New Broadway Documentary AT THIS PERFORMANCE... is in Production

New documentary "At This Performance... Understudies and Swings: From Backstage to Center Stage" is currently in production.

A new documentary that will follow the lives of swings and understudies on Broadway began filming towards the end of 2021 called "At This Performance...Understudies and Swings: From Backstage to Center Stage." The film will show a behind the scenes look inside their world as they navigate the difficult work of being a swing or understudy. All the while, hearing unbelievable, funny and sometimes frightening stories. It was to be a fun piece mixed with some serious notes on theatre. We want to show that an understudy is more than a slip of paper in a playbill.

That all changed in March of 2020 due to the first ever closing of Broadway. While the role of an understudy or swing is vital to a show, it has only become MORE important with Covid sweeping the world. Recently, the head of The Broadway League, Charlotte St. Martin, made contentious and controversial remarks about swings and understudies.

The Broadway community came together in support of understudies and swings. Hugh Jackman gave an incredible speech at the end of the 4th preview of "Music Man". His co-star Sutton Foster was diagnosed with Covid-19 and her understudy Kathy Voytko stepped in and had her first rehearsal at 1:00 pm THAT afternoon. She "smashed" her performance. Curtain calls for the last week have been filled with heaps of praise for "the superheroes" of Broadway who swoop in at a moment's notice to save a show. They are finally being recognized for their hard work and dedication and all it took was a worldwide pandemic.

At This Performance... will be bringing you stories from Broadway actors such as Jessica Vosk (Finding Neverland, Wicked), Kayla Davion (Waitress, King Kong, Tina), Dana Steingold (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Avenue Q, Beetlejuice), Afra Hines (In The Heights, Ghost, Hamilton, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Hadestown), Matt Rosell (Les Miserable, Anastasia), Yassmin Alers (Rent, On Your Feet, Rocky Horror Show), and Kevin Raponey (Rock Of Ages) with more to be announced. Directed by Pete Ferriero, produced by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, Tom Creatore and Raymond Esposito.

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