Closing Nights.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 7:18pm

Anyone attend any Closing Nights of Broadway musicals? If so, share your experience!

I bet it would have been awesome to be there for Lane and Broderick's last nights for PRODUCERS. Or to see CATS final performance after such a long run.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 7:28pm

I saw the final performance of "La Boheme." It was great.

[Hello Gorgeous]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 7:44pm

I haven't been to any final performances, but I went to Bernadette's last show of AGYG and that was a tear-jerker for me. It was such a good night, that was also Tom Wopat's last night also. I hope to get to Bernadette's last night for Gypsy too.

[mcphan19]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 8:19pm

I went to the final performance of Dance of the Vampires (well to be more accurate, I went to the last two performances of the show - matinee and evening, plus got to go backstage between shows). It was a thrilling experience, and also a sad one. I still believe that the show was thoroughly entertaining and deserved a longer run; it was never given a fair chance. There wasn't any special fanfare at the end, but I wished there was.

What I remember most was the audience's reaction to the show - all positive, and the comments I overheard of disbelief that the show was closing (I heard a lot of that at some of the performances I attended that January) The cast gave their all for that performance and were properly rewarded with a standing ovation at the curtain call. Some of the cast became emotional during the performance - I remember how much more emotion there was in Crawford's voice during "Confession of a Vampire" and how he fought to hold back the tears.

Although technically not the final performance, I went to the next to last performance of Les Miserables (since the final performance was closed to the public) and that was another emotional night for me - I found myself close to tears at moments, and I wasn't the only one. There were several people around me, visibly moved that the show was closing. Again, the cast gave a fine performance and were given a standing ovation at the curtain call.

Jen

[alterego]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 8:33pm

Here in Australia, and I believe in Great Britain, it is tradition for the audience to throw streamers at the stage during the curtain calls at the final performances of long runs. The cast usually reciprocate with streamers back to the audience.

With a show that has had a long run it can be a truly moving experience masses of streamers flying through the air with the bows music playing. Sometimes it can be a bit of a battle getting out of the theatre through all the coloured streamers!

[dotmarie]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 8:41pm

Well...I was at the closing of my school's production of A Chorus Line last night.

I think it would have been wonderful to go to the final Les Mis (or the second to final). It was my first Broadway show. *tear*

[PennyLou]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 8:47pm

Well I have never been to a closing night of a show butI was at Marissa's last night of Hairspray and in Jan I will be at Matt's and Clarks last night of the same show.

[Musetta1957]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 9:24pm

I've never been to a closing night of a show actually ON Broadway, but I was at the closings of both the original SF cast of the Phantom of the Opera and the final show for the Benny tour of Rent. I was at the next-to-last performance of the Angel tour as well.

If it counts, I was at the final show of the Les Miz tour before it went to Shanghai, and at its final show before they recast half of it this summer/fall.

Amazing!

[singnyc]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 9:56pm

The closing nights of shows have made for some of the best and most amazing nights of theatre I have witnessed. I have been to the closing nights of Jane Eyre, Scarlet Pimpernel ( 2 versions), Annie Get Your Gun ( as well as Bernadette and Tom's last show), Seussical( Cathy Rigby's dig at Fran Weissler was priceless!), Jekyll & Hyde and Ragtime

[Dollypop]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 9:57pm

I was at the final performance of the original production of TWHM on December 27, 1970. Ethel Merman was Dolly and Gower Champion danced in the chorus for that performance.

At curtain calls, Merman took her bow and then TGC walked out of the wings: the first and last Dolly's stood basking in the admiration of the audience.

The final curtain did not fall that afternoon, indicating that the show would never really end. It hasn't for me.

(I have been to every Opening Night and Closing Night of TWHM since Jan. 16, 1964--Damned proud of it, too!)

[Cadriel]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 10:45pm

I attended Amour's seventeenth and final performance from the front row. The audience loved the show, and the cast put on one hell of a performance. Stage dooring afterward was a mob scene.

I wish it hadn't ended like that...

-Wayne

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 10:53pm

Great question. I've got tickets for the closing night of Cabaret on January 4th! This will be my first opening or closing night. Hoooray!

[Crazy4MattMorrison52]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 11:26pm

i was at Marissa Winokur's last day in Hairspray..i'll be at my loves last night on 1/11/04 and i was at joey fatones last rent show

[Phantom2]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 11:29pm

That was one great costume Matt had on at Scarespray!

