Why Standbys?- Page 2

[snowskittle]

Posted: 7/29/09 at 11:48pm

The standbys always go on first. The understudy goes on only if the standby is also unavailable.

[yay_gerb]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:12am

the fact that everyone is saying something different means that it's probably not one of these that are correct. i could depend on the show, it's director, producers, ect. the only thing that made sense to me was what Tag said about the money.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:43am

It all just depends on your contract with the show. Sometimes a standby will go on before an understudy, other times the opposite, depending on the needs of the show and what was worked out in a performer's contract. The only difference between a standby and an understudy is, fundamentally, the understudy plays an ensemble role in the show while the standby doesn't go on stage unless they are playing the role they standby for. The standby doesn't even have to be at the theatre. I know some contracts with performers say they have to come to the theatre, check in, and then are free to leave as long as they stay nearby. Other contracts say they don't have to check in at the theatre, but must be available to be at the theatre within a certain amound of time if called.


Updated On: 7/30/09 at 12:43 AM

[Matteo]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:51am

I know mnay people are against wicked on here, but it's just my example.

In every production, there is an elphaba standby. There is also a glinda standby, but not on the tours. Why would they have a standby for the same role in some places but not others?

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:54am

Hmmm, no idea. Updated On: 7/30/09 at 12:54 AM

[Eris0303]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:56am

I'd have to imagine that it has something to do with travel costs. Why pay to house and feed someone you may not really need? That's just my guess anyway

[kryst22]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 12:59am

Wicked tour definitely has standbys. There's been a few instances in the First National Tour where they've had to bring in people from the other companies to fill in during extensive injuries. I believe Kristy Cates was one example.

On Broadway I know when Eddie got injured for a few months they brought in another boy ensemble member from the Chicago cast to fill in for awhile. So basically, if you're in one of the Wicked productions you can be liable to shift companies if need be. That hasn't happened in the past year, though.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:04am

The Wicked tour does not have a standby for Glinda, but they do for Elphaba.

Yes, sometimes they have to pull former cast members or members from other companies to fill roles if something "unexpected" happens. Most recently this happened with the tour of "Legally Blonde" when they got LBB to alternate with the understudy and "Wicked" in San Francisco when they got Dee R. to fill in for two weeks while the standby was on vacation.

Updated On: 7/30/09 at 01:04 AM

[snowskittle]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:07am

"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."



Actually, Winston has it almost compeletely backwards. The standby is definitely NOT the last resort. They are the first resort. Standbys always have priority over understudies. They always go on first if the principal is out and they may go on for an extended period of time if the principal is sick or on vacation. Apart from that, they are backstage or very near the theater with a pager. And they get paid more for every performance in which they do go on, in addition to their regular salary just for their availbility. Standbys also only perform one role. Aside from that, they are not onstage until they are needed.

Understudies are usually ensemble members who get moved up to a principal position only if both the principal AND the standby are incapacitated or unavailable for a performance. In some shows, they understudy for 2 principal roles in addition to their regular performances in the ensemble. If they do get called to perform a principal role, one of the swings moves in to take over their emsemble part.

Most shows only have understudies who are normally in the emsemble cast, and swings which are backstage but know all the emsemble roles.

Only a few shows, usually those with very demanding vocal roles (such as Wicked) have standbys and only for the most important parts (usually just Elphabah, but sometimes Glinda too has a standby)

In some ways, the standby is a step up from understudy in the sense that their name is listed on the program and on the website just under or after the principals names and before the emsemble members. Understudies are just listed as part of the emsemble.

Also, occasionally an understudy will be permanently promoted to standby or a standby promoted to principal, but it doesn't go the other way...at least as far as I've ever known. Principals don't get demoted to standby and standbys don't become understudies.

Sometimes the standbys go on a lot, as was the case when Teal Wicks had an extended absence of many weeks, and is still not quite doing full time yet. (I don't think) Her standby, Vicki Noon, has gone on nearly as much as she has.

At other times, the standys hardly ever go on if the principal is very healthy and never has to call out. In this case the understudy rarely or never goes on. Anne Brummel, the understudy in the 2nd Wicked tour, has not gone on yet, for instance.

And if a show has both understudies and standbys they don't rotate or take turns. The only time this happens is when there are two understudies and no standby, in which case the understudies usually alternate. Otherwise, it is always the standby that goes on.

I don't know how the pay scale is for standby vs understudy, but they do get paid extra whenever they do perform the principal role.

I kind of think it would be wise to have the standbys do a couple of shows a week on a regular basis...maybe 2 matinees. So many of the actresses who have played Elphabah have ended up with serious vocal problems that it would seem a smart move to give them a break and also give the standbys a chance to perform regularly. But I guess the producers don't see it that way.

