In theater, what is...?

Question

In theater, what is "swing"? Not the dance, on playbills they say that the swings are...so what are they?

Answer 1

The swings are actors who can cover various minor parts when the actors regularly covering those minor parts are taking a major role for a lead actor, basically. If a major character's actor is ill, a minor character understudying the role fills in, and a swing covers that part. A swing is essentially an understudy's understudy.

Answer 2

On Broadway, a show runs 8 shows each week. But all the performers are not going to perform all of those shows. Usually, all of the performers in their assigned roles perform the bigger shows -- Saturday, Friday, Sunday -- but the actor's union, Equity, has rules governing how many shows an actor can do each week. You can't work an actor to death. So other actors fill in while some actors take days off. They don't necessarily have to be ill in order for someone to step in. I mean, Bernadette Peters is not going to be performing all 8 shows in a week; she will probably have Wednesday matinee and another day off. On those days, her understudy steps in. Understudies on Broadway are guaranteed a certain number of shows each week in their contracts, and if you are at a show and you are told that an understudy is in the role of "_____," you should not be too upset. At the New York level of talent, these are the stars of tomorrow just waiting for their big break. Often, once the star leaves the show to pursue another project, the understudy may step into the role for an extended period of time. I saw a little known understudy in "The Wiz" many years ago who brought down the house; she has since gone on to star in several other musicals on Broadway and now has 2 Tonys! Her name is Lillias White and she was fabulous as Dorothy, in H2S in Business, and in The Life!
Swings are usually understudies for folks in the chorus; so a swing will have to know dance parts and patterns for several people so that chorus members can have days off too. An understudy generally understudies only one role and it is a major or featured role The terms "swing" and understudy" are almost the same except that "swing" is generally used for singing and dancing chorus members, but their responsibilities are the same as an understudy.

Answer 3

Flounder nailed it. Give him best answer.

Marianne