CURTAINS Closing Weekend Details Here- Page 3

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:49pm

StageFan2 - great comments. I was in K111 (it would have been a perfect seat if a very tall man wasn't sitting in front of me).

[JRybka]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 12:56pm

It was a great old fashioned musical. It will be missed... I loved this show.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:41pm

Thanks MC. It's a shame about the tall guy. I had a tall gentleman in front of me as well, but he was very considerate and hunched down in his seat throughout the show. I thanked him afterward and he said, "Hey, you paid the same as I did for a ticket, you deserve to see the show. Like I said, I was very lucky with the people around me. BTW - how many times did you end up seeing CURTAINS? What's the tally?

Show Person - The storms hit while we were standing outside the theatre waiting to get in. Not that it dampened anyone's mood. We tried our best to share umbrellas, but never the less - even under an umbrella - you were gonna get wet. Good news was the rain had pretty much ended by show's end, so at the stage door it was a bit wet and alot MUGGY, but well worth being in to give a fitting final send off to this wonderfully gracious and extremely friendly company of performers!

[Raspberry]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 1:53pm

One more cool thing I forgot to mention:

During the little reprise of "Show People" that happens after the bows, I could see a bunch of people in the audience (myself included) singing along.

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 2:55pm

My last visit to CURTAINS was #19. :)

Aside from the tall man in front of me -and I thank goodness that most of the time he just stared straight ahead so I could adjust accordingly to the left or right (sometimes the person in front of you is doing what you're doing and trying to see around someone in front of them which makes things very frustrating) - I didn't really have any annoying audience problems. No one singing along or unwrapping candy. No matter what show I see, I really can't stand when people in the audience sing along. Unless you're at the finale of MAMMA MIA where they expect people to get up and dance (and I presume sing) along, people came to the show to see and hear the performers!

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 4:37pm

I'm only just back in the UK from my 'Curtains trip' and wanted to add to some of my impressions to the excellent recaps so far:

I saw the show on Friday and Saturday evening too and the Friday audience were much better - a lot of the cast at the stage door commented on how responsive they were. Some of the 'showbiz' jokes in the show seemed lost on the Saturday night crowd.

DHP got teary during Show People both nights, as did one or two others on stage, so I wasn't surprised to see him openly wiping away tears during the ovation it got on Sunday. Though he was smiling through the tears and it was the only time I've seen him break character.

I was so happy to see the whole cast get fantastic entrance applause throughout the show - starting from Patti Goble being wildly cheered by the lady in front of me, which was picked up throughout the orchestra seats. That set the tone for the whole show. I've never been to a show closing before, but I can't imagine many where there was such huge affection for the whole ensemble as I saw yesterday. Totally deserved IMHO - as others have observed, they have all been so gracious and appreciative of the audience at the stage door whenever I've been there.

Jason Danieley's rendition of 'I Miss the Music' was better than ever - even though it's not my absolute favourite number from the show, it was the one which got me most choked up yesterday.

Debra Monk's standing ovation after 'It's A Business' was very emotional as well - I thought I saw DHP getting teary again too - and John Kander (who was across the aisle a row in front of me) was among the first to get to his feet.

David Hyde Pierce's ovation after 'Tough Act To Follow' seemed pretty uniform to me - at least in the first dozen rows of the orchestra or so I didn't see many not standing. The only way DHP could get through it was by averting his gaze to the ceiling. I noticed his S.O. further along my row too - he was just beaming, enjoying the show as much as anyone there (and there were A LOT of people who were of a similar mind).

Re. Megan Sikora: it definitely wasn't the first time she's got audience acclaim for her Princess Kickapoo number - I've been at the show a couple of times where Debra Monk has to repeat and re-emphasise her 'Big Deal!' line. Very funny and a very well-deserved ovation.

Karen Ziemba's catch of Noah Racey's overthrown hat at the end of 'Thataway' was magnificent - she must have been at the edge of the bar and juggled it on her fingertips a couple of times before she grasped it. If it was in a sports stadium it would be replayed constantly as a classic catch! She celebrated her ovation by repeatedly throwing it in the air and you could see how funny everyone found it - especially Noah Racey.

I loved one moment during 'The Woman's Dead' which I'd never seen before. One of my favourite ensemble members (Jim Newman who played Randy to great comic effect) camped it up when the 'Robbin Hood' company were marching towards Jessica Cranshaw's discarded shoe - he placed his foot by it as if he were Cinderella trying on the glass slipper for size. Nice touch!

I was lucky enough to be able to shake hands with and express my appreciation of the show to Rupert Holmes and John Kander during/after the performance. Both were extremely gracious and obviously touched by the reception. At the stage door I heard John Kander say "Fred Ebb would have loved this."

Amen to that!

Updated On: 6/30/08 at 04:37 PM

[burnsy]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 4:46pm

"I loved one moment during 'The Woman's Dead' which I'd never seen before. One of my favourite ensemble members (Jim Newman who played Randy to great comic effect) camped it up when the 'Robbin Hood' company were marching towards Jessica Cranshaw's discarded shoe - he placed his foot by it as if he were Cinderella trying on the glass slipper for size. Nice touch!
"

^^^^ I've seen him done that at least 10 times.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 4:46pm

At the stage door I heard John Kander say "Fred Ebb would have loved this."


