Working In The Theatre: Swings, Standbys, Understudies
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2014
- This episode of Working in the Theatre was featured in our new book, "American Theatre Wing, an oral history: 100 Years, 100 Voices, 100 Million Miracles." Learn more about the book at a.co/d/9A5qc9a.
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What happens when the show can't go on? It does. In the case of "Wicked," when Glinda or Dr. Dillamond goes on vacation, it's the understudies, standbys and swings' job to step in and not miss a beat. We go backstage to meet some of the unheralded heroes of "Wicked" in this all access edition of Working In The Theatre. (2014)
American Theatre Wing’s Working in the Theatre documentary series features the most fascinating people on the stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. From Tony Awards® and Obie Awards® winning artists to the next generation of theatre makers, we capture theatre’s inner-workings, industry luminaries, and unique stories that surround important work.
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Swings are amazing
Understudies are amazing
Standbys are amazing
Lead actors are amazing
Supporting actors are amazing
Dancers are amazing
Ensemble members are amazing
The pit is amazing
Techies are amazing
Scenic directors are amazing
Costume designers are amazing
Makeup artists are amazing
Hair designers are amazing
Directors are amazing
Musical directors are amazing
Choreographers are amazing
Stage Managers are amazing
Writers are amazing
Composers are amazing
These are all people that make a show happen. Without one of these, a show could and will fall apart. Appreciate them
Illianna Starswirl on Broadway? Absolutely. At your average high school/college/community theatre? meh
Don't forget producers!
Dance captains, vocal coaches, prop masters, sound technicians, scenery creators....hundreds of people SHOULD be famous for creating and putting on Wicked :)
What about front of house
Illianna Starswirl you forgot
Cleaners, without them the theatre would close. Who’d want to visit a theatre with rubbish on the floor of the auditorium Or dirty toilets.
Bar staff. Would you visit a theatre with no bar? Many wouldn’t. (Me included)
All of front of house. No fun arriving for a show to find nobody can give you your tickets.
Hell, even the bloody window cleaner makes for a theatre that is inviting.
I saw someone on...Tumblr I think saying there needs to a be a Tony for best ensemble and ya I have to say I agree.
Yaaaaaaah
that's a great idea!
There used to be a Tony for “Best Ensemble Cast” but it stopped I believe in the 90’s. Which kinda sucks.
There ISN'T a Tony award for that??
i hate to hear ppl in the audience who are disappointed that the main actress isn’t performing say they want their money back. people literally said that at waitress, and all i could think of was i hope the understudy never hears stuff like that. bc i wanna be a singer/actress i would be elated to understudy or swing or standby on bway. they are theatrical heroes haha. id b very scared to do it tho
sooper salad I guess it depends if they went to see a show purely to see a particular actor. I know I’ve gone to performances before purely because Carrie Hope Fletcher is in it and I would be really disappointed if she was ill and not performing the night I had gone. Especially in something like a West End/Broadway show where tickets don’t come cheap and so I can’t just go back another day. But it doesn’t mean I don’t respect the job understudies/standbys hold and I certainly wouldn’t want my money back 😀
And what some people don't realize is that the understudies, swings and standbys are every bit and sometimes more talented than the people they are going on for 👏👏👏
If the actors/actress just won a Tony. And you watch it because of it, but suddenly the actors/actress are not there. Of course you will be disappointed
We have seen understudies that were better than the leads in Buffalo (Shea’s Broadway series). Our season tickets are on Thursday nights and I think some leads rest up for the weekend.
exactly, its a live show not tv so people have to realize that a particular actor may not be on stage that night
I hate that swings aren't as appreciated as the real people. They have way more to do, and accomplish it amazingly
Wonder how much they get paid
@@felixfelicis3945 my guess its how many times they've gone on that week/month but im not too surr
@@felixfelicis3945 late af response but they get paid more than the regular ensemble actually
I heard someone, who was a professional dancer say that if the producers didn't think you were good enough to perform as a principal they would not cast you as an understudy covering it
As a preprofessional dancer, I would have to say yeah that's really true. As an Understudy you sometimes have a hard time because you never have anyone directly looking at you, and you're also not the main one working on the role in rehearsals. You also have to be able to cope with high amounts of stress, because you can be put on at any minute, and also very self diligent in fixing your peace working on it and making sure it's perfect if you do need to perform. Yeah understanding is really hard
I absolutely think swings are some of the most talented and hardworking people in the business. To be able to learn up to 7 tracks and go on at any given time is... mind-blowing!!! The girl who was the standby for Galinda is so cute, sweet, and so positive! Love her! :)
banana2510 what are tracks??
