Monday, Oct 6, 2014
Learning a role from another actor's perspective takes concentration and skill.
by Natasha Fuller
Taking a new approach to musical theatre preparation, Rider University’s fall musical, Lucky Stiff, will have a cast of ten talented and zany characters - and nine understudy counterparts.
Never before seen in the Rider musical theatre program, and rarely seen throughout the theatre world, Lucky Stiff will include a cast of understudies for every speaking role, and they will perform the entire show in an open rehearsal. For most productions at Rider – and even on Broadway – understudies cover several different roles, not just one. Director Nathan Hurwitz says this approach will give more students an opportunity to perform, but more importantly, it will also prepare them for a career on the stage.
Marissa Girgus, understudy for the role of Woman 1, thinks that having a full cast of understudies is a good life lesson. It teaches them how to watch their counterparts and mimic the character they’ve created for the stage. “You have to make other people’s track and take on a show work, even if you don’t agree with it,” she says.
Rory Connolly is the only performer with a role in the main cast, where he is Vinnie Di Ruzzio, and in the understudy cast, where he is the lead character Harry Witherspoon. From his understudy perspective Connolly says, “We haven’t really gotten to perform, which is kind of the biggest hurdle we have to overcome. Once we actually get up on our feet it’ll be a whole different experience for us.”
The first time the understudy crew will run through the show from beginning to end will be at their open rehearsal, which Eric Dann, who is the primary lead, Harry Witherspoon, notes is yet another learning experience. “When you get out in the real world that’s mostly what you’re going to be doing as a young actor, understudying for someone with more experience or someone older in the same role. So you’ll have to be able to do it without actually doing it” Dann explains.
Despite the daunting task the understudy cast faces, they are all thankful and excited to have this opportunity. The understudy cast will present an open rehearsal of the show at 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 12 in the Yvonne Theatre at Rider University while their counterparts will be watching from the wings.
The performances of Lucky Stiff will be presented October 9 through 11 at 7:30 p.m. and October 11 and 12 at 2 p.m. in the Yvonne Theatre at Rider University. Learn more at www.rider.edu/arts.