You're On Tonight

And That's Season One...

Somehow… we’ve reached the end of season one. To every single person who’s sent us a message, an email, a DM, or shared their own experience with us - we genuinely canno

I Was Paid to Perform Drunk on Stage | Shocks, Shenanigans & Sh*tfaced Shakespeare - Princess Donnough

Princess Donnough is an icon. After making her West End debut as an understudy in I’m Sorry, Prime Minister, she was quickly “bumped up” to leading the show night after n

I’ve Covered Beetlejuice & Willy Wonka | Ambition, Adapting & Almost Giving Up - James Haxby

James Haxby is an understudying legend. He’s worked on some of the biggest shows in the world - from 9 to 5 to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where he covered the ico

I Understudied on the Most Nominated Show in Tony History | Stereophonic, Support & Swapping Roles - Sam Denia

Sam Denia is quite simply one of the loveliest people we’ve ever had in the studio - and one with the most strings to his bow (pun intended). In 2025, Sam understudied i

I Went On For A Role I Hadn’t Played in Three Years | Anxiety, Advocacy and Asking For Help - Laura White

Laura White is an inspiration. Not only has she been in everything in the last decade from The Play That Goes Wrong to BBC’s Doctors, she’s also been one of the leading v

I Wasn’t Allowed to Tell Anyone What I Did for a Year | Secrecy, Swing-Eye, and Censoring H***er - Megan Armstrong

Megan Armstrong has been in some of the most exciting shows in the world. From Cats, to Avenue Q, and currently The Producers, Megan has been an understudy, swing, and pr

I'm Inside The Rehearsal Rooms of West End & Broadway Smash Hits - Hamlet, Operation Mincemeat and Flo & Joan | Georgie Staight

Georgie Staight is working on some of the most exciting and dynamic productions in theatre today. From Hamlet at the National Theatre to the West End and Broadway smash-h

I Had to Perform Without Ever Seeing The Script - Eddie Marsan | Class, Prejudice & Stepping On Stage For The First Time in 24 Years

Eddie Marsan has built one of the most extraordinary acting careers in Britain. From Ray Donovan and Ridley Road to blockbusters like Vera Drake, Back to Black, and Sherl

I Was The First Asian Elphaba in the West End’s Wicked - Determination, Delusion & Dreaming Big | Nicola Espallardo

Nicola Espallardo is a trailblazer. Not only has she appeared in some of the biggest musicals in the world (Les Miserables, Hamilton), she was also the first Asian person

I Understudied Donald Trump, Joe Biden & Ralph Fiennes - Presidents, Panic & Preparation | David Tarkenter

David Tarkenter is a rare thing - an actor who simply hasn’t stopped working. For decades he’s graced some of the country’s most iconic stages - The National, The Old Vic

I Was Terrified to Walk Out on Stage - Ellie Leach & Hannah Boyce | Nudity, Nerves & Never Giving Up

Strictly Come Dancing winner and star of Coronation Street, Ellie Leach, had her stage debut as Miss Scarlett in 2024 in Cluedo 2. Hannah Boyce starred opposite her, was

I’ve Understudied The Same Role For 15 Years - Longevity, Addiction & Being a World Record Holder | Clive Marlowe

Clive Marlowe is a world-record holder: he has been covering the same roles on The Mousetrap for 15 years, making him the longest-serving understudy in history and unders

I Was Booed By 3,000 People - Musicals, Mayhem & Menopause | Dawn Buckland

Dawn Buckland has been performing for over 40 years, starting her professional career on Starlight Express when she was just 17. Since then, she’s worked non-stop on stag

Welcome to You're On Tonight

Launching 11th February, You’re On Tonight is a weekly podcast shining a spotlight on understudies, swings and covers in the theatre industry. Hosted by Kara Alberts-Turn