5 Tips for Understudies!

[@Jobertmcg]

I LOVE THESE!! Please keep doing them!

[@everenrae9005]

so i’m the understudy for Maria and Leisl (the two female leads) in the Sound of Music right now, and i was wondering if it’s normal to be assigned to two understudies? also i was only assigned a small part as one of the character nuns, so i’m only in the beginning and end of the show, yet i have to do three times as much work as everyone else. this is high school age btw and i’m kinda scared to do this much especially since i’m in another show right now too. mainly, i’m just disappointed i didnt get a larger role considering how much work i have to do.

[@NickAchBackstage]

First I want to just re-iterate what many Theatre teachers say that there are no small parts! You can take any part and make it your own and memorable - in my acting career both in school and out I mostly had smaller parts, and I was often talked about the most after.. On to the understudying - it is fairly common for one person to understudy multiple roles. Less common in High School, but any Broadway, Touring or major regional production usually has swings, covers, standbys and understudies (similar but not fully the same) and one person will cover multiple roles. It is a lot of work, and often those performers will get a guaranteed performance - I've worked on multiple shows where we had one paid performance that would be understudies - so they have a chance for their friends and family to come see them. That isn't always the case, but finding out if you can actually go on is a big help. If not, I have also worked in places where understudies have gone on with scripts - they still give great performances, but when you're not guaranteed a performance it is hard to ask someone to learn EVERYTHING. My biggest piece of advice is that YOU get to decide. Just because you are offered something or asked to do something, does not mean you are obligated to do it. If you feel like you are not getting anything out of the situation, or that you are to overwhelmed you can absolutely say no. Your health and well being are the most important thing. Lastly - this industry is rife with disappointment. But something to think about - many of my friends who were leads in HS no longer do theater - while I had the reverse and made a career out of it. Just remember, there are always more shows, and more chances to perform. Some of my favorite roles and most cherished productions were post high school.

[@everenrae9005]

Thank you so much for your reply!! There is only one performance so I doubt I’ll get to understudy, but I agree that it’s definitely good experience for the future!

[@reallife2512]

thanks just got a understudy for into the woods

[@FlyNAA]

I'm not in the theatre scene, and always wondered how long it takes to learn a role from scratch. "A week" is at the extreme short end of what I'd have thought reasonable, so "a couple of days" and "a couple of hours" completely blew me away. Is this an emergency situation that is only applicable to someone whos' seen the role a bunch of times, like already acting a different role in the same play, or being part of the crew, etc.? Let's say you've never seen a play and somehow get assigned a role... starting from a completely blank slate, how long does it take normally, and how long in a breakneck emergency type situation?

[@nataliamidzio]

I KNOW. I'm rehearsing as an understudy for a character, and I got told I was going to be an understudy only a couple days after the main actors were told they were going to be in it (It's a school performance, and the understudies are chosen at the same time as the main actors to make sure they're ready if they need to be called in) and the show is in a few months. I can't imagine being told HOURS beforehand with little if any rehearsal time

[@NickAchBackstage]

It honestly depends on the performer, the type of production and a lot of other factors - there are stories of people who have learned roles in a day, while the quickest I've had to do it was a week. If you are great at memorization or remembering choreo, etc - or even if you've done the show before, you might be able to do it faster than someone who is not as quick at those things.

[@erinpicken6435]

I am an understudy in a ballet production for a lead role, and I absolutely hate the girl who I am understanding due to her being a favorite. (She’s very conceded and gets roles that she doesn’t deserve) I am supposed to report back to my dance teacher if people are mean and she constantly says that she will kick people out of shows who are rude, but never does. What should I do? (I ain’t about to pull a Tonya Harding lol)

[@Ladybug_Collector123]

im sorry this is a pretty late reply but how is it now? i hope its all going well :)