Since local theater almost never have understudies for key roles in a musical, what do you do if a cast member becomes ill and cannot make the weekend shows?
Miquel Cadoy III, a popular and versatile island actor who also is a Farrington High School educator who directs a student musically annual, helped save the day when Taj Gutierrez, cast as Judas Iscariot in Diamond Head Theatre, became ill and nonetheless completed last Friday night’s performance.
By Saturday morn, however, Gutierrez realized he couldn’t make that day’s matinee and evening shows plus the Easter Sunday matinee, and had to be hospitalized. Director-choreographer John Rampage was informed about the medical crisis, and figured that cancellation of the weekend’s three shows was imminent, relaying that consideration to musical director Roslyn Catracchia.
“We gotta cancel,” Rampage told Catracchia but she had other ideas.
Who you gonna call? Not Ghostbusters, but Mig Cadoy, Roz suggested.
“Yes, I did go on this past weekend as Judas! Crazy!,” said Cadoy, the centrifugal force in saving the day.
“They didn’t have an understudy from the cast, so Roslyn called me at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, to see if I could come in, learn the show and go on that evening,” said Cadoy.
He had a sketchy rehearsal to acclimate himself to the tunes and work on modified blocking, from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, to be primed for the 7:30 p.m. curtain on Saturday, a role of show he’s never done. He also had to be fitted for costumes.
“I used an iPad during the show, with the music lead sheet. Mr. John explained to the audience of the situation and they were very forgiving with me having the tablet in hand. I was supposed to WATCH the show that evening,” Cadoy said with awe.
“It was a tall task; he had to feel the story and its emotions,” said Catracchia, who witnessed the moments of show where Cadoy sings “Jesus Christ Superstar” and a shortened version of “I Don’t Know How to Love Him.” She said there were tears in his eyes.
Cadoy’s Judas preparation and performance had conflicted with his Easter Sunday preaching role at his church, but he managed to find a replacement, too.
“Thankfully, the cast was very supportive and helped me through the entire process,” he said.
It wasn’t the first time Cadoy has subbed for a fellow actor; he once had to sub for Cliffton Hall , who lost his voice, in a production of “Les Miserables;” but this was an off-stage incidence, requiring vocal work only.
It also wasn’t the first time for Catracchia, who had been part of a cast-member issue in a “JC Superstar” production, with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra; a substitute actor performed with a script in hand (pre iPad era) with her late mom, Beebe Freitas, as musical director.
With two performances under his belt, Cadoy remains on standby in case Gutierrez does not recover from his voice issues, for the final three shows this weekend at DHT.
Cadoy is happy to respond to the emergency summons. “I couldn’t say no to Roslyn,” he confessed. “Plus I really wanted to audition for the show, but I wanted to finish my final research paper for my master’s (degree). Funny thing is, I turned in my final paper on Thursday, and then this coincidently happened! So thankfully I was able to do the show.”
The canceled Saturday performance has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. this Friday (April 22) with concluding performances at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday (April 23) and 4 p.m. Sunday (April 24).
Truly, Cadoy is to be commended for taking on this emergency call to fill in for a fellow actor in a time of need. For a musical with Biblical implications, with complications happening on an Easter weekend, one can’t help but wonder. The “He Is Risen” comment perfectly suits what transpired over the weekend, when Cadoy rose to the occasion in a the-show-must-go-on unplanned moment. …
And that’s Show Biz. ….