thefederalistfreestyle:Meet the ‘Hamilton’ actors who fly cross-country when a cast member can’t go
thefederalistfreestyle:Meet the ‘Hamilton’ actors who fly cross-country when a cast member can’t go on (Marketwatch) [x x]:[…] This is the life of a universal standby in “Hamilton,” the musical based on the life of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton. The show has five universal actors ready to fly cross-country and perform in any of its three productions, in New York, Chicago and San Francisco, whenever a regular cast member can’t go on.“Your job is to be prepared for emergencies,” [Jennie] Harney said.Nicknamed the “Universal Schuyler,” Harney covers the main roles of Angelica, Eliza and Peggy Schuyler, while the other actors are “swings,” covering five or six ensemble roles.While the “Hamilton” productions are largely the same across the three cities, Antuan Raimone, one of the universal swings, said his job feels more like covering 18 roles because of the different stage dimensions, which change where he has to stand and how he moves. He also has to remain cognizant of the nuances cast members in each of the productions bring to their roles.[…]“Hamilton” chose to employ five jet-setting actors, rather than the more traditional option of vacation swings —actors who come in for prescribed periods of time — because of the time it takes to onboard a new cast member. It takes an average of four to six weeks to learn one role in the rapid-paced show, and six weeks to build a set of costumes.A vacation swing could decide not to come back the next time around, which would mean the production’s investment of time and money is for naught, said Jason Bassett, production supervisor across all “Hamilton” shows.“Given that ‘Hamilton’ can afford to keep somebody on staff full time, it was well worth our while,” Bassett said.[…]Typically, Bassett tries to schedule the swings and standby, Harney, with a month’s notice. Each cast has its own in-town swings and standbys, but if they all go on at the same time or someone is on vacation or injured, the universal actors are needed.If there’s enough notice, the show will FedEx all of the actor’s costumes, which can mean a “fleet” of five to seven boxes traveling ahead of them, said Raimone.“Even an M5 [ensemble member], who is James Reynolds, has seven different coats and capes,” Raimone said.In an emergency, however, the actor is sent to the airport with a giant suitcase of costumes.Harney and all of the swings are based in New York, and they have to be at the theater in whatever city they’re in for every show. When they travel, the show pays for the flight, covers housing and provides a per diem for meals and other expenses.Because of these perks, and the fact that he sublets his apartment when he’s away for long stretches, Raimone has learned that being out of town actually helps him save money. “It is, in essence, more financially beneficial for me to be outside of New York,” Raimone said.The show also encourages the actors to sign up for frequent-flier miles and allows them to pick the airline when possible.And time in flight offers a good opportunity to study up on the role, as the actors have access to videos of each city’s production of “Hamilton.”To prepare for each Schuyler sister, Harney said she’s created a binder with color-coded index cards — coordinated with each sister’s main costume color — as a “cheat sheet” for every number in the show. She began her studies by isolating the show song by song for each role, making notes on movement and the props involved.“I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve watched ‘Helpless’ and ‘Satisfied’ just to watch traffic patterns,” Harney said.On the flip side, Raimone said he’s earned the nickname “Magic” because of his ability to watch choreography a few times and memorize it. “I am a freak,” he said. -- source link