1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to stuff you should know a production of I 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hey hey, yeah, and welcome to with the podcast. 3 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: Hey yeah, let's go. I'm Josh, and there's Chuck and 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: Jerry's here and this is the podcast toda. What is 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: that all about? That was my impression of Broadway. Oh, 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: I thought that was your understudy, Matt Frederick. I could 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: see that Frederick doing the same thing. I didn't know 8 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: he was my understudy. Is that right? Is he my successor? Now? 9 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: Of course not, there was no successor Ben bowling his 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: mind on April Fool's Day. Yeah, that was a good one. 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: But we know that wouldn't fly. No, he got we 12 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: loved then. Yeah, of course we don't want to put 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: him in that situation. How interesting update. So I was 14 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: just looking, Josh. The reason I thought to do a 15 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: podcast on understudies is twofold. I was in New York 16 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 1: recently and I went to Broadway and saw Neil Simon's 17 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: Plaza Suite with s JP and Matthew Broderick in the 18 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: lead roles there, and that together the first time they 19 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: have shared the Broadway stage in a couple of decades, 20 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: and I think their first lead performances opposite one another 21 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: real life husband and wife and it was great and 22 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,919 Speaker 1: we had a great time. And uh, two things happened 23 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,119 Speaker 1: on that trip. Want to hung out with Joey cra 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: Are good friend, and Joey was talking about his friend 25 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: who was a understudy in Hamilton's I believe the touring 26 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: production but maybe not. Who knew like six different parts 27 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 1: that this gentleman could sub ind for and we talked 28 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: a lot about that. Now I was kind of blown 29 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: away and it got me thinking about understudies. But then 30 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: right after we left New York, Matthew Broderick got COVID 31 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: just a week or and a half or two weeks 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: into his run because we saw the last preview and 33 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: his un or study took over. In a play that 34 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: is almost just two people, everyone's going to see this 35 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: real life husband and wife on stage, so when the 36 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: understudy comes on, it's not great. But I was just 37 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: looking to see if I could find his name. And 38 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: as of like three days ago, a s JP now 39 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: has COVID, so they have just canceled through. Uh when 40 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: they're better, which is like another week or so, which 41 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: is something you know that the show must go on. 42 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: Is the sort of line and Broadway, and that is 43 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: the whole idea of the understudy is that if someone 44 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: is sick or stubs their toe or falls off the stage, 45 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: there is someone else there that knows the part that 46 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: can immediately step in and play this part um ideally 47 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: close to identically as the as the lead or you know, 48 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: even if it's not the lead, any any part. Yeah, 49 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: I saw, I put that understudies or the insurance policies 50 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: make sure the show will go on right. But after 51 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: reading this and Olivia, who did our Unsung Heroes of 52 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: the Court, she got another Unsung Heroes of Broadway article here, uh, 53 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: understudies and standbys and the swing, and we'll talk about 54 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: what all these terms mean. They are truly heroes because 55 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: it is astounding what they are tasked to be able 56 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 1: to do right. Like true, they don't save people's lives 57 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: or they don't you know, learn proprities or anything like that, 58 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: but they are they are heroes in their own way. 59 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: They're certainly the hardest working people in show business if 60 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: you ask me. Yeah, And and it will become clear 61 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: why because you might just think what you learn a 62 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: part and if someone goes down, you do that part. 63 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: Oh hang, onto your hats. It is much more than that, 64 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: yeah hang on to you, Yeah, I got You're about 65 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: to make a joke. So um. So we are talking understudies, 66 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: and most people check think that when you're talking about 67 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: an understudy, it is like you said, you just you 68 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: know a part and if, if some if the star 69 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: goes down, you fill in. And it's a pretty thrilling idea, 70 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:09,119 Speaker 1: like you know, somebody getting their shot at a big 71 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: break after sitting in the sidelines. Um, and it can 72 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: be it can be very um aptly compared to that 73 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: backup quarterback who literally is sitting on the sidelines and 74 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: they get their chance and they show like what a 75 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: great job they're doing. On Broadway, there's the same thing, 76 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: and that is the understudy. But there's a bunch of 77 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 1: different kinds of understudies, and the one that most people 78 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: think of is actually called a standby, which is where 79 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: you are the person who knows every single word movement, dialogue, song, um, 80 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: blocking que that the lead of that play knows, and 81 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: so if that that lead goes down, then you stand in. 82 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: But you can go potentially years without ever getting that call, 83 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: like over over the run of a place, a multi 84 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: years run it will play. You might be on stage 85 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: a handful of times because you're that's your job. Is 86 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: that specific. You You've got one role and you're filling 87 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: in for one part only on the basis of some 88 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: accident or unforeseeable circumstances happened to the lead, so you 89 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: have to step in. That's what most people think of 90 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: as an understudy, but in reality, that's actually the job 91 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: of the standby, right, and the standby you know, if 92 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: it's like in the case of Plaza Suite, where it 93 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: is largely two people on stage at all times you 94 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: need another, it's it's probably not going to be some 95 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: unknown that's gonna be the standby for either s JP 96 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: or m b uh. And in this case I did 97 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: find his name. His name is Michael McGrath. And Michael 98 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: McGrath is a very He's won a Tony Award. He's 99 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: a very sort of renowned old school I think five 100 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 1: or six years older than Broadwerick even uh Broadway guy. 101 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: So in a situation like this, you have a heavy 102 00:05:56,080 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: hitter on standby that is um just hoping that Matthew 103 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: Broderick gets food poisoning or COVID, right, so he can 104 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: step in there. Uh, And I looked up Sarah Jessica 105 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: Parker has an understudy too, and it's kind of a 106 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: shame that they canceled. But in the case of that, 107 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, you have to make a call as a production, 108 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: