Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
#1Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:06pm
I vaguely remember that Bill Clinton saw a Broadway show while he was in office. I could be mistaken.
Anyone know?
--Aristotle
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#2re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:07pmI know that they saw Rent because the cast talks about it on the DVD extras.
#2re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:08pmLaura Bush saw Grey Gardens.
With Clay Aiken in Spamalot, all of Broadway is singing a collective "There! Right! There!" -Me-
"Not Barker, Todd is the only person I've ever known who could imitate Katherine Hepburn...in print." -nmartin-
#3re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:08pmBut Laura was never president.
#4re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:10pm
Too bad she wasn't.
Oops. Did I say that out loud?
I do know that Lincoln saw part of a show -- but that was in Washington, not Broadway.
Updated On: 5/29/08 at 11:10 PM
#5re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:10pm
Yes, but she's the the First Lady, so I saw it as relevent.
EDITED BECAUSE I'M BEACHED AND SHOULDN"T POST AFTER REHEARSAL.
With Clay Aiken in Spamalot, all of Broadway is singing a collective "There! Right! There!" -Me-
"Not Barker, Todd is the only person I've ever known who could imitate Katherine Hepburn...in print." -nmartin-
#6re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:12pmI wasn't being a catty little bitch. I was just stating that she was never president. Sorry.
#7re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:15pmSorry, I'm really tired.
With Clay Aiken in Spamalot, all of Broadway is singing a collective "There! Right! There!" -Me-
"Not Barker, Todd is the only person I've ever known who could imitate Katherine Hepburn...in print." -nmartin-
#8re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:17pm
No need to say sorry, I was the rude one, and I'm tired too. 
Cape Twirl of Doom
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/2/05
#9re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:24pmI know Bill Clinton saw a performance of THE ICEMAN COMETH with Kevin Spacey back in 1999.
#10re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:30pm
I do know that Lincoln saw part of a show -- but that was in Washington, not Broadway.
That wasn't the first show he'd ever seen. 
Wanting life but never knowing how
Here_I_Go_Again
Broadway Star Joined: 9/17/03
#11re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:36pmClinton also saw Chicago in its early part of the LONGGGG run!!!
#12re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:42pm
There's a picture in Anthony Rapp's autobiography of the cast and the Clintons after the show.He also talked about all the secret service they had there that day and how the theatre had to be searched before anyone was allowed in.
Obama says on his website that he supports the arts, so if he becomes President (knocks on wood), hopefully he'll find some time to go see a show.
millie_dillmount
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/04
#13re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:45pmDidn't Hilary or Bill (or both) see Avenue Q?
#14re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:47pmBill Clinton saw The Iceman Cometh? Must be a good joke in there somewhere.
Harpz2006
Broadway Star Joined: 1/3/08
#15re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:49pm
I recently read an interview with Danny Rutigliano, the guy who has been in LION KING since it opened (he plays Timon), and he said his favorite performance ever in the ten years was when Bill came to see the show in 1998:
"Do you know that part in 'Hakuna Matata' where Timon interrupts Pumbaa as he sings 'And I got downhearted every time that I farted' ?," he explained. "And my character says 'Not in front of the kids.' Well, that night, I said 'Not in front of the President.' And that line just brought the house down."
http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/10/11/tune-thursday-timon-tells-tails-er-tales-about-his-time-on-broadway.aspx
#16re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:52pm
The Clintons also saw Forum when Whoopi was in it. After the opening number, when she comically berated the late-comers, she told them, "We'd have waited for you, but, you know, the big guy is here tonight," and then gestured towards their box.
Not the President, but Laura Bush and one of her daughters also saw Wicked- there used to be a photo of them with the cast on the Wicked website.
Also, the Clintons saw Q after Bill left office.
Updated On: 5/29/08 at 11:52 PM
#17re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/29/08 at 11:52pm
Hillary saw The Secret Garden, and was quoted in the ads as saying it was "Simply Magical!"
#18re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 12:11amIts great that the Clintons are theatre fans
#19re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 12:23amI thought George W. Bush saw Hairspray in 2004... am I wrong?
#20re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 1:19am
So many possible jokes...
Bill Clinton saw "The Iceman Cometh" and hollered, "Hey, I married your sister..."
"But Laura Bush was never President" Neither was George.
#21re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 3:57am
There's no way Bush saw Hairspray. The show preaches tolerance and acceptance. That's not his cup of tea.
Updated On: 5/30/08 at 03:57 AM
#22re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 4:38amThe Blairs took the Clintons to Shakespeare's Globe when they were over here in the late 1990s (and - yes - I know that's not a Broadway show either)
#23re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 5:54amRegan was at a performance of 'The Will Rogers Follies' in NY - was he in office then- i don't recall?
#24re: Last time a U.S. President saw a Broadway show while in office?
Posted: 5/30/08 at 6:26am
"I thought George W. Bush saw Hairspray in 2004... am I wrong?"
Sort of. It was his father, George H.W. Bush, and Barbara Bush, who saw Hairspray in 2004, during the RNC.
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