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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 09:23 pm EDT 05/29/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - dreamawakening 01:18 pm EDT 05/29/23 | |
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| I don’t think I’ve ever seen an understudy on Broadway be bad. I’ve seen cases where the understudy lacks the star power of the actors they are covering, but also cases where the understudy was excellent and even a star-in-the-making (years ago, I saw a then-unknown Alice Ripley go on as Mrs. Walker in Tommy). | |
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| None of these understudies were bad (re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th) | |
| Posted by: Marlo*Manners 09:44 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - Singapore/Fling 09:23 pm EDT 05/29/23 | |
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| I have seen one or two understudies who were bad (In "The Real Thing" original Broadway production 40 years ago, Cynthia Nixon's role as the young daughter was played by a not very good understudy). When I saw "It's Only a Play", Matthew Broderick was out and I saw his understudy Bob Stillman, who I adore. I would imagine that Matthew Broderick was still giving his patented nerdy Leo Bloom performance that he has been recycling for over 20 years. Stillman was delightful. I am also a lucky soul who saw some famous Broadway replacements including Reba McIntyre in "Annie Get Your Gun" and Heather Headley in "The Color Purple" who were deemed superior to the originals! There are others I am forgetting. In this case, no one was bad and Darius Wright was very good. The understudy playing Jimmy Doyle does not have leading man charisma which shifted the story a bit. The character has a "loser" persona in the story which he must overcome. But charisma is not something you can learn in acting school. Marlo Manners (Lady Barrington) |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 12:58 am EDT 05/30/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - Singapore/Fling 09:23 pm EDT 05/29/23 | |
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| There was only one time when I saw an understudy be exactly bad, and it was so long ago that I'm not even sure at this point if the person was a replacement or an understudy. The person just seem terrified. Oh, now that I think of it, there was another time, and that one was definitely an understudy. This one wasn't exactly painfully bad, but she was clearly not up to the role. I have seen an understudy who I thought was very miscast (and who fell into the traps of a role filled with traps) go on for a Tony-winning lead actor. The understudy went on in the role a good many times. I have seen understudies who were competent but colorless, an understudy who wasn't awful but seemed like a pretty good but not special community theatre actress (this was also a sub for a Tony-winning performance), and an understudy who was skilled and got laughs and was hardly terrible but also wasn't satisfying, perhaps just because the actress she was subbing for had gotten such raves. The last understudy went on a lot. Off-Broadway I have seen an understudy who seemed like a good actress but seemed like she was doing little more than get her lines out correctly, probably because she'd had so little time before going on. Lots of excellent understudies, and sometimes even a really fabulous one are out there, but there are definitely times (at least in my experience) when understudies are distinctly disappointing and very occasionally perhaps even someone who is sort of bad. |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: den 11:25 pm EDT 05/30/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - AlanScott 12:58 am EDT 05/30/23 | |
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| I saw Nathan Lane’s understudy in The Producers the very first performance Lane missed. I don’t recall the gentleman’s name but he was clearly underprepared, not really right for the role, and could barely conceal his terror. Happily, Matthew Broderick, Candy Huffman, Gary Beach and Brad Oscar generously carried him through the show and by the end, the audience was forgiving and very much on his side. I don’t know if he continued as Lane’s understudy, but I rather doubt it. | |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Last Edit: Ann 08:54 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
| Posted by: Ann 08:53 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - den 11:25 pm EDT 05/30/23 | |
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| I'm not sure when Lane first missed, but it could have been John Treacy Egan ( I've seen him in the paat in a regional production and loved him), Kevin Login or Mark Lotito. Brad Oscar was the standby even he was there. It others if it was later. | |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: AlanScott 02:01 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - Ann 08:53 am EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| Ray Wills was the other Bialystock understudy when the show opened so I would guess it was him. | |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: den 09:45 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - AlanScott 02:01 pm EDT 05/31/23 | |
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| Yes, I believe it was Mr. Wills. I recall that it was over the Memorial Day weekend … the show had opened about six or seven weeks earlier. | |
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| re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th | |
| Posted by: Thom915 11:06 am EDT 05/30/23 | |
| In reply to: re: Sunday Fun Day Understudy Matinee at "New York, New York" on May 28th - AlanScott 12:58 am EDT 05/30/23 | |
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| I have seen understudies go on in supporting roles and never would have known they were understudies. As pointed out, understudies for stars often lack that certain spark that makes the original performer a star. Only once do I remember being terribly disappointed in an understudie's performance and it affected my view of the play. I wished to go back and see the originals performance but alas, it was a limited run. She had gotten good reviews and may have been nominated for a Tony and other awards. On the other hand, I have seen a couple shows where I have been very disappointed in the original performer at least one of whom won a Tony for their performance. There is one nominee this year who while I don't think was bad, did not give in my possibly flawed estimation a nomination worthy performance. Maybe I should have seen the understudy. ;) | |
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