and when it's your two lead stars and in a 109 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: play of two, uh, it's probably the right call to 110 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: go ahead and cancel that because what you don't want 111 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: to deal with is a lot of, as you'll see, 112 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: unhappy ticket buyers, which happens exactly. So that's a standby, right, 113 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: And that's they're what the New York Times called the 114 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: most elite type of understudy. Again, that's what I always 115 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: thought was an understudy. But an understudy, it turns out, 116 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: is somebody who is part of the cast who goes 117 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: on usually night after night, well Kenny, but not always okay, 118 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: But they are also ready to fill into one or 119 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: more roles, usually a principal role. That's the understudy. Whereas 120 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,559 Speaker 1: standby is like you might not even be in the theater, 121 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: but you're on call every time that show is on, 122 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: and you are expected to be within five minute run 123 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: or drive to the theater so you can get there 124 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: because something has gone horribly wrong, and understudy is somebody 125 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: that's that has a much more frequently attached position at 126 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: the theater, and usually it's a role in the ensemble cast. Yeah, 127 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: I think they're usually in the cast. I don't think 128 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: it has to be a lot of this is determined, 129 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: as we'll see, by the Actor's Union for Broadway, which 130 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: actor's equity and the deals they work out with producers. 131 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 1: But before you get to those specifics, you also have 132 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: your swing. And this is what Joey's friend would be. 133 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: A swing can cover a lot of different roles, and 134 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: a swing might be like a performer in the chorus, 135 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: but can jump up there and play Hamilton's or Jefferson 136 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: or Burr at any and this this dude could do that. Uh. 137 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: It is one of the more impressive things to accomplish, 138 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: I think, because you know all these parts, you know 139 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: all the songs, like you said, you know all the 140 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: choreography and the blocking. You've got to know, as Olivia 141 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: points out, something you don't even think about, which is 142 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: um between between sets. I have to go back and 143 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: I gotta know what costume I'm supposed to be in, 144 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: and who to talk to, who has that costume? Like, 145 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: you've got to know every single part to be able 146 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: to seamlessly transition so that no one, I mean they 147 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: know because they announced, like you know, in the role 148 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 1: of for Matthew Broderick tonight, the understudy will be performing 149 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: and the collective's grown. But uh, had had it not 150 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: be for that announcement, in a regular understudy role, you 151 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: shouldn't be able to tell the difference, No, because it's 152 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: not it's not the star, it's not the lead necessarily right, 153 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: Just yeah, you you would never know. But that is 154 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: something with the swing. So like, um, they might know 155 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: anywhere between five to a dozen of those roles, and 156 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: like you were saying, each of those roles has different 157 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: costume changes, different choreography, different um, different words to to 158 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: say or sing like, and they know all of those 159 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: inside and out. And when you start to understand what 160 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: a swing does, then you start to get what I 161 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: was saying earlier that they are probably the hardest working 162 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: people in show business because and on any given night, 163 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: they're ready to go at a moment's notice to to 164 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: do those roles, um at the drop of a hat. 165 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: And and it's because they've worked so hard up to 166 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: that point. And keep working too. It's not like there's 167 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: a time where you can stop and relax. As long 168 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: as the show is running um over the course of weeks, months, years, 169 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: however long it goes, you have to You have to 170 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:44,719 Speaker 1: basically keep your engine revving, ready to to put it 171 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: in to drive all of a sudden, peel out on 172 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: the stage, lay rubber from the wings. That's how they 173 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: always put it in in the acting world. So that's 174 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: the understudy standbys and the swings are also alternates UH. 175 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: And this is someone who is scheduled to take the 176 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: place of one of the actors in that you might 177 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: be in UH Chicago for a three year run and 178 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: you're like, I don't do the matinees anymore. We have 179 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: an alternate that does my matinees. Everyone knows this going in. 180 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: It's not like a sickness or anything happened, or an 181 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 1: injury happened. Tickets half price, UH. So I mentioned the 182 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: the Actor's Equity UH and the Broadway producers. They work 183 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: through these contracts just like they would with UH SAG 184 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: or the Writer's Guild with film and television, and it's 185 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: all you know, you don't have a choice on Broadway 186 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: of how many understudies and standbys and swing that you hire. 187 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: It's all sort of contractual. You have to hire and 188 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: understudy for every single role except for bit players and 189 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: in some case stars. Uh. In the case of Plaza Suite, 190 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: of course they had understudies. But if it's a one 191 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: person show, you're not gonna throw an understudy up there 192 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: because it's it's really about that one person's Like, there 193 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:06,120 Speaker 1: may be some leeway there according to like the production 194 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: and how they run it, but you're not required to 195 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: understudy the star. Yeah. They also, um probably, well, they 196 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: don't necessarily need to hire understudies if it's a limited 197 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: run show, like for a few weeks or more. Um. 198 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: Anything beyond that though, they probably will need to hire understudies, 199 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: right or if it's off Broadway or in you know, 200 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: a third area, uh stage theater, it's all bets are off. 201 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: You can do whatever you want. Yeah, you're smart hire understudies, 202 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: so yeah, for sure. Um. One of the other things too, 203 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: is that you start to get into logistics because if 204 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: you're working with understudies and they have a regular role 205 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: in the ensemble, if the lead that the understudy is 206 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 1: working under falls ill or sprains their ankle or whatever happens. 207 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 1: Believe me, a lot of stuff happens on Broadway. Um, 208 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: that understudy is no longer filling that role in the ensemble, 209 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 1: which means now you've got to go to your swings 210 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: and does that swing have anything else that they were 211 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: doing that you need to bring another swing. And suddenly, 212 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: like like like ups route in the middle of a blizzard, 213 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 1: It's like my nightmare. Logistics is like, I those are 214 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: the true heroes. To me, you say understudies are true heroes. 