Swings Save The Show

With a spike in the Omicron Covid variant, more swings and understudies have had to step in to leading roles at the last minute. These performers finally find themselves being recognized during this stressful time on Broadway.

With a spike in the Omicron Covid variant, more swings and understudies have had to step in to leading roles at the last minute. These performers finally find themselves being recognized during this stressful time on Broadway. For those who don't know, "swings", understudies, and standbys are those who step in when the scheduled actors are unable to perform. Swings are ensemble members of a cast who know multiple tracks or roles, as well as the one they typically perform. Understudies are performers who are responsible for knowing lead or supporting roles, and standbys are off-stage performers whose purpose is to cover the lead or star role in a production. Now knowing exactly what these jobs consist of you can see how vital they are to theatre today and why comments made by the Broadway League President started an uproar.

"My educated guess is the newer shows maybe have understudies that aren't as efficient in delivering the role as the lead is..."

Broadway League President, Charlotte St. Martin, is now under scrutiny because of controversial comments made in an interview with The Hollywood Report. St. Martin stated, "My educated guess is the newer shows maybe have understudies that aren't as efficient in delivering the role as the lead is. Some older shows have more experienced understudies and more experienced swings." This comment has lit an unintentional flame under actors everywhere to appreciate the work of swings, understudies, and standbys. After being under social media fire from actors and theatre patrons alike, St. Martin apologized for the statement, but this did not stop the actors performing from shining a spotlight on understudies and swings.

Movie star and Tony winner, Hugh Jackman, who is currently on Broadway in The Music Man thanked swing Kathy Voytko after bows for stepping in last minute for a lead role usually performed by Broadway legend Sutton Foster. Jackman went on to tell the audience, and Voytko, that "swings, the understudies, they are the bedrock of Broadway." Following this, many other shows began to shout out those filling in for cast members who have fallen sick or tested positive for Covid. Most recently, former Broadway actor turned software engineer, Carla Stickler, was called to step in after seven years since her last performance in the musical Wicked. Stickler, who lives in Chicago, accepted the call and flew out to New York to once again go green and play Elphaba.

Though the comments made by St. Martin were inconsiderate, it did lead to shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes of Broadway. With new-found recognition, swings, understudies, and standbys now feel the support that is needed to help live theatre get through Omicron's peak and every other predicament that comes in the future.