banana2510 Lindsey been in the show wicked for years now
Ethan Gonzalez tracks are what everyone does in the show each person has a job title that they do in the show
From meeting a swing they are Sooooooo talented
I loved hearing people warm up in the background for some weird reason
Ikr
I'm sad Tiffany Haas never got to be the principle Glinda on Broadway, she was the standby for a super long time I feel like she earned it
Holly McKenna maybe she was offered it but turned it down as she prefers being standby?
But has she been Glinda in Touring Productions??
I seen her on tour...
I love these videos i live for backstage footage
Yep same its kind of therapeutic if you know what I mean lol 😂
Me to
Biggest misconception about working on Broadway: you will most likely spend your career performing in the Chorus. Remember when the high school musical was cast and you found out you were only in the chorus? Notice how community theater productions always have a weak chorus? In every other theater place BESIDES Broadway the chorus is considered highly undesirable and VERY hard to fill with quality people. Lots of waiting around and never the spotlight.
ohmusicsweetmusic Ensemble gets paid really well because they often learn two or three different parts/shows. They are the real stars!
I prefer ensemble because I'm a really strong dancer but not so confident with my singing
I’d give anything to just be in a broadway chorus.
I'd love to be in wicked!! I loved to say "so we've got to bring her.. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN!!!!! BOOM INTERMISSION..
Hey there are plenty of community theatres that have awesome ensembles. I’ve been in a couple. They are insanely hard to be in but can be so much fun. I hate when I tell people that I’m in the ensemble and they are disappointed. That is the hardest part sometimes!
Understudies, Swings, Standbys and Ensemble members are the heart and soul of Broadway and should be respected and appreciated more, I love watching these sorts of videos because they give such a wonderful insight to behind the scenes of what working in a theatre is like, I'd love to work in a theatre one day and knowing this stuff would be useful :) x
Excellent comment
Swings are incredible. I know a couple and never fail to tell them how amazing they are at the end of shows.
Every single role and part and person backstage are incredible these are what make a show
I loved this! I had no clue that a standby was even a thing! I always thought that a role only had an understudy, but it makes sense that there would be 3+ people to sub in on broadway. I really appreciated seeing the office upstairs that the understudies/swings/dance captain watch the show in to make sure they are doing everything right and to hear tips from the directors.
Does the elphaba standby have to greenify every night just in case?
Maggie Jones No, they do not. They are pretty much sequestered to be a certain distance from the theater though. Basically they’re just hanging around in their street clothes, just in case they need to go on.
Not unless they have a reason too believe they will be needed. But they DO need to be ready too get greenifiued at a moments notice because if something happens to the lead actor they need to slide into the show seamlesseley because they don’t stop the show unless absolutely necessary
I went to see Wicked on July 7th and saw Lindsay Northern as Glinda with Jackie Burns as Elphaba. They were wonderful. ❤❤
Wicked was an amazing choice to use to interview people!
The main actors are important but without all of the other people working hard backstage there would be no show.
I really enjoy how they were showing that there are different actors besides the ones you see on stage!
funny story-so i watched this video around a year ago, and today i met lindsay northern (understudy)’s husband, who knows my theatre teacher. it was super cool once i recognized her picture.
ps her husband was in jersey boys and charlie & the chocolate factory
From this video it looks like The Gershwin has an insane amount of space backstage compared to most Broadway theaters.
I help with professional ballet companies to fill in for children’s parts (e.g. a doll in coppélia) and the surreal feeling is mesmerising. It never fails to make me feel nervous, excited and lost at the same time. Because you’ve put so many hours into making the performance good and effortless when it gets to the final moment you crave more time on the stage, you don’t care how tired or achy you are you want to live that moment forever so I get how the swans feel here.
