Nomusicalsforme said: "Thanks for the update. I also have tickets for tonight, but would rather postpone than see a quickly rehearsed understudy. Ill check at the box office around 6. Telecharge said she was going on tonight but I would think the box office would be more reliable.
Although I might be in the minority here, my experience watching understudies, for the MOST part, has been very positive. Never more so than after spending two hours in the cancellation line for "South Pacific" a few years back, finding out that Paulo Szot was NOT going to perform -- understudy Wlliam Michals was. I was going to leave the line but the people behind me told me not to -- they had driven in from Connecticut BECAUSE William Michals was going to sing. They insisted I would not be disappointed. Two hours in, I decided to stay in line.
I got a ticket at about 10 minutes to 8, a good seat in the orchestra section, where as other audience members around took their seats, and noticed the slip of paper in the program about Paulo not performing. Some were very angry and wondered aloud if they could get a raincheck -- but the show was about to start and they weren't sure they had time. At one point I turned around and told the people behind me about how I met people in the cancellation line who drove in BECAUSE William Michals was singing, who insisted I not bail, so I thought t we all might be in for a surprise.
William Michals stunned the audience with his gorgeous singing. During intermission I was fielding questions about him when word spread that I knew something (I knew nothing and told them that I was just glad I stayed -- as they all were, too). I saw SP many times after that -- at that point it was like a tag team -- Paulo Szot, William Michals, David Pittsinger -- all very different, all terrific as Emile DeBecque -- but my first choice was William Michals (who is in Bright Star right now).
So if you do find yourself in the audience when one of the stars is out, take heart. You might be in for 'a star is born' moment.