Understudies

choi

Yesterday I published Monet in Venice, consisting of two postings. Today, in posting 1, I add

Note:
(e)
(ii) San Giorgio Maggiore
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Giorgio_Maggiore
("By 829 it [island] had a church consecrated to St George; thus it was designated as San Giorgio Maggiore to be distinguished from San Giorgio in Alga" in another island in Venice)
is the name of both an island in Venice and the church on the island. The word maggiore (meaning: greater) is the comparative of Italian adjective or noun masculine grande (great). Some websites hinted that San Giorgio Maggiore means St George the Great. This is incorrect, as The Great is "il grande" in Italian.

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Michael Paulson and Sara Krulwich, 'Bittersweet; Curtain Call for Understudy Slips. New York Times, Nov 3, 2025, at page C1 (section C was Art).
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/ ... slips-playbill.html

Quote:

(a) the first eight paragraphs:

"For theatergoers, it produces an all too familiar sinking feeling. You open your Playbill and a little piece of paper flutters out, alerting you that a member of the cast is out and someone unexpected will be performing.

"For understudies who are finally getting a turn in the spotlight, though, those little slips offer rare moments of recognition.

"Love them or hate them, they are a Broadway tradition on the way out.

"A little-noticed provision in the tentative contract agreed to this month between the Broadway League and Actors' Equity Association makes those inserts — 'stuffers' in industry parlance — optional. The deal, which was approved Thursday [Oct 30] by Equity members, allows shows to announce most cast changes through QR codes printed in Playbills, along with either a verbal announcement or a cast list posted in the lobby.

"But some Broadway troupers who came up the hard way fear that few audience members will bother to open the QR codes on their phones to see who is performing.

" 'I understand, from an environmental standpoint, that they're wasteful, and I understand why producers, cost-wise and for other reasons, don't want them,' said Julie Benko, who was a standby for the title role in the recent revival of 'Funny Girl' and created her own show, 'Standby, Me,' about the four musicals in which she has covered principal roles.

" 'But,' she went on, 'I think the understudies, the swings, the standbys and the alternates do so much work, with so little recognition, so much of the time — this is a little piece of paper that makes sure they're acknowledged by the people who are watching them.

"The provision to move to QR codes for cast changes was proposed by producers. * * *

(b) "Alex Birsh, the chief operating officer of Playbill * * * The inserts, Birsh said in an interview, 'are certainly part of a tradition.' Birsh would know — he is the third generation of his family to run Playbill. * * *

(c) "Broadway lore is filled with stories of understudies who catch a break and make it big. Shirley MacLaine was discovered as an understudy in 'The Pajama Game,' when she stepped in for a star who had injured her ankle, and she caught the eye of a movie producer. Sutton Foster became a star when she made the leap from understudy to lead during the pre-Broadway production of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie.'

(d) "There will be one quirky exception. Shows that require audience members to lock their cellphones in pouches (as the Broadway play 'Liberation' currently does, following in the footsteps of other shows that feature nudity) will still need to use inserts, since audiences will not be able to access the QR codes.

"Jennifer Ashley Tepper, a producer and author of Broadway history books who works as the programming director at 54 Below, a Broadway cabaret club, said she kept 'several framed understudy slips from performances when friends and future stars went on for roles that they covered.' [The emphasis is on framed.]

"She called the change 'a bittersweet shift.' * * *

Note:
(a) "But some Broadway troupers who came up the hard way fear that few audience members will bother to open the QR codes on their phones to see who is performing."
(i) Many online English dictionaries contains "the hard way" and some other have "learn the hard way" or "find out the hard way."
(ii) None have "come up the hard way." Google AI says the term means; "to achieve success or a position through hard work and difficult experiences, rather than through an easier path or privilege."
(b)
Julie Benko "created her own show, 'Standby, Me,' about the four musicals in which she has covered principal roles.   " 'But,' she went on, 'I think the understudies, the swings, the standbys and the alternates do so much work"
(i) Standby, me" is a wordplay on Stand by Me (Ben E. King song).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_by_Me_(Ben_E._King_song)
(ii) Margaret Hall, What Is the Difference Between a Broadway Swing, Standby, Alternate, and Understudy? In honor of National Swing Day, Playbill parses out the difference between the four separate-yet-related professions. Playbill, Jan 15, 2025.
https://playbill.com/article/wha ... nate-and-understudy
(c) Sutton Foster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutton_Foster
(1975- ; American actress)
(d) The Liberation (play)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_(play)
did not mention nudity. But * * *

Has anyone seen Liberation? Would love a review. reddit, February, 2025
https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadwa ... ould_love_a_review/
(DroughtofApathy; " * * * Six of the actors are fully nude for the act two opening scene, which lasts a little under fifteen minutes or so, and it feels very natural and comfortable, never gratuitous. * * * ")