When I saw the "Hairspray" tour in Miami back in March, I was front row center and a very nice elderly couple was sitting next to me. They fell asleep during "Good Morning Baltimore" and woke up sometime later, around "I Can Hear The Bells." During intermission:
Elderly Woman: Well that is just... very.... interesting. Are you enjoying it?
Me: Very much so.
Elderly Woman: Oh yes.. that woman playing the mother of that fat girl is a HOOT!
Me: Ma'am.... the mother is played by a man.
Elderly Man: (obviously having hearing issues) A WHAT?!
Me: A man sir..
Elderly Woman: *laughs* Young man, I think I can tell the difference between a woman and a man... it says right here in the Playbill that it's played by... JP something or other. I am sure that stands for Joanna Paula or something quite lady like.
Me: *laughing* Whatever you say..
Elderly Woman: Now wait just a minute... let's ask someone. *talking to the conductor* Sir! Sir!
Conductor: Yes?
Elderly Woman: Was the actor playing the fat girls mother a man or a woman?
Conductor: The character of Edna is played by a man, ma'am.
Elderly Woman: Well I'll be damned... I KNEW it was a man! Those perky breasts were just too good to be true!
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.