Those "Bummer" Moments When They Announce An Understudy...- Page 3

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 8:22pm

When I saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Norbert was out...I saw the sign saying he was out and my heart sank! Fortunately his understudy was really good and the show was so good that it more than made up for Norbert's absence!

[Scottsacto]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 8:58pm

My Sad Understudy story involves the play "Legends". As a Gay man of the 80's, I was , in love with "Dynasty". When I heard that Linda Evans and Joan Collins were going to tour with a production of the show----I had to be there. The closest city that it was coming to for me was San Diego--and the week of my birthday. So, I convinced a couple of friends that we had to fly down there and see it and spend the weekend partying--in celebration of ME!! LOL Much to my horror, when we got to the theatre, I found that Joan Collins was out. THe worst part was that the understudy was channeling Joan Collins playing the part of Sylvia. It was a NIGHTMARE! ( have tried to find the Playbill to get her name--but it eludes me!)

I proceeded to the box office during the intermission and demanded a refund (After explaining the lengths we had gone to to get there). Thankfully Broadway San Diego and Ticketmaster had a full credit on my Credit Card on Monday.

It was the only time I have ever asked for a refund.

[cglaid]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 10:11pm

This weekend I saw Monique Fowler on for Doris Roberts in Love Loss and What I Wore. I am not a huge DR fan and didn't really mind but there were a ton of groans throughout. Ms. Fowler was actually quite brilliant.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 10:22pm

I was so bummed when Matt Cavenaugh was supposed to be on his honeymoon but wasn't =(. I was also disappointed that John Cudia was out but I thought that James Romick's phantom was amazing!

and Pianist, I completely agree with your thoughts about Gabrielle..loved her Nina..killer voice..also saw Courtney Reed!Vanessa that night and she was incredible!
Updated On: 5/2/10 at 10:22 PM

[julesboogie]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 10:27pm

I literally signed up to BWW so that i could respond to this thread. I do realize that most people here are saying nice things about understudies. But it just drives me nuts that people still have this stigma that a u/s or cover are not as good as the person/s they cover. People please!! Most times the covers are better! If you think about it most swings play 4/5 roles! That is a versatility and talent in itself. They werent chosen to be in that position for the hell of it. They are JUST AS TALENTED as the people they cover! Lots of times more so. In lots of cases they were not chosen to take the lead BECAUSE they could play more than one role!!! Its hurts my heart when i hear an audience groan when a u/s is announced. That brilliant performer is putting their career on hold to make it possible for that show to run efficiently! And then to add insult to no fame... they have to deal with ignorant groaning audience whom they have to win over just because their name isnt above the title. I encourage any of you who plan on being performers to be kinder in your thoughts of understudies... you may end up being one and realize how thankless albeit personally rewarding it really is.

[hannah_bway]

Posted: 5/2/10 at 11:53pm

Most times the covers are better!

I wouldn't say MOST times, that strikes me as a bit of an exaggeration. And yes, of course they weren't chosen for the hell of it, but they're also not the person that people expect to see. Almost every time people who are going to see a show, take into heavy consideration who's in the cast. So naturally they're going to be disappointed if someone they expected to see isn't performing.

That being said, I like understudies because I see a show based more on the show itself than the performers and I like a unique experience. However, in instances where I'm seeing a show mostly for the cast (i.e., The Addams Family, which I saw mainly to see Nathan Lane) I would be among those groaning if he hadn't performed that day, no matter how talented his u/s might be.

[julesboogie]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 12:15am

Unfortunately i dont think it an exaggeration. Most casting these financially trying days is done with the idea of putting butts in the seats. Its just a fact of theatre now that the best person for the role is not necessarily the person they cast. Box office draw outweighs talent these days.

And i totally understand wanting to see someone specific in a show. But people calling out is a part of live theatre. I just dont think an understudy should have to suffer a groaning audience when they are in essence the reason the show is still up and running that night.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 12:20am

Vanessa Ray (now replacement) for Allison Case in HAIR, but I absolutely adored her.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:09am

I don't think most people groan DURING the show. They have every right to be disappointed, but I assume that most people aren't stupid enough to be rude during the show itself. I have never heard any groaning and I've seen quite a few understudies/standbys. Most were at least adequate and a few were outstanding.

In addition to Lisa Brescia, my other favorites were Laura Bell Bundy and Eden Espinosa in Wicked. I first saw it just for Kristin Chennoweth and I was devastated that she was out, but I loved Laura. I was also at the infamous "understudy day." Laura was on for Kristin, Kristoffer Cusick was on for Norbert Leo Butz, and Sean McCourt was on for Joel Grey. Idina Menzel was sick and couldn't finish the show, so Eden took her place in Act 2. That was initially even more devastating than Kristin being out the first time, but Eden blew the roof off.

