|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 9:17:26 GMT
I believe the alternate is 'on call' for any performances they aren't scheduled for and have to be within half an hour of the theatre until a certain time. I've no idea how they work out the pay though!
|
|
19,855 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 4, 2016 9:29:56 GMT
For emergency- they need to be able to switch between the cover and the Elphaba on the stage as quickly as possible. If the cover was part of the ensemble the time it would take to get her off stage (as they don't have earpieces there isnt really any elegant way to get them off stage) and into costume (+8-20 minute makeup) would stall the show for too long. So is the standby Elphaba all made up and hanging about backstage every night? She can't be out and about in the vicinity with a pound of MAC landscape green on her fizzog. God what a depressing job. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 9:36:20 GMT
I guess they just hang around backstage and if they are needed there would be a delay to the show? still not a riot of a job...
I'm sure I read somewhere that they call extra children in Matilda every day and at a certain point in the show they 'release' the ones not needed that performance...I guess it's because children can be snotty little things and you never know when one will go down!
|
|
448 posts
|
Post by ShoesForRent on Jul 4, 2016 9:59:15 GMT
For emergency- they need to be able to switch between the cover and the Elphaba on the stage as quickly as possible. If the cover was part of the ensemble the time it would take to get her off stage (as they don't have earpieces there isnt really any elegant way to get them off stage) and into costume (+8-20 minute makeup) would stall the show for too long. So is the standby Elphaba all made up and hanging about backstage every night? She can't be out and about in the vicinity with a pound of MAC landscape green on her fizzog. God what a depressing job. No no- they have to be within the theatre (sometimes they watch the show of seats are available), and the makeup artists have mastered putting on the makeup faster I imagine. The two S/b (Elphaba and Glinda) share a dressing room with Nessarose usually. I really want to reccomend "Unnaturaly Green" by Felicia Ricci, she was a s/b in the Chicago production after graduating with an English degree (so no formal training) and it's a really ammusing telling of what it's like- Wicked and being a standby. Plus she's a sweetheart  I think the first chapter is online, but any way she covered for Eden Espinosa and had to go on the first day she took over as standby without a proper put-in. She was in the audience when Eden cracked in The Wizard and I and got a phone call- really funny stuff. This is what they do as standbys lol: |
|
448 posts
|
Post by ShoesForRent on Jul 4, 2016 10:08:27 GMT
Clearly they are very busy girls:
|
|
19,855 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 4, 2016 10:19:11 GMT
I'd like a friend called Felicia, just so that at the end of phone calls I'd be able to legitimately say...
"Bye Felicia".
|
|
716 posts
|
Post by theatre-turtle on Jul 4, 2016 10:23:09 GMT
I'd like a friend called Felicia, just so that at the end of phone calls I'd be able to legitimately say... "Bye Felicia". New record for gayest post on these forums 😬 |
|
19,855 posts
|
Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 4, 2016 10:24:13 GMT
*curtseys*
|
|
2,041 posts
|
Post by 49thand8th on Jul 4, 2016 14:13:41 GMT
I believe the alternate is 'on call' for any performances they aren't scheduled for and have to be within half an hour of the theatre until a certain time. I've no idea how they work out the pay though! There is a great documentary called The Standbys -- about standbys on Broadway. I saw a screening of it a few years ago. In the US anyway, standbys don't have their own separate type of contract, though they would like to. Technically, according to the union, they are understudies, though their job is very different from that of an understudy (as has already been brought up). Merwin Foard, who's in the documentary and was at a Q&A I attended, said "It's bullsh*t" that understudies and standbys have the same contract. On top of it being boring, it can be isolating, and oftentimes they need to rehearse themselves in a separate part of the theatre while listening to the show over a speaker. thestandbys.com/ |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2016 14:18:12 GMT
Oh brilliant thanks!
David Nicholls (of 'One Day' fame) also wrote a book called 'The Understudy' while not a documentary it is quite entertaing!