OMG I LOVE Tiffany Haas !! She is legit everything !! A heart of gold !!
I was an understudy for two nights when my drama group had to swap cast members because of illness. I was slightly panicked but because I'd heard all the lines before I was fine
I am so mind blown by how amazing these people are. Like...how even...?
Respect for all these ppl who make a show happen
i could watch a whole documentary about this. It would have been amazing to see the craziness of having to get on stage in 5 minutes.
These guys need more recognition.
This was an amazingly well produced documentary about something I didn't know existed behind the scenes!
I love Tiffany (I believe) singing in the background in the rehearsal room! And I loved the shot of the calendar, seeing Jenni's 1st rehearsal and Christine and Jenni's 1st performance marked.
It's actually Alli Mauzey
Ryan O'Connor Oh yea! I forgot I made this comment haha. She was my first Glinda :D
I like that they used real understudy's and swings and stand-by's. They are all so talented.
i definitely hear ali mauzey in the background warming up
I just saw Tina, The Musical and the understudy played the lead role of Tina and she was freaking amazing! I also saw Ain’t Too Proud and both Otis and David had understudies who were outstanding. I really wanted to see Adrienne in Tina and Ephraim in Ain’t Too Proud, understanding Broadway, the show went on fantastically ❤️
Loving Lindsay in the background at 13:16😍
I’ve never been a part of theater in any way (the closest I ever got was being in my school’s choir for 7 years 😂👍) because I’ve always been very shy 😅 But I LOVE the world of theater. I find it all so fascinating and wonderful!!
I appreciate the swings, standbys, and understudies because they should be respected more than what they are for all the stuff they do.
I've worked as understudy in the West end (london's equivalent to Broadway), "going on" numerous times. In 1 play, I covered all 3 male roles. On one spectacular week, I played all 3 roles at 3 consecutive performances (the 2 major leads at matinee and evening of the same day). It's quite a job!
My biggest takeaway is how hard these people seem to work doing all this hard work and how many times it take them to remember all this.
I feel like swings are very underrated their job is as hard if not harder than anyone else but don't get enough attention
this video informs what an understudy, standbys, and swings is . which is really good because if you are thinking about getting into theatre you need to know about these things, and this video will help you have a better understanding.
I could not imagine how good you have to be to be a standby for a lead. WOW, it really impressive to know that on a moments notice an actor can go from the back of their dressing room writing notes down to onstage belting a leads song.
It’s amazing that they can just jump into the play fully prepared with short notice.
I love how everything works in the theatre.
I trained in musical theatre but one of the things we did not learn was how to cope when being a swing. You can rehears for so many parts and for me personally I got so confused. When I was in Pirates of Penzance, I was an understudy for Edith, but I was originally in ensemble. I had to go on once during our run, bit it was fun.
Hats off to all the under studies and swings out there.
I loved Tiffany's comment about Kyle Dean Massey... HAHAHA Agreed! ;D
I saw Anastasia on tour just last Tuesday and we got a swing for the Anya part (Beth). She absolutely was amazing and became my favorite Anya!
I feel like I FINALLY get the difference between understudy and standby. Standby is less stressful but more boring or frustrating after you get the jist. Understudying upfront is more stressful but less boring or frustrating since you do have a track so you perform nightly. God bless swing. I feel like it terrifies me which is why I probably would be amazing.
All ballet dancers basically have to be swings. Virtually every major role has multiple casts, and many corps roles have 2, although single casts aren’t exactly rare. Understudies for principal roles sometimes fill in for leads but usually the double does it. Understudies for corps roles are expected to know everyones part, or at least everyone in their height range. If a corps role doesn’t have any understudies, someone elses double has to learn a new position. For certain dances this completely changes what you do, like virtually any waltz (think nutcracker waltz of the flowers) or smaller group numbers with improv.
So happy I am no longer cast, it is so stressful. They have my respect. That being said: crew master race represent.
