Do shows do anything special on closing nights??

[camncal]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:25am

Just wondering. Do they come out, make a speech, have special people there, or it's just pretty much the same old thing and then a final bow and goodbye?

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:29am

Um, it depends on the show? I'd expect at least a curtain call speech, though.

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:30am

Almost always a speech, given by the leading actor/Tony winner (is applicable) of the show. Sometimes the director or someone on the production staff will say a few words if it permits.

Audiences sometimes throw flowers at the stage. Bouquets are given to some. Understudies are thanked for their unappreciated work. A few extra bows and curtain calls followed by a crazy stage door full of fangirls for said given show.

[camncal]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:31am

you think Mermaid will do anything special on their closing night?

[wdwfreak]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:34am

Probably not. The most I'm expecting is a speech.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:34am

Yes, just like everyone else posted.

[PastorErnst]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:36am

I hear Thomas Schumacher will thank the entire cast for wasting Disney's money followed by laps using the Heelys they love so much.

[camncal]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:38am

i've seen the show already, but i wouldn't mind going to the closing night if Sierra Boggess would be there or Sherie...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:42am

It's POSSIBLE that they might be there....but LM wasn't terribly monumental so I doubt it.

[mikem]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 1:23am

Although I agree that a curtain call speech is pretty likely for the last performance of The Little Mermaid, a lot of plays with relatively short runs don't have speeches or anything special happen (except that the audience's applause is particularly enthusiastic and may trigger an extra bow or two).

[rjjn]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:26am

Depends on the show, but I'm guessing Little Mermaid's run was long enough to merit more than additional bowing at the last performance. I went to the final performance of Ragtime at the Kennedy Center, which ran for about a month, and nothing happened. But I think anything longer than that usually means speeches and flowers.

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:49am

Not all shows do something special on their closing performances. However, when I attended Spring Awakening's closing, they did a reprise of "Totally F*CKed" and there were several speeches.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 7:43am

And most of the OBC were on stage at the end.^^

[ljay889]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 8:00am

They did nothing at the final performance of August: Osage County.

[TonyVincent]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 8:02am

Nothing at SITPWG, which ran for about 5 months, nor The Story of my Life, which ran for 4 days, so it's not a given :).

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 8:04am

Legally Blonde didn't do anything on their closing night if I remember correctly.

Neither did the Les Mis revival(All the kids that shared roles and swings got to be onstage for the final bows).

As Clumsy said there were speeches at Spring Awakening.

Wicked's closing in Chicago had the whole cast onstage including the standbys,swings and everyone involved and they did some speeches also.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 8:57am

They did nothing at the final performance of August: Osage County.

they brought back Rondi Reed!


the only closing performance I've ever been to was LuPone Gypsy, which had the extra applause, flowers, a speech and Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim onstage.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 9:09am

I think the 9 to 5 actors will say something and be fairly emotional. They are a fairly tight group and this was quite a leap for Allison and she has felt uber-supported by the cast.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:32pm

Closing Nights that I've attended:

Drowsy Chaperone - Martin came out as the janitor to fix the lights and there were some speeches.

Tale of Two Cities - James Barbour spoke

Grease - Original cast members who were in town were brought out on stage but there were no speeches. Just hugs on stage.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:36pm

Usually there is something special if the show has run for ages. For example, the original Les Mis had a special mini-concert after the show featuring young performers who had performed in Les Mis: School Edition.

[Leia947]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 12:36pm

At RENT, most of the OBC came back and they did a curtain call of "Seasons of Love" with the OBC and CBC. Also, their closing was covered on the news.

[saveusmike]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:08pm

Rondi Reed was only brought in for Osage Countys final performance because the actress who played Mattie Faes character at the time (her name escapes me) was sick that day and they didnt want to end the show with a understudy.
Rondi didnt even get called till the day before.

[tking001]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:10pm

I have a hard time believing that story with AOC. I think they asked Rondi in advance and just made it seem like the other person was sick to get another OBC member back to close the show.

[saveusmike]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:13pm

Im only going by what Rondi said. I asked her at the stage door how she felt bout Osage County closing and she said she was sad but glad she got do do the final show and then explained to me why..

also she did Osage County and Wicked in the same night ( I thought that was pretty cool)

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/5/09 at 2:20pm

If it were planned ahead, don't you think they would have publicized it? Those type of things mean very little to producers...who's on stage at the end.