"Pipe Dream in 1956, I was five years old." DanceEditor for the win so far, but I know, it's not a competition.
Mine was the original FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, in 1967 when I was 11, by which point Harry Goz had replaced Hershel Bernardi who had replaced Zero Mostel. (I did get to see Zero as Tevye maybe 10 years later in his Bway revival.) But my really transformative Bway memory came 6 years later seeing the original cast of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. Dec 31, 1973.
I had seen a number of Broadway tours thru the years, but my first show actually ON Broadway was Phantom of the Opera on July 2, 1990....which happened to be my 24th birthday. My mother decided she HAD to see the show and called the box office to find out when was the first time she could get tickets. Their answer was on my birthday and she immediately purchased tickets for the whole family. On the same trip (and maybe the next day) we saw Kathleen Turner and Charles During in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Bob Fosse's PIPPIN. Imperial Theatre. 1972. I was 7 years old. It was shortly after it opened on Broadway so no understudies: the original cast intact. I became obsessed with all things Bob Fosse after this. Lucky this was a huge period for him too so he was everywhere during this time: LIZA WITH A Z on NBC TV and his film adaptation of CABARET at the movies.
Pippin - original Broadway cast with Ben Vereen, I was about 14. Even though I grew up in Queens, Broadway was a long way from my life. My best friend took me for my birthday (good friend!) . And the orgy scene knocked me out... girls rolling under the Prince, one after the other. Fabulous.
Promises, Promises in 1971, one of our family's first New York trips. Lorna Luft was Fran, and hearing her sing "Knowing When to Leave" is still one of my all-time favorite theatre moments.
Mine was The Light in the Piazza. I remember Kelli O'Hara running in silhouette infront of a glowing golden curtain so vividly. I feel like I saw it yesterday. I have since seen lincoln Center's revival of South Pacific and The King and I. Both are incredibly fond theatrical moments for me.
I also saw Spelling Bee on that same trip and was blown away by it. I really do think that it is one of the greatest musical comedies ever written. It's so human and funny and touching.
My first show on Broadway was Beauty and the Beast. It was with a group on spring break in college and I was not happy about the choice, but was overruled by other people in the group. It was 2003 and I'd already seen that show on tour a couple times.
luvcaroline said: "Promises, Promises in 1971, one of our family's first New York trips. Lorna Luft was Fran, and hearing her sing "Knowing When to Leave" is still one of my all-time favorite theatre moments.
Hi luvcaroline!
Have I got a treat for you!
Here is Lorna with co-stars Bill Gerber and Norman Shelley in "Promises, Promises".
Mine was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang back in 05' I believe. The only thing I remember about the show was the drive there and walking into the theater and getting my ticket scanned; nothing from the actual show itself.
My first Broadway show was 9 to 5 while it was still in previews mid-April 2009. I was on a trip with my high school drama club and our teacher, who was a really big Dolly Parton fan, got to pick the shows. I liked it well enough at the time, but after seeing a few more Broadway shows and many many tours since then I can see why it didn't last. Megan Hilty and Stephanie J Block were fantastic though.
The first Broadway Tour I saw, however, was the RENT one in early 2009 with Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal and Gwen Stewart. For someone who was only mildly interested in musicals at the time, it blew my mind. And now, 7 years later, I listen to show-tunes 90% of the time.
My first Broadway show I saw on Broadway was the original Les Miserables in 1988. It was about a year after it opened. I had strep throat and my parents said I didn't make a peep. I was memorized. An obsession started that day.
The first Broadway show I ever saw on stage was a Chorus Line when it was on tour in 1985. Donna Mckechnie was in that tour.
My first show- at age 9- was Carnival- followed by Fiorello- both were near closing- I looked them both up on google- and since then probably thousands have followed- the first show I truly loved was By Bye Birdie- The Telephone Song had me in ecstasy.
H2$ with Nick Jonas. I had played in pits and done tech work in High School but wasn't a mega fan. I honestly only went because I wanted to check seeing a broadway show off my list and I thought Nick Jonas was really cute so it was a bonus.
But something clicked that night.
Fast foward to now where I'm finishing up my last year of training at one of the top musical theatre programs in the world.