I think in Wicked it should go:
Ensemble
Chistery
Boq
Nessarose
Fiyero
Morrible
The Wizard
Glinda
Elphaba
Because Kristin was such a big star, Elphie and Glinda will always be now viewed as equals, when really Elphie should be the star of the whole show.
BroadwayNick- the way i look at it its velma's show and she's telling roxie's story to the audience, she is the only character who addresses the audience directly and the way that all that jazz is staged (inspired by a tape or 2 of the braodway version) the ensemble and band seem to be waiting for her entrance to start the show
Don't care who plays her--Elphaba should always get the final bow!
i think its roxie's show. Roxie has a big, long speech to the audience right before the song "roxie." i cant remember velma saying anything to the audience.
"Hello Suckers, Welcome back."
Velma does speak to the audience, and sings "I Know A Girl" to the them as well. She also makes some asides to the audience as well.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/25/05
At least on the DVD of Sweeney with George and Angela, Angela Lansbury gets the last bow after George Hearn. While I do beileve they should have a joint bow, as they are both huge parts, but the last one belongs to Sweeney Todd, whoever is playing Mrs. Lovett.
Featured Actor Joined: 8/31/04
Do you guys know who gets the last bow in Into the Woods usually? And how it went for the original Broadway cast? For the revival? I assume Vanessa bowed last in the latter. It's just so hard, I suppose the Witch always is supposed to bow last, but there are so many leads - the Baker, the Baker's Wife, and the Witch being the most primary, I think.
Stand-by Joined: 11/8/04
bernadette got the last bow in the original because she's bernadette but i do feel the baker's wife is the bigger role. however, in the current production of into the woods im doing, it does indeed go baker's wife, baker, the witch.
Featured Actor Joined: 8/31/04
Interesting. I guess since it's an ensemble show, she ties everyone together.
Stand-by Joined: 11/8/04
exactly, shes the catalyst of the story.
and i completely agree with elphaba getting the final bow
Updated On: 7/10/05 at 01:21 PM
Bow order, I've determined, should not be taken to mean anything at all. I have long gotten bent out of shape over it, and I've finally come to terms with the fact that it really just doesn't matter.
If I remember correctly the whole cast of RENT bows together. While it shows unity, which goes with the show's message, I'd really like it if I could show my appreciation individually to the actors !
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/1/04
My one major disagreement with bows comes for Once Upon a Mattress. I think the Queen should have the final bow, just after Winnifred. I know the show isn't about the Queen, but every production I've seen the Queen steals every scene she's in.
As a character actress, it would be nicer for us if the scene stealers bowed after the leads, but it doesn't seem right. I played a 15 minute role, and was told I stole scenes, but I dont think I should have bowed after the leads.
As for Into the Woods, everyone but the witch has an other half. It is all about the witch's perspective so I think it makes sense she bows last.
As for Little Shop, I believe we did
Ensemble
Bit roles
Urchins
Orin
Mushnik
Plant
Audrey
Seymour
I would hav placed the urchins right before or after the plant, though.
morosco- who DID get the last bow in 42nd Street?
Sometimes i wonder about the Beauty and the Beast final bows....it's very hard when you have two characters in the title of the show, because then it makes for confusion as to who gets the LAST bow....I know it's always the beast, and if anyone has seen steve blanchard as the beast would agree that he should get the final bow...
Also (the bows dont upset me, just the article), but i read once, where a reviewer for Thoroughly Modern Millie was disgusted that the Bows were set up so that when the title song was played, that sutton foster walked out to take her bow....honestly, that's one of my favorite curtain calls...I like how for each character, their song, or theme is played as they come out to take their bows....i think that's incredibly petty of that reviewer to say that...I mean the show is called thoroughly modern MILLIE, why bitch about having the curtain call set up for her? who does he think the last bow would go to? Roxanne Barlow?
NYC_or_Bust, I think it's written so that Dorothy and Julian get the alst bows.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/27/05
I think we've beaten the Little Shop bows until there are no more solutions left.
I think South Pacific should have Bloody Mary bow after Cable & Billis because her part is more relevant to the plot than both characters. Plus, she steals the show and she's a hoot and a half!
I dunno, I think that's pretty shady, don't get me wrong, I love the role of Dorothy, but i'm sorry, Peggy is out there giving it her all, going from scene to scene dancing her ass off, and what does Dorothy do? Step-kick, step-kick, shuffle, side, turn turn, and then of all things, gets to sit on her ass in the last part of the show in a wheelchair while Peggy goes out and does the 2304983049823904 minute number "42nd Street"....I just don't think that Dorothy should get the last bow, nor do i think that Ebersole should have been nominated (or have won) for best ACTRESS.....maybe featured, but not Leading.....the nomination (if not the award) should have gone to kate...
Annie pretty much got the last bow in all of her new york runs.
Nell Carter was thought to get the last bow in the revival but it turned out that they all thought it should go to Annie/
I think the sequel Annie 2: Miss Hannigans Revenge had Dorothy Loudon being last...and I can also recall one Natnl tour where Hannigan was the last.
I don't really recall every having a problem with bows being in what I thought was incorrect order
Vanessa Williams sort of bowed last in the Into the Woods revival. All the lead characters came out in pairs (Baker and His Wife, Jack and Little Red, the two Princes, etc.) and the Witch came out last with the Narrator/ Mysterious Man (played by John McMartin. The Narrator bowed first, then Vanessa. However, after the company bows, as everyone was leaving through the storybook, John McMartin was the last one to leave, and always took an extra bow before exiting (brings to mind that famous lyric..."when you are stealing, that extra bow").
I've always thought Belle should bow last too. I know it's Beauty and the Beast, but it's really Belle's story. The only time she's bowed last is when a "name" is playing her.
Whenever I see "Jospeph....", I feel the Narrator, not Joseph, should bow last. Joseph may be the title role, but the Narrator sings more, is onstage more, and her songs are a lot harder to sing (or so I'm told).
And I agree about the Miss Saigon thing.
Updated On: 7/10/05 at 07:13 PM
"but the show is called Pippin afterall, shouldn't Pippin have top billing?"
That's bad logic.
Title character doesn't mean lead character.
Should the Wizard get the final bow in The Wizard of Oz?
No.
Should Louise aka Gypsy Rose Lee get the final bow in Gypsy?
No.
And so on.
Title character really doesn't mean anything.
I think Pippin should have final bow because it is the leading player telling PIPPIN'S story.
GLidna needs the last bow...at least her charecter is intresting
Bwaybaby - I don't think that's the point...
I think the bow in Dracula was very spot on...as it's pretty easy to determine....
But one thing that bugged me was the Dracula double (aka Doctor in one scene - maybe two) never got a final bow.
Thenardier don't rain on my parade...... fine i wil write GLinda the musical..... Glinda can kill Elphie by throwing water on her...... Then GLinda lives happily after all in her bubble..... yay Glinda and her final bow
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