COMPANY - Closing Performance Stories- Page 8

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 5:58pm

obsessed - I was actually thinking you should go since you'll be down there! We so have one-track minds. But um, yeah - go!

Sondheim geek, I saw that a few weeks ago but I decided that I like my pic of the marquee better, lol. I like the Rent one tho. And yeah, I loved that moment of laughter at that performance too --it just seemed to continue the audience's support after the ovation. When he had trouble just getting the smile out at the end was when I lost it during that performance. I'm getting chills just thinking about it now

Yeah, when he stopped playing I was like "Raul!" You think you're prepared for his usual knockout performance, and then he does something like that and just makes it even more gutwrenching.

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 6:02pm

I guess I sort of realized "This is the end. He knows this is the end. I finally know this is the end". It was just a performance where everyone was laughing and loosing it over tiny little things, which was fun as hell... but then you sort of realize that it's like that for a reason..

Oh.. sh!t... I'm getting emotional again. Yippie.

[fishdancer23]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 6:08pm

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your stories and feelings about yesterday. It makes not being there a little more bearable.

Can anyone describe more about his curtain call speech? And at what point did he stop playing during Being Alive?

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 6:18pm

I do have to say that yesterday's performance was actually not my favorite. To be fair, I was there for a lot of unforgettable moments and a few milestones, too, so there's stiff competition. It was almost too surreal for comfort, in a way. I enjoyed every minute -- even the ones where I cried, strangely enough -- in that "savor it for the last time" kind of way. But the performance was different from any of the others I'd ever seen, and that made it kind of unsettling -- all of those applause breaks where there had maybe only ever been scattered chuckcles before were just consistently reminding me that this was the end. It was an incredible performance, but I guess all of the differences made it weird because it was so different from what I've always known. There was nothing relaxed about the atmosphere, which was unusual, because seeing the show was always something I did with nothing but happiness.

I don't know, I'm articulating all of this very poorly.

Updated On: 7/2/07 at 06:18 PM

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 6:26pm

Fishdancer - I think (don't quote me on this) it was at "Someone you have to let in...". I can't be certain.

Okay, Emcee, if you think you're articulating this poorly, I can't even write a two sentence email. The fact that I can't define what I was going to reply to your comment is almost entirely irrelevant (because that’s always the case).

[Amneris]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 6:59pm

I just want to share... the first movie that came on my TV when I turned it on just now is "The Shining" and all I could think about is Raul stating that their hotel looked like something from out of that movie.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 7:07pm

Well, I would go so far as to say that the applause was a little bit...ugh, I don't want to say forced because that's totally the wrong word for it... but it just felt that no matter what happened during the show, there would have been applause. I know that's expected at any closing performance, so it's nothing new - and don't get me wrong, I applauded like a maniac too. But I'm also glad that this wasn't the only performance of Company that I'd seen.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:03pm

A lot of it felt like "OH, we like that. WE SHOULD CLAP," rather than the kind of applause where you are just compelled to the point that you can't not clap. I mean, that's fine, that's the nature of closing shows. The one point at which it did really bother me was when the applause began before Raul finished his last note. I understand the sentiment behind it, and the way people could just not wait any longer to show their love, but I did want to hear that note one last time.

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:11pm

Yeah, that annoyed me too. I love the way that all the instruments and his singing come to that beautiful crescendo and then just STOP - it's so amazing.

I just so love the tension of the last 20 minutes or so of the show, and I would prefer to have no applause at ALL until the end. I know that would never happen after his Being Alive, but it's just my opinion, heh.

[violet72]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:31pm

yeah I too thought they should have waited till after the end of the song was over...I love that cresendo...also I wish during getting married after the second part where Amy sings that they didn't applaud there(it was in the middle of the song) and they missed the second scream

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:34pm

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Whenever I heard the "dreidel dreidel" song now, I'm going to think about Barbara's death stare!

[violet72]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:40pm

me too...that stare is going to haunt me

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:48pm

I don't know why... but the cell phone ringing came at a more... eh, I hate to say convinent, but that's sort of what I mean... time than it could have. If it was in the death silence between her and Raul, I would be seriously pissed.

I wanted to let him finish Being Alive. I'm not pissed that they didn't... but I wish it had gone that way.

Eh... nothing's perfect. I shouldn't be nitpicking anyway

[misschung]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 8:57pm

I know what you mean. Basically I'd be angry at anyone who interrupted any part of that scene no matter what, heh. That's live theater for you

[antiandrewx]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:00pm

Right before Being Alive, after Bobby yells stop, someone in my row got a text message and it made this really obnoxious noise. People need to just learn to turn their phones off for two measley hours.

