NBC's Rise -- a new show about a group of high school students putting on a musical and their trials and tribulations -- is about the kids who are stars. The companion web series, however, focuses on an entirely different part of high school theater: The understudies.
The Understudies' digital videos will follow students not at the forefront of Stanton High School's production of Spring Awakening. Though we find out about the group through Michael (Ellie Desautels), we've already got a core cast of stage-starved misfits ready to charm.
The first installment of Understudies isn't super subtle, focusing mainly on one girl who thinks she deserves a lead in the musical because she put in time with the teacher and did tech for a whole year (tech ≠ acting, so not sure where that experience was going). Instead of plotting any ill will against the main leads, the understudies hang out, bond, and play a game of Never Have I Ever.
The Understudies will total nine episodes throughout Rise's first season. Who knows, if the show gets renewed, some of them may get a shot at a lead.
Rise airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Topics NBC
