Bette Midler Falls During "Hello, Dolly" Performance

AKarp2013 said: "Per NBC News

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Bette-Midler-Fall-Hello-Dolly-Broadway-444557753.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_NYBrand

There was a set malfunction and a 20 minute delay. The show started back up and she continued on with the show. Glad to hear she's okay."



what a trooper

Call_me_jorge said: "Like, did she fall into the pit? What exactly happened?"



I doubt she fell into the pit. That would have been devastatingly harmful, I'm sure. The article says she fell "from a moving set piece," but it can't have been one of the really high-up ones or she probably would have been too badly injured to finish the show. Looks like it happened early in the show based on the Twitter times. I'm guessing she fell off one of the low-ish to the ground pieces, like the trolly or the steps of the feed shop. And she needed to take a breather and re-gather her strength, which is definitely a must when you take a fall at her age. Hopefully nothing more serious than that.

Bette and I are both in our 70's. A fall at any age can be serious stuff, but especially so as we age. I have brittle bones, and have fallen three times during the past couple of years. The first time (while training for a half marathon) I broke my ankle. The second time, I fell on a knee, with no apparent damage. But the third time, I fell on the same knee and tore a ligament. I don't fear much, but I do fear falling and breaking a hip.

I, too, hope she seeks medical attention. Stay well, Bette!

Updated On: 9/14/17 at 10:15 PM

She fell, she's fine, the show went on. Geez.....

Based on the playbill.com description, it seems like the incident happened as the Molloy Millinery set spins with Bette on it, as the drop lowers as the dance number (A Quiet Street) begins.

Glad to see her tweet that she's fine. But like poisonivy said, I hope she doesn't experience residual chronic pain. *knock on wood*

At a performance I attended in June, cables lowered and rose behind the hat shop while Minnie Day did her monologue.

Makes me wonder about the stage crew back there.

There's nothing wrong with the crew at The Shubert. If there were any tech glitches - that happens in live theatre. They are all pros and part of the union. If there was a problem, it would be fixed.

Normally I'm not one to entertain false-risk or weakness but as discussed at this age falls can be very serious, causing chronic injuries, incapacitation and even death. And as mentioned, sometimes the effects of falls may not be known immediately. It's not as if the fall was a ripped chorus boy.

Makes me wonder though...at a recent performance, Minnie had to deliver her monologue to the audience in front of the Molloy shop scrim-it didn't rise so she could try the door and then say the shop isn't open yet. She delivered the whole speech in front of the scrim and it didn't rise until Irene came on.

Midler also tripped at one performance I saw leaving the hay and feed store singing Sunday Clothes. There's a step down leaving the shop and she missed it causing a slight adjustment to her stance.

Hoping she's OK now.

"Midler also tripped at one performance I saw leaving the hay and feed store singing Sunday Clothes. There's a step down leaving the shop and she missed it causing a slight adjustment to her stance."

Ethel, that particular mishap is on one of the Boots floating around .

A friend of mine works backstage at the show. Last night that when Bette fell, the stage manager rushed out to the stage to help her... and she just looked up at him from the floor and asked if he wanted her to sing a song to entertain everyone while they fixed the set pieces.