Standbys vs. Understudies

[Alix]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 12:30pm

Ok, this probably seems like a really dumb question but waht is the difference between a standby an an understudy?

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 12:33pm

An understudy regularly performs in the ensemble.

A standby does not.

[PennyLou]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 12:40pm

Also a stand by is at the performances every night ready to go on if something happens during the show like someone gets hurt or something they'll just pick up with the next scene.

and understudies are for scheduled absences.

[magruder]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 12:51pm

Ken Mandelbaum answered this pretty well in his 10/15 column on Broadway.com:

Q: I've never been able to figure out the difference between an understudy and a standby. Can you help me out? How about a swing?---David Little

A: In general, an understudy is in the show's cast and moves up to substitute for an absent principal. For example, Brad Oscar played Franz Liebkind in The Producers while understudying Nathan Lane's Max Bialystock. When Oscar went on for Lane, Oscar's understudy played Franz. A standby is usually a performer who is not in the cast, but is hired solely to cover a principal. In the current Gypsy, Maureen Moore is Bernadette Peters' standby; she plays Rose in the event of Peters' absence but does not otherwise appear in the show. (Moore was similarly a standby for the roles of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret.) Swings go on in place of ensemble performers, and are usually trained to cover more than one such player in a production.


There are plenty of shows, though, where the understudies are not regularly a part of the ensemble.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 1:19pm

When we saw Beauty & the Beast, the character of Gaston had the regular actor but before the 2 nd act began an announcement was made & another actor took over the role in the 2 nd act. I assume thoe original actor took sick & had to be replaced.

[JakeB]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 1:26pm

Standbys are at every performance? So Bernadette's standby is just waiting for her to go sick? How much does that pay?!

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 10/19/03 at 1:49pm

"Standbys are at every performance? So Bernadette's standby is just waiting for her to go sick?"

Or injured, yes.