Never used an understudy?
Never used an understudy?
#0Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:21pmHave any broadway performers or touring people never had to use a stand-by or understudy?
"Needless to say the crew is well acquainted with my ass and that's ok because they are the coolest guys ever."
- Idina Menzel
apdarcey
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/10/04
#1re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:23pmplease search. we've discussed this many times. most recently hugh jackman never had an understudy go on.
#2re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:23pm
Carole Shelley in WICKED never missed a performance.
...Margo?
"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle
--Aristotle
#3re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:24pmkelli o'hara never missed a performance of dracula.
#4re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:29pmWow hugh jackman...movie stars do have stamina...and he did like OZ for a whole year right???
"Needless to say the crew is well acquainted with my ass and that's ok because they are the coolest guys ever."
- Idina Menzel
apdarcey
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/10/04
elphie30
Understudy Joined: 2/5/05
#6re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:33pm
Kerry butler nevr used her understudy when she was in hairspray
Save him please, just save him
My poor Boq, my sweet, my brave him
Don't leave me till my sorry life has scene
Alone and loveless here, just the girl in the mirror
Just her and me, the Wicked Witch of the East
Updated On: 6/28/05 at 04:33 PM
#7re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:34pm
Harvey Fierstein never missed a performance of HAIRSPRAY, correct?
It's been well-documented that Carol Channing never missed any of her performances of HELLO, DOLLY
Little known fact: Tom Bosley was present at all 700+ performances of FIORELLO!
Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!
Updated On: 6/28/05 at 04:34 PM
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#8re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:40pm
Harvey Fierstein never missed of full performance of Hairspray (I heard that once he was sick and had to leave at intermission, but he made it back for the next show) or Fiddler.
Jefferson Mays didn't have a standby for "I Am My Own Wife" and when he got sick, they simply cancelled performances. Generally for one person shows with a star (Billy Crystal, Stritch, Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin etc....) there is no standby.
Historically, pros like Merman, Mary Martin, Lunt & Fontanne, Helen Hayes rarely if ever missed a performance, through show after show for decades.
There are other threads on this topic.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
Updated On: 6/28/05 at 04:40 PM
apdarcey
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/10/04
#9re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:42pmi assume, though i'm not positive, that tovah feldshuh never missed a performance. and did phylicia rashad last year? sorry to keep it so current, but those two were on my curious mind.
WOSQ
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/18/03
#10re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:42pm
Harvey actually missed Act Two one day when he had a bad cold and the show sent him home.
Carol Channing missed a performance of Dolly once on the road when some meds she was on for her allergies knocked her out. Still she is/was known for going on in all sorts of ill health, so one performance in a career isn't too bad.
Lauren Bacall for all her temperment, never missed in two years of Applause and two years of Woman of the Year.
Marian Seldes never missed any performances of Deathtrap including the out-of-town tryout and previews and a 4 1/2 year NYC run. Never took a vacation either.
"If my life weren't funny, it would just be true. And that would be unacceptable."
--Carrie Fisher
Updated On: 6/28/05 at 04:42 PM
#11re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:45pmWhen Hugh Jackman was out (scheduled vacation), they shut down the show. He did have an understudy, but he never went on.
popular_elphie
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/3/05
#12re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 4:45pmI know that Carole missed a few performances in Wicked.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#13re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:02pm
Kerry Butler missed a performance or two I believe, it just wasnt until AFTER Jenn Gambatese left the show the first time.
#14re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:04pmCarole definetly missed a few performances in Wicked. I know a friend who saw the understudy. And didn't she take a little vacaction to film Bewitched?
#15re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:09pmI don't think Carole is in Bewitched. I only know of Kristin being involved. I could be wrong though...
because when it's theatre, nothing else matters
Derek
Broadway Star Joined: 9/14/03
#16re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:17pmNo Carole is in Bewitched and she was out a few times. I saw her understudy as well. I think Shoshana Bean has only missed one performance since she's been in Wicked
CaTheatreGirl
Broadway Star Joined: 5/12/03
#17re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:18pm
Carole Shelley played Aunt Clara in Bewitched.
PS You beat me to the answer, Derek, as I double checked the spelling of Carole's name!
Updated On: 6/28/05 at 05:18 PM
#18re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:19pm
Oh wow. I can't believe I didn't hear about that before. I guess I've really fallen out of the "wicked" obsession circles.
well, I guess I would have found out anyway, seeing as I'm going to 'bewitched' in about two hours
thanks guys for setting me straight!
because when it's theatre, nothing else matters
sassypanz
Broadway Star Joined: 1/20/05
#19re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 5:56pmNo. Shoshana has missed at least 3 performances. Good thing cause Saycon is a horrible Elphaba.
bjivie2
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/04
#20re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 6:09pm
I don't think Ethel Merman missed any performances in any of her shows.
Bernadette Peters has never missed a show in her career. Oh wait...
Eeeeeeyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaannnnnddddd aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiyyyyyyaaaaaammmmmmmm teeeeeeeelllllliiiiiinnngg yyyyooooooouuuuuuuwwwaaaahh...
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#21re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 6:13pmHarvey missed Act 2 of one performance of Hairspray due to food poisoning, not a cold.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#22re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 6:20pmMerman burst a blood vessel in her throat during Gypsy and for the first time in her career, missed performances (not sure how many). She also had it in her contract that she would miss one performance later in the Gypsy run, in order to attend her daughter's high school graduation in Colorado.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
#23re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 6:29pmHenry Fonda did every single performance of "Mister Roberts", as did Myron McCormick (the original Luther Billis in "South Pacific").
Phantom487
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/04
#24re: Never used an understudy?
Posted: 6/28/05 at 7:02pmSandy Duncan never missed a performance of "Peter Pan"
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