Memorable Theatre Moments

[Weez]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 12:38pm

'War Horse' at the National Theatre in London.

The first part of the show, they have a little Joey foal puppet. He's only about waist-high at the shoulders, and his legs are stiff blocks of wood. Joey and Albert are running around the stage together, full of the joys of life, and Albert's encouraging Joey to rear up, which he's doing with gay abandon.

Then the lighting changes, the little Joey foal puppet is whipped offstage in pieces, and full focus in the centre upstage is a fullsize Joey puppet, six-foot at the shoulders, with two full-grown men standing up straight inside, and working this amazingly intricate, beautiful, and anatomically spot-on horse puppet. The audience gasps, Albert clambers on Joey's back, the two ride offstage, and the audience erupts into thunderous applause because it's simply the most stunning thing they've ever seen on a London stage.

I'm genuinely in tears right now describing it, I don't think any production will ever beat it for visual beauty. (And if I ever need to cry as part of a play, I just think of Joey, and the tears come. A handy side-effect! :3)

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=36800&dspl=images - SERIOUSLY, if you can get to London between September 10th and November 12th, you NEED to see this.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 1:31pm

I don't think any moment beats being in the orchestra of Phantom for the first time and seeing that chandelier going up and knowing that sometime it's going to come crashing back down.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 2:15pm

The end of Act 1 in Evita. A New Argentina is one of the most thrilling chorus numbers ever.

[lightguy06222]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 2:18pm

THE DREAM in Fiddler on the Roof.

Fiddler was the first "broadway" show that I saw. (Saw the touring cast starring Theodore Bikel at the Shubert Theatre in LA)

I must have been 6 or 7 years old, and I went home and performed the entire show with my sister to the cast recording for my parents.

They still have the video of it. Its kinda cute.

[fosca3]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 2:26pm

For me, the best was from TROILUS AND CRSSIDA at the RSC in Stratford and London

Near the end, Achilles (Philip Quast) came forward to the front of the (mostly) empty stage, bathed in red light, carrying the body of Patroclus (Jeremy Sheffield, I think)

He came forward slowly, completely devastated, then slowly sank to his knees (still holding Patroclus in his arms), and made his speech about Hector's life basically being forfeit. He has the most beautiful voice, and his delivery of those lines was incredible

It was ABSOLUTELY chilling and beautiful

Updated On: 6/12/08 at 02:26 PM

[Weez]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 2:27pm

'The Tempest' by the RSC at the Novello.

Act 3, scene 3. The lads are about to tuck into a feast that's been magically brought onstage. Although as this 'Tempest' is set in an Arctic wasteground, the "feast" is represented by a seal carcass on a sled.

And this pops out.





I'm so glad I didn't know the play that well, it genuinely came as a massive shock to me. He was a seriously eerie and ethereal Ariel. O_O

(Hmmm, perhaps an avatar change is in order...)

Updated On: 6/12/08 at 02:27 PM

[heathurrr]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 2:30pm

Recent ones:
Oh my gosh, when Jenna Russell started to cry during 'We Do Not Belong Together'. I just lost it. It was beautiful.

Taking a few of my non-theatre friends to see a local prosfessional production of The Producers. It was so great to see them react and feel the love that is live theatre!

[Dawn Davenport]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 3:55pm

The most recent memorable theatre moment was seeing Lupone perform "Rose's Turn" in Gypsy---electrifying!

Probably my most thrilling theatre memory is from years ago, when I saw an off-Broadway production called The Art of Success with Tim Curry playing the artist William Hogarth. It was a theatre-in-the-round type theatre and my friend and I had excellent seats, front row. I have had a years' long crush on Tim Curry (still do) and he was in top form here.

During one part of the performance, Tim drew something on a large piece of paper (he was sketching a woman's form) and then he threw it down in anger onto the stage.

I imemdiately had my eye on that piece of paper and as soon as the show was over and the actors left the stage, I leapt from my seat and went for it! Just as I was reaching for it I saw a guy also reaching for it. Gentleman that he was, he let me take it and I held onto that thing for dear life. I have it to this day, framed and everything. Sounds pretty geeky but hey it's a Tim Curry unique work of art, drawn by his own hand! :)

[SgtDonut]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 3:59pm

When the puppets have sex in Avenue Q. That was so out of nowhere. And so very funny.

[Ftworthguy]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 4:40pm

I've been lucky enough to have many memorable moments, a few that come to mind.

