Document text
It's happened to every theatergoer. Just before the curtain rises, you hear an announcement: "At this performance, the part of so-and-so, usually played by your favorite actor, will be played by somebody else." While it can be frustrating for the audience, it can also be magic in the making. Is this the night a new star is born? Understudies are a component of most acting companies. All Broadway shows are obligated to have understudies by the Actors' Equity Association. And for a repertory company like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, with 11 plays performed by dozens of actors six days a week during an eight-month-long season, a cadre of talented understudies is indispensable. Among them is newcomer Martha Thatcher, 22, a recent Southern Oregon University graduate with a bachelor's degree in performance. As an acting company trainee, she will be ready to step in for multiple roles in three OSF plays. She will understudy K.T. Vogt (Prudy Pingleton, Gym Teacher, Prison Matron, Cop and ensemble in “Hairspray”), Lilia Houshmand (First Murderer and ensemble in “Macbeth”) and Shyla Lefner (White Rabbit and ensemble in “Alice in Wonderland”). Thatcher auditioned with OSF June 3 and was offered a contract at the end of September. “I was excited but a little shocked,” she said. An understudy is usually in the cast of a show, generally in an ensemble track or minor role, ready to step in for a different part, often larger. However, Thatcher is what is commonly known as a swing — not actually onstage, but ready to step in at a moment’s notice when an actor she’s covering calls out. The most talented performers often get cast as swings. They can do everything. It’s a way for a performer to get a foot in the door and form relationships with many creatives. Thatcher plays the violin, sings, dances and acts. She comes from a musical family. Her grandfather, Alfred Newman, was a nine-time Academy Award-winning composer and conductor. Two great-uncles, two uncles and cousin Randy Newman have scored hundreds of films. Thatcher said she is already off book for all the roles she has scripts for. “Hairspray” previews March 6 and opens March 9, with both performances sold out. “Macbeth” previews May 28 and opens June 7. “Alice in Wonderland” previews May 29 and opens June 5. She learned her parts by using a trick of the trade. “I highlight the lines for different parts using a different color highlighter for each role,” she said. “K.T. (Vogt) has been so supportive. We learned the music together and the dialogue together.” Stepping into a role can be a tricky business. You don’t want to mimic, and you don’t want to throw the other actors. Thatcher said she will try to honor the performance of the actor she is covering while bringing her own version of the role to life. When memorizing the parts, rather than have someone read lines with her, she prefers to work alone. “And I like to use the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) to get the sounds right,” she said. Thatcher said she loves dialects and has had fun working on her Baltimore accent for “Hairspray.” “It’s been a passion of mine since I was a little kid,” she said, “probably from watching Harry Potter. Micha Espinosa (voice and text director for “Hairspray” and two other plays) has been a big help.” Thatcher continually reviews her lines to keep them top of mind. She is provided with vouchers so she can attend performances on a regular basis, usually at least once a week. And OSF provides a video of the second dress rehearsal for her to review. The responsibility of covering so many roles might seem daunting, but she relishes the challenge. “I meet it with a healthy mix of newcomer anxiety and confidence,” she said. “And I love working with actors I’ve known since high school. It’s amazing to get to work with the big boys and girls.” She has a second job lined up at a winery in Jacksonville. But they understand that her first priority and responsibility are to OSF. She didn’t arrive at OSF as an ingénue. She performed in many productions at SOU and had a singing/dancing role on ABC’s sitcom “The Middle” (season 8, episode 1). She also has collaborated with her mother, Maria Newman, and sister Isabella in performing classical music. They appear regularly in her hometown of Malibu and recently completed a successful concert tour of the Pacific Northwest. She started performing at a young age. “I’ve played the violin since I was 5, started studying ballet when I was in kindergarten, and started singing after I saw ‘The Little Mermaid,’” she said. She also likes jazz and modern dance. She doesn’t have a favorite genre. She likes it all. “I love Shakespeare,” she said. “Some day I hope to play Paulina in ‘The Winter’s Tale.’ And one of my favorite musicals is ‘Sweeney Todd.’ The part I’d like to play in that is Mrs. Lovett (the baker). But for both parts, I’ll have to wait until I get a little older.” Where does she see herself in 10 years? “I hope to be working consistently at a high level,” she said. Meanwhile, she will be honing her acting chops at one of the finest regional repertory theater companies in the country. And should there be an announcement at curtain time about a certain understudy on a night you’re attending the theater, you’ll know you’re in for a treat. Jim Flint is a retired newspaper editor and publisher living in Ashland.