transition - what's this show like? any cast recording?
#13re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 11:41amwow, that is incredible. It is only in theatre that that could have happened. Gotta love theatre.
~Dirty Rotten Scoundrels~
~Curtains~
~A Tale of Two Cities ~
purpleprince101
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#15re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:13pm
thanks for the review, Magic! I wish I had stayed longer last night-I can't believe I missed this!!!!
I'm more hearbroken at the closing of this show than any other one in my history of theatregoing.
Amneris
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#16re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:14pmWhy is it closing? I am suprised it's not doing well. Bravo to him for being so professional!
broadwaystar2b
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/28/04
#17re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:15pm
Only in theatre
That's an incredible story though and major kudos to Mr. Williams 
#19re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:16pm
Cool story.. and true - only at live theater, right?
Once, the guy and understudy playing Rick in Bat Boy when it was off-Broadway were both out and I believe it was Angela Pupello who played the role. Which made scenes between Rick and Shelley quite amusing
More related to this story was this summer when Kerry Butler (ironically who played Shelley in the story above) lost her voice up in Williamstown during The Opposite of Sex. Since they have no understudies, and the show MUST go on, Doug Cohen (who wrote the music/lyrics) sat off to the side of the stage, spoke and sang every thing while Kerry truly acted the entire role onstage. The first minute or two was a bit wacky to watch.. but you soon forgot about what was going on because of the amazing syncronization between Doug and Kerry. Doug knew the show and Kerry's delivery so well that Kerry was able to mouth the words perfectly in sync with Doug's voice. It was pretty amazing to watch. And the rest of the performers did an amazing job considering the voice was detached from the person they were acting against.
The last minute of the final monologue, Kerry brought the house down by delivering herself in a very hoarse voice.
That was a magical day of theater...
#20re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:17pm
at first, when reading this, all i kept thinking was "omg you missed Jenna Coker?!" cause she was my favorite thing about that show. but now that i'm reading your story, i'm more like "omg i missed Ryan Williams in drag?!"
i loved this show and the cast recording cannot come soon enough!
#21re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:20pm
"Why is it closing?"
Who really ever knows why some shows close? In Evil Dead's case the theories range from not enough marketing to the right demographic, to its being staged in too large a house.
ashbash1990
Broadway Star Joined: 10/15/06
#22re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:22pmWow... Congrats to him!
gumbo2
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/21/05
#23re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:24pmCraig, those are some great stories! I wish I could witness something that crazy at least once. That's what it's all about, right?
#24re: Male U/S Goes On for Female Role at Evil Dead
Posted: 2/4/07 at 12:28pm
"at first, when reading this, all i kept thinking was "omg you missed Jenna Coker?!" cause she was my favorite thing about that show"
Yeah, Jenna and Ryan Ward are really strong leads and are standouts for me, although the entire cast is great.
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