Hope this clears up some of the confusion.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:16am

In regards to the whole Wicked tour standbys (Elphaba having one, but Galinda not having one), I would imagine that has a lot to do with the score. Galinda's music is definitely challenging, but if a girl is well-trained they can maintain their voice while doing it 8 times a week.

Elphaba's songs were clearly written by a sadist (yes, I said it, Schwartz). All that high belting takes its toll on a LOT of actresses.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:16am

As I said before, a lot of "who goes on first" is worked out in ones contract and doesn't necessarily have to do with the title understudy or standby. Sometimes it just depends on the needs of the show, and how many times the understudy or standby has already performed the role. I know Natalie D. is the standby for Glinda in the SF production of "Wicked", but also is the understudy for Nessa. Since the principal actor who plays Glinda (Kendra K.) is going on Vacation next month, Natalie (standby) and the understudy (Alexa Green, who has never performed the role before) will alternate performances.

[snowskittle]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 1:49am

I don't know what's going on with the SF Glinda but if the standby and understudy are alternating, that would be very unusual. Way out of the norm for Wicked at least.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 2:24am

snowskittle-
Not out of the norm at all. Kristy Cates went on as Elphaba several times during her stint with the original cast, while Shoshana Bean was the understudy.

And I am fairly sure that Jenna Leigh Green was also the standby to Stephanie J. Block while playing Nessarose on the tour, but Maria Eberline (I think?) went on several times.

Lisa Brescia definitely didn't play all of Stephanie J. Block's missed performances.

Like I said earlier, after a standby or understudy plays a certain number of performances in a row, Equity requires them to be promoted to the role full-time. I can't remember the story now, but it's happened in the past. While they don't always trade off (They didn't when Eden was the standby) they typically do.

[TheatreDork2]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 2:52am

The tour didn't have a standby until after Jenna Leigh Green left.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:08am

I don't want to venture too far into the fray or rehash, but a few things that I wanted to toss in --


1.) If a role has a stand-by and an understudy, the stand-by will generally be put on first since that is the entire POINT of their employment.

2.) A person in the ensemble can understudy up to three seperate principal tracks, per AEA rules. A stand-by may also serve as understudy for a role or two (IE, in Hairspray, the Edna stand-by was understudy to Wilbur and the Male Authority Figure.. In Hairspray Las Vegas, the Tracy stand-by understudied the Female Authority Figure.. In Wicked, several Elphaba stand-bys have understudied Nesssarose.

3.) A production can also employ a "General Understudy" which is basically the same type of a thing as a stand-by, but they may understudy up to 5 roles.

4.) If a stand-by or understudy goes on in a role, they are paid 1/8 of their salary (equal to one performance's pay) on top of their standard weekly salary.

5.) A show is not allowed to cut cast members, but they can ADD people, or 'tracks' to the production, as Wicked did in adding stand-bys.

6.) An understudy (whether it be one understudy or multiple understudies) can only perform a role for two consecutive weeks while credited as an understudy. Past those 16 performances, there must technically be a "replacement" for that role. That may be the understudy continuing on in the role, while a swing fills their ensemble track, but the actir must be credited in the Playbill as having assumed the role full time and a new actor must be hired for the duration (for example, a vacation swing).

7.) Stage Management, for better or worse, gets final say on who will go on as a cover for a role. The person must be prepared and able to perform. If they aren't, they won't be sent on.. unless it is an extreme emergency.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:19am

Awe, remember when the understudy for Glinda in WICKED was out and Kristin C. was sick, but Laura BB went on vacation without telling anyone and that forced the very sick Kristin to go on....good times.

[TheatreDork2]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:30am

The understudy wasn't just out, she had a mild stroke! Kristin wasn't sick she was on vicodin for a neck injury & had to perform high off her a**.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:32am

Didn't they fire/fine LBB and ban her from being a part of WICKED ever again?

[TheatreDork2]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:37am

She was FIRED!

[kryst22]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 3:38am

I kinda wish this was like Yahoo answers when you can just be like "Question Answered! No more thread!"

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 7:40am

"Here is the order:

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

Wicked on Broadway has a Glinda Standby and 2 understudies (who rotate in the role)(if they ever get to go on since Alli hardly ever misses))

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 8:20am

This thread is going in circles, because the same questions are repeated.

However, I will say, I've learned some cool information from broadwayguy2.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 10:54am

FlyingMonkey-
TheatreDork2 is correct. I was there for that performance.

[ravnquest1]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 11:28am

Updated On: 6/17/17 at 11:28 AM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/30/09 at 11:37am

Didn't they fire/fine LBB and ban her from being a part of WICKED ever again?

That depends on who you ask. There are many variations to this story, and as you can imagine, no one will ever know the truth.