Stupid Question: Alternates?

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:28pm

Looking through old casts, I noticed that once in a while, a lead will have an alternate (ie Christine in Phantom or Jekyll/Hyde in Jekyll and Hyde). Is this because the role is physically and vocally demanding so they need to rest, or are the stars just bitchy? I know why they do it with kids, but why do adults get them?

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:29pm

I think its because the roles are too vocally amazing/challenging.

Updated On: 4/23/08 at 10:29 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/23/08 at 10:29pm

Considering so many shows have had alternates for years, I doubt THAT many people have been bitchy.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 12:56am

I know for the case of Phantom the actress playing Christine does get an alternate. This is because it was this way day one from when Brightman did the role in London and then on Broadway. I was talking to Jennifer Hope Wills after a performance about the whole alternate thing. She had said that she personally could do the role 8 times a week and that was when she informed me that Christine having an alternate was something that was set up from the get go back in London.

I know that John Lloyd Young had one in Jersey Boys (not sure if this is an on going thing since he left) because the role was just too much for him to do 8 times a week. And Charlotte had one in A Chorus Line. Once again I am not sure if that has continued with her.

In some cases the actor feels the need to have one because the role just takes too much out of them doing doing it 8 times a week. Others like Phantom have had them from the beginning even though there are actors who personally don't need them. For the actors that don't need them I doubt that they would complain for getting paid and having one (or in the case of Phantom) 2 performances off a week.

[SwtHrtBallerina]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 1:11am

Thanks for the info Winston. I've always wondered that in the back of my head too, so no, that's not a stupid question Sir!