[cabarethed]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 11:38pm

I was at the closing night of the Design for Living, and I'm very proud to have secured a ticket (at the bar rail in the back of orchestra, go me) for the final performance of Cabaret. I didn't think I'd be able to, but was very happy to have gotten my tax return right around the time I saw the ticket prices!! I'm sad, but it's certainly going to be an experience I'll never forget.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 12/7/03 at 11:50pm

Cabarethed, did you see the $500.00 tickets (including dinner)? Ay, Carumba!! I'm on the banquette--not too bad.

Posted: 12/7/03 at 11:55pm

I attended the closing performance of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

Still have the Playbill with my notes written in the margins. Wonderfully joyous to have been a part of that.

A magical show...a magical performance...a magical memory.

Yours for more night waltzes on Broadway!

[bob8rich]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 3:47am

I was at the closing night of STEEL PIER in 1997, which was a very emotional experience. Debra Monk brought the house down with "Everybody's Girl" (as I'm sure she did EVERY night) and there were tears in evidence all around when Karen Ziemba gave her speech after the curtain call.

As I was walking out through the crowd leaving the theater, I heard voice after voice commenting "why the hell is this show closing?" It dumbfounded me too that such a wonderful show should close after just 3 months. I felt that the book maybe needed more work but it looked quite stunning, it had terrific performances from Karen Ziemba, Debra Monk, Gregory Harrison, Damiel McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth and the entire cast - and each time I play the CD I am reminded of what a truly beautiful score it has.

It was not the greatest show I have ever seen - but I have seen far worse shows that have been running for years.

[RagtimeRay]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 5:24am

I have had the pleasure of attending two closing nights:

Peter Pan with Sandy Duncan in early January of 1981 and Ragtime in mid-January of 1999.

Peter Pan was particularly exciting. The audience applauded every tune in the overture. When Sandy Duncan flew through the window of the nursery in Act 1 there was such sustained applause that I wondered if the show would ever be able to continue. Each number was applauded at length, and of course a huge ovation at the end. A fun experience.

Ragtime had a similarly warm welcome. I recall especially that in Act 2 during some of the final ballads of the show that the leads received sustained applause.

If you ever get to see the closing night of a show... especially if you are a fan... don't miss it.

[lc1965]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 10:28am

I have to say, I think closing nights are the pits. They're really out of control & you're usually not getting the show as it was written, designed, directed. Actors frequently change lines, the audience is filled w/ family & friends & production people who constsantly break the flow of the show w/ excessive reactions. It's really only for insiders. There have been only a few closing nights I've attended where everyone was completely professional (& theatre is, after all a business selling a product). I feel very badly for the folks in the audience who have never seen the show before. It's like attending a wedding for people you don't know.

[kec]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 11:06am

Not closing night, but I attended the final two performances of the full original cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in London. Both were full of little pranks and funny comments. Brian Blessed was having the time of his life ad-libbing and Michael Ball had everyone in stitches when during the "Doll in a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious" song he popped out of the box in a red afro wig and coke bottle glasses and sang the song in a Yorkshire accent!

[IssaMe]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 11:08am

Tons of them. Agree though that they probably mean more to fans of the show since there are so many little insider things going on... and the emotion from both sides of the footlights might confuse the first-time attendee.

Totally agree about DOTV final performance. Wow!

Sunday in the Park was probably the most spectacular I've been to.

TFM final performance with American cast in London simply spectacular - even though some of the Americans had already left...this was Jarrod, Romain, and Andre's departure...even though Jarrod was sick with food poisoning...it was a prime, peak performance.

Most recently, yesterday's finale of "Listen to My Heart" was particularly touching. A simply terrific revue which had what most revues don't - real emotional content that touched the heart. Just loved it. Sorry to see it go. Get the CD!

[say what?]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 11:45am

I went to the final performance of the You're a Good Man Charlie Brown revival in '99. Director Michael Mayer told me to keep "Charlie Brown in my heart forever."

Yeup.

Posted: 12/8/03 at 12:01pm

I was at Rocky Horror's closing night and the normally crazy crowd was beyond wild. It was a lot of fun!

-Christina

[cabarethed]

Posted: 12/8/03 at 12:38pm

Oy, yes I did see those prices! No way in hell. It also includes a pass to the afterparty...it's a Roundabout benefit performance.
I'm on the center aisle of the back bar rail, which I think is really a great seat, though a touch far back. I envy that banquette seat!! Then again, my first two seats ever were at the bar rail and I haven't sat in them since, so I kind of feel like I've come full circle with the show. Ok, now I'm starting to get emotional!