So, being a dutiful mother of a perspective MT candidate, I took my kid to see a college show today, with tickets booked in advance. We drove about an hour in heavy traffic and parked for an outrageous city parking fee of $25, non-refundable and with no in-and-out privileges. At the box office, we were told that the lead girl was ill and unable to perform. They were hoping she would be able to perform in the evening show. We could go on the waiting list, but there was no guarantee of tickets. As I fumed on the drive home, I wondered why on earth there was no understudy for this very demanding lead role? And no double casting? Professional theaters hire understudies and, as I understand it, most school programs double-cast. So why on earth would a college program, supposedly committed to the education of everyone in the program, not just the lead girl, not double-cast or understudy? All these kids are paying whopping tuition fees, so why not spread the wealth and train an understudy or a swing? I’m sure there were a dozen girls in this very large program who would have jumped at the opportunity to be double cast or to understudy. I’ll even bet there were a couple of girls already in the cast who could have killed that role with an hour to two of rehearsal. College audiences are forgiving and supportive, so they would completely rally behind any girl who fell into the role at the last minute. If my kid gets admitted to this school, guess what my first question will be? In fact, I’ll add it to the list of questions for any school. For those of you with kids already in college MT programs, which schools double-cast? Which ones train understudies?
At Texas State the musicals are not double cast but there is an understudy for all major roles.
Great question @claire74. I know this recently happened at NU (show canceled because lead girl was injured).
I don’t know why colleges wouldn’t either understudy or double cast. It seems to me it would be win win all around. Obviously professional shows understudy and swing–so on top of allowing shows to go on, doing this in a college production would be a great learning experience for the person who is understudying or the swing. What are other peoples’ experiences or insights?
I do know at LAMDA, shows are often double cast so that everyone performs. This would presumably have the added benefit of allowing the show to go on. Are other conservatories like this as well?
I know! My daughter’s first paid acting gig was as an understudy, and it really is a great thing to learn! Maybe reluctance to understudy/double cast says more about the directors/schools ego than it does about the students. I’m really disappointed, as I wanted my son to see the kids in the program. Right now, it is fairly low on his list, mainly because it is one of the bigger programs. I’m just stunned that there would be no understudy, swing, or double when the school produces only a couple of mainstage shows a year. How are all but the chosen few going to learn or get stage experience?
I have no idea why some colleges don’t double cast, perhaps @KatMT or @VoiceTeacher can provide some insight here?
Just wanted to add that not all professional productions have understudies.
I believe that OCU double casts at least the lead roles and maybe some of the ensemble roles. It’s surprising to me that there wouldn’t have been a back up plan. In our local theatre, there aren’t understudies, but they cast some swings who could fill in if needed.
Coastal preps understudies for almost all of the leading roles. Being a smaller program, we often use swings as well (typically underclassman) who can learn and cover a few tracks. A show has never been cancelled with someone being sick, but there’s definitely been times that understudies have gone in. Coastal does not double cast, however, mainly because we are a smaller program and also want to give full dedication to the particular students playing the role. Except we did have two Bakers my senior year in “Into the Woods”- two senior boys who deserved the role. So it’s a case by case basis.
I saw Millie at BoCo a few years ago. The Millie was sick and her understudy went on with little notice- she was great. I give mad props.
Well my D is in her high school production in April and she is understudy for the lead . So if high schools have an understudy or double cast I would think a college would . Might I add it’s a good way for her to experience what this is like but she’s also a part in the show so has to be at double rehearsals!
I would have been super annoyed that I drove to the show for nothing @claire74
Western Michigan has understudies for lead roles and swings for the ensemble and minor parts, similar to a professional theatre company. The show always goes on.
Viterbo is much like Coastal, in that we are a small program that single-casts and employs the use of swings (and dedicated understudies on a case-by-case basis, though we find that swinging tends to be a more productive use of the rehearsal time and a better learning experience for the performer).
I know one of D’s years at Northwestern (NU) an understudy went on at the last minute, so for at least some shows/roles they do have them. On the other hand, I know there were times when D had no understudy. I also know of roles at Northwestern that were double cast. Since there are 60+ shows on campus each year, directed by scores of different directors and performed in numerous spaces and with widely varying budgets, I can imagine there are many different approaches taken for different shows and roles.
Sounds like I came across the exception to the rule and most colleges plan for the possibility of sick leads with swings, understudies or doubles. Still annoyed at having wasted a lovely afternoon driving back and forth in heavy traffic for nothing. I feel worse, though, for the rest of the cast and their friends and families, many of whom may have traveled distances to see their kids perform. Such a disappointment for them that could have been easily avoided by better planning and greater confidence in the abilities of other students in this very large program. This school is definitely slipping down my son’s list.
@claire74 - definitely a shame. Understudies and Swings at Western Michigan seem to provide a great opportunity to get more Freshman involved in shows, who might otherwise not be cast (although not every understudy is a Freshman). Its also great training for those that are Swings - having to learn all the Ensemble tracks and minor roles is great experience. D is currently in a show, and she said the swings and understudies get a lot of work during rehearsals as someone is almost always out.
You’d think if nothing else they’d throw some kid in the ensemble the full libretto and see if he can pick it up in 24 hours. That’s what happened in a production at my high school. It helps when the kid nominated for the sudden understudy is in the ensemble and may already have picked up lyrics and lines. It is quite shameful and kind of embarrassing to cancel a show for that reason.
“The show must go on” is a serious sentiment in theatre
While not about college, I just came from seeing my daughter in a professional production in NYC. It is a rather unique show and I know there are no understudies and I can’t imagine there being any in this case for the other stars or herself. When asked what would happen if one of them were sick or injured, she said that the theater took out an insurance policy on them so that they would not lose money if a performance had to be cancelled and they had to be checked out by a doctor for this. So that is a professional example.
Elon uses both swings and understudies. My D was recently a swing covering several tracks, and it was a great learning experience. The understudies are put into the show during tech week, so they’ve done a full run of the show.
Ithaca does NOT double cast, but there are understudies for the leads, and swings and covers for everyone else. The show always goes on.
@alwaysamom - JMU uses understudies and swings for musicals, so I cannot answer first hand why a school would choose not to. We think it is a wonderful educational opportunity, particularly since there are many professional opportunities to work as an understudy or swing
… so great skills to develop.
Maybe they don’t want to pull people out of the casting pool? Or maybe they don’t want to focus the time on swings and understudies?
We generally do not double cast (meaning two people sharing a role and splitting performances)… although we sometimes have in a few more experimental productions. Our reasons have to do with not wanting to diminish or split the amount of focused rehearsal time developing the relationships between the actors cast in the roles, or lessen the #of performances for the actors (we only do 5 - 6 performances total… so splitting the performances would allow neither sets of actors to get momentum going in performance), costumes, and the fact that being a swing or understudy is such an invaluable experience, so we usually go that way to spread opportunities.
@EmsDad Hope your D and her classmates are all safe and okay after the shootings in Kalamazoo last night.
@soozievt - Those would be some really big shoes (literally) to fill! 