|
|
448 posts
|
Post by ShoesForRent on Jul 4, 2016 14:33:09 GMT
I believe the alternate is 'on call' for any performances they aren't scheduled for and have to be within half an hour of the theatre until a certain time. I've no idea how they work out the pay though! There is a great documentary called The Standbys -- about standbys on Broadway. I saw a screening of it a few years ago. In the US anyway, standbys don't have their own separate type of contract, though they would like to. Technically, according to the union, they are understudies, though their job is very different from that of an understudy (as has already been brought up). Merwin Foard, who's in the documentary and was at a Q&A I attended, said "It's bullsh*t" that understudies and standbys have the same contract. On top of it being boring, it can be isolating, and oftentimes they need to rehearse themselves in a separate part of the theatre while listening to the show over a speaker. thestandbys.com/Thank so much for this! Is it considered more prestiges to be a standby though? Is it something the actor would strive for? Because I know often times it is described as "bumped" from an understudy to standby. |
|
4,369 posts
|
Post by Michael on Jul 4, 2016 14:48:44 GMT
There is a great documentary called The Standbys -- about standbys on Broadway.[...]https://thestandbys.com/ Thanks so much for this. Unfortunately, it's not available on our German iTunes, so I bought it directly from the producers - after having to choose the US state I'm living in (despite changing the country to Germany) - surely Delaware is a nice place to live  |
|
2,041 posts
|
Post by 49thand8th on Jul 4, 2016 15:25:57 GMT
There is a great documentary called The Standbys -- about standbys on Broadway. I saw a screening of it a few years ago. In the US anyway, standbys don't have their own separate type of contract, though they would like to. Technically, according to the union, they are understudies, though their job is very different from that of an understudy (as has already been brought up). Merwin Foard, who's in the documentary and was at a Q&A I attended, said "It's bullsh*t" that understudies and standbys have the same contract. On top of it being boring, it can be isolating, and oftentimes they need to rehearse themselves in a separate part of the theatre while listening to the show over a speaker. thestandbys.com/Thank so much for this! Is it considered more prestiges to be a standby though? Is it something the actor would strive for? Because I know often times it is described as "bumped" from an understudy to standby. I think it might be, but it might depend on the personality. If you're a standby, you have more time to work on your own projects (not just silly videos, although those happen a lot too) and then when you go on, there's no need to bring in a swing to cover your ensemble track. In a way it could be seen as more luxurious because it's more relaxing, but at the same time, not everyone sees it as more luxurious than boring. Some performers WANT to be doing something in the ensemble every night, which is understandable. One of the women in The Standbys said that you can oftentimes be pigeonholed as an understudy (not a standby) because you develop a reputation for being reliable 8 times a week PLUS able to jump into a lead at the last minute, and that can prevent you from being cast as a lead. You're seen as someone who's very dependable who can do two jobs. |
|
4,369 posts
|
Post by Michael on Jul 4, 2016 16:45:43 GMT
What an amazing documentary, thanks again 49thand8th. Guys, if you can spare ten bucks, buy it, it's worth every penny. That said, now I'm even happier for having a secure office job with flexitime and 30 days of leave and everything.
|
|
2,041 posts
|
Post by 49thand8th on Jul 4, 2016 17:36:43 GMT
Great! So glad you enjoyed it!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 12:20:59 GMT
On another thread there are references to discounts and papering. What does "papering" refer to?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 13:07:08 GMT
Posh term for comps, basically.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 13:13:37 GMT
Yes papering is when producers or marketing agencies give out free tickets to make the place look full.
|
|
2,041 posts
|
Post by 49thand8th on Jul 5, 2016 14:22:13 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by firefingers on Jul 5, 2016 14:43:23 GMT
Posh term for comps, basically. Comps are any tickets that are free, but papering are publicly available comps through agencies. For example, I got a comp for Blue/Orange the other week, but that was through a friend working at the theatre. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2016 18:56:17 GMT
Thank you all.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2016 8:29:49 GMT
Great thread, thanks for starting it. In fact I almost asked a question that a lot of members would have found a hoot, which was that I noticed that all musicals seemed to have "books by..." and I was wondering where you get said books - Waterstones? Amazon? I couldn't find anything online, and I spent a lot of time looking, until the penny dropped... I heard Ray Davies interviewed by Steve Wright the other day to promote the tour of "Sunny Afternoon". At one point: Wright: "Of course we should also mention Joe Penhall" (presumably reading from his notes that said "mention Joe Penhall") Davies: "Yes, he wrote the book" Wright: "Oh, the book the show is based on?" |
|
858 posts
|
Post by duncan on Jul 9, 2016 8:07:29 GMT
How much profit does the theatre make per tub on the ice-cream?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 8:45:00 GMT
My touring experience is limited, and sadly on a buyout a lot of the time these days. What's a buyout? |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2016 10:09:28 GMT
I know I saw this info in a thread somewhere a while back, but unfortunately I can't remember which!
I'm trying to arrange to meet some people for a business-type discussion for an hour in the evening tomorrow. It needs to be a friendly and relaxed venue with tables for laptops and notes on A4 paper, and we need the ability to get a drink, but without too much background noise (so we can discuss concepts without losing the thread, and so the quietly spoken can make themselves heard).
I'm thinking the Royal Festival Hall or NT would be ideal, but it runs in my mind they've both started chucking out people who aren't there for shows, as the evening goes on. Anyone got a rough idea what the cutoff point is? ie If we were done and dusted by 6.45pm would we be OK?
|
|
