The Prom's curtain call was so much fun and had such high energy that always had me leaving the theater with the biggest smile on my face.
I second the Tootsie and Legally Blonde mentions as both were super fun. I think I have the Legally Blonde curtain call song committed to memory just because I loved it so much.
Great Comet had a fun curtain call, and the music written for it - almost like an overture of sorts - was great.
Kinky Boots had the entire cast come out in heels.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark had the titular character lowered down on a "thread" to kiss Mary Jane.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/18
Re: newer shows having "cool" curtain calls, the corporate musicals especially seem to have slick ones.
At Tootsie and Beetlejuice, for example, you get the sense that the curtain call was the first part of the show created, and it's better-thought-out than most of what's on stage.
I found it refreshing that SpongeBob kept it simple with just a semicircle and individual bows for each cast member.
magictodo123 said: "Not my favorite but a question about one...do the people playing Elpaba and Glinda always hug? Just something I noticed the last time I saw Wicked and watched a few curtain calls and it made me wonder."
Yes, they always hug. It's part of the staging.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
carolinaguy said: "magictodo123 said: "Not my favorite but a question about one...do the people playing Elpaba and Glinda always hug? Just something I noticed the last time I saw Wicked and watched a few curtain calls and it made me wonder."
Yes, they always hug. It's part of the staging.
"
I wasn't 100% sure, but thank you for confirming it for me!
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/7/18
Tootsie
Tina
SIX (saw it in Chicago)
Not really a cool curtain call per se but in Frozen, I like that Elsa does a quick change from the ice pants suit back to the iconic ice dress for the curtain call.
Swing Joined: 12/3/11
The Sandy Duncan Peter Pan revival at The Lunt-Fontanne Theater when she took her bow and flew out over the orchestra almost to the front mezzanine - it was amazing.
The original production of Into the Woods had a nice one. The whole cast stayed in their final poses, then the actors would break apart, bow, head offstage, and then came back on to do the final group bow. Not a particularly showy one, but it was nice.
I know this does not exactly fit the subject of "Cool Curtain Calls". But, I attended this "Hello, Dolly!" performance starring Betty Buckley. This particular curtain call was very moving, and certainly one I will always remember. Please watch the video.
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-Betty-Buckley-and-the-Cast-of-HELLO-DOLLY-Pay-Tribute-to-Carol-Channing-20190118
For Victor/Victoria, I thought it was fun the way Labisse crawled out of the pit for his bow after he was kicked into it by an ensemble member during the finale.
Broadway Star Joined: 5/8/19
The Norm Lewis-Jessie Mueller Music Man at Kennedy Center in DC last year. The University of Maryland Marching Band strutted into the theatre at the end of the curtain call playing "Seventy-Six Trombones" while the cast on stage sang along.
Jarethan said: "On the other hand, I hated the curtain call for Hamilton and Nicholas Nickelby in particular, because theygave the individual performers no recognition, and a number of those individual performers gave stupendous performances. Hamilton and Eliza were the only ones who got their own bows, which made no sense to me i.e., how could they single out Eliza for a bow and not the cast members portrayingBurr, Lafayette/Jefferson, Angelica, or George Washington. But I have never liked curtain calls where individual bows were excluded.
"
I thought only Hamilton gets a solo bow. Have they changed it? I can understand only giving Hamilton’s actor a solo bow since they have to carry so much of the show on their back. But giving Eliza the only other solo bow doesn’t make sense, as Burr’s the second biggest role, not her.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
Hot Pants said: "Jarethan said: "On the other hand, I hated the curtain call for Hamilton and Nicholas Nickelby in particular, because theygave the individual performers no recognition, and a number of those individual performers gave stupendous performances. Hamilton and Eliza were the only ones who got their own bows, which made no sense to me i.e., how could they single out Eliza for a bow and not the cast members portrayingBurr, Lafayette/Jefferson, Angelica, or George Washington. But I have never liked curtain calls where individual bows were excluded.
"
I thought only Hamilton gets a solo bow. Have they changed it? I can understand only giving Hamilton’s actor a solo bow since they have to carry so much of the show on their back. But giving Eliza the only other solo bow doesn’t make sense, as Burr’s the second biggest role, not her."
She definitely took a bow the three times that I saw it. I remember being surprised each time, particularly on the road, where the Eliza who I saw really did not make much of an impression.
The Angela Lansbury MAME curtain call has always been one of my favorites
Stand-by Joined: 7/4/18
Moulin Rouge was the best curtain call I've ever seen!
Newsies was a great one also.
Most have probably seen this curtain call from the 25th anniversary production of Crazy for You in Lincoln Center. But since it did send the audience off in a tizzy and led to Stroman's January, 2018 full workshop of the show and of course its Broadway revival.
Ah, that's right. There was no Broadway revival - yet. Officially I think that they are still waiting for a theater - to be built. Note Rachel Bloom of My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in the cast. Anyway, it's still fun to hear.
Crazy for You Curtain Call
The final bow for Eliza in Hamilton seems to be a reference to the final number's central thesis, that the story, and the legacy, are as much hers as his (despite the role being much smaller by comparison).
2001 Revival of "42nd St." will always be my favorite. The joy felt inside the Ford Center for Performing Arts was incredible. Sometimes I feel like in a large space, you get a lot of people that just want to get OUT. I don't think a single person left that night until the exit music was done. Just marvelous.
Also, I'm a sucker for any curtain call where upon entrance of the player, their song from the show is orchestrated just for that part of their bow. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Anastasia comes to mind when I think of that.
Oh, and without question the COOLEST curtain call moment.... The stage at the Vivian Beaumont opening up to reveal the South Pacific (FABULOUS) orchestra.
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