Every night on Broadway, dozens of the best performers aren't on stage. They are backstage, standing by, ready to go on at a moment's notice. The unique and challenging lives of Broadway's Understudies and Standbys are revealed in this evocative and original behind-the-scenes documentary.

"The Standbys" follows a variety of undiscovered performers for several years through their ups and downs, struggles and triumphs, onstage performances and private lives. When these Standbys are finally given the chance of a lifetime, anything can - and does - happen. Never-before-heard stories from industry insiders and celebrities reveal the unimaginable struggles these under-appreciated performers endure as they wait in the wings for their shot at a dream that may never come true.