[julesboogie]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:32am

Yeah ,sad to say that less informed theatre goers have no problem literally groaning when the announcements are made. Only speaking from my own experiences. Its quite embarrassing as a fellow audience member. Not only is the lead performer out. The person who is covering them and is probably great, might not want to come out here and sing for ingrates. Since people are so dissatisfied. If you've never experienced it then i feel happy for the u/s you've seen.

I agree that people have a right to be disappointed. However, their disappointment, physically manifested, should not offend someone who is THRILLED to give them a great show. Thats all im saying


Case and point im at a show. Sitting next to a lovely woman whom ive met before, but am not friends with. They announce that a u/s will be going on in such a role. The crowd lets out a big collective groan and says "awe understudies"... Mind you there is not a name/star in this show. The lady next to me says loudly, "THATS MY SON" I felt terrible and embarrassed for her and her son. NOT FAIR

Its a condtion and a mindset that i wish we could cast it off.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:50am

I think most people aren't upset about seeing the understudy. They're upset about not seeing the lead. For example I had nothing against Lisa Brescia, but I was initially bummed that I wouldn't see Stephanie J. Block. Does that make sense? I assume most understudies and standbys know that if people are upset, it has nothing to do with them personally. I'm sure it's not always easy though.

[heo1128]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 3:21am

I was "bummed" when Jessica Phillips was on for Alice Ripley the day after the Tonys. However, it was entertaining to watch chaos ensue as Alice Fangirls discovered she was out, and moving to 3rd row center orch because the house was EMPTY.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 3:36am

~I went to see Drowsy Chaperone when Beth Leavel was on vacation. Full original cast with Linda Griffin, who was good/okay, but not nearly as good as Beth would have been.

~Yanira Marin as Anita in West Side Story and Nina LaFarge in In The Heights are two of the worst understudy performances I've ever seen.

On the flip side:

I loved:
~Tina Maddigan as Julia in The Wedding Singer.
~Jennifer DiNoia as Elphaba in Wicked.
~I love Haley Carlucci as Maria, Jeremy Jordan as Tony, and Natalie Cortez and Jennifer Sanchez as Anita in West Side Story.
~I love Michael Berry as Dan, Tim Young as Henry, and Meghann Fahy as Natalie in next to normal.

[sadephram]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 4:32am

I have mixed feelings about understudies.

The second time I came to NY, I went to see Hairspray. It was a wednesday night and understudy slips came pouring out of my playbill. Nobody was there. I was a little bit scared but it was fantastic. Michelle Dowdy went on as Tracy instead of Shannon Durig and she was phenomenal. The other understudies were great too. I did see Shannon Durig a year later and I thought she sounded good, but she was sleepwalking through the role.

I went back to see N2N for a second time, really scared that Alice would be out, she was not, but Bobby was. And I'm sorry, but Michael Berry was just atrocious as Dan. There was no emotion in his acting or singing, and he had no chemistry with the rest of tha cast. The understudy for Adam was fantastic, though.

When I saw WSS, Karen Olivo was out (can't say I was suprised) and Natalie Cortez went on as Anita. She was serviceable, but so bland in the only colorful role in the show...

Finally, the understudy was on instead of Oliver Platt in G&D. I was disappointed because I went to see the show because of Lauren Graham and most of her scenes are with him. Anyway, she was so good, funny, sexy and touching that the other guy seemed to disappear off the stage when she was on.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 5:37am

I'm sure the understudy does NOT get personally affected by any reaction (though I don't ever remember hearing one); they KNOW they are the understudy and that they only get to perform when necessary. Any parent or friend in the audience that doesn't understand that is being unrealistic.

I can say the ONLY time I've ever been "disappointed" to find out about an understudy was Blake Bashoff's last weekend in Spring Awakening. He (along with Kyle Riabko) were pulled from their a few of their last performances to rehearse with the Tour Cast. They'd both been MIA from performances because for that same reason -- but their LAST weekend?

But other than that.....I'm good.

[julesboogie]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 10:43am

"I'm sure the understudy does NOT get personally affected by any reaction (though I don't ever remember hearing one); they KNOW they are the understudy and that they only get to perform when necessary. Any parent or friend in the audience that doesn't understand that is being unrealistic. "

haha its obvious we disagree on this, but i want you to know im enjoying the banter. I dont think its being unrealistic that the people who came to see an u/s are disappointed by audiences reactions. Just like people go to see nathan lane, people go to see understudies. And their experience in the theatre is just as important i think.

And u/s are just people, not robots. I feel like saying they don't get personally affected is like saying the last kid picked at dodgeball isn't either (similar emotion not situation). Sure they signed on to be an u/s. Sure they know that they go on in the event that someone can't. But that does not change the fact that they have feelings and can perceive (albeit misconstrue) an audience's grumbling at the announcement of their names.

And again im glad youve never experienced an audience doing this, Butttt i have on many occasions.

