I've just gotten back home from New York and would like to add my two cents worth, if you guys don't mind
Joel Grey was there, too. Sitting next to him was Deborra-Lee Furness, Hugh's beloved, who was cheered by the crowd when she came in. Matt Damon, who came in with his girlfriend, was very gracious while the photos snapped and autographs were signed before the show.
Eventually all that the theatre management could plead for was for the audience not to use flash photography
...It looked like practically all members of the audience were camera-ready -LOL!
Two rows behind me was Barbara Cook - who distributed party confetti and other trimmings for the finale celebration. She was joined by two ladies from Japan who had dozens of long-stem roses for throwing to the stage at the finale. Producers Ben Gannon and Robert Fox were seated a few rows behind us - and Hugh gave them an acknowledgement. He also had the spotlight shone on the top OZ fan, Maeve, who had supported the show and had seen it 210 times or so...and mentioned the full support of the many friends and fans of the show ( especially the members of the official show forum) and how the show had to overcome the not-so-good critical reception.
I was very lucky to have been able to watch the onstage and even some of the offstage proceedings from a very good vantage point since I was seated at Row A -108. And for that I was blessed with having a great front view of this extraordinary last performance, including the Bicoastal with Matt and Barbara. Together with the front rowers, we were gawking at possible celebrities in the audience. We also spotted Nancy Sinatra and Carol Bayer Sager and others who were faintly familiar but whom we weren't sure of. Some Broadway insiders or big-wigs near me were conversing on how this event and the phenomenon of Hugh Jackman have never happened before on Broadway. A new star who had turned around a show that seemed doomed at the start... A show closing that was greeted with so much celebration, well-wishes, and a sense of loss!
The performances themselves were incredible - and each major cast member had something extra to contribute that evening. It seemed everyone in the audience there was a repeat patron of the show and each number was almost drowned by the prolonged applause afterwards, as if people felt sentimental as each number was sung for the last time. One thing which struck me though was when the song ONCE BEFORE I GO was being sung for the last time, it seemed to me that Hugh Jackman went out of his Peter Allen character. Here, at last, Hugh was singing his own goodbye to Broadway! Sob
...
It was an incredible evening - and when I got out of the theatre to help give that stagedoor sendoff to Hugh - many people remarked on how the confetti glitter were stuck on my hair, my face, my dress and even my legs. I think I got the full brunt of that celebratory send-off of the show, confetti-wise
. But I did not mind walking on Broadway that early evening with all those glittery stuff on me -- I was proud to have been part of that joyous and exhilarating bitter-sweet event!
Updated On: 9/17/04 at 02:22 PM
