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unusual facts about Understudy


Standby

Standby (theater), an actor or performer who will appear in a particular role if the regular performer is not present


Adele Jergens

After a few years of working as a model and chorus girl, including being an understudy to Gypsy Rose Lee, Jergens landed a movie contract with Columbia Pictures in 1944, with brunette Jergens becoming a blonde.

Alli Mauzey

From April 17 to October 7, 2007, Mauzey acted as the standby for the lead role of Glinda in the Broadway production of Wicked, covering in the absence of Kendra Kassebaum.

Bobby Etheridge

He was generally the understudy to Barry Meyer who was the county first choice wicket keeper in this period.

Dani Giménez

During his first two seasons with Rayo Giménez acted as understudy for David Cobeño, starting in the Copa del Rey.

Dean Brill

Beginning the 2003–04 season as understudy to Rob Beckwith, Brill made his league debut as a substitute in a 3–0 loss at Oldham Athletic after Beckwith had been sent off.

Dorothy McGuire

Eventually, she reached Broadway, first appearing as an understudy to Martha Scott in Our Town, and subsequently starring in the domestic comedy, Claudia.

Eduardo Carvalho

After UEFA Euro 2008, Eduardo was called for new national team coach Carlos Queiroz for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Denmark, where he played understudy to Quim.

Gabriel Ebert

Ebert made his Broadway debut as the understudy for the role of Ken in John Logan's Red, and also appeared in the Broadway production of Kneehigh Theatre's Brief Encounter as Stanley.

Gavin Lee

In 2004, he auditioned to be the Bert understudy in the London production of Mary Poppins, but managed to win the role outright.

Jamie George

He has played most of the season as an understudy to Schalk Brits who he describes by saying "He is a fantastic role model. I admire his approach to life and rugby and I have so much to learn from him".

Jared Gertner

Gertner was the understudy for Josh Gad in the role of Arnold Cunningham in the musical The Book of Mormon.

Jill Perryman

Perryman was strong in voice and personality and a long series of understudy and small roles eventually led her, through the recommendation of John McCallum, who was then joint managing director of J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd, to take the lead in the key Australian production of Funny Girl, a performance that won her an Erik Award for Best Actress and led to major roles in other productions.

Joey Williams

Returning the following season, he made only nine appearance as understudy to Joe Hulme and Cliff Bastin, who had established themselves as first-choice wingers, and missed out on a third Championship medal.

John Anthony Gallagher

In 1990, Gallagher was one of the first of a succession of All Blacks to switch codes to rugby league, following from his understudy Matthew Ridge, who signed with the NSWRL's Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles only a week before.

Junior Poluleuligaga

A solid tour as Mosese Rauluni's understudy lead to several offers from European clubs, but Polu declined and remained true to his North Harbour contract and returned home.

Katie Rowley Jones

After two years with the company she played her final performance on 7 June 2008, and was replaced by her understudy Caroline Keiff.

Kenny Arthur

Incidentally an injury to his understudy Colgan meant that goalkeeping coach Steve Croudson was called up to replace Arthur for at least one game before Sheffield Wednesday's Richard O'Donnell was signed.

Kookaburra Musical Theatre

Throughout its short career it was plagued by troubles, including low box office figures and cancelled productions, and caused international controversy when Stephen Sondheim demanded an apology and threatened to remove rights after major cuts were made to Company when an actor with no understudy could not perform.

Larry Keith

In the 1961 Broadway production of My Fair Lady, Keith served as an understudy to Michael Allinson and played the role of Higgins some 50 times.

Lars Høgh

He made his senior debut in 1977 as an amateur (later to become semi-professional, and eventually fulltime-professional), and was an understudy to Danish national team goalkeeper Mogens Therkildsen, as OB won the 1977 Danish championship.

Lauren Kennedy

Sunset Boulevard - Mary/1st Masseuse, understudy for Betty Schaeffer (under Judy Kuhn) (1993–1994) (Los Angeles)

Legally Blonde – The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods

Libby Servais performed as an original cast member of the 2nd National Tour of Wicked from March 2009 to February 2010 in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda.

Rachel Potter performed in the ensemble of the 2nd National Tour of Wicked and as an understudy for Glinda from August 2010 to February 2011, as Wednesday in The Addams Family on Broadway from March 2011 to December 2011 and is currently playing The Mistress in the first Broadway revival of Evita.

Cassie Okenka performed as Dorothy Gale in the national tour of The Wizard of Oz and recently performed in the 1st National Tour of Wicked in the ensemble and as an understudy for Glinda.