215 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: I think logisticians who deliver things are like reroute planes. 216 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,679 Speaker 1: I think they're the true hero is because I could 217 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: not do it. Yeah, and in the case of like 218 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: a Hamilton's or a bigger show with a bunch of 219 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,079 Speaker 1: people that are singing and dancing, if you have a 220 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: a flu that sweeps through you know, let's talk pre 221 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: COVID and we'll get to what COVID did to Broadway. 222 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: But you know, a flu that sweeps through the cast 223 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 1: and like three people go down in a week. It's 224 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 1: a jinga game as a production because like you said, 225 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: you're pulling people from one role to another. Then he'll 226 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: fools that who feels that role then who feels that role? 227 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: And all of a sudden you're looking at the stage 228 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: hand and you're going, can you dance? All right? Have 229 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: you been attention? Rip off of their norm core outfit, 230 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden they're wearing a tight fitting 231 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: tuxedo and soft shoes underneath. It's so good, What a 232 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: what a story. So let's go back to talking about logisticians. Okay, 233 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 1: but there's an equation, Chuck, that these producers and the 234 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,599 Speaker 1: director and everybody, Although I think it's probably up to 235 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 1: the producers are making. When you start to go down 236 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: the list and you're moving everybody around, Eventually you get 237 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: to a point where the show or the cast doesn't 238 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: really resemble the cast that the people coming to see 239 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 1: the show are are coming to see. And after a 240 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: certain point, it's probably like, um, people are so many 241 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: people are gonna ask for a refund or some partial 242 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: refund or something that you're better off just giving everybody 243 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: some time off and just you know, canceling the show 244 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: for a day or two. Yeah, you know those uh, 245 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:53,559 Speaker 1: I mean, Livia came up with some great examples over 246 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: the years of like when multiple people go down in 247 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: there was a cold on this out of Falsettos and 248 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: the lead role Stephanie J Block's roll of Trino went down, 249 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: understudy went down, and then there was a swing. Stephanie 250 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: umo u m o h um, covering different roles, had 251 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: to take the stage in the lead with a two 252 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 1: and a half hour lead time and apparently had to 253 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: even use the script on stage, but got a bunch 254 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: of um support in cheers from the audience, which, um, 255 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: you know, like we said, audiences can be unkind. But 256 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: my experience with Broadway is that theatergoers are understand this 257 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 1: stuff and try to be supportive when something like this happens, 258 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: even though they're expectations in their hopes maybe a bit dashed. 259 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: Like Livia talks about people booing and stuff like that. 260 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: I wouldn't like to think that happened. I'm sure it has, 261 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: but they're all from jersey Bridge and Tunnel Baby. Uh. Generally, 262 00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: I think there are more stories of people trying to 263 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: port the people on stage then go ah, what is this? 264 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: I want my money back? Yeah, like clapping for the 265 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: person who has to use the script because they're so unprepared. 266 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: That's a very meta modernist response to that. Let's take 267 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: a break. Okay, then we'll come back and talk about 268 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: what kind of money these people make right after this 269 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: and things chop and chock stop. Okay, we're back, everybody, 270 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: and we are back to talk about moolaw Somolians, cash, clamp, lettuce, cabbage, Uh, 271 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: what else? What are the kids saying these days? Bread? Yeah, 272 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: they're bringing dead back, aren't they do? I think it's dough. 273 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: I can't remember money. We'll say cheese, all right. Uh. 274 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: If you are a understudy again with the with the unions, 275 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: all of this stuff is um is prescribed how much 276 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: you're gonna get paid um, even if you don't take 277 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 1: the stage. It's not like there's like, well you're the understudy, 278 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: you didn't ever make it to the main stage, so 279 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: you get a pay cut. That is not the case. 280 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: You get a minimum as a Broadway performer. Uh. And 281 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: this was as maybe a little bit different now. I'm 282 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: not sure if they renegotiate it since then, but two 283 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: thousand thirty four dollars a week on an actor's equity 284 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: contract on Broadway. Yeah, and so some people who are 285 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 1: in the cast every night, in the ensemble, who have 286 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: who go on stage every night, may actually make less 287 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: than a swing who doesn't go on at all. And 288 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: if you stop and think about it, that actually makes 289 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 1: a lot more sense because that one person who's going 290 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: on every night in the ensemble knows what's going to 291 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: happen that night. They get a chance to like create 292 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: their character and like rehearse and understand it. And as 293 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,440 Speaker 1: we'll see, like understudies, swings they don't get those kind 294 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 1: of opportunities, and yet they're expected to know not just 295 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: one role, but eight roles and be ready to go on. 296 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,679 Speaker 1: So it makes a lot more sense. And frankly, I 297 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: think they deserve even more money than they get because 298 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: of the requirements of their job. But why would a 299 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: swing make more We didn't even say because they have 300 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: to understand and practice and rehearse for more parts. Well, 301 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: they get paid more. We never even said that, right, 302 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,199 Speaker 1: Swings are in additional pay bumps. Oh, I'm sorry, I 303 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: thought that. I thought that we had kind of established 304 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: that in some way shape or form. No, no, no, no, no. 305 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: Your minimum is two thousand, thirty four dollars a week, 306 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: and if you were a swing or an understudy, you 307 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: make pay bumps. On top of that, swings get a 308 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: hundred and one dollars and seventy cents, or fifteen dollars 309 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: if you're a partial swing and an understudy of a 310 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: principal role gets an additional fifty four dollars and fifty 311 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: cents or understudying ensemble and extra fifteen dollars. Right, So 312 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: take take take what I was saying before, and now 313 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: move it to to like right here, because it will 314 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 1: make more sense now that I've said that. But you 315 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: can understand I think that it's I think you should 316 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: get a bump for every role that you have, not 317 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 1: just a bump for having multiple roles. You know, well, yeah, 318 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:37,159 Speaker 1: it'd be great, like if you are a swing for 319 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: like six rolls, Yeah, you'd be like a hundred bucks 320 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 1: a people don't don't put me on stage, give me 321 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: another role instead. There. I'm sure we have Broadway understudies 322 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: listening there. They're probably like, hey, let's get Josh in 323 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: there from this next union negotiation. Yeah, give me a 324 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,119 Speaker 1: cigar and like an ill fitting vest and I'll roll 325 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 1: up my shirt sleeves and get down to business. Because 326 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 1: you're probably the only person that's ever asked for that. 327 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: Like I'm a genius. I just came just give them 328 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: more money. Uh, if you're preparing for this, I mean there. 