I heard him say that as well! It was so touching.

[mikem]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:03pm

WithoutATrace, did John Kander give any indication of whether there's a realistic possibility that The Visit will come to New York?

[StageFan2]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:14pm

Two quick thoughts.

The first; I want to give a shout out to the deserving David Loud. He's wonderful! He also received applause when he started singing "The man he's dead" at the beginning of the second act. It's the first time I recall that happening, at least at a performance I was attending.


The second; The Visit to NY. Oh please, oh please, oh please.

[mikem]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:37pm

Speaking of David Loud, you guys may know this already, but I asked him whether he had to join Actors Equity to sing his part, and he said that he's been a member of Equity for many years and was in the original Broadway cast of Merrily We Roll Along (although he has apparently concentrated on music for several years). I did not know that!

[MotorTink]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:46pm

I know this is such a cliche thing to say but:

Do we know what the cast is up to after this?

I remember seeing something about DHP being in an MTC production next season, but that's all I can think of.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 8:54pm

He's starring in their revival of Samson Raphaelson's 1934 comedy ACCENT ON YOUTH.

Accent on Youth, a Broadway comedy from the 1934-35 season, will premiere in April 2009 (specific dates will be announced). According to MTC, "David Hyde Pierce heads the cast in this rollicking salute to love's possibilities, both on stage and off. Successful playwright Stephen Gaye (Pierce) is about to abandon his latest script, when his young secretary offers him new inspiration. With her as his muse, he stages the show on Broadway, only to learn, to his dismay, that the show's young leading man is being inspired by her too. In this fresh look at Samson Raphaelson's brilliantly clever comedy, the Tony Award-winning actor of Curtains and Monty Python's Spamalot returns to MTC…"

[ashley0139]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 9:21pm

Re. Megan Sikora: it definitely wasn't the first time she's got audience acclaim for her Princess Kickapoo number - I've been at the show a couple of times where Debra Monk has to repeat and re-emphasise her 'Big Deal!' line. Very funny and a very well-deserved ovation.

I'm so glad to hear that! I saw the show five times and it never happened.

I've been to several closing shows, and this was definitely one of the best (along with Grey Gardens).

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 9:29pm

By the way, Rasperry - bits of "Show People" are heard throughout the curtain call but the exit music after the bows is "In The Same Boat" which segues into "It's a Business."

[Raspberry]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 10:06pm

When I said the reprise of "Show People" after the bows, I was referring to:

It's okay to take your Playbill home and show people
The names and faces of our cast and crew.
But whatever you do,
Don't reveal who killed who,
Or it just might be curtains for you!

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 10:08pm

John did not have any concrete news about THE VISIT transferring to New York. He just expressed how much he *wanted* it to transfer. I really hope it does, and that it is embraced by every single New York critic. The show, the score, the performances...all brilliant!

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 6/30/08 at 10:10pm

Well, I was certainly singing along to that.

[iluvcioffiiluvtea23]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 12:01am

StageFan2--I too want The Visit to come to Broadway! And I agree, David Loud is wonderful!!

Updated On: 7/1/08 at 12:01 AM

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 3:41am

"Do we know what the cast is up to after this?"

Noah Racey is choreographing 'Turn of the Century' for Tommy Tune in Chicago. (It stars Jeff Daniels & Rachel York. Hopefully it'll come to NYC). Mr Racey is one of many of the wonderful Curtains cast members who I would love to see again.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 6:08am

According to the BWW article yesterday:

Edward Hibbert is working on the movie "Finding Woodstock."
Michael X. Martin is starting rehearsals for "9 to 5."
Michael McCormick is in a "Les Miserables" concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Aug. with Brian Stokes Mirchell and Rosie O'Donnell.

Pardon the minor threadjack. This doesn't have to do with Curtains, but does have to do with DHP's next project and I didn't want to start a thread for something so far off.

DHP's next venture; "Accent on Youth." IMO and having read the play, (the orginal, I don't know what changes will be made.) I think DHP has again chosen a character well suited for himself with the role of Stephen Gaye. The character - on paper - is charming, refined yet mildly excitable, intelligent, and witty. The humor is quiet. Much of the humor is contained in the delivery/timing of the lines, and we know DHP is one of the best in the business where those two elements are required. There is some brilliantly written dialogue in this play. His secretary Linda and Flogdell; his "gentleman's gentleman" are the other primary roles. I think who they cast in these roles will be integral to the show. There are 4 other lesser characters including Dickie; Gaye's rival - in a manner of speaking.
In a nutshell. I think DHP has hit another home run with this one. If your an admirer of this gentleman's work - this will be one to see.

My apologies again for the threadjack.

*edited for grammer correction*
Thanks D2






Updated On: 7/2/08 at 06:08 AM

[D2]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 8:26am

"I think who they cast in these roles will be intricate to the show."

Integral.

[meredithchandler73]

Posted: 7/1/08 at 10:00am

Raspberry - duh! Of course you were talking about that final reprise of "Show People" at the end of the curtain call! How could I forget?!?!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/2/08 at 3:04pm

You can see pics and read some personal experiences of the last night on the DHP forum:
HERE