standby? Is one paid more? Why do productions

Question: The difference between understudy/standby!? Is one paid more!? Why do productions have one or the other or both!?

For example, when Idina Menzel was doing Wicked on Broadway in June 2004, she left a performance after the first act due to illness!. Shoshana Bean was her standby and Eden Espinosa was the understudy!.!.!. why did Eden go on vs!. Shoshana!? Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

A standby is a recognizable "name" actor who's able to fill in if a well-known lead actor isn't able to go on!. The idea is that hopefully this standby will have enough pull that the audience that came to see a celebrity doesn't demand their money back!. The standby doesn't perform any other role in the show, and is only there to fill in for the lead!.

An understudy, however, is someone who performs a smaller role in the show, likely in the chorus, and is able to step up into a larger role if the need arises!. They perform the larger role, and a swing fills in their spot in the chorus!.

However, these labels aren't quite so hard-and-fast!. An actor with a particularly good agent may be able to negotiate standby billing for what is technically an understudy role, which is what it sounds like happened in the case you mentioned in which Ms!. Menzel's understudy went on for her instead of her standby!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'll use your example in mine-

Eden Espinosa goes on for Idina if she calls in sick and cannot come in!. Shoshana Bean has to be around the theatre in costume if something happens to Idina while she is on stage and be ready to perform!.Www@QuestionHome@Com