WestEndGal said: "Do any other musicals do this? Have their understudy come on for the lead for 2,3,4 week stints before the new lead starts? I feel bad for Stephanie in a way. She must have played Jenna for about 3 months (if not more) of the last 12 and yet still only in her understudy capacity.And what does a girl need to do to get her own face on a playbill already? lol"
I understand where you're coming from, but at the end of the day, it is a business. This is hard to think about with how open the cast is online, but this is a job. Not everyone's job has everything they'd dream of.
Also, let's not kid ourselves - I am confident Torns is getting paid handsomely, especially when she does her contractual stints as Jenna. Would you deny a leading role on Broadway just because your face isn't on the playbill? Work is work. She is not shackled to the Brooks, and could leave if she wanted, or accept another job if she landed one.
Not trying to be a d*ck, just trying to be devil's advocate. Stephanie is amazing at her job. Her face being on a Playbill has nothing to do with her talent or respect within the company.