It just sounds so ungrateful to me. And its largely due to people not understanding the inner-workings of theatre. Without that u/s going on, those groaners would be standing on the street corner looking for something else to do for the night. Wondering how they can reschedule or get their money back, and how much of a hassle this is going to be, or complaining that they are only in town for one night... etc. But instead they are in their seats, watching a u/s work their butts off, just so that people dont come on here and rip them apart for not being Karen Olivo.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 10:59am

The first time I saw the Les Mis revival it was filled with understudies(about 10 of the slips fell out of my playbill). I went to see Lea Salonga as Fantine and she was the only lead that was there. Made me happy and it was the best show out of the 4 times I saw it.

The best one was understudy night at Legally Blonde. Kate Rockwell/Elle, Emily Padgett/Margo, Lindsay Nicole Chapman/Serena, Tiffany Engen/Pilar and I forget who was Emmitt.

I typically love the standbys and understudies and have seen alot of them in various shows. Most of them have been better than the leads IMO. In NYC half the people that see the shows have no clue they are even seeing the standby/understudy anyway.

As for bummer moments that would have to be a few times I had a Nessa understudy in Wicked. They were good.
Also when I got my first front row ticket to Hair and found out from Caissie Levy that she would be on vacation that week. I was bummed the whole week until I got the show. I have heard nothing but great things about Jackie Burns and she blew me away.

Some of them I would rather see over the leads. Jessica Phillips in N2N. Jenny DiNoia or Steph Torns in Wicked.

Updated On: 5/3/10 at 10:59 AM

[nygrl232]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 11:01am

>>>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."

Love that.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 11:29am

That is a really good quote. I see so many shows so many times that I love it when understudies are on, if only for the diversity.

And to back up julesboogie, yes, audiences very frequently groan (and sometimes boo) when understudies are announced. The audience is only human, and isn't thinking of how that makes the understudy feel. and of course that is upsetting to the understudy. They're only human, too.

"Which leads me to this question: When a holiday falls on a 2 show day, or something to that affect is is up to the producers of the show to make arrangements to squeeze all 8 shows into the week? (i.e. Curtains, on a Friday afternoon). Are they're Equity rules about this, and what are the actor limits? Do they have to be in the "make up" performance"

Short answer, yes, it's up to the producers who usually don't want to pay the premium holiday pay to reschedule shows, often creating a two show friday, or sometimes an added monday show (mondays being dark for most shows) and yes, the actors have to be in that performance, unless otherwise negotiated.

Updated On: 5/3/10 at 11:29 AM

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 12:18pm

Thank you Ghostlight!

I've never heard the story about all the Standbys/understudies in "Wicked".

I forgot to say that my first time seeing Wicked, I saw Jenna Leigh Green of "Sabrina, The Teenage Witch" fame, play Elphaba in her first performance of the role in Toronto. She was amazing! So perfect! The beginning of the National Tour of Wicked was full with many different Elphabas, as SJB got hurt, and missed a lot of the Toronto run, and then played it in Chicago, then missed again the LA run where Eden stepped in.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 1:28pm

oh i remember another for me... 10 Commandments the Musical.. yeah yeah.. say what you will about the show... but I really wanted to see it and see Val Kilmer... i was VERY upset we got his understudy as was the whole damn theater... but when Nicholas Rodriguez performed the role you kinda forgot that Val Kilmer was supposed to do it because the guy was just really good... at the end of the show the whole theater gave him a standing ovation when he took his bow... oh and after seeing the DVD I think I was glad to have gotten the u/s although it still would've been cool to see Val Kilmer live just so I can tell people i saw him in a musical...

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 1:51pm

I loved seeing the u/s's I saw. mind you i had just seen the rest of the cast already. they were comparable. some not quite as good. but i would use the word "different" because they are all amazing and i agree with the comment read about swings. the range, talent, and experience is all there.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:03pm

Of course they have feelings...but having to go on in the place of the actor is part of the job. I meant that the friend or family member of an u/s is being unrealistic if they are hurt to "hear" that some audience members are disappointed.

I love understudies...particularly when seeing a show I've seen multiple times. Sometimes its an incredibly unique experience. And there have been VERY few times that I've been actually disappointed in an u/s's performance. Perhaps I've enjoyed a different u/s or preferred the "regular" -- but seldom let down.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:12pm

Many times I've gone to a show BECAUSE THE UNDERSTUDY WAS ON. I know I once cheered during the pre-show announcement, but honestly can't remember who the person was or what the show was. Ha.

A lot of times people feel like they're being cheated out of what they thought they were going to see, when if you'd asked them 10 minutes before who was actually starring in the show they probably couldn't tell you.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 5/3/10 at 2:45pm

Standing room for Dreamgirls 1982...everyone opens their playbill...a slip of paper tells us that Sheila Ellis will be playing Effie Melody White. The whole orchestra groaned and grumbled. She got a huge laugh on her first entrance and won the crowd over by curtain. It was a great thing to witness...she got thunderous applause.