Principal Understudies going on for Opening Night

[Quiche2]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 6:45pm

Has this ever happened? What show/role?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 7:12pm

Not often, but it does happen.

Recently, I'm fairly sure that Morgan James didn't go on for Godspell's opening. I think she hurt her foot (broke it maybe?) a few weeks earlier, and management had the understudy that took over during previews go on.

[Quiche2]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 7:16pm

That sucks.

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 8:07pm

#horrified

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 8:24pm

Not exactly a principal role (at least I wouldn't consider it one), but Katie Micha went on as Baby June in LuPone Gypsy when Sami Gayle broke her pelvis (Gayle went on as the Balloon Girl, Micha's role).

[Movidude742]

Posted: 11/9/12 at 8:45pm

yeah, an earlier version of the We Beseech Thee choreography had the cast jumping from trampoline to trampoline around the stage. Morgan broke her ankle and was out for a signifigant amount of time. If you look closely, the 2 minute teaser video for the show has Julia Mattison in Morgan's costume instead of her understudy outfit.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 12:01am

Didn't Elizabeth DeGrazia not perform on opening night of Jane Eyre because she was about to give birth?

[wildcat]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 10:48am

Standby Christine Andreas played the opening night of RAGS for star Teresa Stratas.

[AC126748]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 10:57am

Bob Gunton for Christopher Lloyd in HAPPY END, 1975. Lloyd broke his leg during previews and was out for some time, and returned to the role on crutches. I believe he was on crutches for the remainder of the run.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:16am

When Bring It On premiered in Atlanta, it was the understudy who did the entire run as Campbell as the original lead had broken her foot

[TheGirlUpstairs]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:24am

Jeremy Kushnier when on as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar when Josh Young was sick for a couple of weeks. He did opening night and all of the critics' performances.

[AC126748]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:31am

Young did some of the critics performances, which accounts for him being reviewed by certain outlets (including the NY Times).

Did LaChanze miss opening night of THE COLOR PURPLE? I know she missed a few critics previews, which accounted for Kenita Miller being reviewed by some.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:31am

Kevin Earley went on for Julian Ovenden during previews and on opening night and later in the run ended up replacing him full-on in Death Takes A Holiday.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 11:31am

Josh Young did opening night and then was out the next night, I'm pretty sure.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 12:33pm

I'm pretty sure that Young was up for a Tony for his performance in Superstar. Meaning he was in the show opening night.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 1:41pm

Wasn't Stephanie J. Block absent for some of the critics performances in The Pirate Queen? I totally may be remembering that wrong.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 1:54pm

^Yes. If I'm not mistaken, I think she actually left mid-show during one of them.

[little_sally]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 2:14pm

Yes, LaChanze was definitely out opening night for The Color Purple.

[bobs3]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 5:36pm

In the 1989 production of The Threepenny Opera (starring Sting), Maureen McGovern (Polly Peachum) came down with the flu and missed all of the critics previews and opening night. Her understudy went on and was reviewed by the papers (not very flatteringly from what I remember).

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 6:07pm

Didn't Sarah Brightman miss opening night of "Phantom of the Opera" due to having the flu and her understudy went on instead?

Updated On: 11/10/12 at 06:07 PM

[musicaltheatreman2]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 8:37pm

how was lachanze nominated for a tony if she missed opening night? thought to be nomicated you have to open the show on opening night?

[TheGirlUpstairs]

Posted: 11/10/12 at 9:37pm

Oops! My bad. I could have sworn he was out for opening, but I guess not.

[mikem]

Posted: 11/11/12 at 10:10pm

I'm pretty sure LaChanze performed on Opening Night for The Color Purple. There are pictures of her at opening night curtain call in the Celie costume.

Not exactly the same thing, but it seems in the past few years there are more examples of cast members missing preview performances than before (or maybe they're just more widely publicized).
A photo of her at curtain call

[After Eight]

Posted: 11/11/12 at 10:25pm

On the opening night of the 1954 comedy, One Eye Closed, producer Haila Stoddard went on in place of Constance Ford.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/11/12 at 10:43pm

In Arthur Miller's THE PRICE, Harold Gary went on for David Burns.