At least in some cases in the past, alternates were in the ensemble when not playing the leading role. For instance, Terri Klausner was in the ensemble as well as being the Eva alternate, at least when the first Broadway production of Evita opened. I'm not sure if she remained in the ensemble the whole time she was the alternate, but I'm guessing she did because a January 1981 playbill lists Nancy Opel both as the alternate for Eva and as a member of the ensemble.
And going back even farther in time, when Carmen Alvarez became the alternate for the female leads in The Apple Tree, she continued in her small role as Nadjira in "Lady or the Tiger?" and in the ensemble for "Passionella" when she was not playing the leads. |