329 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: You know, depending on who you are as an actor, 330 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: you're gonna have different ways of preparing period. Uh. And 331 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: Livia found some good examples of what some people have done. Uh. 332 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: There was an actor named j. Douglas in two thousand seven, 333 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:25,439 Speaker 1: a member of Drowsy Chaperone, because that's a laugh out 334 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: loud Broadway title, it is. Uh. He covered two ensemble 335 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: actors and stand by, uh in a standby for four principles. 336 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 1: So that's a lot of work. And Douglas would sit 337 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: in the audience at least you know initially, and sit 338 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: there with a with a recorder and quietly record all 339 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: the movements and then go home and transcribe this stuff 340 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: and then just study, study, study, basically. Yeah, that's one 341 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: high stress job court stenographer colliding with another high stress 342 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: job of understudy or swing, you know the job. So 343 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 1: Jay Douglas um would would take all those notes and 344 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: and create basically like a dossier on each of the 345 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:12,679 Speaker 1: characters he was expected to fill in for. And so 346 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: if you got enough notice, he could like consult the 347 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: dossier and you know, refresh his memory of it, like 348 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:22,280 Speaker 1: if you're an ensemble actor or even a lead like 349 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: you probably have one script and that's all you need. 350 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: This this like like Jay Douglas and others would have 351 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 1: like multiple scripts and multiple like workups or write ups 352 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: on their on their different characters that in and of 353 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: itself differentiates them to an astounding degree totally. UM. And 354 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: then you know, besides just learning the stuff all the 355 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: things that we talked about, UM, sometimes it's different accents 356 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: you know that you have to do and kind of 357 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 1: bounce between. You also have to be in in broadway shape. 358 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: And uh, Livia found the example of uh, he's either 359 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: loquette or Looquette Charnell Pringle who was a swing on 360 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: Mrs doubt Fire, who, aside from learning all these parts 361 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: over and over again, uh, in her mind was like 362 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: you know, doing PT and like physical training and doing 363 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 1: voice work because you have to keep in physical shape 364 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: and you have to keep your voice ready for that 365 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 1: kind of stamina that it takes because you may may 366 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: not just be a single performance. You may have to 367 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: step in for a week or more, or you may 368 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: eventually become that part. Yeah, that's the thing we'll talk about. 369 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 1: But there is a possibility that you could end up 370 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: like permanently in that role if if things work out 371 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: in your favor. You gotta have your your toolbox ready right. 372 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: One of the things I said is, I don't want 373 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: to make it seem like it's easy to be an 374 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,960 Speaker 1: ensemble member of a Broadway show. It's that this is 375 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: the point. It's really really hard, stressful, anxiety inducing work 376 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,919 Speaker 1: to do that, And it's work like it's definitely craft 377 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: and the people who do this love what they're doing, 378 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: but it's also like really hard work. Um. What I'm 379 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: saying is that if you are an ensemble or a 380 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,640 Speaker 1: principle and you go out there every night, you have 381 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: all sorts of benefits of developing your character just through 382 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: sheer repetition over time, learning the learning everything. So it's 383 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,960 Speaker 1: it's like wrote, Um, the people who work as under 384 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: studies and swings, they don't get that. They very frequently 385 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: will have not actually done any sort of real rehearsal 386 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: before they might be pushed out on stage and asked 387 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: to go ahead and deliver a performance that's on caliber 388 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 1: with whoever it is they're replacing, even though they've never 389 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: actually rehearsed that kind of thing. Yeah, I mean, if 390 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: you are a principle standby, then chances are they call 391 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: it a put in. Chances are you have rehearsed with 392 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: the main cast, You've gotten in that costume, you've worked 393 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: with the orchestra and the show lighting, because you know 394 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: that's all that all counts. Like if you're if you 395 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: haven't rehearsed this stuff, if you've just done it under 396 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: just the regular stage lights being on and they're like 397 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: the musicians aren't there, Like every thing changes when it's 398 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: go time and that curtain drops on the night, and 399 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: if you're not used to that, it's a whole different situation. 400 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: But if you are a principal, you've probably done put 401 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: ins and at least gotten the benefit of maybe a 402 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: rehearsal or two. Um I would like to think in 403 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: the case of something like Plaza Suite that s JP 404 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:25,240 Speaker 1: did a full run throughs with the Matthew Broadwick's standby 405 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 1: and vice versa, because it's just such a high pressure 406 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: situation with just the two parts. But if you're in 407 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: a big show, there are no guarantees that you're gonna 408 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 1: have gone through any rehearsal at all necessarily, or if 409 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: you are, it's rehearsing with other understudies and swings and 410 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: maybe the assistant director with no music and no stage 411 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 1: lighting and no costumes like on a like during the 412 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: day on a on a weekday, right and even during 413 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:54,360 Speaker 1: those rehearsals, um swings might have to fill in from 414 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 1: multiple parts during the rehearsal. So I mean, just like 415 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,000 Speaker 1: just the lighting alone, you've to know the lighting cues. 416 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: You've got to know where to stand. If the lights 417 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:04,439 Speaker 1: supposed to be on you, you want to step in 418 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: just the right place because that's where the lighting person 419 