The Death of the Understudy Slip- Page 4
The Death of the Understudy Slip
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/27/21
The Death of the Understudy Slip#75
Posted: 1/14/26 at 1:53pm
I'm still not sure why so many shows are still using the paper slips
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
The Death of the Understudy Slip#76
Posted: 1/14/26 at 2:26pm
Equity just stopped requiring them yesterday so most shows will drop them this week.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#77
Posted: 1/14/26 at 2:50pm
Although the the slips are no longer required, there's no prohibition on them. Any production could continue to use them if they wanted.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#78
Posted: 1/14/26 at 3:31pm
I hate having to go to a QR code for anything in a program - but I'm old :) I will say I saw what Just in Time did this week with Matt Magnuson doing Bobby Darin during Groff's vacation and I thought it was really cool. They reprinted the programs with Matt's name above the title. Groff's picture is still on the front of the playbill - but it has actually printed accurate playbills for this week with Matt's name on it. Obviously not feasible for normal understudy and swing performances - but I still thought it was pretty cool for just a one week run.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#79
Posted: 1/14/26 at 8:12pm
Went to see Chess last week and saw the QR code in the corner, not really obvious at all. If I didn't look for it, I would've just assumed who I'm seeing on the stage is the cast printed in the Playbill itself. Didn't like it.
Also, is it me or have the "At This Theatre..." disappear also? Last couple of shows I saw since December didn't have that page about the theatre also.
"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008
The Death of the Understudy Slip#80
Posted: 1/15/26 at 12:09am
Getting rid of understudy slips really drives me nuts, not because I'm against it in a vacuum but The Broadway League is being really selective in what they consider wasteful. At least those slips are giving me information I'll look at. The full color inserts I often get in Playbills reminding me to turn off my phone I'm sure are more expensive to make and are pretty redundant, as ushers are paid to make the same point.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#81
Posted: 1/15/26 at 12:13am
I got an “At This Performance” cast slip at RAGTIME this evening.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#82
Posted: 1/15/26 at 12:15pm
I saw Chess last night and forgot about this change, even after seeing the board in the lobby. I still think it would help to have some sort of signage about "there are swings/understudies on today, check the QR code in your program" in case people miss the board.
Leading Actor Joined: 11/17/11
The Death of the Understudy Slip#83
Posted: 1/27/26 at 11:16am
Playbill gives an update on this. More shows will join the new process in February.
https://playbill.com/article/playbill-launches-at-this-playbill-to-credit-understudies-standbys-alternates
The Death of the Understudy Slip#84
Posted: 2/3/26 at 2:46pm
BVSC and Chicago have been added
https://linktr.ee/broadwaycastboards
The Death of the Understudy Slip#85
Posted: 2/3/26 at 9:42pm
I know this is technically off-broadway, but when I saw spelling bee a few weeks ago I think it had a paper in it.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#86
Posted: 2/3/26 at 10:14pm
This change doesn't bother me a ton but I will riot if the actual Playbill ever goes digital only (or something annoying like having to pay extra for a hard copy).
The Death of the Understudy Slip#87
Posted: 2/4/26 at 7:40am
ACL2006 said: "BVSC and Chicago have been added
https://linktr.ee/broadwaycastboards"
Now & Juliet and Hadestown have been added.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#88
Posted: 3/22/26 at 1:24pm
15 shows are now using the QR code. Cats and Death Becomes Her are the recent additions.
https://linktr.ee/broadwaycastboards
The Death of the Understudy Slip#89
Posted: 4/5/26 at 1:49pm
Majority of shows now are doing the QR code. Most new shows are now listed, including Beaches, Death of a Salesman, CATS, The Lost Boys, Giant, Dog Day, Fear of 13 & Schmigadoon.
Notables not using the QR code: Aladdin, Lion King, Hamilton & Book of Mormon.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#90
Posted: 4/5/26 at 2:11pm
Jonathan Cohen said: "Getting rid of understudy slips really drives me nuts, not because I'm against it in a vacuum but The Broadway League is being really selective in what they consider wasteful. At least those slips are giving me information I'll look at. The full color inserts I often get in Playbills reminding me to turn off my phone I'm sure aremore expensive to make and are pretty redundant, as ushers are paid to make the same point."
I can tell you from my experience as a front of house staffer, that, while your use of them is great, there are many more who just let them fall to the floor and not give them any attention.
The Death of the Understudy Slip#91
Posted: 4/5/26 at 10:29pm
Islander_fan said: "Jonathan Cohen said: "Getting rid of understudy slips really drives me nuts, not because I'm against it in a vacuum but The Broadway League is being really selective in what they consider wasteful. At least those slips are giving me information I'll look at. The full color inserts I often get in Playbills reminding me to turn off my phone I'm sure aremore expensive to make and are pretty redundant, as ushers are paid to make the same point."
I can tell you from my experience as a front of house staffer, that, while your use of them is great, there are many more who just let them fall to the floor and not give them any attention."
Also house staffed when I first got to the city for quite a while and while this is likely true for nearly half of the audience, not only does that not negate their usefulness for those who care, but knowing enough about the Broadway League and how these people spend their time and what their social events are like, the idea that this is about wastefulness is completely laughable.
I mean, even inside the actual event of a performance. Maybe a third of the alcoholics at Broadway shows take their adult sippy cups home as souvenirs sans lid, but these are mostly single-use thick plastics with several parts with vastly more environmental impact than the slips. But those are a cash cow.
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