Why Standbys?

1. Standbys are employed when a role is found to be particularly challenging. The standby is thus prepared to take on this role at any given moment, up to full standards.

2. EDIT: More specifically, the swing is mainly employed to cover ensemble tracks...but there are times when swings have been first understudies. I apologize for giving misinformation.

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Updated On: 7/29/09 at 10:36 PM

Wasn't Will Chase a standby for Adam Pascal in Aida as well? I never understood that one... It's not dance/stunt-heavy and the costumes and makeup aren't a hindrance.

In some shows they have slightly ridiculous understudy systems. Like for Hair, Saycon is usually the u/s who goes on for Dionne, which means Nicole plays Saycon's track, which means a swing plays Nicole's track. It's essentially 3 people on to cover one absent cast member...

From what I know, a standby goes on before an understudy.

Understudies go on before standbys. Basically the job of a standby is to hang out at the theatre every performance and literally be on standby in case of emergency like what happened at idina's second to last show. The understudy goes on goes on if the actor is sick or calls out a performance.

A show would only use a standby as a last resort. Or if the lead is on vacation the standby and the understudy might rotate until the lead comes back.

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Here is the order:

1. Standby
2. First Understudy
3. Second Understudy (although usually when there is a standby, there is no second understudy).

In the case of a vacation, the standby will usually be pre-scheduled to perform all of the performances. However, in the case of a prolonged absence (such as Stephanie J. Block's during Spring 2008 from Wicked), the standby will perform the majority of the performances and the understudy will be given some opportunities to perform.

When there is no standby and only two understudies, the first understudy may either take on entire vacations, or they may split the vacation between the understudies (usually this will happen early in a run).

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Winston89- If that is true, why is it that during like a 3 day period when Nicole was out sick, her stand-by was on all three nights? I genuinely do not understand how these things work haha.

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Standbys have priority over understudys.

With the case of Eyedina and Shoshana, Shoshana was supposed to take over the role two days later, se technically she just started early. Standbys do go on before the understudy. Understudys already have a track they perform in the ensamble, and if they perform as say elphaba, they have to bring someone in to fill that track, it's much easier to have a standby go on.

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When an understudy is an ensemble member and they have to go on a swing has to step in to take their role and can upset the "balance". But having a standby go on means no one else has to be moved around thus keeping the same dynamic as when the lead goes on. IMO that's what makes having a standby so attractive. Sometimes if someone is playing a different part than they usually do it can lead another performer to say the wrong line because they're used to speaking to this actor in their other role.

I don't think I explained myself that well so here's an example I, personally, witnessed. At a performance of Grease Derek Keeling was out so Matt Hydzik was on as Danny. This was after Matt Saldivar left but before Ace Young came in so Matt Hydzik had been playing Keniecke. José Restrepo, who usually played Sonny, went on as Keniecke and Keven Quillon, swing and dance captain, went on as Sonny. That's a LOT of shifting around and during the second act Janine Davita, Rizzo, flubbed a line. She was speaking to Danny but said a line she usually says to Keniecke.

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Great article Gobstopper --- loved the quotes from Lisa Brescia and the understudies at Spelling Bee haha

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The standby is nearly always first, however there is a rule in Equity stating that if a person plays a role for a specfic number of performances, they must be promoted to the role full time. So, if someone is out for an extended amount of time, they'll rotate out the other understudies.

And, in some cases the swing that covers the role will be more likely to go on. To the best of my knowledge Jay A. Johnston has gone on for Gavin Creel more times than Paris Remillard, who is in the ensemble.

Honestly, I think it changes company to company.


All three leads in Aida (Aida, Radames, and Amneris) had standbys.
Not all of them.

When it opened, the only standbys were Thursday Farrar (Aida) and Neal Benari (Pharoah/Zoser).

Later, some of the other performers had standbys. I don't think Sherie Rene Scott ever did, and I don't think Idina Menzel did. I'm also fairly sure that Will Chase didn't have a standby.

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Also shows might have standbys because there isn't someone in the ensemble that fits the appearance, age, etc. of the part. An example would be that they had a standby for Tracy in Hairspray because there was no one else in the ensemble that would be the right build for the part. Now there was an understudy for Tracy in the ensemble but they would put them in a fat suit and padding so they didn't come across as well. Another example would be Professor Porter in Tarzan and Kerchak. Those roles had standbys because there wasn't anyone in the ensemble that was old enough to pass for those roles. Just basic things like that