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,160 Speaker 1: is going to shine that light. If you're rehearsing with worklights, 420 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,919 Speaker 1: that's a huge disadvantage if you've never done like the 421 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: lighting blocking. And that's that's that's basically like part and 422 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: parcel with how understudies and standbys and swings are expected 423 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 1: to work at a genuine disadvantage, but they're expected to give, 424 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: you know, like on caliber performances with the people who 425 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: have had all those advantages. Another reason why I say 426 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: the hardest working people in show business. I'm picturing a 427 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: scenario one day, by the way, you might be able 428 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 1: to hear hammering next door. There's construction next door. I 429 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: can't hear it, Okay, I just wanted to let everyone 430 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 1: know in case you hear a hammer banging. Uh, it 431 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: was bound to happen because there's construction next door. But 432 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:52,880 Speaker 1: I'm picturing a scenario one day where we're all out 433 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,199 Speaker 1: in New York with you, Me and Emily. We're all 434 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 1: having dinner with a big group of people and someone's like, oh, 435 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: my friends coming is an a Broadway show. We're all excited, 436 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: and Emily's was a theater girl, so she's musical theater. 437 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,959 Speaker 1: So she's like peppering them with questions. And you go. 438 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: You take like a sip on your martini and say, so, 439 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: how many parts did you play? And the table gets 440 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: quiet and they're like, oh, just the one. It was 441 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:16,600 Speaker 1: one of the main ensemble parts. And you go, oh, 442 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: just the one. Interesting, man, you just nailed your impression 443 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: of me, and every and just everyone gets really quiet. 444 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: We're like, what's the deal with Josh because they get 445 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 1: up and go to the bathroom and I say, he's 446 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 1: all about the understudy and they go oh, And I'm 447 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: in the bathroom going like what do I say wrong? Why? 448 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: Why did you hope that happens with dinner to Josh, 449 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 1: so Chuck, let's move on. UM. Rehearsals not good as 450 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: far as the understudies go. One of the other things 451 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,600 Speaker 1: that I think we have to mention that you pointed 452 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: out earlier is that UM, especially with principles and stars 453 00:25:56,200 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 1: of the show, those UM, those standbys and understudy are 454 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,400 Speaker 1: expected to deliver exactly the same performance that the star 455 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: does every night. Like you, they they're not like, go 456 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 1: in there and do it your way, kid, They're they're like, 457 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 1: go in there and do it exactly the way this 458 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: actual star does it. Kid, don't screw up. And there's 459 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: real reason behind that. Like it's not just like you know, 460 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: you're being treated like cattle. It's, um, the star has 461 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 1: done this in a certain way so that other people 462 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 1: have come to expect this ad lib lind that was 463 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: ad libbed once three years ago and now is like 464 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 1: a regular part of the show, even though it's not. 465 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: They expect you to say that same line, so that 466 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: you have to know that role, that character so well 467 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: that you know how you know the character that the 468 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: actual star has created from the script. That's what they 469 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: want you to do, because if not, somebody's line is 470 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: going to get thrown off, and you can throw off 471 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,800 Speaker 1: the entire production like that. Yeah, like the understudy knows this, 472 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,800 Speaker 1: so it's not like, uh, the understudy thinks, so this 473 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: can be my chance to really show them what I 474 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,280 Speaker 1: bring to the role, and then their hopes get dashed. 475 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure you're not necessarily doing a an impersonation of 476 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:17,880 Speaker 1: Matthew Broderick as you understudy. Uh So, like things like intonation, 477 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 1: you might be able to change it up a little bit, 478 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: but generally they want you to do what he does. Um. 479 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: And we'll talk a little bit more about what COVID 480 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: has done, But one apparent thing that COVID has done 481 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,000 Speaker 1: is given a little more appreciation to the understudy and 482 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: a little bit more of a well, hey, in certain situations, 483 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: maybe it's okay for you to bring something else to 484 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: the role if we talk about it beforehand and stuff 485 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 1: like that, like don't surprise everybody. Uh, I mean if 486 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:48,120 Speaker 1: you literally have to go on stage, like if someone 487 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 1: someone falls over with an appendicitis like ten minutes before curtain. 488 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: That doesn't happen a lot. Usually there's a little bit 489 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: of lead time. But uh, in the case of Olivia, 490 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 1: found this scray article for mental floss with a bunch 491 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:05,040 Speaker 1: of cool examples. There was a matinee of Wicked and 492 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: midway through the show, Adele de ziem Oh, sorry, Adena Menzel. 493 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: Do you even get that? Reference? Is that Adell's last name? 494 00:28:18,560 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: That was during the Academy Awards, Uh, John Travolta, he 495 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:30,880 Speaker 1: famously introduced Adina Menzel as Adele Desim. Really, I knew 496 00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: that he had screwed it up, but I didn't realize 497 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 1: he screwed it up that bad. Yeah, he completely made 498 00:28:34,720 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 1: up a first name in the surname. He's like, why 499 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: is your name so weird? It's great, it's one of 500 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: the all time blenders. But Adina Menzel fell mid show 501 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:48,719 Speaker 1: and fractured a rib and Showshana Bean had to go 502 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: on halfway through the show, and so there's all this 503 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 1: like chaos going on to try and get her in 504 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: there and dress so the show doesn't miss a beat. 505 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: And then poor Shoshana Bean is also in the back 506 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: of her mind like I wasn't really told what was 507 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 1: going on. Just Adele Desim has gone to the hospital, 508 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: and so this is also in the back of the 509 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: mind as of like, oh my goodness, what's happened to 510 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: this person that I've been understudying, who I probably have 511 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: a lot of respect for and maybe have grown close to, 512 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:18,560 Speaker 1: but also like how her it is she? And is 513 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: this gonna? Is this my big break? Like all the 514 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: emotion that comes with something like that is something that 515 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: you have to just be able to check when you 516 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: tread those boards, right. I want to verify for myself, 517 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 1: and I think every listener who caught it you said 518 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 1: a del design the second time. It's not okay, okay, 519 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: good job, Okay. I want to make sure because you 520 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: slid it in there so well, thank you thought you'd 521 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: pulled the