Oddest things you’ve heard from non theatre people — Page 3

rg7759 said: "i suppose this isnt the worst, but seeing bernadette peters in hello dolly and saying 'i smell a tony'"

That was just a code word. The man was telling his wife that he knew she farted.

I try to be very patient and understanding with these people unless they’re being rude, obstinate, or just saying something REALLY off-the-wall. I mean, there’s a lot of things I don’t know about (sports, for example) and I would probably sound like an idiot if I asked questions about them. And there was once a time when I knew very little about theatre as well.

dianamorales said: "I ALWAYS have friends that tell me they're going to see or saw a broadway show, when they actually saw it on tour."

I mean, considering the fact that they are often colloquially called "Broadway tours" and considering that many cities market their season as the "Broadway series" and call it "Broadway Across America" or Broadway in [insert city here]," I can totally see how that is a little confusing. I don't mind if they say they saw a Broadway tour or even a Broadway show, but saying they saw a show "on Broadway" is definitely wrong.

This reminds me of the time I saw Kinky Boots on tour. There was a couple seated a few rows ahead of me that looked to be in their late teens. After the show, I headed back toward home and stopped by the Starbucks near my house. About ten minutes later, that couple came in, and the young man seemed to know the barista. This conversation ensued:

Barista: "You guys look nice. What'd you do today?"

Young Man: “We went to Broadway! We saw a play.”

Barista: “Yeah? What’d you see?”

Young Man (Clearly uncomfortable and not wanting to admit he saw a show called Kinky Boots): "We saw…it was a Broadway play!" [Insert abrupt change in topic here]

I've posted this before, but back in the 1980s, the woman in line in front of me at the TKTS booth asked for Barefoot in the Park with George.

Otherwise, I've been astonished that more than once over the years I've heard people refer to original cast recordings as "soundtracks." I mean, really, can you imagine?

Updated On: 7/17/18 at 01:22 AM

LizzieCurry said: "NoName3, even theatre people say "soundtracks" when it's not appropriate. Randy Graff did during the Les Miz panel at the first BroadwayCon and 1/3 of the crowd sucked their breath in. I've almost given up."

I know, Lizzie. I was mocking those people. I should have used a sarcasm tag.

MarkBearSF said: "Not quite the same thing, but a favorite story. A friend was waiting for a friend on 46th St a few years ago when the Addams Family was at the Lunt Fontanne. Bebe Neuwirth was leaning against the building. A tourist family came by and asked her to move (and she politely complied) so they could get a picture of the poster - of Bebe Neuwirth."

I think we have a winner! And she was probably thrilled they didn't realize it was her.

Updated On: 7/19/18 at 12:27 PM

LizzieCurry said: "Until shortly before I saw Thoroughly Modern Millie for the first/only time (in La Jolla), I also assumed it had been a revival. I'd also never seen the film, and still haven't."

With a significant number of shows disappearing into the ether, especially older ones from that era, it's shouldn't be surprising that people wouldn't be familiar with every single title. Especially a title that has no modern relevance.

It bothers me when even theatre people call the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre the "Lunt-Fontaine".

BrodyFosse123 said: "Unlikely. If that were the case, every Broadway adaptation of a film would be confused as a revival: HAIRSPRAY, LEGALLY BLONDE, SCHOOL OF ROCK, PRETTY WOMAN, THE WEDDING SINGER, etc.

No one ever called/confused those as revivals yet THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE was and still is confused as such."

True, but the film MILLIE opened during the era when most film musicals were adaptations of stage shows, it starred actual Broadways stars (Julie Andrews, Carol Channing), and--unlike, say, the Beatles' movies--had music that sounded like the then current Broadway sound. The title song was a hit with the same demo that liked "Hello, Dolly!", "Sunrise, Sunset" and "The Impossible Dream".

I can understand how people of a certain age assumed the eventual stage production was a revival of some "original" stage version they missed in their youth. I was 13 when the film came out and were I not a musical theater buff, I can imagine making that mistake.

ETA Sorry. Fosse76 got to most of this before me. LizzieCurrie, I don't think you've missed much by not seeing the film (except that Channing is deliciously over-the-top). I loved it when I was 13, but I saw it again recently on TV and you haven't missed anything. Stick to ANYTHING GOES or even THE BOY FRIEND instead.

Updated On: 7/20/18 at 11:55 PM