Why Should We Be Okay With an UNDERSTUDY? — Page 3

As nuts as we all are for theater I can't believe everyone isn't agreeing with the original post.
The responses are very interesting but not what I would have expected from this board.

I go one step further than Midoria and presume that I am going to see an understudy. Especially shows like Wicked or Rent with lots of leads, there is bound to be one out. A show may have one 'star' but that may not be who I am disappointed to be missing (for example) I may want to see an actor I have seen before.

If I go knowing that I am definitely seeing the show, and might see the person I want to my evening can only get better

Wait a minute...weren't some of today's "leading ladies" once understudies or stand-bys? Laura Bell Bundy, Megan Hilty, Kendra Kassebaum...

As a music teacher (not a substitute - it's MY gig!) I always double cast the shows I produce. Why? Well, for one, I teach musical theatre at the middle school level and MY personal philosophy is that each student in the show should have their moment to shine. So by having 2 casts, each kid is GUARANTEED time on stage with lines, singing and featured moments. I always get the kids that think one cast is better than the other, but I don't look at it that way. One casts' strength may be the other casts' weakness and vice versa. Don't you think that the people hired to be understudies and stand-bys have just as much ability as the person that is contracted in the lead? Maybe it's a lack of experience and by giving that understudy a chance to learn the ropes and polish his or her skills is making them the next Bernadette or Patti. Would I be disappointed if I went to see Mary Poppins and saw the understudy instead of Ashley Brown? Maybe a little, but I would be very appreciative of that person's hard work and effort to know not only the role they are performing that night but also his/her OTHER role(s) in the show. It's a lot harder to be both an ensemble member AND an understudy and not get to perform the lead for weeks on end and then have the stage manager say, "Hey, you're going on for Ashley tonight." Talk about pressure.

Please, give these hard working actors/actresses some credit. You never know who the next star is. And I would personally be HONORED if I was ever given the chance to be an understudy or stand by in a Broadway show!!! But then I'd have to worry about people like you judging me and thinking I'm not good enough. Oh wait, I'd just perform my A*! off anyway and make you eat your words.

It seems like you have learned a difficult lesson about the Theatre. If it means that much to you, to see someone in particular, you ask about who will be in the performance you want to purchase. You still run the risk of missing them because of accidents/deaths in the family/illness, that's life.

Then you have to ask yourself how much you want to see that particular show? If you only wanted to see it because of a certain performer and you asked ahead of time. As a courtesy, it would be in the Theatre's best interest to exchange the ticket, especially if you are from out-of-town. Though if you are already there and don't/can't fly back, you don't have too many other options available.

I arrived at an show 15mins late because of transportation delays, too late to see the show. The Theatre offered to exchange my ticket for any of their later shows and the one I picked was just great. I was disappointed in missing the show I wanted to see but at least I thought they were more than fair about the situation. Just good business.

I agree, I have seen some great understudies. They all seem different. Some good, others better. Stuff happens. Especially with vacations, you should ask. A Theatre should only be asked to make reasonable announcements about substitutions. It is not their job to assume you are coming just for a certain Actors performance. That is why this site is very useful for fans.

I tend to pick the most expensive nights, if I want to see someone in particular. Less likely to have an understudy I have noticed.

I think the OP has a legitimate point. Some (not all, but some) shows make it very difficult to find out when someone is having a planned absence, especially if you live far away and can't ask at the box office. Sure, people get sick, but the OP specifically mentioned vacation. It's true that the understudy may end up being better than the original performer or eventually become a name performer, but that doesn't mean that it should be so hard to arrange to see a performer whom you're particularly interested in.

---

Sometimes an understudy can actually be BETTER than the star of the show.

I saw Spelling Bee and Celia was out and I saw Kate Wetherhead instead and she was amazing! Better than Celia (who I saw later on).

And I'm sure people applauded when they heard that DRV was missing a performance of Les Miz. lol.

---

Sometimes an understudy can actually be BETTER than the star of the show.

I've "seen" Bernadette in GYPSY and "heard" Maureen, and on sound alone Maureen was far superior.

If people are going to a show to see a specific person and missed him or her, they have every right to be unhappy. But should they throw a temper tantrum at the box office? No. People should know beforehand that they are taking a gamble because actors aren't robots who never get sick or have emergencies with family/friends.

As for the leads whose absences are enough to cause the world to implode (such as Patti and Christine), you can just get your tickets exchanged for another date.

---

Updated On: 8/20/07 at 02:12 AM

I have seen many an understudy that were FANTASTIC. It doesn't mean you can't be disappointed with the fact that you aren't seeing the person you went to see, but you can't let it ruin your experience.

I was really disappointed when Lea was out of Les Mis and I really wanted to see her. They were nice enough to exchange my ticket to another performance. Hadley Fraser was out of Pirate Queen (and the understudy I saw was not great) but I survived. Maureen Moore was on as Norma Desmond (for Elaine Page) when I saw Sunset. She was great, but I would have loved to see Elaine.

It irritates me how people think people are understudies because they weren't talented enough to be the lead. People aren't understudies because they are less talented than the leads. Often times I find that the understudies are just as talented and sometimes even better than the person they are standing in for.

For example. Back in 2001 I went to see 42nd Street and was really disappointed to see that there was an understudy on for Peggy Sawyer played by Kate Levering. That understudy was Meredith Patterson and she turned to be outstanding. I went back the next night and saw Kate Levering and she didn't hold a candle to Meredith.

Meredith was a much better singer, actress and dancer. She ended up taking over the role a couple weeks later when Kate Levering left to go do "Thou Shalt Flop."

Updated On: 8/20/07 at 01:24 PM

Just wanted to put a list on here about the understudys and standbys that became stars:

Gary Beach
Shoshana Bean
Megam Hilty
Eden Espinosa
Cheynne Jackson
Laura Bell Bundy
Ann Harada
Jenn Gambatese
Mark Price
Kevin Cahoon
Felicia Finley
Merwin Foard (Who still does understudy and ensemble jobs)
Walter Charles
Bernadette Peters
Sutton Foster
Hunter Foster
Jennifer Cody
Christian Borle
Stephen DeRosa
Michele Pawk
Mary Louise Wilson (Stanby for Rose in Gypsy...I would have loved to have seen that)
Robert Fitch
Norbert Leo Butz
Sara Gettelfinger
Gregory Jbara
Nick Wyman
Walter Bobbie
Richard Gere
Randy Graff

And i'm sure there are many many others!

---

I personally love seeing understudies. I honestly get really excited when I go to a show and there are a handful of names on the board. I have been walking around and seen shows just because there was a particular understudy on. It's just that they usually seem so on top of their game and full of energy giving 200 percent. These people only get to go on every so often, which makes them make each time they do really count. Not that I am saying that standard casts give lackluster and phoned performances; it is just that the understudies will really deliver. Normal players just kind of get in a groove once in a while and just give a....performance.

For example, I saw Avenue Q yesterday and loved seeing Jonthan Root on for Howie Michael Smith in Princeton/Rod, in addition to three other understudies, plus Aymee Garcia [filling for Jenn Barnhart leave of absense]. He was amazing, my favorite P/R. The rest of the cast really stepped up with him and he really energized the show.

*edited to fix bolding*

Updated On: 8/20/07 at 02:38 PM