My first Broadway show - the 90s revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Kathleen Turner, sitting the 2nd row. Seeing her in that slip and being absolutely mesmorized by her.

Seeing "Rent" for the first time. Angel missing from the line made me BALL.

"Ragtime" and Sarah's funeral. OMG!

Seeing "Noises Off" - the revival. LOL hilarity!

Brian Dennehy in "Death of a Salesman"

The last moment at the end of Act I of "Proof" Mary-Louise made the entire audience GASP

Seeing "Fosse" and being awestruck at the genius that is Bob.

The luck of seeing "The Full Monty" early in previews when I knew nothing about it.

But my favorite was probably seeing "Victor/Victoria," not because of the show, but because we were able to get backstage and meet Ms. Andrews. WHAT A THRILL!!!!

[Patash]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 5:09pm

First seeing George Hearn sing I Am What I Am in LaCage. I was so overwhelmed, I turned to my partner to say something and no words would come out of my mouth.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 5:11pm

So many... The most recent is ~ I don't think it's a spoiler since it doesn't really give anything away, but I'll say possible spoilers to be safe...

The moment at the end of this production of Sunday In The Park With George when the stage goes completely white and Dot is in the back corner with a light on her. My breath catches at that moment every time I see it.

[greybaby231]

Posted: 6/12/08 at 7:16pm

The end of act one in Equus is pretty powerful. It's more of a vivd memory than the nude scene.

[fosca3]

Posted: 6/13/08 at 2:47pm

In the Second Act of THE SEAFARER, after describing Hell, when Lockhart pauses for a long moment, then says "You would have loved heaven, Sharky"

At that moment in the story, with what had just gone before, I thought it was the cruelest, most heartbreaking line I've ever heard

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:10am

Seeing the closing performance of Grey Gardens. I was in tears for the next 2 hours after the show, I was so moved/heartbroken. And I had seen the show several times before, and I had never freaked out that much.

And, not really a "theatre" moment, but my boyfriend and I saw Linda Eder in concert one time, and after she belted out I Am What I Am, we were both on our feet in tears.

ETA: Also, the first time I saw the Funny Girl movie, I had chills after Don't Rain On My Parade. And I still get them after watching it for the 200th time!

Edited for spelling. I'm really tired!

Updated On: 6/14/08 at 01:10 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 6/14/08 at 1:46am

"Choose to be Happy" in GREY GARDENS. Much of the show was memorable, but this caught me off guard. I liked the song on the CD, but I was surprised at how powerful it was in the theatre. I was moved to tears.

[bwaybabe2]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 3:39am

The Phantom rowing the boat through the candle filled water...it
is a great visual and theater stage feat.

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 3:43am

The pure elation I felt at the end of the current production of Gypsy, watching Rose reach at her name fading out above her head. I kept telling Friend "They fixed it! They finally fixed the ending! Oh my god they finally killed that saccharine bull**** it used to close with!"

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 3:50am

The last show of Les Mis revival. Ananleigh's last show in Wicked. And probably Steph's last show today will be added to this list.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 3:59am

-The clarinet solo (is it a clarinet?) after Paul's monologue in ACL.
-One scene in The Pillowman that literally made me scream. (If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about)
-That silent pause after "Another Winter in a Summer Town" in Grey Gardens. Haunting.
-Eliza Doolittle's entrance with her beautiful dress.

[hairspraylover]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 1:46pm

-I know i'm prolly gonna sound like a broken record cuz you all have prolly heard this a THOUSAND times but when Elphaba takes flight in Wicked i get chills everywhere on my body and i end up crying like a little girl.

-idk why this specific spot but i LOOOOVE the part in You Can't Stop the Beat when Motormouth sings "cause tomorrow is a brand new day and it don't know white from black. YEAH!!!!!" and as she says yeah the lights do this little flashing type thing and everybody throws their hands in the air as she tears off her pants to reveal the rest of her gold dress. idk why but it always makes me smile and makes the hair on my neck stand straight up.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/15/08 at 1:50pm

-I love the part in Grey Gardens, during Another Winter in a Summer Town, when Edie sings, "That sapphire blue ocean/oh, how can I face...." You can just hear the aching in her voice.

-The most memorable theatre experience I ever had was Totally
F-cked at Groff and Lea's last at Spring Awakening. It was just electric.

Updated On: 6/16/08 at 01:50 PM