Understudy Not Wanting to be Listed

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 2:43pm

What are the stigmas or reasons people would not want it noted that they are a standby or an understudy. Like Elena Shadow in Bridges.

This was in the Doubtfire preview thread but didnt want to hijack that one.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 2:55pm

From what I can tell it's standard actor ego stuff similar to the "stigma" of replacing someone in a role (fun fact: Norm Lewis was asked to replace Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime and turned it down, but went on to do the show regionally. Huh?).

When an unlisted standby goes on, they typically get a larger insert in the program with a bio, so it can come across to some audience members as "We have a special guest going on today instead!" but really they are just the standby. It's silliness.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 3:14pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "(fun fact: Norm Lewis was asked to replace Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime and turned it down, but went on to do the show regionally. Huh?).

Made all the more ridiculous considering he was the 13th replacement Phantom on Broadway.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 3:52pm

I was living in NYC, and I remember a friend of mine in the business telling me that Norm Lewis was replacing Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime.  I always wondered what happened as it never materialized.

[steven22]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 4:22pm

Jenn Collela was Idina's understudy in IF/THEN and performed once. Jenn was not listed in the playbill.

I Megan McGinnis was the Daisy/Violet s/b in the SIDESHOW revival and was not listed in the playbill.

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 4:28pm

Fosse76 said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "(fun fact: Norm Lewis was asked to replace Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime and turned it down, but went on to do the show regionally. Huh?).

Made all the more ridiculous considering he was the 13th replacement Phantom on Broadway."

Except by being the umpteenth Phantom replacement he still made headlines and got a LOT of career advancing attention due to him being the first African American Phantom on Broadway. Plus, he had a lot more career behind him at that point to not become pigeon holed as good replacement.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 5:21pm

Interesting. 

I feel like it would only help your career to be a stand-by for a major star. I know we are all waiting for Beanie's stand-by/cover. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 6:32pm

Broadway Bob* said: "Fosse76 said: "The Distinctive Baritone said: "(fun fact: Norm Lewis was asked to replace Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime and turned it down, but went on to do the show regionally. Huh?).

Made all the more ridiculous considering he was the 13th replacement Phantom on Broadway."

Except by being the umpteenth Phantom replacement he still made headlines and got a LOT of career advancing attention due to him being the first African American Phantom on Broadway. Plus, he had a lot more career behind him at that point to not become pigeon holed as good replacement."

True. In fairness, in the interview where he talked about Ragtime (this was many years ago, I forget where I read it, maybe Talkin' Broadway) he actually cited the emotional cost of playing Coalhouse Walker Jr. as his reason for not doing it, which is fair. I just found it interesting that shortly after giving that interview he did one of the first regional productions of it. I remember thinking at the time that it was probably more about not wanting to be compared to Brian Stokes Mitchell, who had been particularly acclaimed in the role. I imagine being in that sort of situation comes with a lot of pressure and one can feel like they are being set up to fail. Being the 13th Phantom two decades into the run is a different situation for sure.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 6:58pm

Let's not forget Annaleigh Ashford was an understudy for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and was not in the Playbill. She too, only went on once.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/27/21 at 6:58pm

Let's not forget Annaleigh Ashford was an understudy for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and was not in the Playbill. She too, only went on once.

[JayElle]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 1:12pm

DottieD'Luscia said: "I was living in NYC, and I remember a friend of mine in the business telling me that Norm Lewis was replacing Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime. I always wondered what happened as it never materialized."

Hard act to follow perhaps?  Folks comparing?  On tour, Norm's first versus Broadway after thought?

[JayElle]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 1:22pm

Wasn't happy that Little Shop replaced Tammy Blanchard w/understudy and no notice or at least wasn't in mine or my neighbor's.  For all the critical comments made about Tammy, she is light years better than the U/S. While of Ellen Greene stature, the U/S's voice was weak and her acting bland. 

And one of the female urchins (Aveena Sawyer) had to sing the Audrey2 role.  Somehow the fill-in for the carnivorous eating plant just didn't have the same punch or ferocity as Aaron Harrington.

 

Updated On: 11/7/21 at 01:22 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 11/7/21 at 1:35pm

JayElle said: "DottieD'Luscia said: "I was living in NYC, and I remember a friend of mine in the business telling me that Norm Lewis was replacing Brian Stokes Mitchell in Ragtime. I always wondered what happened as it never materialized."

Hard act to follow perhaps? Folks comparing? On tour, Norm's first versus Broadway after thought?"

There's reference to this in the recent OnStageBlog exposé on Drabinsky, which itself references Eddie Shapiro's book A Wonderful Guy.

[KMKJ]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 10:09am

fashionguru_23 said: "Let's not forget Annaleigh Ashford was an understudy for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and was not in the Playbill. She too, only went on once."

Ashford was most definitely listed as an understudy

Playbill Understudies

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 10:16am

The two that I remember were Bradley Dean in Company('06) for Raul Esparza. Dean went on for one weekend due to a scheduled absence by Esparza. And also Keith Reddin, who was David Hyde Pierce's standby in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike". Reddin never went on.

[Joshua Rosenthal]

Posted: 11/8/21 at 11:02am

fashionguru_23 said: "Let's not forget Annaleigh Ashford was an understudy for Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and was not in the Playbill. She too, only went on once. "

She was lol. I sadly never got to see the show or her legendary performance as Elle, but in the playbill I have (I think from previews) she is listed as an understudy for Elle right next to Beck Gulsvig, as well as her regular role as Margot.