The Death of the Understudy Slip- Page 3

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:38am

TheatreFan4 said: "It's literally a non-issue. [...] Nothing changes."

I disagree. 

Those patrons you mention that "just absolutely needed to read their understudy slip (or the playbill)" had those objects in their lap, so the phone was projecting its light downward. Now that information will be on the screen itself, so the phone will be casting light upward. You don't think that won't be more annoying for those seated around you?

Although we're currently limiting discussion to Understudy Slips, if Playbills should also go digital, do you really think patrons will be satisfied viewing on a phone as opposed to a tablet (i.e., iPad mini)? ...and what direction will the light from that screen be cast?

Once it's required to view understudy info from a screen, what's to stop a patron from creating photos/video and swiping to the understudy screen should an usher come by and claiming they were just checking the list? (I haven't seen any info regarding established cut-off points regarding time frame for availability of the data. It seems like one can scan that QR code at any time, which (conveniently) requires opening the camera on many phones.)

I think it remains to be seen as to whether/not "It's literally a non-issue".

 

Updated On: 12/18/25 at 01:38 AM

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:40am

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[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:48am

John Adams said: "TheatreFan4 said: "It's literally a non-issue. [...] Nothing changes."

I disagree.

Those patrons you mention that "just absolutely needed to read their understudy slip (or the playbill)" had those objects in their lap, so the phone was projecting its light downward. Now that information will be on the screen itself, so the phone will be casting light upward. You don't think that won't be more annoying for those seated around you?

You're inventing a lot of situations that people don't need to have to pull out their phones. People who do so will do so without a pre-text giving them the "OK" to do it. More people are not just itching for an excuse to pull out their phones. If they want to, they will. Understudy Lists have nothing to do with it.

Although we're currently limiting discussion to Understudy Slips, if Playbills should also go digital, do you really think patrons will be satisfied viewing on a phone as opposed to a tablet (i.e., iPad mini)? ...and what direction will the light from that screen be cast?

Something that isn't happening and shows no signs of happening for decades so why are we entertaining it?

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 4:52am

The potential elimination of Playbills in a digital era where people are looking to cut costs is not unreasonable to consider.  People entertain speculations here all the time. 

[John Adams]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 6:19am

TheatreFan4 said: "You're inventing a lot of situations that people don't need to have to pull out their phones. [...]
Something that isn't happening and shows no signs of happening for decades so why are we entertaining it?"

I'm worried.

Have you fallen and bumped your head? When was the last time you changed the batteries in your carbon monoxide sensor? Do you have a neighbor/close friend you can call to come check-in on you?

Something's not right...

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 7:53am

SteveSanders said: "The potential elimination of Playbills in a digital era where people are looking to cut costs is not unreasonable to consider.People entertain speculations here all the time."

some regional theaters don't hand out Playbills anymore. they ask you to scan a QR code that's on the back of a seat or one that's in the lobby.

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 10:08am

ACL2006 said: "SteveSanders said: "The potential elimination of Playbills in a digital era where people are looking to cut costs is not unreasonable to consider.People entertain speculations here all the time."

some regional theaters don't hand out Playbills anymore. they ask you to scan a QR code that's on the back of a seat or one that's in the lobby."

I would miss not getting Playbill. Like many others, I have collected them over the years and have several binders full of them.

 

[Kad]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 10:11am

I feel the same about digital programs as I do about digital menus at restaurants- you need to at least provide the physical option for people who, for whatever reason, do not want or cannot use the digital. 

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:14pm

I agree with Kad that I think physical programs should still be provided as an option even if a theater pivots to primarily digital.  But we already have a case study in QR code programs in many theaters off Broadway (CSC, Signature, MCC, just to name a few).  They usually hand out a little cardstock page with the QR code, but it also has information like basic cast list/song list etc, which I think is a decent balance so you can still look up who the performers are during the show if you want.  And fwiw I've never seen people actively using their phones to look at a digital program during a show.  If people respect phone policy I think they would continue to not use their phones during a show, and if people don't respect phone policy, I don't know that their behavior would change all that much if programs go digital.  Granted, a lot more tourists attend Broadway than off-Broadway and I'm sure they're the more egregious offenders of having phones out during a show (so I'm curious if people have noticed this more with touring houses that do QR codes).

Regarding understudies, unless people are out looking for it, I'm not sure there's a good way of marketing which understudies are on in a given night without slips, short of projecting it over the stage like super titles.  With the existing QR code, is there any indication whether there are any understudies on at all or would you have to check online to determine if the full cast is in or not?  Since ushers sometimes hold up placards about turning your phones off, I wonder if they could have one saying "understudies on tonight, scan this code" or something.  But like others have said, if any of the above the title names are out, I'm sure people would already be notified in advance.

[Ke3]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:24pm

The understudy slips left strewn about the theatre for those of us working front of house to clean up do not exactly signal that people care about being notified by paper.