Lovisa Augusti

Augusti was the cover for the great prima donna Elisabeth Olin whenever she was sick or had to take maternity leave, but when Olin retired in 1784, she was replaced as the leading prima donna by Caroline Halle-Müller, not with Augusti.

Martin S. Jensen

Martin S. Jensen began his career with local amateur club Korup near Odense, before moving to nearby top-flight Superliga club Odense BK (OB) in 1996, where he served as an understudy to Danish international keeper Lars Høgh.

Murder Is Easy

After considering in isolation And Death Came Too, Mr. Ashley turned his attention to Murder is Easy and started, "Mrs Christie has abandoned M. Hercule Poirot in her new novel, but it must be confessed that his understudy, Luke Fitzwilliam, a retired policeman from the Mayang States is singularly lacking in 'little grey matter.' Poirot may have recently become, with advancing years, a trifle staid, but absence makes the heart grow fonder of him."

Nick Dasovic

He became first assistant when manager John Carver left the club in 2009 and was replaced by his understudy Chris Cummins as interim coach.

Paul Lipson

At the time of his death, he had played the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof in more performances than any other actor, clocking over 2,000 performances as Zero Mostel's Broadway understudy, and later performing the lead role in his own right.

Pauline Cope

In October 2000, goalkeeping understudy Rachel Brown played in the UEFA Women's Euro 2001 qualification play-off in Ukraine when Cope was struck down with a stomach complaint on the morning of the game.

Reek da Villian

After proving his skills to his older cousin Ike T & Belly Val (of I.G.T.) who had a record deal under Steve Rifkind’s Loud Records in 1999, they chose to make Reek an understudy of the group.

Rita Gardner

She was featured in a brief 1963 revival of Pal Joey and replaced Susan Watson soon after the opening of Ben Franklin in Paris in 1964, after which her Broadway career stalled, finding her serving merely as a standby or understudy in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965), The Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1969), and Morning's at Seven (2002).

Ronald Tavel

In 1980, he was appointed the First Playwright-in-Residence at Cornell University where he was commissioned to write the melodrama, The Understudy, which starred a young Jimmy Smits.

Ryan Northmore

Northmore was highly rated by Southall as his understudy, but, when Southall was released at the end of the season, Stuart Jones was signed and took over as first choice keeper.

Susan McFadden

She was subsequently replaced by former Margot and understudy Elle, Carley Stenson.

The Actor's Nightmare

When he is confronted by the stage manager, Meg, it becomes apparent that he is the understudy for an actor named Edwin (Edwin Booth) and as "Eddie" apparently broke both his legs, the man must perform in his stead.

Thomas Cadwalader

After studying medicine with his uncle Dr. Evan Jones, he traveled to London to study medicine were he was an understudy of William Cheselden.

Tina Brooks

Around the same period, Brooks was McLean's understudy in The Connection, a play by Jack Gelber with music by Redd, and performed on an album of music from the play on the Felsted Label.

Tracey Davidson

She spent a period as understudy to regular number one Theresa Wiseman.

Valisia LeKae

Previously, she was a swing and understudy in the Broadway productions of The Book of Mormon (2011), Ragtime (2009), and The Threepenny Opera (2006) and a performer in 110 in the Shade (2007).

Vince Bartram

At Arsenal he was David Seaman's understudy, and played just 11 games in four seasons (all in 1994–95).

Virginia Capers

She made her Broadway debut in Jamaica in 1957 as the understudy for Adelaide Hall in the role of Grandma Obeah and took over the role when Hall left the show.

West End Frame Awards

So far the 2013 West End Frame Awards has seen various categories (some new categories and some returning categories) including Best Jukebox musical, Best Performance of a Song in a Musical (the Award was previously won by Rachel Tucker in 2012), Understudy Of The Year and Best West End Debut.

Will Chase

He first performed in a Broadway show in 1998 as the Squeegee Man and Roger understudy in Rent; he also starred as the last Roger in the final Broadway company of Rent, which was recorded for the theatrical release entitled Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.

Willy Chinyama

Despite being the understudy to first choice full backs; Clive Hachilensa and Musonda, many see him the better of the trio.

Yvette Cason

Yvette Cason is an American television, theatre, and film actress, and a former Miss Black America from Washington, D.C. She was an understudy for the character of Effie White in the original 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls.

Zebedy Colt

His Broadway acting work included appearing as Anthony Newley’s understudy in The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd as well as performances in "The Royal Family", "Dark at the Top of the Stairs" and an award-winning 1976 production of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties.


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