Broadway Frights

#1

Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:37am

Perhaps I'm an anomaly. Perhaps I'm the only one out there who has ever sat in a darkened theater or watched a videotaped performance and been absolutely petrified by a performer or performance. But if not, I'd like to ask the question, "Who would you nominate as the scariest performer ever to tread the boards?"

I'll start the list with my own, personal terrors, male and female.

For male: Mandy Patinkin. How can that much manic energy fail to terrorize?

Female: Angela Lansbury. Sweeney Todd gave me nightmares. And what was up with those curls in her Princess Leia do? Seriously frightening!

---

"Wilkins, after all these years, are you trying to be funny?"

#2

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:51am

Tennessee Williams' Not About Nightingales on Broadway a few years back directed by Trevor Nunn was the scariest show I ever saw, though it was more the tension and danger of the situation created than a particular actor...

It was spine-tingling, and I would have given it the Tony over Side Man, much as I liked Side Man, and just for this reason, that it is so hard to write something that can build up that much tension!

Genius!

#3

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:52am

Robert Goulet in South Pacific.

---

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#4

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:56am

The last 1/2 of Stephanie J. Block's "No Good Deed" scared the crap out of me.

#5

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 1:56am

When was Robert Goulet in South Pacific, and whom did he play? (It's not on ibdb.)

---

"Wilkins, after all these years, are you trying to be funny?"

#6

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 2:03am

The Pillowman scared the crap out of me, and I had read it before hand! I mean sure, the show did have several horror movie elements to it (the lound chains and eletrical sounds), but I found myself engrossed for the entire show and being scared for not only the characters' lives, but my own (for some odd reason). Kudos to Mr. McDonough and the production team!


God, I loved this show!

---

Variations on a Theme blog: http://panekattack.blogspot.com/

#7

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 2:08am

I'm so disappointed that I didn't see The Pillowman this summer. I tried to talk my sister into it, but we didn't know anything about it, so we passed. I now attempt to kick myself daily for it.

---

"Wilkins, after all these years, are you trying to be funny?"

#8

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 2:13am

Not the scariest performer, but Raul Esparza's big number in Comedians. Ooh lord. Amazing and really chilling.

#9

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 5:21am

kerry butler terrifies me.

the end.

---

"...But Kungurtseva reels off multiple fouettes and the tape is stopped so she can take a bow. The Jester, an abomination introduced to Swan Lake in Soviet times, extorts applause from the audience. The cuts don't help the storytelling, the production is bare bones and they go for the '50s-style happy ending. The audience cheers like mad at the end. It's the Russian ballet, after all..."

#10

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 7:49am

Betsy Joslyn on the Sweeney Todd video. She looks like she's going to pop.

#11

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 6:14pm

The book to Jeckyll & Hyde was a fright.

The singers were great and covered it as best they could.

#12

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 7:31pm

Stripping two headed llama in Doctor Dolittle!

I'm scarred for life.

#13

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 7:40pm

When George Hearn signgs "Ephiphany" on the Sweeney Todd video. That scares me every time.

---

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

#14

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 7:48pm

George Hearn as the Wizard in Wicked... scary... I was waiting for him to slit Elphaba's throat with a switchblade.

#15

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 8:37pm

raul in rocky horror

---

"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#16

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 9:04pm

Heather Headley's Easy As Life made me crap my pants, it was so terrifying!

---

Sunchips: Best Kept Secret in the chip aisle!!

#17

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 9:07pm

The "The Writer and His Brother" scene of THE PILLOWMAN.

"Once Upon a Time" from BKLYN - especially when I looked down at my wallet.

#18

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 9:21pm

this is so stupid but when i saw the tour of miss saigon, i knew there was one gunshot but I was totally unaware of the second gun shot so I jumped out of my seat...and onto my friend. Haha.

Oh and another tour story. I saw Jesus Christ Superstar, during the crucifixion scene. It creeped me out so much. The music is just terrifying that I can't even listen to it at home. Oh and when Judas hangs himself, total chills.

I just realized there was no complete sentences. Haha oh well.

---

"One day, is that enough for you, one day he went dumb, one day I went blind, one day we'll go deaf, one day we were born, one day we shall die, the same day, the same second, is that enough for you? They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more." --Waiting for Godot

#19

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:24pm

Im with you about George Hearn in the Sweeney recording.....


eesh.

I once watched it in a video room and i couldn't see anything and it was really cold.

---

"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane

#20

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:29pm

I've said it before and i'll say it again!
the first 10 minutes of EVITA

i was like ' :| ' for the rest of the show

---

"talent is wanting something hard enough to work for it" - my drama teacher :)

#21

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:32pm

The Sweeney Todd video really should come with some sort of advisory. I thought I was the only person it terrified. Of course, I also loved it, but still...

---

"Wilkins, after all these years, are you trying to be funny?"

#22

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:36pm

"When was Robert Goulet in South Pacific, and whom did he play? (It's not on ibdb.)"

No, but it is on Google.
search results for "'Robert Goulet' 'South Pacific'"

---

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#23

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:37pm

Oh good, Im not the only one who is frightened by Evita, especially the beginning.

---

"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane

#24

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/20/05 at 11:40pm

Thanks for the link, LizzieCurry. Sorry for my stupidity, but my mind doesn't think of something as simple as google at 2am. And yes, I'd agree, he does look a bit frightening.

---

"Wilkins, after all these years, are you trying to be funny?"

#25

re: Broadway Frights

Posted: 9/21/05 at 12:30am

Where might one find this Sweeney Todd video?