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:08pm

More people = more bullsh!t. I had a weird feeling that there would be a cell phone idiocy at some time in the show.

[violet72]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:09pm

I know whats so hard with turning off you phone and putting it on silent...thats why we have those reminders before shows start...maybe they should start having them do the reminders after intermission

[Sondheim Geek]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:23pm

You guys! OMIGOD! We just got branded number 5 of "Creepiest Fans" by the lovely CurtainPullDowner! *golf claps*
Anyway... I'm proud of you guys. A Sondheim show getting the sort of attention as Wicked and Spring Awakening?!? Wow... I'm WAY impressed.
Post here.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:24pm

Go team.

()

[violet72]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 9:26pm

high fives all around

[freetoby2]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:26pm

Hello everyone-this is the girl you all keep talking about.

I would like to just say, I loved Company. I do not feel that I was "in anyone's face", but I admit, I am thoroughly embarrassed by the the random woman I approach, which I will explain later. First, in my defense, the man I was standing next to was not with me. I had just met him that day, and he knew absolutely nothing about the show-except the fact that Raul was in it. He was also relatively new to stagedooring. He repetedly asked me who the various cast mamber coming out were, and I groaned on the inside just as much as you all did when he asked Leenya about glaring at the audience member. However, that was the reason I kept saying "___ played ___", and had to dumb it down even further for him in order to put it in terms he understood, since he kept asking me about the performers. (Most of the conversation went- "Who was that?" "Matt Castle." "Who?" "He played Peter." "What?" "Peter, Susan's husband." (Silence) "I sill don't know who you're talking about." "The pianist." "What's that?" "The guy at the piano. *eye roll* "OH!") I was talking to him beforemost of the mob formed, as he and I were the only ones there. However, I soon realized that he did not know anything about the show, and was a complete asshole.(Buzzer thing, etc.) I asked him if he saw Sondheim at the show, and he said "Who?". HeadWallHeadWall. Since I had talked to him before, I thought it would be rude to downright ignore him afterwards. I was not IN the stagedoor or any of the performer's faces, the crowd was quite large, and everyone kept getting pushed closer to the door. I was very grateful for the manager who came out and told everyone to move back. If I looked to be in anyone's face, it was probably because I was being pushed so close to the door, that I couldn't be any further back. I always like to take pictures/video of stagedoors, to remember the performance by. I approached Katrina Yaukey because I previously saw her as Marta, but did not have a chance to thank her after the show. She was the only understudy I approached. As for the woman with the baby, yes, I did follow her, mainly becasue I did not get a good look at her as she headed out, and I heard various people in the crowd say that it was Heather. I have been a fan of hers ever since Company opened, and both times I had seen the show, I had missed her at the stage door. I felt that she had given such a wonderful, witty, and hilarious performance that had helped me feel better and laugh on so many horrible days, and I wanted to thank her for it. So, (her head was turned away from me, mind you) as I followed her down the street, I soon realized it was not Heather, as has been pointed out so many times. I tried (and suceeded) in getting back to my spot, since my mother was there as well, and like anyone would, gets worried when I am missing. (I would have been more than a few seconds, before everyone starts. That crowd was huge, and barely anyone had come out yet.) I do apologize to anyone who I got in front of, but there was a reason. I am also quite embarrassed about the entire random woman/Heather Laws situation. I was really overly excited, and I imagine that all of you have had this experience at least once in your life too. (And by that, I mean excitement about a performer.) If you haven't, I'm sorry, but I have and did. Company was an amazing, lifechanging experience for me. I loved it, will miss it, and am overjoyed about the PBS filming.

Thank you for listening.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:36pm

For the record, it was nice meeting you yesterday. I did not understand what was going on with Leenya, which was why I changed the subject. (I was the one standing next to you, who "Raul's #1 fan" flung at Kelly before he left)

[Katecab99]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:39pm

Are any of you here the guy (or did any of you see the guy) who was wearing the "Bobby is my hobby" sweatshirt in the second row?! I was HYSTERICAL!

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:40pm

Yeah, that was cute. I happened to look down from where I was sitting and I saw it.

[Amneris]

Posted: 7/2/07 at 10:43pm

That was theatertrash wasn't it? His SN I mean lol. I saw him outside the theatre and thought they sold them.. I want one haha.

PS was anyone in rear mezz? I was in rear mezz row F 16 & 18... orangey dress =D Updated On: 7/2/07 at 10:43 PM