josh and just completely flubbed it. Well, I 522 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: was gonna just leave it in there as a hidden 523 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: joke to begin with. Well, we'll edit this. When I 524 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 1: could tell that you didn't get it the first time, 525 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: I had to explain so um Karen quack and bush 526 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: Um is another example of that I've read about in 527 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: a New York Times article from I think like two 528 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: thousand one. She was a standby for Bernadette Peters in 529 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: and get your gun, and the same thing happened, like 530 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: Bernadette Peters got really ill with the stomach virus and 531 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: apparently like I was able to keep it together long 532 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,280 Speaker 1: enough to make it to UM the intermission, and they 533 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: called Karen Quackenbush. She was having I guess a birthday 534 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: dinner with her husband down the street and she ran 535 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: got into a cab and got to the to the 536 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 1: show just in time to hear everybody booing or when 537 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: they were announced, and they announced that she would be 538 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:33,480 Speaker 1: taking over for UM for Bernadette Peters. But um, that 539 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: is extremely rare. But it's got to be so dramatic 540 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: and stressful that those stories are eternally delightful. I could 541 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,440 Speaker 1: just listen to them all day. Well, I mean, even 542 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 1: though it's basically the same story every time. Yeah, how 543 00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:49,560 Speaker 1: many situations are there where you're a performer who gets 544 00:30:49,640 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 1: their big break and you're walking into it knowing everybody's 545 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 1: going to be disappointed when they see me walk out there? Right, 546 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: and I have to withhold all of my creativity and 547 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: make the star just exactly as I can. And on 548 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: that note, Chuck, you want to take a break real quick, Yeah, 549 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: let's do it. Okay, we'll be right back, everybody, and 550 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: things like chop and cho, Okay, we're back. And as 551 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: I was saying, those Uh, those stories where you know, 552 00:31:43,640 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 1: somebody gets their big break um because the star you 553 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: know got sick or whatever. A few far between. Um. 554 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,440 Speaker 1: But for the most part, all the stuff we've talked 555 00:31:53,440 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: about where like the stress um having to you know, 556 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 1: keep your creativity, your own personal creativity in check and 557 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: do mimicry um, like being on call and never having 558 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: any idea when you're going to go on. For some people, 559 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: you're like, I would never want to do that. It 560 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: sounds awful, But there are people who like make careers 561 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: out of this, this type of of acting um. And 562 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 1: it's one of those things where once you proved yourself 563 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 1: once twice a couple of times, you can they will 564 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: call you any time you want them to. You can 565 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 1: be an understudy, you can be a standby, you can 566 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: be an alternate for the rest of your life because 567 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: it's so difficult to do that. If you prove yourself, 568 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: you're in. Yeah. I think there's a lot of jobs 569 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: in the world that some people view as stepping stones 570 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 1: or transient jobs that other people are quite happy to 571 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: do their whole life. I remember when I first went 572 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: to l A and when I was eighteen and my 573 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: brother worked on Dear John, and I was an X 574 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: you Got Me off as an extra. I love that show. 575 00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 1: It was so good and I was in it. Which 576 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: what which episode? Oh? I remember Kirk goes skiing John. 577 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: I don't remember exactly what happened. I could probably dig 578 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:09,640 Speaker 1: it up, but I play a bus boy in a scene, 579 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 1: and uh, eighteen year on me, I looked like I 580 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: was twelve, but I was up there with the extras 581 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: in between, and this is my first experience with any 582 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:21,040 Speaker 1: of this stuff. And um, I remember these extras that 583 00:33:21,080 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: seemed so old to me. They were probably in their 584 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: thirties now that I look back, but they were kind 585 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: of career extras, and I remember talking to them about 586 00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: that and they were like, you know, uh sure, I 587 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 1: still audition, but like the reality has hit me that 588 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: I'll probably never make it. But hey, I'm in the Union, 589 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: I've got great health care. I constantly work as a 590 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: stand in or a or a u uh an extra 591 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 1: or a featured extra and make good money and I 592 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 1: know my schedule and like, I'd rather do this than 593 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 1: wait tables or something where waiting tables that can be 594 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: a permanent job. I worked with career waiters as well, 595 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: but under studies. Like you said, it's not always just 596 00:34:03,080 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 1: a transient thing you gotta have. Just because you're good 597 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 1: on stage and you can sing and dance doesn't mean 598 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 1: you can handle the kind of pressures, additional pressures that 599 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: come with this. It takes a special kind of performer, 600 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:16,840 Speaker 1: and some people are good at it and they know 601 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:19,320 Speaker 1: it and they stick to it. I'm sure they always 602 00:34:19,360 --> 00:34:22,799 Speaker 1: would want that lead part, but it's not like they're like, oh, 603 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 1: if I could just get out of this understudy thing 604 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,319 Speaker 1: all the time. Now. Some people really get off on 605 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:31,000 Speaker 1: the additional pressure of not knowing and knowing like you 606 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,479 Speaker 1: could be called it any second. Some people like really 607 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 1: like that, and then the additional work of having to 608 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:40,960 Speaker 1: understand and know all these different parts, Like some people 609 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: really like that. But like you said, a lot of 610 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: people viewed as a stepping stone, and astonishingly actually has 611 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 1: been a stepping stone. Like sometimes the stars have aligned 612 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 1: for people whose names we know today because they started 613 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 1: out as an understudy or a standby. UM. And Bernardette 614 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 1: Peters who I mentioned, UM, she she went down during 615 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:04,839 Speaker 1: one performance. She actually started out as an understudy, I think, 616 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: all the way back in age thirteen, and then later 617 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,080 Speaker 1: on on Broadway with her first real Broadway job. Um, 618 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: she was a standby, so she started out. I don't 619 00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: know that she had any like um like moment where 620 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:20,160 Speaker 1: you know she she hit it big. I think she 621 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: just was one of those you know, workhorses who was 622 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: like doing whatever job you can and then just kept 623 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 1: going from there and became a star as a result. Yeah. Like, 624 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: as the story goes, she understudied and performed, uh the 625 