In the productions I was in, the SM did not have an office, they were running things from the booth, the ASM (my preferred role) was running things on the floor from the back.
SMs don't use the office during the show. You sit in the wing and call from the prompt. Office is for paperwork and stuff
I appreciate swings, and understudies so much. It is really disappointing to hear people moan and groan when a certain actor/actress can not go on that night. The swings work so hard and learn so many different parts, and this is why they are the unsung heros of Broadway shows, and they are definitely under-appreciated.
So glad I got to work with this lovely lady!
I love this video! Understudies and swings are absolutely phenomenal :)
this video is a big help and recreates new feelings when you're so frustrated... that job is amazing
The most stressful time of my life is when I had to swing 5 roles... oof
SCARY
omg how did u do? was it worth it in the end?
im getting stressed out just watching this
I like the true feedback about the character for glinda
I love this, especially because I would really love to be a swing on broadway one day! I really like the part of a swing because you have many tracks and I always am aware of what everyone does when I’m in a show
Dude the swings / understudies / stand-bys go so hard. When you're the lead or in a concrete role you have the luxury of repetition, but if you're a swing you have to learn several roles and be able to do them at anytime?? Not easy.
I know someone that was a swing for 24 parts in a show on the West End not in wicked tho
The glinda singing in the back sounds so much like alli mauzey!!
I loved the idea of this episode! Super helpful as well!
5:24 The mirror lmao
Thank you for this video. I am a major theater queen and I have always wondered how the Standby, Understudy, Swing system worked. You have answered my questions 😘
I love the fact that I know all of them from the Broadway.Com backstage series hahahahaha
If it weren't for these people the principles would be performing alone on an empty stage talking about things not going on around them. Or the entire production would die with no one there to fill the necessary part. And they get little to no recognition, or thanks from anyone, especially the majority of theater goers who only care about seeing the stars of the show.
I want to see someone do a video to follow the swings for THE PROM. They are all pretty fantastic. The two female swings have gone on for all the parts they cover.
It was interesting hearing how Brian Munn is able to swing for 12 different guys in the show
That happened when I went to see mamma Mia, for one half of the show the principal actor played Donna, but in intermission an understudy got anounced that they were playing
Love Tiffany Hass! ❤
love this
Interesting, never knew about this
Brian Munn covered 10 tracks? Dang.
Ok, I’m still confused. Can someone please explain the difference between swings, understudies, and standbys?
Lilli Harding A swing is an ensemble member who is also contracted to learn 2-3 Principal Roles in the instance the Actor unexpectedly cannot perform. An understudy will normally be an ensemble member who specifically learns 1 Principal Role in the event that the Actor cannot perform. A standby is someone who is not an ensemble member who learns 1 Principal Role in the even the Actor cannot perform.
If an Actor cannot perform, usually it goes in this order:
1. Call Standby
2. Call Understudy
3. Call Swing
Some company’s do it differently, but that’s usually the order. All it is in an insurance policy that there will be somebody to go on for that Principal Role.
Charllee Dodson THANK YOU SOOO MUCH, THIS MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE NOW
Charllee Dodson Thank You. I was wondering about the difference in terminology, too. 😉
Fascinating hope they are well paid and appreciated- wonder they ever graduate to be the star?
Alice fearn from the west end worked her way up from stand-by and became the lead after w.verkaik her first name is so confusing sorry😂
Very nice good ~!
Ugh I love Swings :))
Am I the only one who noticed that someone wrote on Tiffany's mirror "
How would they put an Elphaba in during intermission? According to many Elphabas the makeup takes a half hour so how could they do that to a Standby in just 10 or so minutes.
If Elphaba has to go on during intermission they do try and get her ready asap but they generally will extend intermission to get her ready.
I’m pretty sure they do the face and neck before show just in case and if they’re called, they quickly add the rest of the stuff + costumes during intermissions, and extend intermission
The makeup process when they have time is also a lot more precise and clean, but I've heard that when an Elphaba needs to go on mid show they just slap the green makeup on and it takes about 15 minutes.
Whizzed the only thing left after that is the hands
They probably have everything ready to go and set out for quick access
So how it is with the standbys? Do they have to be at the theatre every night same as prepared as for example swings...etc?