The intercom announcements work just as well and leave less litter from grown adults who can’t be bothered to identify a trash can. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 12/18/25 at 1:52pm

Exactly, I feel terrible for the staff at the end of the evening because people forget that recycle/trash bins exist. Playbills will very much become something you willl have to request in the near future, and it's already started with some regional shows I've been to. They are expensive to print, and many people don't care about them. They will be an option in the future, which is excellent for conservation and waste management.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 12/19/25 at 2:00pm

This is depressing. Ain't nobody gonna bother with printing something that should just be there.

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 12/19/25 at 4:11pm

Sutton Ross said: "Exactly, I feel terrible for the staff at the end of the evening because people forget thatrecycle/trash bins exist. Playbills will very much become something you willl have to requestin the near future, and it's already started with some regional shows I've been to. They are expensive to print, and many people don't care about them. They will be an option in the future, which is excellent for conservation and waste management."

in Australia we don't have playbills. You have to buy a program and these days they aren't cheap although they are usually twice the size of playbill with lots of photographs of the production and all sorts of details about the productions.

The closest I can remember to a playbill were the STC ( Sydney Theatre Company) programs which I used to collect as a uni student in the early 90s when I went to their productions and from memory they were free but that was a long time ago and ive not been able to get to the STC for many years for a variety of reasons.

as i mentioned earlier, we have always just had to check the board to see whose out and there is usually an announcement pre show.

Updated On: 12/19/25 at 04:11 PM

[kdogg36]

Posted: 12/19/25 at 5:07pm

GirlFromOz68 said: "in Australia we don't have playbills. You have to buy a program and these days they aren't cheap although they are usually twice the size of playbill with lots of photographs of the production and all sorts of details about the productions."

Out of curiosity, how are the cast, crew, and creatives credited if you don't buy a program? I assume there's got to be a way for the audience to know this information. But sometimes I'm naive about these things. 

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 12/19/25 at 5:17pm

kdogg36 said: "GirlFromOz68 said: "in Australia we don't have playbills. You have to buy a program and these days they aren't cheap although they are usually twice the size of playbill with lots of photographs of the production and all sorts of details about the productions."

Out of curiosity, how are the cast, crew, and creatives credited if you don't buy a program? I assume there's got to be a way for the audience to know this information. But sometimes I'm naive about these things."

theres a board that is quite prominent usually. As I said in an earlier post, when I went to Melbourne to see Sunset Boulevard in the late 90s I found out Hugh Jackman was out that night from a very prominently placed board that showed he was out and who his understudy was.

I've not been able to attend theatre for a while so things might have changed since covid reopenings. 

I am hoping to get to see some shows next year again but maybe other Australians on the board can chime in.

Updated On: 12/19/25 at 05:17 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 12/20/25 at 11:07am

When I was at the final weekend of Damn Yankees at Arena Stage, they ran out of programs, and I wasn't the only one scavenging around trying to find the last few they were able to hand out, praying someone left them behind.

Speaking of West End, I was perfectly fine buying a programme when I was there.

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 12/20/25 at 11:28am

everythingtaboo said: "When I was at the final weekend of Damn Yankees at Arena Stage, they ran out of programs, and I wasn't the only one scavenging around trying to find the last few they were able to hand out, praying someone left them behind.

Speaking of West End, I was perfectly fine buying a programme when I was there."

I agree, I love the programs in the West End.

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/26/25 at 7:35pm

have any other Broadway shows gone to the QR code for understudies?

[nealb1]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 11:14am

I suppose it makes sense, and it saves a lot of time for the theatre ushers to have to stuff the inserts into the program, as well as printing them out.  Not everyone has a cell phone, though.  I don't have one.  And, what happens if someone forgets to bring it to the theater, or forgets to charge it?  

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 1:21pm

nealb1 said: "I suppose it makes sense, and it saves a lot of time for the theatre ushers to have to stuff the inserts into the program, as well as printing them out. Not everyone has a cell phone, though. I don't have one. And, what happens if someone forgets to bring it to the theater, or forgets to charge it?"

The board is in lobby as it has always been. Maybe this will be move to put it somewhere more prominent though.

Updated On: 12/30/25 at 01:21 PM

[BeyondtheBoards]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 2:39pm

Typical for Arena. 

[CJRochester]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 4:40pm

nealb1 said: "And, what happens if someone forgets to bring it to the theater, or forgets to charge it?" 

Bring your Playbill home with you and scan the code later. 

 

[broadfan327]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 5:00pm

CJRochester said: "nealb1 said: "And, what happens if someone forgets to bring it to the theater, or forgets to charge it?"

Bring your Playbillhome with you and scan the code later.

"

This is a hill some people are willing to die on, they want paper copies of anything related to their theater experience, just as it was fifty years ago.  Short of projecting the names on the scrim right before the performance, I don't think they will be happy.

I wonder what these people are going to do when the government stops printing paper money and all payments are digital.  Already Denmark is ending physical mail delivery, I imagine that will eventually stop here in the U.S.

[morosco]

Posted: 12/30/25 at 8:58pm

Who is old enough to remember the Mailgram advertisement understudy slips from the seventies/eighties?