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:34,919 Speaker 1: lead part or I don't know about the lead because 626 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 1: I don't know, Uh, I think the child lead. I 627 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: don't know Gypsy as well, but played Dainty June. Um 628 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: filled in and did this and apparently this the story goes, 629 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:49,040 Speaker 1: Burnett Peter's mom put that on the resume that like 630 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: she she played Dainty June. I'm curious, you know this 631 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,200 Speaker 1: was in the night early nineteen sixties, about the sort 632 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 1: of ethics of doing that now of your resume, Like 633 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:01,800 Speaker 1: if you put you know, aid opposite Sarah Jessica Barker 634 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,799 Speaker 1: in Plaza swee, They're like, well you did that for 635 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: three days, Like I don't know if if you're allowed 636 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 1: to put that on your resume, right, um, I mean, 637 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: or you could point it out like understudy and filled 638 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: in for so many days. But from the impression I 639 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: get Burnard Peter's mom kind of said like she played 640 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:22,160 Speaker 1: this on Broadway, right, But at least Bernardette Peters had 641 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 1: did plausible deniability where she's like, yeah, I'm um, I 642 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,320 Speaker 1: didn't know this. But Anthony Hopkins apparently got a huge 643 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: break because he was an understudy this Sir Lawrence Olivier 644 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,919 Speaker 1: in the West End. Yeah. Um, there was a play 645 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: called The Dance of Death, um, which sounds like a 646 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:45,040 Speaker 1: really odd, unnerving play. Um. It's said in like a 647 00:36:45,160 --> 00:36:49,319 Speaker 1: remote Swedish island. I think in the nineteenth century it's 648 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: just weird. Um. But in nineteen sixty seven, um Olivier 649 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: came down with appendicitis and Anthony Hopkins filled in for him, 650 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: and Olivier basically said he crowned him as like his 651 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,600 Speaker 1: successor by writing about what a good job he said. 652 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 1: He walked away with the part of Edgar that was 653 00:37:07,480 --> 00:37:10,800 Speaker 1: Olivier's role, like a cat with a mouse between its teeth. 654 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: So that was a huge break for Anthony Hopkins to 655 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 1: start out with him. You know, long story, short hand 656 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 1: ballecter uh Tay Diggs, who famously was in rent and 657 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:29,120 Speaker 1: obviously in TV and films. He was an understudy UH 658 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: in nineteen revival of Carousel and then Shirley McLain UH 659 00:37:35,000 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 1: film legend. Shirley McClain was an understudy on Broadway the 660 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:43,799 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties as a teenager and uh ten days into 661 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,120 Speaker 1: the main performance, I believe it was Carol Haney fell 662 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: ill or just fell, Yeah, I think fell. It was 663 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 1: an injury in this case finished the show, but Shirley 664 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: McClain had to fill in with about a half hour's notice. 665 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,920 Speaker 1: Screwed up a little bit, cursed audibly on stage because 666 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,760 Speaker 1: she goofed up and like dropped her hat in one scene. 667 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:09,959 Speaker 1: But everyone was impressed, and Alfred Hitchcock came to see 668 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: that play a few months later and cast her in 669 00:38:11,760 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: The Trouble with Harry, and she went on too great 670 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: great fame. Yeah, and she became whose mom was she? Uh? 671 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,440 Speaker 1: Whose mom? Who's whose? Whose kids? I don't know? I 672 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,400 Speaker 1: don't either. I always want to say Carrie Fisher. But 673 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 1: this Debbie Reynolds kid, right, is that what you're thinking? Maybe? 674 00:38:30,480 --> 00:38:34,600 Speaker 1: Maybe who knows? Um, there's another one to chuck that's 675 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: worth mentioning because she kind of ushers us into the 676 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,240 Speaker 1: Broadway in the Covid age. Her name is Sutton Foster. 677 00:38:42,000 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 1: She was an understudy. She tried out for the lead 678 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,400 Speaker 1: and thoroughly modern Millie and she didn't get it. So 679 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:50,080 Speaker 1: she said, okay, well will you make me the understudy 680 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:52,919 Speaker 1: to that role? And it turned out the actor who 681 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:56,480 Speaker 1: had that role UM left and so they turned to 682 00:38:56,680 --> 00:38:59,120 Speaker 1: Sutton Foster and said, hey, you wanna you wanna star 683 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,840 Speaker 1: and she turned it into a I think a Tony 684 00:39:01,880 --> 00:39:05,800 Speaker 1: Award in two thousand two. Well, fast forward to December 685 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 1: and she's working as the the lead in UM, the 686 00:39:12,120 --> 00:39:16,399 Speaker 1: Music Man, I believe, and she catches Covid and her 687 00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 1: understudy takes over for her, Cathy Void co Void co 688 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 1: yeah v O y t k O. She took over 689 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: four and she did such a great job that one 690 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 1: of the greatest people on the planet, from what I 691 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: can tell, Hugh Jackman gave a UM now famous speech, 692 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:38,080 Speaker 1: UM singing the praises of understudies and Cathy Void singular 693 00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:42,640 Speaker 1: almost almost he had to stop himself, you could tell, 694 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 1: but he was talking about. He said something like, when 695 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:47,480 Speaker 1: when she arrived for work today, she could have played 696 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 1: any of eight different roles and then went on to 697 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 1: basically talk about how understudies are like the thing that 698 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: keeps Broadway going. And it was because Sutton Foster came 699 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,440 Speaker 1: down with COVID that the void Coode got to kind 700 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:05,160 Speaker 1: of step into that spotlight courtesy of Hugh Jackman and UM. 701 00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: One of the reasons it became such big news was 702 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 1: not just because Hugh Jackman gave the speech, although in 703 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:12,719 Speaker 1: large part it was, but also because COVID was just 704 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 1: decimating Broadway at the time, and there were shows that 705 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: were like, you know, having to cancel performances. There were 706 00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,760 Speaker 1: all sorts of understudies and standbys and alternates being thrown 707 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:25,359 Speaker 1: every which way. UM, And it was a really hard time, 708 00:40:25,400 --> 00:40:27,839 Speaker 1: and I think still in some ways is a hard 709 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 1: time for Broadway right now. Like you said, ump Plaza 710 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:37,040 Speaker 1: Suite is now is currently dark, right, Yeah, because of COVID. Yeah, 711 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:38,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I think what it did was it really 712 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:44,520 Speaker 1: highlighted the necessity and the value of swing and understudies 713 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:48,840 Speaker 1: and standbys. I think they were probably, at least it seems, 714 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: just from reading up on it for many years, a 715 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:53,480 Speaker 1: little taken for granted of course, that they would always 716 00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:57,759 Speaker 1: be there. Maybe under hired because Broadway, like a lot 717 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:00,560 Speaker 1: in the film and television industry, you are expected to 718 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: perform sick or injured unless you absolutely cannot. It's not 719 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 1: like regular jobs. You're like, I don't feel too good, 720 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 1: I can't go in. It's like you go in anyway. Uh. 721 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:13,840 Speaker 1: There was a um. The president of Actors Equity, Kate Schindel, 722 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,800 Speaker 1: tweeted out and this was about, you know, the COVID 723 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:21,680 Speaker 1: surge and the slide on understudies. Tweeted this, Uh, my 724 