Shows that left you in a mess of tears, unable to breathe nor stand up, and sobbing like a bitch?- Page 8

[bitey dog]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 2:15pm

Les Mis was probably the first show to make me cry.

I remember losing it at the very end of Rent, right before Your Eyes.

Ragtime ALWAYS makes me weep, even listening to the cast recording. It's something about Stokes and the way he emotes.

However the one thing that always leaves me sobbing and unable to breathe is Bright Lights, Big City. BLBC is one of those shows that just hits this place in my heart and I can't keep it in.

[Lorelai]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 2:23pm

omg....Grey Gardens and The Last 5 Years totally killed me. oh so did Passion.

[LyTeMyCanDyI]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 3:19pm

Miss Saigon, but only the second time I saw it. My grandmother and I were frozen to our seats. Her reaction to the show, and one actor imparticularly, are why I act. She told me i'd be on stage after that performance and I wanted to make it true for her and I thought that if I could impact one person the way the afore mentioned actor did to her, my life would be worthwhile.

so, yea, Miss Saigon.
I dunno if this counts, but when I saw RENT (movie version) and angel died I cried so hard that my eyes were swollen the next day. I didn't cry at the show, though.

[jv92]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 3:32pm

I didn't cry, but the end of Sweeney Todd left me shocked. I just didn't expect, well...you know.
I didn't cry in Piazza either, although I was close to it.
The one time I did cry in a musical, a musical film at least, was Mary Poppins. Feed the Birds just makes me tear up.

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 8/7/06 at 7:32pm

"Passion" when I saw it at the Sondheim Celbration in D.C. with Michael Cerveris in 2002. Also when I saw "The Light in the Piazza" in NYC.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 6:04am

Phantom of the Opera, the first time I saw it, couldn't help myself
A Little Night Music during Send in the Clowns
Wicked during For Good, I know I know
Rent, during Will I? and I'll Cover You (Reprise)

[WhoPaintedTheKitten?]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 7:30am

Embarrasing but:

I cried at the end of Blood Brothers- when they sing the last song.
And this is mad but theres one part in Avenue Q that makes me want to cry for a split-second - at the end of 'Fantasies Come True' when Rod says "Goodnight Nicky" and everyone says "awwww"- it's just too sweet! Hahaha!!

I havent seen Les Mis yet so I dunno if i'd cry at that...!

[TBone]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:38am

I saw JACQUES BREL last night, and I'm still trying to pull myself together.

[JBSinger]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 8:46am

During the opening number of Titanic when they reached the "Sail On" segment, for some reason, the floodgates opened. I was a weeping mess. My partner kind of laughed at me, but I was a wreck.
More recently, when i watched the alternate ending of the RENT film, when they come back to the stage with the empty spotlight, I was blown away, and then Angel enters and I wept even more.
Oh, the power of the theatre!

[fiesta1]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 9:05am

Elegies had me crying in a several numbers.
Angels in America (the Roy Cohn death scene, and the epilogue)
Holiday Heart (off-Bway)
Pillowman left me breathless. Wow.
The Normal Heart left me sad and very angry. But then I sobbed though the last 100 pages of "And the Band Played On" as well. [Yes, I am a 45yo gay man who has attended way too many memorial services].

[broadway_show_fan]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 10:14am

Limited to shows I've seen:
Like many, Rent I'll Cover You rep. and Wicked ("Wizard and I," "Defying," and especially "For Good.")
Lennon - (did any of you even see it?) when Julie Danao-Salkin sings "Grow Old with Me" after John has died, into the "Imagine" ending. Yeah, I liked it.
Fiddler - a few, especially "Far from the Home I Love" (one of my favorites, ever), during the Chava sequence, and during "Anatevka."
Bright Lights, Big City in Philly - the mother's rendition of "Are You Still Holding My Hand?" still sticks with me. I think it was just incredibly moving.
Once on This Island at Centerstage (this past holiday 05-06, Trisha Jeffrey as Ti Moune). From after the ball to the end.
Then there is The Light in the Piazza. In all, I saw it four times, and each time I cried more and more. I am such a fan of the show in general - which I believe to be the most elegant and beautiful show - but especially of Patti Cohenour (who I saw three of the four times). The last time I saw Piazza was her second-to-last Margaret show, and I started crying from the moment I arrived at the theatre. Afterwards, she said, "Oh, don't cry, don't cry! It's okay. It'll be okay... memories last forever" - which of course, made me cry a little harder. :)

[irememberitwell]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 10:16am

Caroline or Change because Tonya Pinkins voice was so shot and her acting was over the top. After seeing Kenita Miller in Dessa Rose, I think she would have been fabulous.

