I think Pippin should have final bow because it is the leading player telling PIPPIN'S story.
I dunno... The leading player kind of ties everything up together. He's behind everything that happens to Pippin, at least until the very end when Pippin finally goes against him and refuses to do the Finale. It makes perfect sense to me to have the LP bows last. Updated On: 7/10/05 at 09:45 PM
This is a bit off topic, but ti bothers me that the orginal wicked billing was krisitn and then idina. then when krisitn left it was idina and then jen. then when jen left it was jen and then shoshana. now its shoshana and then megan! It drives me crazy, stick to one format. i mean it seems whoever is there longer gets first billed.
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I never really understood the final bows for ITW. I never thought that the Witch was the biggest part, but it seemed like the witch was usually played by the most famous person.
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
On the Sweeney Todd DVD with Hearn & Lansbury, I've always thought that the bowing order is a little off: Ensemble Beadle Beggar Women Pirelli Joanna Anthony Judge Turpin Tobias Sweeney Mrs. Lovett
It should be: Ensemble Pirelli Beggar Woman Beadle Joanna Tobias Anthony Judge Turpin Sweeney & Mrs. Lovett come out at the same time, bow together, then Mrs. Lovett bows individualy, then Sweeney bows individualy.
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It's hard to determine a bow order in "Sweeney", because the supporting roles are very comparable in size. However, I do agree that Sweeney should get the last bow. Angela Lansbury only got top billing and the last bow because...well, she's Angela Lansbury.
I'm biased towards Pippin as well because I played the Lead Player, but I'm one of the few who think Pippin should receive final bow. It's his story. He did far more than me. I think Ben's Broadway royalty status and Tony award landed him his bow. One fun thing was on our final performance, Pippin(my best friend David) and I bowed together. It was sweet.
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As far as Pippin goes, I think it depends on the production. The Leading Player is a much showier role and, when played by the right person, can seem larger than Pippin. Much like with the Emcee in Cabaret. Depending on who plays it, it can be considered lead or supporting.
JoMarch asked about "The Secret Garden"... I believe the order on Bway went as such... Chorus/Ensemble Medlock and Ben together Dickon and Martha together Lily, Neville and Craven together Colin Mary
Never quite undersood how Colin scored the 2nd to last bow. Hmm.
I think that people need to remember what a curtain call is and why you bow. It is not so the audience can give the actor an ego boost but rather a chance for the actors to thank their audience. Sure, we love that the audience enjoyed our performance but that isn't why we have a curtain call. Hell, I think some shows are better without one, i.e., JCS. Last bow also has nothing to do with who's name is in the title, or has more to do, etc. Most of the time the last bow is for the "star" of the show. You put a name as The Witch, The Leading Player, etc. Remember that in 42ND STREET Orbach and Grimes were "names" and Richert wasn't really a "name" compared to them.
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as reply to the names being aligned on Wicked.... it is all the way you look at it......
Idina has top billing because her name reads higher then Kristin's but scince Kristin's name is further to the left you read it first because of the way we are trained to read
I just saw a college production of Oklahoma! today (pretty good, overall), and their curtain call didn't sit well with me. It went (I believe):
Kids Womens ensemble Mens ensemble (w/ minor male parts) Jud, Aunt Eller, and Ali Hakim Will and Ado Annie Curly Laury
I feel it should be more like on the London DVD:
Various ensemble groups Minor male parts (Andrew Carnes, etc.) Ali Hakim Will and Ado Annie Jud Aunt Eller Laury and Curly
Though, depending on who is playing Jud and/or Eller, I could definetly see switching them.
I also just saw a community production of Grease (not too shabby), and if there ever was a show that deserved a single, cast curtain call, it's Grease.
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as i recall in millie (although its a foggy memory) didn't mrs meers bow before muzzy and jimmy? I could be totally wrong but it just came to me listening to the bows music the other day
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
I was in a production of The Pajama Game where Hines got the last bow. None of us really cared about it (and hey, as Sid, I was already expecting to get the second-to-last bow, but before Babe, not Hines), but it was just so random!
Updated On: 7/18/05 at 02:30 AM
Many times in Broadway shows bows are a negotiable thing. I know of lots of people who have when they bow in their contracts. It has to do with the name value of the star, not always the size of the role. If you have a big star in the show, you can bet they are going to get the last bow because usually they are selling the tickets. That is not always the right thing to do, but that is the reality of it!