What is an understudy?

Question

In a musical what does it actually mean to be an understudy? What exactly do you do?

Answer 1

To be an understudy means simply that you are the "backup" for the person starring in the role you understudy. In many plays One person may understudy several roles!

You would need to know all the lines and songs and dance steps and even stage business of the regular performer(s) so that you can exactly fill in without throwing the production off.

I just read the Autobiography of Rosalind Russell who recounts the time that the flu was going around during the run of Auntie Mame on Broadway, not only were the Main actors all sick with the flu, but all the Understudies were out with it too! The Producer was looking at not being able to raise the curtain, but Rosalind Russell talked him into contacting the people who were in the Road company preparing to take it on on tour, and they filled in in their street clothes! They had only just been signed, and did NOT know the lines so Russell had to do it all! She would just move everyone around and feed them their lines through the whole play! "Why don't you sit in THAT chair darling! I bet if you were going to ask me a question you would be asking me Where did you buy that coat? Well I bought it at.... Oh I know what you're thinking, you're thinking How one earth can she take care of that little boy, well I will tell you...."
Hilarious!

That is the beauty of Broadway!

AND just so you know these actors ALL started as understudies! Walter Matthau, Joanne Woodward, Kevin spacey, Patricia Neal and Shirley MacLaine. In Fact Shirley Maclaines whole career took off because of ONE PERFORMANCE! She was the understudy for Carol Haney in 1954's "The Pajama game" one night Carol was ill and Shirley replaced her. A movie producer saw the show that night, signed MacLaine to a movie contract and one year later she was starring in Alfred Hitchcocks comedy "The Trouble With Harry"

Its got to be a little hard to BE an understudy, especially when you know that many times people in the audience will be greatly dissapointed to find out that the star you are standing in for is ill, after all some people go to the theater to see the star just as much as they do to see the play, BUT you can win them over very rapidly! Give it your best shot! After all the reason you were CHOSEN to be an understudy is because the producer can actually SEE you in that role!

Answer 2

Understudy Definition

Answer 3

An understudy is an actor who is assigned the responsibility of learning the lines of a particular character (or characters), and also learning the PERFORMANCE of the actor cast in the role...just in case the original actor is forced to miss any performances. If the actor originally cast is unable to go on, the understudy has to be ready to fill in at a moment's notice.

Most theatres that cast understudies schedule special rehearsals in which all of the understudies get a full run-through of the show, so that they can lock in the lines and the movements. In addition, I've worked at theatres where one of the first dress rehearsals is videotaped, so that the understudies can view it at their convenience.

Some theatres guarantee understudies a few performances during the run of the show, which I think is a very fair practice. Being an understudy can be a pretty thankless task, and getting a few opportunities to actually PLAY the show in front of paying audiences makes it much more worthwhile.

Answer 4

Understudy is a theatrical term for someone who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a leading actor or actress in a theatrical play.

Should the lead actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or accident, the understudy takes over the part. Usually, when the understudy takes over, the theater manager will make the announcement prior to the start of the performance.

Several actors made their name in showbusiness by being the understudy of a leading actor and taking the role over for several performances (for example, Anthony Hopkins with Laurence Olivier).

More recently, the term "understudy" has generally only been applied to performers who will cover a part, but still regularly perform in another role within the show, usually a minor, extra role. Actors who are only required to cover a part and do not have their own roles are referred to as "standbys."

What exactly do you do? You learn and rehearse the role, you may also have another small walk on role for most performances.

Answer 5

An understudy is a theatrical term for someone who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a leading actor or actress in a theatrical play. Should the lead actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or accident, the understudy takes over the part. Usually, when the understudy takes over, the theater manager will make the announcement prior to the start of the performance. Several actors made their name in showbusiness by being the understudy of a leading actor and taking the role over for several performances (for example, Anthony Hopkins with Laurence Olivier).

More recently, the term "understudy" has generally only been applied to performers who will cover a part, but still regularly perform in another role within the show, usually a minor, extra role. Actors who are only required to cover a part and do not have their own roles are referred to as "standbys."

In musical theatre, the term swing is often used to refer to a member of the company who understudies several chorus and/or dancing roles.

In the opera world, the term used is cover or covering.

Answer 6

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What is an understudy?
In a musical what does it actually mean to be an understudy? What exactly do you do?

Answer 7

An understudy learns the lines, choreography, and every thing else of a particular charecter, mainly the lead. That way, if something were to happen to the actual lead, they could step right into the role. Also, most of the time they are chorus members, so they still are in the show, even if not as the lead.

Answer 8

An understudy is an actor who replaces the main actor when he/she can't perform on any given night.