Standbys are normally required to sign in and remain at the theater the same as other cast members, although sometimes they may call in, until they are released by the production stage manager.
Examples of this include the starring roles in Evita, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Dear Evan Hansen, Les Misérables, Jekyll & Hyde, and The Phantom of the Opera.
Examples include Anthony Hopkins for Laurence Olivier, when Olivier became ill with cancer during the run of the National Theater's The Dance of Death, 1967; Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson for Jeff Fenholt and Ben Vereen respectively during the 1971 Broadway run of Jesus Christ Superstar when Neeley and Anderson were asked to star in the 1973 film version and subsequent tours; and Edward Bennett for David Tennant as Hamlet in the RSC's 2008 production.
In the audience that day was Brian May, who was then writing his musical We Will Rock You, and he was so impressed with Ellis's performance he immediately wanted to cast her as Meat, a lead in the show.
Patrick McCarthy, then unknown, stepped out of the audience, went backstage, and offered his services as a professional singer who knew the part.
[7] In 2002 (and also in 2003, 2005 and 2006), Sam Moran had filled in for Greg Page in the children's entertainment singing group the Wiggles during their concerts more than 150 times before stepping up as part of the official lineup in November 2006.
[8] The role of Radames was taken over successfully for the rest of the performance by his understudy Antonello Palombi, who entered on stage wearing jeans and a black shirt.
[9] During the 25th-anniversary performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera, the titular character and Christine are played by understudies Simon Shorten and Katie Hall when they walk on a lowering walkway during the title song.