Never used an understudy? — Page 2

#26

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/28/05 at 7:05pm

I know that Kerry Butler was out on Wednesday, June 13th, 2003 for the matinee. I was at the show to see her gain before she left that Sunday and was disappointed to discover that she was out; however, I got to see Brooke Tansley who was fabulous!

#27

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/28/05 at 7:32pm

Yes. Carole was indeed out of Wicked because I saw the show with her understudy.

#28

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/28/05 at 7:40pm

Donna Murphey...oh wait.

Akiva

#29

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/28/05 at 9:17pm

there is no understudy for billy flynn listed in the original chicago cast so i guess jerry wasn't out. He after all was honored with having the most appearances on broadway of any actor in history

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"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

#30

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/28/05 at 9:31pm

Carole Shelley did miss performances in WICKED, most notabley when she took a week off to shoot BEWITCHED, but her understudy has gone on.

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"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

#31

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 2:44am

David Larsen and Brandon Wardell never missed a performance of Good Vibrations.

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"And suddenly I'm flying flying like a bird, like electricity, electricity, sparks inside of me, and I'm free, I'm free" -Billy Elliot

#32

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 2:50am

so no one knows about tovah feldshuh or phylicia rashad?

#33

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 2:57am

Tova Feldshuh didn't have an understudy or stand-by in Golda's Balcony, so if she ever had to miss, the show probably closed and made up the performance at a later date.

I know that Antonio Banderas never missed a performance of Nine, and his understudy didn't go on until John Stamos took over. How do these guys do it? They go on even when they're feeling like crap on a cracker and get cortisone shots if their voices are gone. That's serious dedication.

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"Peace! The charm's wound up." --Macbeth

#34

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 3:00am

Michael McCarthy never missed a performance during his entire run as Javert in Sydney, Australia. Find another Javert who can claim that...

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#35

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 3:05am

I. love. Michael. McCarthy.

Though, apparently, he missed performances when he was playing Javert in London last summer (I, thankfully, got to see him and was amazed).

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"Peace! The charm's wound up." --Macbeth

#36

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 3:07am

Yeah, a friend of mine saw Nic Greenshields and MM's track record was really only impeccable in Oz. I also heard that once he got back to the UK (sometime after Sydney), they called him back to some other city Down Under because everyone was getting sick and they ran out of Javerts.

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"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#37

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 9:24am

I see this topic has reared it's head again. Orfeh, to my knowledge, has never missed a show. I've heard her say that she was *made* to call out in Sat. Night Fever to give her understudy a chance to go on at least once, but otherwise, she's one of the rare few nowadays, who seems to never miss.

#38

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 9:26am

How could anyone tell that Harvey was sick with that foghorn of a throat. Short of throwing up, I bet it would've been difficult to tell.

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The truly beautiful should be lawfully restricted from wearing clothing; and the truly butt-ugly should be lawfully mandated from going naked.

#39

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 10:37am

Vanessa Redgrave did not have a stand-by during her run in Long Day's Journey Into Night. When her mother died during previews, they had to bring in Pamela Payton-Wright to play the role for a short time (less than a week, I believe).

#40

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 10:40am

Tovah Feldshuh never missed. Not one.

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Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.

#41

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 10:43am

ALSO:

Jane Krakowsi never missed a performance of Nine.

Edie Falco was never out of 'night, Mother (her understudy is a friend of a friend).

#42

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 11:09am

Mary Martin did miss a performance of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Martin lay in bed and listened to her understudy Renee Guerin perform the entire show over the phone!!

#43

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 12:24pm

kelli o'hara actually did miss at least one performance in dracula cause I saw her understudy once.

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"You alone can make my song take flight, it's over now, the Music of the Night!!!!!"

#44

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 8:00pm

What was amazing about Hugh's record was that he was onstage about 95 % of the time, sang 21 songs, and danced a lot ( some were very tiring numbers) and managed to keep his wits throughout the audience interaction moments.

Hope he comes back and dazzle us again with his triple-threat talent. Although I wouldn't be surprised if the next theatre engagement, other than the rumoured one-man show, is a dramatic play ( wishful thinking on my part only ).

#45

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 10:07pm

Merman went on vacation several times during "Annie Get Your Gun'. I believe it was a week during each of the first two years. After 2 years, the producers (Rogers and Hammerstein) wanted her to sign on for more. She demanded, and got, a six-week vacation. As expected, the receipts fell off during her absence. Rogers called her up and beseeched her to return early. The Merm said 'no' and their relationship was frosty from that point on.

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'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'

#46

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 6/29/05 at 11:34pm

elphie30, I had a Penny understudy when Kerry was in Hairspray
Brooke Tansley

#47

re: Never used an understudy?

Posted: 7/3/05 at 7:46pm

Actually, the cast of the recent NINE revival had an AMAZING attendance record: Banderas, Rivera, and I think Krakowski never missed. Masterson missed about 3 during the entire shows run. Benanti missed about 10, mostly because she had had surgery 10 days before the first preview and needed to recover.