What happens when the spotlight suddenly shifts, and someone must step in at a moment’s notice? In this episode, stage manager Maxwell T. Wilson (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), swing and co-dance captain Anthony MacPherson, and assistant director/casting associate Aaron Jan (The Winter’s Tale) join moderator Monique Lund (Annie) for a candid discussion about the essential but often unsung work of understudies and swings. From the discipline it takes to track multiple roles to the courage required to perform with little warning, they share behind-the-scenes stories that reveal why these artists are true guardians of “the show must go on.”

Support for The Meighen Forum is generously provided by Kelly & Michael Meighen and the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation.