Those "Bummer" Moments When They Announce An Understudy...

Next To Normal: Michael Berry as The Doctors. I was bummed at first, but knew that all of the understudies of the show are phenominal. So I got over it very quickly.

^ Well, in a way Sutton did that in Millie, when Erin Dilly dropped out.

They also tried to do it with Matthew Risch in Pal Joey, to no avail.

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I have two disappointments turned good stories.

1. Curtains, I wanted to see Karen Ziemba and Jason Danieley SO BAD! But Darcie Roberts went on as Georgia because it was her last night in the show and Matt Farnsworth went on as Aaron because Jason broke his hand. They were absolutely incredible. I know Karen Ziemba and Jason Danieley would've been incredible too, but I was so wowed by the other two.

2. Legally Blonde tour. Kathleen Monteleone went on instead of Becky Gulsvig. Hands down best Elle vocally. (I've seen Bailey Hanks and Laura Bell Bundy) She started singing in Omigod You Guys and my jaw dropped.

This past summer at The Wiz, they made an announcement over the sound system that Lachanze was out and Darlesia Cearney would be playing Aunt Em. There was no understudy slip in the program. Aunt Em is only in the first ten minutes of the first act, and only has one song ("The Feeling We Once Had"), which Cearney knocked out of the park. I found it odd that there was no slip in the program...and even odder when Lachanze was carried out as Glinda in Act II. At the talk back after the show, she explained that one of her kids was sick and she had to take them to the doctor, which was why she couldn't make it for the first act. I know some actors will do the first act and not finished the second if they're ill, but this is surely the only time I've heard of someone doing the second act and not the first!

Luckily, I can count the number of understudies I've seen on one hand, and they've all been excellent. I saw the Cory understudy at Fences and he was phenomenal.

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One of the first times I saw Wicked in Chicago, Ana Gasteyer was out and Kristy Cates was her u/s. Though I eventually did end up seeing Ana at another time, Kristy's performance was fantastic!

Also, the first time I saw Jersey Boys in Chicago Jarrod Spector was out, and I saw John Michael Dias in the role. Again, he was AWESOME, and as other Frankies began taking over the role in Chicago my friends and I would purposefully go to matinees to see JMD, he gave such a great performance!

I'm usually not TOO disappointed to see understudies, but my friends and I have a semi-rule that we try not to see a show for one person, especially if we are on a trip to NYC without a chance to go back for that one person. Wasting an entire show "slot"/$100+ dollars on an actor rather than a show as a whole and taking a chance that that person may be out is not worth it when you have limited time and funds! Exceptions include one-person shows/cabaret acts and people like Angela Lansbury (we saw her in Blithe Spirit).

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Updated On: 5/2/10 at 01:51 PM

A friend put it all in perspective for me some years ago when she said "I would much rather see an enthusiastic understudy than a tired or ill star."

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I had planned to see "Curtains" when I was in NYC and knew I could get a seat at TKTS. I knew Ziemba was out on vacation, which I wasn't crazy about, but it was Debra Monk that I really wanted to see (Outside of Hyde Pierce). Got my ticket and was all excited. Got to the theatre and she was out. It was the day after she had hurt her knee (I think it was her knee). And I think it happened during the show the previous evening. I was so depressed but after the show started, I was into it and had a great time. it was also a great day because it was the first time I was able to donate to BCEFA at a Broadway theatre and Hyde Pierce's speech was priceless.

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I had a year, before I moved to New York, where literally EVERY show I came in to see had understudies on for the leads. Now that I live in New York, it's not as much of a bummer because it's much easier to come back on a different day, or see the show again.

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I flew from the UK to see Idina Menzel's last Wicked. That's still recent enough that I don't need to tell you what went down, right? Yeah, I was disappointed, but the show was still awesome, and I had a lovely holiday in New York.

I really am the other way round usually though; my first visit to New York had Karmine Alers going on for Mimi in Rent rather than Mel B, and I was very pleased and relieved. I don't think I'd've loved the recent RSC Hamlet half as much if I hadn't seen it with Ed Bennett in the title role. I like seeing understudies, dagnabbit! The whole fun of live theatre is that it's LIVE and ANYTHING can happen. Which means, to look at it another way, that somewhere deep down inside us all, we kinda WANT the show to not go according to plan. Understudies are a very civilised way for that to happen. So bring 'em on! :3

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Updated On: 5/2/10 at 03:19 PM

Hasn't everyone who saw 'The Color Purple' seen the current understudy for either LaChanze or Sweaty?

About 2 weeks after she won her tony, Karen was out of WSS, and I was really sad because I had now missed her in both In the Heights AND WSS, and I wasn't thrilled by the understudy, Kat Nejat.
But, after the show and stage door, I went into the Crowne Plaza hotel with my mom to go to the bathroom, and it was pouring, so we waited it out and we made a wrong turn and I ran into Mandy Gonzalez just across from the Rodgers, and I talked to her for a good half hour and Karen came up and she said Karen had laryngitis.

The only understudy I have seen that I was not impressed with was Yanira Marin in West Side Story. I'm glad I went back to see this on Wednesday because it was a lot better than I remember seeing a year ago. And although he is technically not an understudy, because he plays Tony in a couple performances a week, I really enjoyed Jeremy Jordan.

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