Understudy Analysis

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I am lucky enough to be a part of Urinetown as the understudy for Penelope Pennywise and Josephine Strong. I have had a unique perspective of the show because I participated in pre-production, watched nearly every rehearsal, and even performed as Pennywise in front of an audience. I have witnessed first-hand how hard all of the actors and members of production team have worked. Being an understudy in this production has been one of the most enriching, stressful, rewarding, trying, and incredible theatre experiences I have ever had.
I had never been an understudy prior to Urinetown, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I had the chance to stand in for Josephine Strong on multiple occasions, but only rehearsed as Pennywise once. Learning …show more content…

I had a basic understanding of the show before reading the script and imagined Pennywise and a domineering villain. Upon reading the script I realized this wasn’t the case. Initially, I saw Pennywise as an exhausted middle aged women who hates her job and is just trying to keep everyone in line. With further analysis and our Director’s vision, Pennywise became someone completely different. Pennywise has a unique position in the show because she lives between the poor and rich worlds. She hangs in the balance and is on the front lines responsible for maintaining order. Because of this, she cannot show even the slightest bit of exhaustion. James made this very clear comparing her to Mother Courage and a “brick wall” when people question or oppose her. She too lived through the Stink Years and is just trying to maintain stasis. Pennywise definitely has a softer side which was really fun to explore. It’s evident from the beginning of the script that she has a soft spot for Bobby. I soon realized that this is due to the fact that she had to give up her daughter, Hope, around the same time Bobby was born, so she acts somewhat maternally to him. This maternal side comes out when Hope’s life is threatened by her father’s selfish choices and, just like Josephine after Bobby’s death, Pennywise loses all her inhibitions and has one objective: to save her daughter. …show more content…

McQueen), and Rachel Hindman (Little Becky). Russell’s monologue convincing Bobby to take a bribe was extremely well executed. You could see Cladwell’s wheels turning as he contemplates how to effectively manipulate and control Bobby while putting a lid on his own outrage. This raised the stakes and truly highlighted the conflict at the core of the story. Riley perfectly embodied the absurdity of the show while still being grounded in reality, which is arguably the biggest struggle of Urinetown. As Cladwell’s loyal sidekick, he is arguably the most flamboyant character in the show, but his performance is never overdone and is always believable. One standout ensemble member was Hindman. She fully embodied and committed to the unhinged character that is Little Becky. Her character’s journey is made clear through her strong choices and consistency. From being suppressed by the system to preparing to hang Hope, Hindman accurately portrayed this progression by owning the extreme reality of Urinetown.
One performance that could’ve used improvement was that of Hope Cladwell. The actress portraying her didn’t want to play Hope as the “basic, stupid, ingénue” but this different take made her performance fall flat. Hope’s innocence and naivety is central to the plot and is inescapable in the writing. This affected her story with Bobby. While Tyler Fauntleroy’s performance was impeccable, it was hindered

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