when there is an unexpected understudy for the lead

I would have turned in my tickets. I have tickets for both Gentleman's Guide and Hamilton in October and my biggest fear is that Mays or Lin-Manuel Miranda will be sick or something and not appearing. Usually I'm okay with understudies, but there are just certain shows I have to see with a particular performer. When I saw In the Heights and found out that Lin-Manuel was sick and replaced by an understudy, I exchanged my tickets for another night. And I'm so glad I did, because he's an amazing performer, so I definitely want to see him in Hamilton. In the case of Jefferson Mays, my mom saw him and came home raving about his performance, and now she's actually going with me to see it again (mostly because of him), so I definitely want to see him in the role.

So to answer your question, if the lead is part of the attraction, I don't see a reason to see it without him/her. It's like going to a concert for a singer you like and having someone else step in. That said, there aren't a lot of performers I would make this decision for.

The truth is: you might not have liked it WITH Mays.

There are very few understudies I've been disappointed with. I've have never gotten a refund due to an understudy...and honestly can't imagine ever doing so. If I like the show well enough, I might go back a second time, but that's it.

Updated On: 6/28/15 at 12:39 PM

I never really care if I get an understudy, BUT if I came to a show specifically for 1 person and they are not there....I would absolutely turn around. I've been very lucky to never have that experience, but I would without a doubt leave if I came for 1 specific person and the tickets were pricey. If the tickets weren't that bad of a cost, then I would just see the understudy and come back again.

When I saw Pippin the first time, Patina Miller called out, (it was her first ever call out of the show) and I got her understudy. I was very disappointed and thought of leaving, but the ticket wasn't that much and knew I could just do rush or something and come back. So I went back two more times!

More often than not, I stay. I did exchange my tickets - a few times - when Chita was out of, Edwin Drood, but that was the exception.

More often than not, its been fine, even an exciting event (Richard Burton stepping in at Equus before his scheduled run). On a few occasions, the understudy was a huge disappointment.

Mr. Mays was wonderful. Gentleman's Guide suffers from their publicity. It isn't hysterical. Its silly light comedy. Very enjoyable if you don't expect a laugh riot, which it is not.

I wouldn't give up my tickets for Hamilton if there was an understudy (I don't live in NY, so it'd be hard to reschedule), I'd just be bummed.

You simply don't know if you are going to see something exceptional in an understudy's performance or not (then again, you simply don't know if the quantity you think of as known, the star, is going to be exceptional either.... even if you have admired that performer before).

The only sure thing is that sometimes if you stay you might see something you will never forget as long as you live; and, on those occasions, you will thank yourself for not having traded in those tickets.

For me the most recent thrilling example is when I saw Tari Kelly go on for Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. Kelly was sensational.

Now, please, someone give her a lead in a show worthy of her talent!

Another recent example: when I stayed and saw Nick Lehane masterfully go on for Michael Cera in This is Our Youth.

I saw GG with Jeff and Bryce and still didn't like the show

For me, it's essentially hit or miss when it comes to an understudy. However,I honestly think that a customer deserves a refund if one of the leading actors is out unless that information is available ahead of time. You are paying to see the show that has the cast that is advertised online and in the press for the show. I would definitely see Gentleman's Guide with understudies, as I personally don't think it'd have much of an effect on the show. But if you're solely going for the novelty of seeing Mays than obviously don't see it if he's out.

The only time I ever gave tickets back was for Cats when Betty Buckley was out. I was going to see HER so there was no point otherwise.

I saw GG and didn't love it even WITH the leads.

I saw If/Then (which I loved with Idina) with Jackie Burns as the understudy and I LOVED it.

I also saw Drood with understudies for both Chita and Stephanie J. Block and loved it also.

"We bought tickets several months ago for Gentleman's Guide, this past Friday, June 26. When we got to the theatre we learned that Jefferson Mays was out. We debated turning in our tickets, but in the end decided not to, since this was already our second attempt at seeing the show (had to sell tickets to an earlier performance due to a business trip) and it likely would have been several months before we could get back in"

I will say that Jefferson has been out for quite some time and will continue to be out as he is nursing an injury. I thought the understudy was great, but the show was not my favorite from last season's shows in general.

So in terms of this particular situation, even if you were able to come back quickly, there would be no guarantee that he would be on as this wasn't a single instance absence. (He's been out since at least Tony weekend)

It's a tricky situation for me. When I pay student prices, I do not mind an understudy. I love going to shows for understudies, like Jackie Burns first full perf as Elizabeth in If/Then. If it's only ~$30, I never mind.

But then, last year my grandma and I had premium seats to Beautiful (the most expensive seats I have ever sat in, and I paid full price for BOM), and I was thinking on the way in how angry I would be if Jessie was out. She wasn't, but it was funny how that one time I truly thought about who was in or out.

Interesting thing about BEAUTIFUL: Once Jesse Mueller departed, the show seems to be one that doesn't require a particular performance to sell tickets. The brand, like JERSEY BOYS and MAMA MIA, sells itself. Everyone wanted to see Mueller while she was in it, but the show is actually proving an opportunity for (relative) unknowns, not a piece that will require a known performer to work. Remember all the speculation about who might replace Mueller? It didn't really matter. It's the opposite of IF/THEN, which I still say will have a difficult time without Menzel.