Gypsy- first preview- what happened in the audience?

[davalmar]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:31pm

Did something fall from the mezzanine and land on an audience member? There was a big commotion and someone gasping and crying. It happened right before Rose's Turn.

On another note, the show was fantastic, even at 3 hours long. Great cast!
Updated On: 3/3/08 at 11:31 PM

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:33pm

Tell me more, tell me more...

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:34pm

I was just about to ask. I was in the orchestra, just below the mezzanine. There was an astounding crash and then sobbing above. When I left the theatre, there was an ambulance. Someone who was in the mezzanine reported that an air vent fell on a patron. I'm really worried. If anyone saw it or knows anything, please chime in.

And, YES, the show is indescribable. Patti LuPone is well matched by Laura Benati. I'm so glad this opened on Broadway!

[broadwaystud23]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:36pm

Yes. Patti LuPone quite literally brought the roof down of the St. James... a piece of an air vent. From what I heard after the show, the girl is okay.
Updated On: 3/3/08 at 11:36 PM

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:36pm

That's so terrible.
But can you imagine Patti following that?

Patti: HERE I AM WORLD!

Audience: Yeah, umm, Patti, you're great and all, but an AIR DUCT just fell. I think, at this time, it is not Rose's turn.

Patti: Wow. This is awkward.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:38pm

haha. I saw that coming, broadwaystud.

That's horrible about the air vent... I hope the patron it fell on is alright.

*Edit: Silly spelling mistake.

Updated On: 3/3/08 at 11:38 PM

[ahmelie]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:39pm

Wow. I almost feel like that would be worth it.

Like, damn, what a good way to get seriously injured.

...except for you'd miss Rose's Turn. Which would suck.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:39pm

I hope the person is okay.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:40pm

Oh that's scary.

Can someone who saw it at City Center too answer this. Are the tempos still really (unusually) fast? Or have the slowed them down a bit now?
Updated On: 3/3/08 at 11:40 PM

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:42pm

I sure hope they've been slowed down.

[A Director]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:43pm

Wow! Someone in the audience may have been hurt and all the message board vultures can do is make jokes! Shame!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:52pm

Well it was more dramatic then what was onstage.
THe show moved like is was directed by a 90 year ole man,
oh wait.

The crying and sobbing in the theatre was totally scarey from the Mezz.
I hope everyone is OK.

Is there some theatre supersition about a light falling on the audience during the first performance?
Doesn't sounf good to me.

More of my thoughts on the show elsewhere:
Updated On: 3/4/08 at 11:52 PM

[the_gambler3]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:53pm

In the first act (pre air vent disaster) there was another commotion in the first section of the mezzanine. There was a loud outburst, than several people in the row stood up... then suddenly two young women storm out. They return with security and then a man and a woman leave.

Turns out the man was choking another man in the row below and acting crazy. One of the girls who kindly got security was Katherine McPhee.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:56pm

Why was Katherine McPhee in the mezz?

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:58pm

Was one of the men, Arthur Laurents?

Damn, how did I miss that?

[winston89]

Posted: 3/3/08 at 11:58pm

Sounds like the real show was in the house and not onstage.

This reminds me of the story of the guy that collapsed during the production of A Moon for the Misbegotten. They had had to call the ambulance from the fire house which is literally located around the corner from the Brooks and the firefighters went to the MEZZ while the show was going on.

I am all in favor of trying to keep a show going on when there is a problem. But, if FDNY have to enter the theatre then its time for a brief intermission.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:01am

Yeah, if the show goes on, obviously people would watch what's going on and not the show.

Falling vents? Strangling? Crying? Craziness.

[BroadwayEnthusiast2]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:06am

It sounds like a helluva first preview.

[broadwaystud23]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:18am

A side note...I saw the cast of 'Young Frankenstein' (Except Mullally, Bart, and Foster) as well as Raul Esparza, Max Crumm.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:31am

There was lots of commotion in the mezz tonight...from the near fight at the beginning of act 1- I'm still confused as to what happened. Apparently, this man was a crazy Patti LuPone fanatic and he kept yelling and touching (choking, apparently) people. Security came, and was trying to keep everything quiet, but the one woman's husband looked about ready to deck the guy. They stormed out, but later returned, and they finally got rid of the crazy guy.

Then, at the end of act 2, there was a crash, and then all kinds of sobbing and very heavy breathing. Someone said it was a light, but apparently it was an air duct. We thought the poor woman was having a heart attack, the way she was breathing. Someone else thought she went into labor. It was definitely a scary few moment, and I have no idea if they knew of the commotion down on the stage, but they kept going.

I'll post my comments about the show in another thread, but in short...Patti was AMAZING.

[ljay889]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:32am

Adam. Please post comments soon. and try to answer the tempo question for me. Can't wait to read some reviews.

This audience stuff sounds very scary.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:34am

Definately a thrilling night of theater- onstage and off. I'll have to post some more comments later, but I really thought someone died during Act 2, I['m still very concerned and hope that they put something on the news about it.

[Just_John]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:38am

The air duct fell on someone in the balcony, not the mezzanine. It was on the right and I was in the left so I thought someone fell down the stairs but I guess not. It was very scary. I didn't notice that incident in the mezzanine from upstairs.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:45am

There was a moment when I thought Patti was gonna stop the show in that scene, she definitely had one eye on the commotion,
the tension was palpable.

[sesot]

Posted: 3/4/08 at 12:47am

I hope the theatre will do something special compensate the poor patron that was injured. I wonder if any of this will make the news- somehow i doubt it.