Memorable Closing Shows/Performances

[jo]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 7:27pm

There have been a number in the news lately --

I do not live in America or England and have not seen any closings other than THE BOY FROM OZ - and that has been written about a lot. It was very memorable - both for Hugh's last performance as well as for the audience reactions. The atmosphere was almost surreal - it was like a big party and everyone didn't want to let it go! Afterwards, I walked to Broadway with confetti glitter all over me and a wide grin on my face

Can you share the most memorable show closures or final actor's performances that you have seen?



Updated On: 1/10/05 at 07:27 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 7:31pm

i was at marissas last perf in hairspray. marc and scott were there and gave the audience krispy kreme donuts at the end of the show.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 7:37pm

I was at AIDA's last... I think it was one of the most wonderful things I've ever done. The show was the same as it always was, with about ten times more energy and speeches at the end. You could feel the love between the cast and the audience, with one minor Adam Pascal-related mishap that I'm not going into. It's my favourite show, so on a personal level, it was amazing to be there to say goodbye after more than four years of great memories.

[Amneris]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 7:40pm

I'd say anyones last show in RENT up to anthony rapp... insane closing shows for all the OBC. And also Urban Cowboys 1st last show where they told them they were staying opened haha.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 8:02pm

TABOO's closing week of performances were all equally brilliant - but the final performance was out of this world. The show was 15-20 minutes longer than usual because of the endless applause every number and actor recieved both on their entrances and during the curtain call. It was the most memorable performance I have experienced thus far, and it was truly amazing - almost everyone was in costume. Sondheim was there, George was funnier than ever, and Rosie made a great speech before the show - it was maddness, but amazing.

The only other one that comes to mind as being memorable is Antonio Banderas, Chita Rivera, Jane Krakowski, William Ullrich and Mary Beth Peil's final performances in NINE. By that performance I had already seen the show 3 times and was just hypnotized by what was going on onstage - some of the most brilliant performances I have ever seen. I was sitting next to William Ullrich's parents and they were telling me about his future plans and how sad they were that he was leaving the show. In front of me was Melanie Griffith and Sting - and it was just a very special performance. Tears were flowing for everyone involved, and all of the ushers had special t-shirts on given to them by Antonio that said "I would like to be here, I would like to be there...Ciao, Antonio." It was really such an emotional performance. Jenna Elfman and John Stamos were around too, and I had a really great conversation with John and David Leveaux on the street after the performance - and that started a strange, short lived weird friendship with Stamos who invited me back to see him several times. After the performance and things died down, I went across the street to check out Melanie's last performance in CHICAGO. I was standing next to Barry Weissler and Anne Reinking, and they were all hysterically laughing watching her try to cartwheel and dance during the hot honey rag - it was really quite funny. All of the NINE principle actors were there to cheer on melanie - Antonio (obviously,) Rebecca Luker, Jane Krakowski, MB Peil, and Chita Rivera, then they all whent to their farewell party...

[Hank]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 8:09pm

Two event involving Thoroughly Modern Millie.

First was Sutton Foster's final performance. I sat in C5 and I enjoyed watching the looks on her face in certain scenes, as when she first meets Miss Flannery (Anne L Nathan), and in "How the Other Half Lives", with Angela Christian. And yes, she was crying when she ran off the stage after "Gimme Gimme", which was followed by a mid-show standing O.

Also, at the final perfomance, I sat accross the aisle from Dick Scanlon (book and lyrics) and got to meet him and Jeanine Tesori (music) and Michael Rafter (music director, and Jeanine's husband) after the show. When we told our usherette that this was our 7th time, she pointed out a couple of fans who have been there 60 something times, and we got to talk to them after the show as well.

[CatieElphie1]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 9:11pm

I remember this one show..it was called, like, "Wicked" or something and yeah..it was crazy...seemed to me like it was a big deal or something...something about some girl like (Ideenenea or something) in the show leaving..not really closing night...but still

[Akitarent]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 9:27pm

One of my favorite's had to be when Gwen Stewart (the original Seasons of Love soloist left Rent). She had been playing the role of Joanne and during Seasons of Love she and her replacement Shelly Dickinson both sang the solos are duets and harmony.

[Becky]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 10:08pm

I was at Anthony Rapp's final show with Rent, and that was the most energetic crowd I've ever been in. It was very all very emotional - and to this day it's one of my theater highlights.

Heather Headley's final performance in Aida was also a wonderful experience.....

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 11:15pm

Well, I have to say that the experience I had today at Wicked was something I'll remember.

