Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

#1

Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 9:42am

Just wondering if anyone knows if this is a relatively new practice or if it has been around for a while. I'm referring to cast members breaking out into more singing and dancing after they have taken their bows, such as in MAMMA MIA!, HAIRSPRAY (You Can't Stop The Beat), and LEGALLY BLONDE (Legally Blonde). What other shows did/do this? Was JOSEPH and its megamix the first?

Updated On: 9/15/09 at 09:42 AM

#2

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:03am

No.

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#3

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:05am

Both The Producers and Young Frankenstein had singing and dancing during the curtain call. Also during the curtain call of The Little Mermaid, I think the cast did a reprise of Part of Your World.

That's all I can think of right now.

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Updated On: 9/15/09 at 10:05 AM

#4

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:13am

Rock Of Ages does Don't Stop Believin' throughout their curtain call as well

#5

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:14am

Mary Poppins does the Supercali... dance after they've finished taking their bows. That's all I can think of right now but there are plenty more shows that do it.

#6

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:19am

Um, musicals have reprised songs during curtain calls forever.

#7

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:22am

Um, thaaaanks.

#8

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:27am

Loved it in URINETOWN.

#9

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:31am

Your dog is cute!

#10

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:39am

It, also, depends on the show. You're more likely to have reprises during curtain calls in musical comedies than in more dramatic musicals. They don't do it in West Side Story. Tony just died and they're going to come out singing and dancing? I don't think so.

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#11

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:44am

Oh, but that would make it so much better. Well, at least with this revival. I didn't feel sad about Tony dying at all.

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#12

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:45am

I think it's more a convention of the golden age as well, shows like WSS notwithstanding.

#13

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:55am

OLIVER (1963) had a medley of short reprises after the bows. It was kind of weird seeing Nancy sing "Id Do Anything to Oliver after she'd been beaten to death. I guess it was their way of saying, "See - it was just a play! - Everyone's happy now!"

#14

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 10:55am

"Dance at the Gym" is part of the exit music, and I find that plenty inappropriate!

Billy Elliot has a dance encore too.

#15

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 11:15am

The practice dates back to Shakespeare's time, when shows would end with a song and dance after the final act, comedy or tragedy. The practice is even alluded to in Midsummer, where the Mechanicals dance a bergomask, or a clumsy folk dance, at the end of their ill-conceived show.

#16

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 11:53am

An encore of one (or maybe two) songs during curtain call can be charming. I just have to say that I hate megamixes more than death. They're about nothing more than selling CDS, and they're generally put at the ends of shows in which every three-chord chorus has already been reprised to death inside the show itself (JOSEPH, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL).

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#17

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:42pm

Roquat - couldn't agree more! Curtain call reprises are nice, but entire megamixes are wearing. I hope megamixes aren't going to become popular anytime soon.

#18

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:47pm

COMPANY (the original & 1995 revival) also had a reprise after the curtain call.

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#19

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 4:18pm

The Tap Dancing curtain call during "Night Mother" was particulary effective. Who knew Brenda Blethlyn could do backflips like that.

#20

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 4:36pm

In the original Broadway production, Anne Pitoniak did splits.

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#21

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 5:40pm

Mame has always had a singing curtain call, with the title song beginning just as Mame comes out for her bow.

Updated On: 9/16/09 at 05:40 PM

#22

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 8:43pm

In Taboo, they all reprised Karma Chameleon.

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#23

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/15/09 at 11:56pm

I think musical theatre would be a whole lot better if every curtain call was Don't Stop Believin'.

#24

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/16/09 at 12:23am

I hate when they do that.

#25

re: Dancing & Singing Encores During the Curtain Calls

Posted: 9/16/09 at 7:41am

The 42nd Street curtain call was a production number unto itself.

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