Generally yes but there are individual cases when no
Ian Smith Oh, thank you for reply.
pleasure
I don't know about on Broadway, but on the West End most swings are at the theatre each night because if someone is ill the swing has to take the ensemble persons place. In some shows swings can sing off stage at night an example is Les Mis where a Male swing would sing the police part every night.
Is the Glinda on stage we hear in the background Alli Mauzey????
Yes it is I could just tell when she was warming up singing no one mourns the wicked there actually a full bootleg on here right now just look up “wicked full show” and she should be the thumbnail:)
....So is the understudy for Elphaba painted green in advance should anything happen?
I have a question. How would the understudies/swings/ standbys/ make any money if they barely ever went on? I understand if they were an ensemble member when they weren’t covering for an actor but what if it was a very small cast like Dear Evan Hansen where there is no ensemble? Do they get paid as regularly as the main actors who are on stage every night?
Lily Newman it's just like a regular job. You get a set paycheck no matter what. I'm not sure but they could make extra when they go on as well. But you always get payed no matter what.
Edit: Also ppl in acting usually have more than 1 gig at a time. I've performed with ppl who have been doing 4 different shows at a time
Cayla Marie Oh that makes sense. So they make just as much as the cast who goes on every night? Never knew that!
They're also Equity members, which means they're part of a union and protected by that union's policies. They have negotiated contracts, benefits, stipulations for treatment/time off/hours in their workweek, and adequate compensation for whatever situation they're hired into (principal, ensemble, swing, standby, understudy, you name it).
I was an understudy for the main character once for a school play...there were already 3 people who were the main character and on different days they would be the mc, but if one of them was ill then the other 2 would still be there to do it instead, so I was essentially useless since obviously all 3 of them weren't gonna be ill on the same day and the person in charge was just trying to make me feel better because they cast me as a tree only(WHERE THEY USED REAL BRANCHES WITH LEAVES AND BECAUSE I HAVE HAYFEVER I WAS SNEEZING THE ENTIRE TIME, just imagine, people say you can't mess up being a tree, which was the worst role in the entire play, and it's the only one I CAN mess up), even though I ALSO applied for another pretty important character but apparently OLDER students get priority or the teacher hated me or some bs because I applied and someone else who spoke the exact same way as me and sang the same as me got it instead, I wasn't even cast as an understudy and I was the only other person who applied.
Anyway ik this is all completely meaningless bc it was just a school play, but I think that was the start of when my dreams of being an actor got crushed lmao
What even is a standby understudy and swing like the actual definition of each cause I know they step in but like what
Standby - They only know ands go on for that specific role e.g Elphaba, Understudy - they know maybe a few principal roles and they also are in the show every night
Swing -understudy many different chorus/dancing roles, so if an understudy fills in for a lead, a swing will do the part that the understudy usually has.m hope this makes sense haha
So when you replace glinda in the middle of the show, does the house make an announcement?
At the end of the show do they both come out for a bow?
I believe at intermission they will make an announcement, but if it happens during the show and someone goes out during the 1st act they won't till intermission. And as far as bows are concerned I believe the one who finished the show would come out. May also depend why they went out.
I don’t know why but I feel like this is life or the griddy and like sAd??? Side of broadway???
Ellie Tolley well I know where you're coming from but from what they are saying they all seem like they enjoy their job being swings standbys etc however it's probably very stressful
@@arleen123100 They're hooked. 'Stressful' in this case is high on adrenaline, so it's very rewarding compared to any other (seemingly) routine job. Probably. From the little experience in school plays that I had, that's how it feels at least. Same with ballet dancers most of which are never going to get the lead, but absolutely everyone of them is devoted to their job.
imotogin yeah completely agree, I mean I'm a performer as well and when ever I have to cover someone it's so fun but a lot of pressure. Never sad though haha
So here's a wicked question for the wicked people... Does the Elphaba standby have to get into makeup before the show every night?
No she does not. She's there in the theater incase she is needed. They can get her greened in a few minutes if needed.