[Eileen2]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 11:29pm

Jo,

I have to go with you on The Boy from Oz closing. It was the most memorable broadway experience that I've ever had. The energy in the audience was insane, the actors were in rare form, it was the performance of a lifetime for all of them.

Eileen

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 11:32pm

I'll second the Wicked performance today. Though it may have lacked the hyper energy if Idina had been able to perform, there was so much good will and encouragement for Shoshana to shine. The applause that greeted her and that grew after each her numbers must have fortified her. And the role of Elphie is in very good hands, once she grows comfortable with it. And the graciousness in allowing Idina those final 15 minutes of the performance electrified this audience...

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 1/9/05 at 11:33pm

Most definitely today's show at Wicked.

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 12:04am

Must also mention Betty Buckley's last performance of Sunset Boulevard. She carried on a basket of long stemmed roses with her during "As if We Never Said Good-bye" and walked around handing them out to every one onstage while singing... And the final performance of Sunset with Elaine Paige singing the hell out of the role...

Posted: 1/10/05 at 3:19am

A dear friend of mine recounts the closing night of "A Little Night Music". Every line and every song was getting trememdous response, pushing the show longer and longer, thus allowing actors from other shows to join the SRO crowd after their shows were done. This was one of those shows underappreciated, closing early. It finally caught on, in it's final weeks, and garnered a huge following. Curtain calls were endless, speeches made, exit music played, but no one wanted to leave the theater. After a stage hand put out the work light, they still wouldn't leave. Finally Hermione came out and said, in that fabulous voice of hers...."Go Home"

Priceless.

[wonderful1]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 12:50pm

Well, I have to say the last performance of SP2 (the last Scarlet Pimpernel at the Minskoff). The whole show was hysterical. Since Doug Sills normally adlibbed - you can imagine how much adlibbing he did in his final show! Plus the entire cast got into - It was hysterical! They were going so over-the-top - that at intermission they were told to tone it down - so, they did - a bit! LOL

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 2:27pm

Rent and Amy's View in London were both quite amazing, for totally different reasons though, obviously.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:44pm

I've been to the last days of Little Shop, The Boy from Oz, and Dracula.

I've also been to Hunter Foster's last day in LSOH and I was at his last night in The Producers last night.

At his last producers show, Hunter and the rest of the cast started out very good but around the first part where Carmen and Roger are introduced it got interesting. Richard and Hunter were sitting on the couch with the lip pillow and they did the normal reaction to the pillow and then they just started to laugh. At one point as an ad lib Hunter bent over and smelled the pillow and he also scted like he couldn't sit on the couch cause he kept sliding off. At which point he said his line "Is this Roger Debris good?" At which Richard just started to laugh and then Hunter laughed and then said to Richard "work with me here, I'm leaving" which made the audience just laugh.

By the way I'm Josh and I'm new to the forum although I have posted on a couple of topics before.

________________________________________________________________

(after hearing a voice say Go Away)" I heard Broadway's dead, but that's ridiculous."
-Extreme Ghostbusters: The Great FrightWay

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:46pm

Josh -
Willkommen.
Bienvenue.
Welcome!

[maybethistime]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:46pm

CABARET ('98 Revival)

WOW! That was an amazingly powerful evening. Theres want a dry eye in the whole theatre, audience or professionals.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:47pm

eep. You were at the last show? I was at the matinee that day... *jealous*

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:53pm

I was at the closing performance of the revival of Damn Yankees (Jerry Lewis cast). And from what I could tell and what I was told, Lewis did more adlibbing than usual, breaking the cast up on several different occasions. Most memorable was when he came in as the fire inspector and had the hat so low over his eyes that the entire cast broke up, as did the audience, when he walked onstage. He also played out the cane bit in "Good Old Days" for about 15 minutes longer than he did normally. It was like watching his club routine from the 60's. Wonderful event that I am glad I got to see.

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:54pm

I didn't see Linda Eder's final performance in "Jekyll & Hyde," but from what I've heard it was unforgettable.

Posted: 1/10/05 at 5:54pm

WICKED ON 1/9/05!!! woooo!

[Razz77]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 8:23pm

The closing performance of "Night, Mother" on Sunday night was completely breathtaking...Although the house was not full (surprise surprise), it was an Actor's Fund performance (which always means there will be extra energy). The energy and laughs and applause from the audience was unbelievable -- Edie Falco and Brenda Blethyn COULD NOT leave the stage at the end of the show becasue of all of the applause...There was just a wonderful wonderful energy in the house for a show that I dare say was underrated.