Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
I noticed last night at The Little Mermaid it was a combo of Lead and Fame. Sierra(Lead) was last and before her was Sherrie (Fame)
I feel that the Little Mermaid final bows are not fame of the actor, but fame of the character.
Prince Eric is hardly a show-y or famous role, while Ursula is a iconic one, thus the 2nd to last bow.
I was suprised Megan got the second bow for YF, but then again she is being top billed for some reason.
Megan Mullally bows second to last in Young Frankenstein because she's the star. Sutton and Andrea have bigger roles then her.
I also hate how low-billed Chris Fitzgerald gets. I mean, I know he's not a "name", but come on.
I can't think of any examples off the top of my head but I am fairly certain that there are some shows with no specific bow order. The actors just sort of bow however and in whatever order they want.
Like when Bernie took the last bow in WOODS, even after Joanna Gleason's deafening applause.
its OFTEN up to the director...but I have seen the producer step in and change the order.
When there are stars involved, it's often decided in negotiations with the agents. For example, Angela Lansbury didn't accept the role of Mrs. Lovett until she was guaranteed top billing and the final bow (this is documented in her biography). Or when Wicked opened, it was decided from the beginning that Kristin and Idina would share the final bow. Joe Mantello didn't really have much of a choice in that case.
I am fairly certain that there are some shows with no specific bow order. The actors just sort of bow however and in whatever order they want.
That made me laugh.
^Me, too.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
I just finished up a production of Anything Goes (1962 version) and the bows were as follows:
Ensemble (which included Ching and Ling)
Angels
Steward, Purser, Captain, Whitney (me)
Mrs. Harcourt, Moonface and Bonnie came out together and took a separate bow
Evelyn and Hope bowed together
Billy
and finally
Reno
That's how we did it.
I've done shows where we've just done a group bow (Our Town, Into the Woods, The Scarlet Letter)
When we did Godspell, it was Sort-of ensemble members (it's an ensemble piece after all), people who sang the main songs, then our Jesus.
"I can't think of any examples off the top of my head but I am fairly certain that there are some shows with no specific bow order. The actors just sort of bow however and in whatever order they want."
WHAT?????????
"The actors just sort of bow however and in whatever order they want."
FUNNIEST thing I've ever heard!!! LOL!!!!
Leading Actor Joined: 3/2/08
In every show I've don it was the director's choice.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/19/08
its always awkward when they don't bow
In "Hot n' THrobbin", at my college, the director just had the actors walk on stage one at a time and stand there in red light for about a minute. No bows. The audience had no clue, so us in the booth in the back had to start clapping like crazy to get everyone else to realize that yes, these were "The bows"
I was also in "Impromptu", where another director decided that the audience will get it if we just stand there.,....they didnt. It wasnt until we walked off stage until the audience was like, "oh, NOW the show is over. Now we can clap"
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