Did Anyone See the Final Performance of Wonderful Town Today?

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 8:25pm

I don't think I saw a thread for this. Sorry if there was, and please tell me if there was.

There is a thread for an actor who left a currently running show today, but not a thread for a classic show closing for good on Broadway.


So. How was the last show? How was Brooke? etc etc.

Please feel free to respond if you attended the show. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 08:25 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 8:30pm

theres a thread about this on ATC....Gregg made a statement about how the show should have closed long ago and thanked Brooke for coming in. Brooke thanked Donna Murphy, which nobody liked. then she thanked Linda Mugleston and the audience cheered.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 8:34pm

That is nice too hear. I wish I was there. Brooke was right for thanking Donna, it was a nice thing to do.

All the people who knock Brooke should realize. Donna Murphy REALLY abandoned this production. Brooke really deserves credit. She barely missed any performances!

WT will be missed! I wish they would realize it on DVD someday. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 08:34 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:30pm

It's really sad that no one cares about this.

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:32pm

I care, I love the show, I just didn't go to the last show so i can't really be an active poster for this thread.

[mallardo]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:33pm

The ATC board has a wonderful long post about it.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:36pm

It's sad to see it go. I love the music and wish the plans for a national tour did go through.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:39pm

At least Linda Mugleston got some recognition. That woman should win the Understudy/Replacement When The Star Bails on Her Show Tony Award.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:40pm

No one can judge Donna Murphy.
No one here knows the facts, therefore we cannot make any assumptions.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:41pm

The review on ATC is great! All the people that knock Brooke can KISS MY ASS. Brooke really is a class act. What a lovely lady. The show will be missed, but Brookes performance will be remembered.

Now all I can do is look foward to Brooke in Chicago, and hope that the Weisslers invite to perform with the Broadway company. Which I have no doubt they will.


Priest, yes Donna might've had some issues, we don't know the facts. BUT SHE STILL ABANDONED THE PRODUCTION. That is a FACT. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 09:41 PM

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:41pm

i luv the cd. it rocks, but i never got to see this show.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:44pm

Well, then I guess we can all just start knocking Michael Crawford for "abandoning the production" of The Woman in White.
I guess all theatre stars should have some sort of special immune system that is superhuman.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:45pm

lol. DAMN YOU IDINA FOR ABONDING WICKED AND BREAKING YOUR RIB! YOURE SUCH A FAKER!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:49pm

This was a fun show. Not one of my favorites, but it's sad when stuff closes.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 9:51pm

All I'm saying is that it seems a little fishy that Donna Murphy became ill and then (conveniently) became SO ill that she couldn't finish her run. And even BEFORE she was ill, she has a ridiculously low attendance record. It just doesn't seem right. And if Donna doesn't want to give a believable explanation for her lack of performances and sudden departure, then I have every right to speculate.

And in regards to Michael Crawford: I don't know what's up there either. He has the flu, but he needs to be out until April or May?? I honestly didn't know that the flu could last for three or four months! If he truly needs to be out that long, then I hope he gets better. But if he's lying, then he needs to suck it up and get back to work ASAP.

You sound like a Donna Murphy fan, StickToPriest, so I apologize if I've offended you. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 09:51 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:07pm

I completely agree with Joshua.

Donna just didn't miss a couple straight weeks. She missed DOZENS of performances. One week you're not going to be sick, than two weeks later a death in the family, a month later you are sick again, a week later you break your leg.. than a month later you're still now in the show. It doesn't work like that. (Those are examples, not saying any of those things really happened to Donna, using it to prove my point).

I just think Donna got lazy, and since she is "Donna Murphy", she can miss months of performances. Now, don't get me wrong at all. I think Donna is EXTREMELY talented, a real real talent. Just her missing all the WT performances was uncalled for, without any good exuses. Updated On: 1/30/05 at 10:07 PM

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:14pm

Unless I am presented with facts or evidence that proves otherwise, I will believe that every performance she missed she missed for a legitimate reason.
Innocent until proven guilty.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:17pm

The Priest never fails to make me laugh..

[Ellie3]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:20pm

Go, StickToPriest!
Donna Murphy is an incredibly lovely lady.

[musicgal04]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:23pm

I attended the final performance today, and I must say how wonderful it was to see the show close to a nearly full house. I arrived at the theatre early to take picutes and many cast members were out videotaping and taking pictures and having a good time. One even remarked how great it was that the line to get into the theatre went around the block. The show was great, both Brooke and Jennifer got lots of entrance applause. Most of the audience members around me were unaware that it was the last day and talking about bringing their families. Sad. Anyway, the show was fantasic. Jennifer and Brooke both started to cry during "Wrong Note Rag" which got an extremly long applause. And in the reprise of "It's Love" they were both struggling to get out the words from the tears. Gregg gave a curtain speech as mentioned before Brooke thanked Donna for bringing attention to the show. It was wonderful when she thanked Linda, the whole cast started cheering and it was awesome. That's all I can really think of right now, I was crying through much of the curtain speech, because I am a goober who saw the show 11 times and will miss it.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:26pm

That makes you laugh?
So you believe in guilty until proven innocent?

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:32pm

::spaz::
Final night??
woooah where have I been??

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:43pm

Brooke got amazing reviews...and she was a class act

[gettinhep]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 10:49pm

Thank you, Priest. Thank you, Ellie.

I wasn't going to reply to this thread, but, as it has degenerated to a 'let's bag Donna once more' thread, I can't help myself.

Yes, Ms Murphy had a legitimate reason for those absences. She had major problems with her vocal cords from the early days of the run. The longer the run went, the worse the cords. There were weeks where she was on enforced silence - not just for performances. So, was the problem career-threatening? The answer is, perhaps. I am sure that nobody would want her to risk an entire career . I don't believe that she put her show at risk with any glee. When she did perform, she gave it her all. I defy anyone who saw her in 'Conga' to suggest that she wasn't putting in. After all the show would not have been revived if not for Donna. As the show had such a short lead-in time and little advance, it is likely that Wonderful Town would not have been able to run at all without her initial rave reviews. As she was the only name above the title, I can only imagine the pressure that must have been on her.

Ms. Murphy may be fragile but she is a thorough professional. She did speak up about her problem in June. I am not privy to any reason for not speaking since. I cannot say what happened in September, either. But, thanks to a mutual friend, I can assure you that Ms. Murphy's physical problems were very real.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 1/30/05 at 11:10pm

ljay, I think you need to be really careful to libel Donna Murphy as LAZY, etc.

The FACT is that we DO NOT KNOW what happened. So, let's stop the BS theories.

I actually worked on the show, so I know just a titch enough to know that most of what has been said on this board and in the NY Post is BS.