Luuuuu luuuuuu...LUUUUUUuuuuuu Luuuuu
Would the understudy or standby of elpheba have to greenify before each show just in case???
No, she is in the theater ready to go on though they can get her green in up to 10 minutes I heard but it will look sloppy but the show Must go on!
Also, TECH: your field recordist had a really bad time with clipping audio in this piece.
Sounds like it was a microphone capsule clip rather than an analog audio level clip
which glinda is singing in the background????
sooper salad Alli Mauzey!
how does that understudy of glindas make any money if she only goes on 3-4 times a YEAR????
Because they perform in the ensemble every night.
she plays a lot of characters aside from Glinda. She plays crowd, etc.
Stacy S it's just the Standby that don't get to perform all the time...but they get paid like someone from the ensemble and extra when they get to go on as Main cast. But this depends from company to an other..some companies will let the standby perform every 3 mounth if they haven't gone on in a while so to keep things alive. Other company that don't have a star as Main cast will constantly rotate the cast (they have specific day that they play)
You don't get paid per performance. All people on Broadway are apart of Equity, which means they have certain standards. I've also heard that swings and standbys can sometimes make more than the real deal
No stand by are standbys, if tour a standby you are backstage usually ready im full costume to go on. They perform 3 or 4 times a year in emergency but they also cover cast holidays. The people who go on stage every night are the understudies and they make up the "ensemble" (crowd/characters/people) as well as swings and in some shows, chorus. But I personally think that they should do ot like in Paris which means that 2 people keeps on rotating every week making it fair. Unless of course the main character is famous...voila
I want to work that
Sorry can someone plz explain what a swing is (I bet they're brilliant whatever they do 😊)
A swing is a performer who learns and can perform several roles/tracks. So they could go on as any number of roles each night depending on who is out sick or unavailable.
@@ChadBarnier wow! Okay, thanks
still... how do they know who should go on when?
First phone call is the standby. If they are unavailable for some reason (illness, scheduled vacation time, etc), then the understudy goes on. If the understudy is unavailable, the swing would step in.
The music in this video is giving me serious Stranger Things vibes
What is the pay and hours that you have to be available? Because I want to know if i can afford to do this and also know the hours i would need to put in.
You’d need to train as a professional musical theatre actor, on a recognised course in acting, singing, jazz, tap, ballet and jazz first. Then you start auditioning.
This comment is hilarious. It doesn’t quite work that way 😂 To add what Ian said, you first have to put years of work in to perfect all the skills needed for Broadway. Then, let’s say you beat the odds and finally make it there are start acting in shows.
Typically, actors are required to participate in 8 shows a week. With an average running time of 2.5-3 hours per show, plus showing up early and staying late for makeup/costume/warmup... let’s say 5 hours per performance.
That’s 40 hours a week for showtimes, NOT including weekly dance, staging, and vocal rehearsals.
It’s definitely a full time job.
Pay is a whole other thing and entirely depends on the actor/actress. It’s usually based on reputation. Are you an actress with a recognizable name that will sell more tickets? You’ll get paid more than your co-star with just as many lines and songs as you have. Have you been in the business for 20+ years, and although never been a lead, you have a strong resume and references that show you are a valuable investment?? You could end up getting paid more as an ensemble member than the lead.
So, to put it shortly:
Hours- Theatre will be your entire life.
Pay- You’ll get paid what others value you to be worth once you pay your dues to the industry.
@@Something2tacobout I mean, sure. Pay is negotiable based on your reputation/popularity/etc, but it's pretty vital to mention that being an Equity member definitely entitles you to certain base pay (even if that pay is not necessarily super great). You start from there and work your way up, paying your dues. You made it sound like people are out there working for free, haha, until they build a rep for themselves (which it can definitely feel like you are, some actors "living the dream" are just scraping by), but if you're Equity like folks on Broadway inevitably are, you're getting paid.
Who was the glinda singing at 11.00?
alli mauzey
+Bwayinanchorage thanks I thought it sounded like her 😊
ook😎
The Gershwin Theatre - :}
Who law could tell that it was alli Mauzey singing at 10:00??