Understudies are gods- Page 3

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 2:26pm

Joe Cassidy is better at Freddy then Norbert. Norbert is a good actor but Joe was Phenominal.

[Horton]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 4:06pm

Where is the spelling bee understudy video, I cant seem to find it?

[YayJudyYayJudy]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 4:07pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4442

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 5:01pm

Understudies are under appreciated.

When I went to see Jersey Boys, John Lloyd Young was out that night and this rude man behind me asked the usher why he was out. The usher told him that he didn't go on for the matinee either and that he was sick that night. The man got extremely angry and he goes: "JESUS CHRIST! What the hell do I want to see this for then? If he's not in, who the hell are the other guys? They're all nobodies!"

It took everything in my power not to turn around and correct him about the other actors and/or understudies being called "nobodies".

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 5:04pm

Also, I always wonder about people who understudy huge parts. Who was Bernadette's understudy for Gypsy?

If Bernadette was out, that understudy would have to go on and perform (and this if course only in my opinion) one of the most demanding female roles in musical theatre. And not only that, but that understudy is one of probably less than a dozen women who can say that they played Rose in Gypsy on Broadway.

[Tirso de Molina]

Posted: 1/14/06 at 5:18pm

I always try to approach seeing understudies as the chance to see performers whose work I don't happen to know but who I hope will grab the chance to show how great they can be.

Right now on Bway, Patti Cohenour covers wonderfully for Victoria Clark in LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, and as I've said in another thread, David Burnham is a great Fabrizio (he goes on for a week later this month, I believe, so go see him!).

I'll second the poster above who said that Sarah Jane Everman was a super Glinda in the Chicago WICKED. She nailed the role as far as I was concerned when I saw it back in October.

Once upon a time, I saw Jana Schneider cover for Tyne Daly on the pre-Bway tour of GYPSY, and she gave a very strong performance -- and talk about having to overcome audience disappointment!

And once I *heard* but didn't see an understudy in a performance of CABARET: Joel Grey had laryngitis and couldn't sing or speak, so he mimed the Emcee while his understudy supplied the vocals from offstage somewhere!

Posted: 1/22/06 at 11:09am

I believe it was Jana Robbins who understudied Tyne Daly in GYPSY. I saw her go on too. She was very good.

I also saw Marcus Lovett go on as Billy Bigelow in The Lincoln Center revival of CAROUSEL. He was fantastic.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 1:42pm

Seeing Linda Mugleston go on in Wonderful Town for the first time was one of the most thrilling evenings at the theatre I have ever had with a close second being Carlos Encinias as Mark for the first time in Altar Boyz. These performers are amazing and I respect them so much.

Posted: 1/22/06 at 1:55pm

I saw Linda Muggleston go on for Marin Mazzie in KISS ME KATE. I had seen the show twice but was still disappointed at not seeing Ms. Mazzie. Ms. Muggleston won me over. She was terrific.