[to wherever]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 10:26am

It's not hard to make me cry at all...
During Rent, the movie, I was literally sobbing by the time Without You ended... I cried through the rest of the movie. I've seen it more times than I can count and I still cry.

Seeing Rent on Broadway -- I was crying during the title song, I cried during Glory, I sobbed through the last half of the show. I just couldn't keep it together.

And admittedly, I've cried everytime I've seen Wicked. But I sob at DG as soon as she goes up saying "It's me" and I also sob during For Good. Can't help it!

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 11:53am

Caroline, or Change - that was a rollercoaster
The History Boys- i wasn't sobbing, but I found myself surprised when I noticed that I had tears streaming down my face at the end! Maybe that was my happiness at finally seeing it thought

[HeartandMusic]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:02pm

The first time I saw Les Miserables I was absolutely balling at the end. I think I'd been crying for little bit before Fantine and Eponine came back out, but that's when I actually realized that my cheeks were soaked w/ tears.

[Katecab99]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:43pm

i bawled my eyes out at "LITP" and everytime i see any version of "passion" or i watch the OBC DVD...that story kills me.

both "sweeney" and "the pillowman" left me breathless.

[Days of Inspiration]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 12:50pm

The Phantom of the Opera and Light in the Piazza.

[AttendTheTale2]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:07pm

Aida - The final time I saw it, about a month before it closed, was when I cried the hardest. It was a mix of my favorite show at the time closing and getting to see Adam Pascal in person.

RENT - Everytime I see the show or the movie, I bawl at the I'll Cover You reprise, Your Eyes, and Finale B.

The Phantom of the Opera - Everytime you feel bad for the Phantom is usually when the tears start flowing. You just want to get up on stage and give the poor guy a hug.

Sweeney Todd - I didn't cry because I usually don't the first time I see a show (RENT was an exception), but I was so close. It was usually Tobias that had me choking up (Not While I'm Around, when he starts crying, and the ending). Sweeney had me in such shock that I couldn't cry (if that makes any sense).


There are also shows that have had me in tears due to laughter (Spamalot and Avenue Q). =P

[to wherever]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 1:23pm

I laughed so hard I cried at Spelling Bee... I love that show.

I haven't seen Q or Spamalot yet but I plan to.

Sweeney also left me a bit shocked... I think I just sort of stared at the stage when it was over. But I loved it.

[WhoCouldBeBlue]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:16pm

The first time I completely lost it in the theatre was sitting in the front row of Falsettos. During "Unlikely Lovers", I completely lost it to the point that I was sobbing and couldn't stop. Never before had a moment in theatre affected me.

The second time it happened was during A Class Act. The minute "Say something funny" started, I was a mess.

Most recently, NUMEROUS times in The Light in The Piazza.

I'm not an extremely emotional person.. but at that moment when live theatre touches your emotions and heart so personally is what makes it so magical.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:38pm

You know, jwsel, that production of Othello is out on DVD now. I saw it and it's amazing.

[SpellRENT777]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:54pm

"Both times I've seen RENT I've not been able to move after that final "No day but today." That line of music is just so powerful to me."

I feel the exact same way! I really cried all through the second act of RENT but those last night have me completely balling like a baby!

[brandonm]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:58pm

I always cry after:

Fiddler on the Roof
Rent
West Side Story
Wicked

[pennywise-poundfoolish]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 2:58pm

I can't believe we're 8 pages in on this thread and no one has mentioned VIOLET. One of the most moving shows ever written. Thank you, Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley for making me weep repeatedly.

The Vivan Beaumont revival of Carousel. Sally Murphy's performance as Julie Jordan made my stomach ache with sorrow. And I mean that in a good way!

Also, everytime I take my (now) 10 year old son to a broadway show, I cry during the overture because I'm so thankful we're living in NYC and he can experience live theater.

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 8/8/06 at 3:04pm

camp_actor, I did see the London production of SITPWG and loved it, although the first time I saw it live was actually at the Ravinia festival. I've cried every time!

VIOLET. I completely forgot about VIOLET. The show itself is moving enough, but the music on its own is so beautiful it makes me cry anyway.