This past October I had a front row ticket to Mama Mia, right next to the conductor. I was constantly distracted and found myself looking down into the orchestra pit to watch the musicians. Between songs, the drummer would break out a newspaper and another musician would sip on a Jamba Juice while playing with a palm pilot.
One the guitarists caught me staring, so he smiled and waved.
At yesterday's matinee of Hairspray, I saw one of the stagehands in the wing next to stage right doing the choreography of "Cooties" along with the cast on stage during the song.
Also, Kevin Meaney was watching part of "Timeless to Me" from the same wing.
I don't know if this counts since it's not Broadway. However, when I saw Diahann Carroll in Sunset Boulevard in Toronto as Norma, during her final mad scene she ran out onto the top of the stairs with the gun in her hand.
The actors all then improvised and Diahann started waving it around. The ensemble was gasping and screaming a bit, following Diahann's lead. She then improvised, acting delusional and catatonic and dropped the gun. It was a nice save and gave the unsuspecting audience a nice thrill.She then proceeded with the script as written.
Those of us who knew the script well and knew that shouldn't be happening enjoyed that we had a story to tell. It also showed that the cast including Diahann were troopers who knew how to improvise on a dime.
"Recently, during a performance of DRS, one of the "palm trees" got caught by the swagging curtain during the transition from Oklahoma to the scene at the foot of the grand staircase. Norbert went after it and tried to fix it, and Gregory Jbara said "Someone must fire the gardener." They laughed about it for a few seconds and then got back on track."
LOL That sounds soooo cute
Honestly, all the shows I've seen over all the years... Can't really think of anything... I have enjoyed reading these stories emesely. Wish I had something to contribute Or maybe I don't - that might be a good thing
Broadway Star Joined: 5/11/06
When I saw Wedding Singer I was in box seats above the stage. I saw everything going on backstage including the switching of the Grams (for the break dance number). It kind of ruined the show for me. Well, that and the costumes, the lighting and the score.
Ever Have a Fling With a Broadway Actor/Actress?
When I saw Wicked on Tour, during "As Long As You're Mine" I could see monkeys in the wings being hoisted up while watching the show.
My first Broadway show was Phantom of the Opera, and we got really close seats, but they were to the side. After the Overture and what-not the curtains rose and I saw the actress playing Carlotta fix her dress right before she went onstage.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/30/04
This weekend when I saw RENT in Atlanta, I saw Roger singing along with Angel and Collins when they first meet. It was kind of cute.
Several years ago on the Les Miz tour, I had an obstructed view seat and could see into the wings on stage right. Just before At the End of the Day, I saw one of the women workers blow her nose and then stuff the snotty kleenex into her bra! LMAO.
Still wonder who that was...
i went to the DREAMGIRLS Benefit in 01 and it was awesome. (I was sitting next to my mother's friend and Debbie Allen's fine ass son) and during 'Aint No Party', Heather was wearing this little dress that has a very high split up the front, well anyway she starts getting into the song and it's not hard because the music in the song is crazy powerful, but she kept moving the split to her right and by the time she got to talkin about "confetti in her face", we got sumthin else in OUR face....It was CoochieVision with a Tony Winner yall.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
Well, Moxie in the City, you've ruined the show for me. I'm going to see it in August. I'm so ticked off.
When I saw Wicked, in the scene when Kristin starts twirling her baton against Idinas broom during their fight, Kristin misjudged and bopped herself on the head pretty badly. She was stunned for a moment, and took a couple of steps to regain her balance, and looked very embarressed.
In Tarzan on stage right, a stagehand slipped on one of the green vines and literally fell on his butt right onstage, completely out in the open.
My favorite was "not dead Fred" in Spamalot getting into positiob to be dragged out on stage.
When I saw Wicked, in the scene when Kristin starts twirling her baton against Idinas broom during their fight, Kristin misjudged and bopped herself on the head pretty badly. She was stunned for a moment, and took a couple of steps to regain her balance, and looked very embarressed.
I probably shouldn't have laughed at that, but....
Come on, guys! It's Kristen. She was acting. She probably made it more than it was for a laugh....not that I ever did anything like that onstage..lol. She's got a big enough head that it didn't hurt.
Understudy Joined: 12/16/05
During "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" I saw Norbert Leo Butz's package and butt.
Stand-by Joined: 7/2/06
A few in Tarzan:
When the big green sheet thing is moving on the stage when Tarzan and Jane are singing in the moonlight, it's being shaken by two guys on the sides of the stage who are dressed in these big green costumes (that even cover their heads) and it makes them look like alligators. The guys look miserable!
There's one point when Tarzan swings up into the rafters while Jane continues to sing, and while he's waiting to swing back down and sprinkle flowers on her, he's hanging upside down in the rafters and is fully visible from the first row the whole time (if you look up). It's a pretty long time to be hanging like that!
There's a scene where someone slaps someone, and it's the conductor (who's body is fully visible) who claps his hands to make the slapping noise.
And in another show I saw, where you can see the orchestra pit, I saw one guy make a phone call and another guy reading a magazine.
Updated On: 7/19/06 at 11:59 AM
We're suppose to see Norbert's butt in DRS. We shouldn't be seeing his package in all its glory though.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
well im a tech so i can actually pick that kind of stuff out but the only problem ive seen so far is during previews for tarzan, jane's father's mic came on late once and went off early twice! now thats a pretty big tech mistake, ha ha, thats what previews are for i guess, ha ha
in hot feet (ugh all of that shouldnt have been seen) when the weirdo sparkaly( look i don't feel like spelling well)shoes rolled off the stage through the door at the back I saw 2 stage hands taking them off
I saw the Damn Yankees revival from the front row, and during the shower scene where they sang Heart, there were wearing only towels. From the front row the view was startling.
Two things in Aida....
Chorus boi chewing gum
Different chorus boi yawning
granted it a show in the last few weeks of the run.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/5/04
".....one of the stage hand person things came out onto the stage and shut it."
One of the what, me3?
Beauty and the Beast - Steve Blanchard lost his tail onstage. They kept cracking up, him crying out "Belle will never love me now! I'm a chihuahua!"
Broadway Star Joined: 7/19/05
Chuck Cooper's lighter fell out on stage during Instant Karma in Lennon. I don't think many people noticed though.
I can't remember anything else now...
Broadway Star Joined: 5/24/06
When I saw DRS I was to the farthest left I could be, in the front row, and I saw people about to enter backstage just watching for their cue. I also saw inside of the orchestra pit without having to move. There's actually moniter screens that are hooked to the conductor. Pretty cool.
Also, when the dancers were on my side of the stage, they kept looking at me...I think it's because I was wearing an insanely white shirt. It was pretty cool though.
Oh, and I also saw the actors spit pretty close. Again...pretty cool.
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