Understudy rehearsals?

[sassypanz]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 5:57pm

Anyone know how often they rehearse etc? I know its probably different for every show but? more details?

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:14pm

I want to say it's twice a week but I would imagine every show has a different schedule.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:25pm

Friends have told me that they rehearse once a week with the stage manager. Perhaps, other shows rehearse understudies more than that.

[sassypanz]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:32pm

I heard all shook ups u/ss rehearsed everyday different scenes?

[broadwayfan8]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:38pm

What is the difference between understudy, swing, and standby? I know the standby actually has to hang out in the theatre in case something happens to the lead, but what about if the lead knows in advance that he/she won't be there? Does it go to the standby or to the understudy? I know this has been mentioned before, but I couldn't find the thread.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:52pm

Swing - Ensemble member who memorizes the whole show and can go on in any part.

Understudy - Cast member, usually in the ensemble, who covers a specific role(s).

Standby - Member of the company who is NOT in the cast, but must hang out within the vicinity of the theater, just in case something happens to the person in the role they're covering. Example: When Idina hurt herself during her 2nd to last Wicked show, Shoshana, the standby, went on right away. 7 minutes to paint the make up....a record.

[sassypanz]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 7:08pm

In wickeds case,. the standbys have to be 5 blocks or less away from the theater.

[beyondthebreakofday]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 8:51pm

Guaranteed to make you laugh:
https://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4442

[safety_in_falsehood]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 8:57pm

I had always wondered about this question myself, thanks for asking it =)

You know, just looking at the breakdown...I have to applaud the swings. What a hard job to do and to get no credit.

*Goes off to sing "Slut Chorus Boy"*

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 9:18pm

That was great, Beyond.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 11:04pm

On long-running shows, once the understudies already know their stuff and have gone on, I think they only have to have one understudy runthrough a month, according to the Equity rulebook. Obviously, circumstances vary a lot from show to show.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 11:08pm

Once a month? Id don't think I could do that. Id rather have to rehearse once a week. It would be weird to just go about life and then suddenly be thrown into it. Out of those three - who gets paid the most? Must be cool to not have to do any work but still get paid for a Swing. Although I would imagine all of them wish they were on stage.

[dancinfan]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 9:30am

Wow. Swings do a ton of work. They know and go on for the most tracks of anyone. And these days, there are several shows in which they sing on offstage mirophones to sweeten the onstage vocal mix, so they actually "perform" every night, even though they're not onstage.

[Bdwy24]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 9:39am

Swings get paid the most out of everyone. Even more than cast members that perform on a daily basis.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 9:48am

Equity production contract rules are the for a straight play, understudies must rehearse at least once every four weeks (after the first public performance), and once every six weeks for musicals.

They're not required to have these rehearsals on the set with costumes or props unless the use of those will affect their safety.

However, understudies are required to rehearse fight scenes during regular rehearsal time.

[pndmnd]

Posted: 11/11/05 at 11:13am

So, in the case of Spelling Bee (and I'm assuming the other small cast musicals and straight shows) an understudy is really more like a stand-by in the sense that they aren't in the show already in the ensemble or something, and they have to be near by during the performances. Is that correct?

[broadwayfan8]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:44am

So if a cast member knows she's going to be out of town for a weekend, like for a wedding or something, who gets to go on? The understudy or the standby?

[blaxx]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 5:07am

The standby, but only few roles have actual standby-s, most have understudies.
That Spelling Bee video made me feel so sad for them by the way ( in a funny way), it must really be hard to not know when your turn will be.

[Broadway_Baby]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 9:50am

"What is the difference between understudy, swing, and standby?"


Try reading Aigoo's FAQ:

FAQ

[ACTlete676]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 10:33am

I know the dirty rotten scoundrels understudies are required to rehearse every thursday morning.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 11:20am

All I know is Jenna and Saycon (when they went on as Elphaba, Jenna is u/s, Saycon s/b), Jenna told me she only had about 4 hours of on stage rehearsal as Elphaba, and Saycon told us she had never had the rehearsal with the entire cast, just by herself. So...I'm almost positive Broadway u/s are EXTREMELY under-rehearsed.

[CJR]

Posted: 11/12/05 at 8:32pm

Gypsy alternated between Tuesdays and Thursdays each week if my memory serves me well...
Spamalot rehearses every Thursday.

Who knows if Chicago even rehearses unless there's a put in.

Typically when there is a new addition to the cast, they rehearse with the dance captains and then later on (2 weeks, I believe) they have a put in with the entire cast.

It really varies from company to company though.