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:25,760 Speaker 1: educated guess is that when employers consistently reject our efforts 725 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,800 Speaker 1: to negotiate for more swings under studies and substage managers, 726 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 1: we haven't even talked about that. Like if you're on 727 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:34,080 Speaker 1: the crew, when you get six, someone has to fill in. 728 00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:38,360 Speaker 1: Because the industry model has grown dependent on people working 729 00:41:38,400 --> 00:41:42,839 Speaker 1: sick or injured. It's shortsighted and unsafe. Uh. And this, 730 00:41:43,080 --> 00:41:45,360 Speaker 1: you know, kind of forced Charlotte st. Martin, who was 731 00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:49,000 Speaker 1: president of the Trade Association of the Broadway League, to 732 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 1: sort of apologize, not sort of to like fully apologize 733 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: and and kind of call for producers to cover their 734 00:41:57,239 --> 00:42:01,239 Speaker 1: shows adequately, and like said before, it led to more 735 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:03,920 Speaker 1: things like hey, maybe an understudy can actually bring a 736 00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:06,399 Speaker 1: little something to the role. Maybe we shouldn't take such 737 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,719 Speaker 1: uh take them for granted as much. Yeah, Charlotte Saint 738 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: Martin had apparently thrown some shade on the understudies, and 739 00:42:13,320 --> 00:42:17,000 Speaker 1: um got called out by Kate Sheindel. So I guess 740 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:19,640 Speaker 1: from from what the New York Times is saying, they 741 00:42:19,800 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: are able to or they're using this to to try 742 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:26,480 Speaker 1: to make it easier on understudies and same boys, to 743 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:29,520 Speaker 1: to give them like full rehearsals and actually have the 744 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:32,359 Speaker 1: lighting people there during it and like like make it 745 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:35,600 Speaker 1: so that it's just a slightly less stressful job and 746 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:38,520 Speaker 1: that there's more of them working. Um, which is yeah, 747 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 1: that is good, Like that's a that's an improvement. It's 748 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:42,759 Speaker 1: the same thing like you were saying with the film 749 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:46,160 Speaker 1: industry when the transition it's going through now, where it's like, no, 750 00:42:46,320 --> 00:42:48,520 Speaker 1: you really shouldn't work at twenty eight hour day every 751 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 1: day and just be expected to, uh whenever the director 752 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 1: producer wants you to be there. You know, it's um. 753 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:57,960 Speaker 1: Any anytime there's an improvement like that, it's an improvement 754 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: for all him into that. Uh. The one thing I 755 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:04,160 Speaker 1: don't think we mentioned that I think is uh important 756 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:09,120 Speaker 1: is that sometimes you may audition as the understudy, and 757 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:12,719 Speaker 1: sometimes you may audition for the lead role. If it's 758 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: not like already set in stone, like Matthew Broderick is 759 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: gonna play this role and that's why we're doing it. 760 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 1: If it's just open auditions for the lead role, they 761 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:22,080 Speaker 1: might say, oh, you're really good and I'm not gonna 762 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:24,000 Speaker 1: cast you, but I'd love to cast you as the understudy. 763 00:43:24,040 --> 00:43:26,799 Speaker 1: Sometimes it goes that way. Yeah, So like if you 764 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:29,279 Speaker 1: want to be on stage, you have to basically be like, 765 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not doing this anymore, Like I'm not 766 00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:35,399 Speaker 1: taking understudy parts because you can get typecast into him 767 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:37,960 Speaker 1: because it's hard to do and not everybody wants to do. 768 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:42,040 Speaker 1: Or your roll with ice that you know, things happen 769 00:43:42,320 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: that thoroughly modern Millie's gonna crack her ankle. Yeah, that 770 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:47,879 Speaker 1: was that other funny story we didn't kind of get 771 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:52,120 Speaker 1: to about. Uh. Someone wrote in It Feels Like anonymously 772 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:54,840 Speaker 1: to play Bill that was an understudy that said, you know, 773 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 1: I secretly wanted to poison the lead actor because like 774 00:43:58,920 --> 00:44:00,440 Speaker 1: you don't think about like beside is all the work 775 00:44:00,480 --> 00:44:02,560 Speaker 1: that goes into it. They're like, we we could never 776 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,880 Speaker 1: make firm plans with anybody. We can never schedule anything 777 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:08,120 Speaker 1: because you're you know, you're just on call, that on 778 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 1: call life of stuff, whether you're a pediatrician or a 779 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:16,359 Speaker 1: or an understudy or a logistician or very nice bring 780 00:44:16,400 --> 00:44:22,360 Speaker 1: it all back around. You got anything else? Uh? Nothing else, sir? Well, everybody, 781 00:44:22,400 --> 00:44:25,320 Speaker 1: I say, go out and hug and understudy a standby, 782 00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:29,239 Speaker 1: a swing or an alternate today. Ask him first. Yes, 783 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:31,279 Speaker 1: they may not want to be hugged, especially if they're 784 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:33,520 Speaker 1: not wearing a name tag with the hug dot system on. 785 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:37,840 Speaker 1: That's right. Um, well, since Chuck said that's right, of course, everybody, 786 00:44:37,880 --> 00:44:42,760 Speaker 1: that means it's time for a listener. Mayo, I'm gonna 787 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:48,319 Speaker 1: call this uh Sliding Canada. As always, Hey, guys, love 788 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,319 Speaker 1: the show. Promised to keep it short. Just listen to 789 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,839 Speaker 1: the pubs episode, which we heard a lot of people 790 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 1: really like. That episode, by the way, which brought back 791 00:44:55,680 --> 00:44:58,440 Speaker 1: tons of good memories of two summers I spent taking 792 00:44:58,480 --> 00:45:02,640 Speaker 1: Canadian undergrads to ales. There were many pubs, but I 793 00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:07,520 Speaker 1: can't not note that Josh said George Washington took his 794 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:10,839 Speaker 1: troops to a pub to quote toast the British leaving 795 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:15,360 Speaker 1: the continent of North America. End quote, knock knock, Canada 796 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:19,120 Speaker 1: called unless George Washington was still kicking it in nineteen 797 00:45:19,160 --> 00:45:22,480 Speaker 1: thirty one when the Statue of Westminster was signed, or 798 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:28,000 Speaker 1: in two and Canada's Constitution was repatriated. But even then 799 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:30,680 Speaker 1: the Crown's representative is still the head of state up here. 800 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:34,440 Speaker 1: I realized this is the most pedantic sam of emails. 801 00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:37,239 Speaker 1: I never heard that. But one of us has to 802 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:41,480 Speaker 1: make use of a PhD in Canadian literature somehow. Love 803 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:46,480 Speaker 1: the show heard every episode all the best Brenna, very nice, Brenda. 804 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:49,480 Speaker 1: That was we just got taken to school and putting 805 00:45:49,520 --> 00:45:51,920 Speaker 1: one of those desks that you lift the top onto 806 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:55,640 Speaker 1: the man. That's how that's how hard we just got school. Chuck. 807 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:58,040 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to drag you along with me, but I'm 808 00:45:58,320 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 1: we're there from moral support. I'll be there. I'll just 809 00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:04,000 Speaker 1: make clear the inkwell outside and I'll get in with you. 810 00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:06,600 Speaker 1: Who is that, Brenna? That was Brenna. It was a 811 00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:10,520 Speaker 1: correction that was smarmie but also charming and funny, which 812 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:12,920 Speaker 1: made it lovable. That's right. So if you want to 813 00:46:12,960 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 1: send us an email, like Brenna did. Let's see what 814 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:19,000 Speaker 1: you got. Take your best shot, don't smoke pot or do? 815 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:24,960 Speaker 1: You can send it off to stuff podcast at i 816 00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:30,759 Speaker 1: heeart radio dot com. Stuff you Should Know is a 817 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:34,160 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, 818 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:37,520 Speaker 1: visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 819 00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:38,840 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.