Who chooses the Ensemble Track/Understudies?

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 7:17pm

Who chooses the ensemble tracks and which tracks will be understudying which roles.

I am talking SPECIFICALLY for a revival or a regional theatre production.

For example:

She Loves Me
1) Original Broadway production-
* Al De Sio played the Busboy
* Jack Leigh (Ensemble) understudied Arpad

2) Broadway Revival
* Joey McKneely played the Busboy and understudied Arpad - they combined the tracks...

3) 2004 Papermill Playhouse production
* Ryan Dietz played the Busboy and understudied Arpad and Sipos - they added the latter understudying position to the track

---------------------

Obviously, MTI who holds the rights to the show doesn't care about changing the ensemble tracks but who decides what they are going to be?

Director who was hired by Producer to put on the show
Producer who decided to do the show but doesn't have a real artistic say...

Is it decided before auditions? Or, based on the cast assembled?

Any thoughts?

Updated On: 1/13/08 at 07:17 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 7:21pm

The director, who works with the casting director.