Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
zamedy
Broadway Star Joined: 6/27/07
#1Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 10:33pm
I all of a sudden had one of those sneezing fits today. And being the Broadway dork that I am, I thought to myself... I wonder if this has ever happened to an actor in the middle of a song. And if it did, how did they handle it? Did it stop the song? Did the orchestra have to catch up?
Have you ever been to a show where something like this happened?
dg22894
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/22/08
#2re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 10:37pmYes I missed my Solo in Oh the Thinks you can think in Seussical(this was not Broadway) and everyone freaked out.
#3re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 10:45pmNo, never, never in the history of theatre has a song been messed up my a sneeze or a cough, ever.
WishingOnlyWounds2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/25/08
#4re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 10:48pmI know Mitchell from Billy Elliot had a coughing fit once from the cigarette smoke.
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
barbl lyons
Swing Joined: 2/26/09
#5re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 11:39pmI've seen it happen. It must be mortifying! But, ya know, actors are only human. Stuff happens!
#6re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/27/09 at 11:47pmi've always wondered what would happen if an actor got the hiccups on stage
#6re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 1:52am
it's quite easy to get rid of hiccups discretely, just take a deep breath and exhale slowly, it's the easiest and most effective cure since hiccups are simply the result of any event that cuts off air from the diaphragm prematurely.
A coughing or sneezing fit would be a bigger problem.
When I saw the title of this thread I thought the OP meant coughing from the audience. Cuz I was all ready to lament on how the night I saw the Spring Awakening tour so many people in the audience were struck with coughing fits around the beginning of Act II during Mortiz's suicide and funeral. It was excruciating, and no, I'm not exaggerating. If you'd have been there that night you would've thought they pumped carbon monoxide into the lobby during intermission!
You're reminding me of people you hear at the movies asking questions every ten seconds, "Who is that? Why is that guy walking down the street? Who's that lady coming up to him? Uh-oh, why did that car go by? Why is it so dark in this theater?" - FindingNamo on strummergirl
"If artists were machines, then I'm just a different kind of machine...I'd probably be a toaster. Actually, I'd be a toaster oven because they're more versatile. And I like making grilled cheese" -Regina Spektor
"That's, like, twelve shows! ...Or seven." -Crazy SA Fangirl
"They say that just being relaxed is the most important thing [in acting]. I take that to another level, I think kinda like yawning and...like being partially asleep onstage is also good, but whatever." - Sherie Rene Scott
"If artists were machines, then I'm just a different kind of machine...I'd probably be a toaster. Actually, I'd be a toaster oven because they're more versatile. And I like making grilled cheese" -Regina Spektor
"That's, like, twelve shows! ...Or seven." -Crazy SA Fangirl
"They say that just being relaxed is the most important thing [in acting]. I take that to another level, I think kinda like yawning and...like being partially asleep onstage is also good, but whatever." - Sherie Rene Scott
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#7re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 1:58am
I saw Ms. Lupone when she was coughing all over the place in her book scenes, but somehow managed to hold it together for her songs. Hats off to her.
And I think hiccups would be easier to cure on stage because of the embarrassment.
DefyGravity777
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/28/08
#8re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 7:46amI have seen Elphaba's have coughing fits before when they were sick. I have also seen a few Glinda's and Elphaba's sneeze in the middle of singing.
Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!
dg22894
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/22/08
#9re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 9:00am^DG7777 That shows you have seen Wicked too many times.
#10re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 10:03am
After an evening with the London Philharmonic at Lincoln Center last night, I turned to my friend and remarked how, in my opinion, we'd heard one of the best sounds in the world (an orchestra tuning-up) and one of the worst sounds in the world (a sold-out New York City performance hall in winter).
I know it's human nature, but sometimes I feel some attendees simply don't pick-up on social cues to do their best in suppressing or muting their coughs. *shrug* Can't argue with illness.
ThankstoPhantom
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/05
#11re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 10:11amDuring her months with the Fiddler on the Roof revival, Rosie O'Donnel avidly blogged about her experiences with the show. I recall her stating that she had a coughing fit several times during the course of a performance, and feeling terrible for it. One thing you can't deny about Ms. O'Donnel that she is at least passionate about what she pursues.
How to properly use its/it's:
Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#12re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 10:14amAccording to a friend who saw it, during one of Bernadette's rounds with bronchitis during "Gypsy" she had to stop in the middle of "Some People" one night.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
DefyGravity777
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/28/08
#13re: Has a coughing/sneezing fit ever messed up a song?
Posted: 2/28/09 at 12:13pm
"^DG7777 That shows you have seen Wicked too many times."
And your point is? There's PLENTY of people that have seen it more than me. A few that are on this board also.
Don't believe everything that you hear! Only the peeps involved know the truth!
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