Opening and Closing Nights Question

[magictodo123]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 7:43am

So with Anastasia closing yesterday, The Bands Visit closing next Sunday and We Are The Tigers closing today, I have to wonder...have people on this board been to either opening or closing nights? I include opening nights because sometimes on the day of the show they make tickets available to the public. I know someone who went to the opening nights of Waitress and Bandstand. Do you remember what the experience was like? Post if you have!

[Um Kulthum]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 8:22am

I've been wondering about this too! I haven't been to a closing yet but I am going to TBV's on Sunday. 

[magictodo123]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 8:44am

Um Kulthum said: "I've been wondering about this too!I haven't been to a closing yet but I am going to TBV's on Sunday."

Oh my goodness. Have you seen it before?? That's going to be such an electric performance. 

I went to the closing of Anastasia yesterday. It was absolutely insane. Someone told me at intermission that there were 17 standing ovations, everyone got applause on their entrances. Cast members breaking character, tears from audience members and cast alike, a bows speech by Darko (I forget his last name--the director). It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. Then at the stagedoor...oh my goodness. The whole ensemble came out at once and signed./took pictures, then Vicki Lewis, Delilah (Young Anastasia), Constantine (Gleb), and Cody Simpson. 

So the show ended at around 5:45-6pm. Christy came out at around maybe 6:!5-6:30? Legend has it she was still signing at around 10:30pm. She did not leave until she got to everyone. Wow. It was truly an experience I will not be forgetting any time soon (the whole day). 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 9:35am

I've been to more closing nights than opening nights but from what I recall, people tend to dress up more for opening night (you'll see guys wear tuxedos and women wear beautiful gowns.) 

As for closing night, you'll see some of the biggest fans of that show in attendance and don't be surprised if there's a standing ovation after some of the classic songs of that show. The energy is definitely different from other performances and from my experience the actors tend to be more emotional onstage. I definitely felt it when I was at the closing night for Sunday in the Park with George, Once on this Island, and School of Rock.

I don't do stage door on closing night since it tends to be crazy crowded. That is soooo sweet of Christy to sign every single playbill there last night. Such a sweetheart. 

 

[Um Kulthum]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 9:41am

magictodo123 said: "Oh my goodness. Have you seen it before?? That's going to be such an electric performance."

I have seen it– I love it so much! I hate that it's closing, but I'm glad at least to get the chance to go again and help give them a rousing good sendoff. Like Anastasia's– that sounds amazing! Insane but in a good way. I've heard nothing but good things about Christy Altomare at stage door anyway but WOW that is impressive.

[Lot666]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:30am

My husband and I went to the closing night performance of Phantom in Las Vegas. It was a unique experience; the audience was very hyped and some of the actors broke character to put their own "button" on certain places in the show. I specifically recall that the actor playing Piangi held up the end of the "Hannibal" rehearsal when he pulled a Doctor Frank-N-Furter with his "Amateurs!" line after Carlotta stormed off.

We also flew to London to see the final performance by the original cast of Love Never Dies, and that was one of the most special theatrical experiences we've ever had. The audience was extremely supportive and appreciative of the cast, and both Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess received lengthy standing ovations at the end of their signature songs ("Til I Hear You Sing" and "Love Never Dies", respectively). The ovation for Ms. Boggess went on for so long that she sunk down to the stage and sat on her legs, in tears, with her hands clasped over her heart. After the show, there was an enormous crowd outside the stage door, and several actors, including Mr. Karimloo and Ms. Boggess, sat in the open windows on the second story of the theatre, playing guitar and singing to the crowd. That trip was well worth the cost, and braving the frigid London weather in March.

Updated On: 4/1/19 at 10:30 AM

[R. GreenFinch]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:34am

The final performance of Great Comet was an emotional experience I'll never forget, particuarly because Dave Malloy was playing Pierre.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:35am

Closing night performances are the worst time to experience a show, especially if you’ve never seen it. The energy is completely different as EVERYTHING gets roaring applause and screams. Cast entrances, scene changes, end of numbers, etc. It’s like a rock concert. Yes, some cast members are visibly more emotional and as mentioned above, expect some celebrities, past cast members and most of the creative team in attendance. Usually there is a curtain call speech, but not always.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:41am

"I've heard nothing but good things about Christy Altomare at stage door anyway but WOW that is impressive."

She was without a doubt the nicest person my entire family has ever seen at the stage door !!

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:41am

"I've heard nothing but good things about Christy Altomare at stage door anyway but WOW that is impressive."

She was without a doubt the nicest person my entire family has ever seen at the stage door !!

[JennH]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:43am

^^^^ I truly think it depends on the show itself. I was at the Bright Star closing (already almost 3 years ago...HOLY CRAP). It was a very different vibe, it wasn't overly uproarious with the fans screaming at anything and everything. Was it more than usual? Yes, but not overly so. But I think that's the aesthetic of the show itself, it's not flashy or bright so it's closing wasn't either. No final speech, just Steve jamming on his banjo during the entr'acte and tap dancing like a silly person after everyone had bowed, and the cast and band were living their best lives. I'm not surprised Anastasia had a wild final show at all. The movie and musical has a huge following, it's a spectacle with a leading lady who's a doll beyond measure and loved her job so much that it was always fresh. Her stage dooring skills are second to none. I'm perfectly aware no actor must do it, they don't have to, I don't expect them to, but Christy has always gone above and beyond with it. Bless her. 

EDIT-My response and arrows were to Brody. 

Updated On: 4/1/19 at 10:43 AM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:47am

I was at closing night of Head Over Heels and it was surprisingly not ear-piercing on behalf of the audience — just a lot of love and loud applause!

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:53am

Are opening nights usually reserved for industry folks and friends & fam?I often notice that tickets for those nights arent listed on the websites 

[JennH]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 10:55am

YvanEhtNioj said: "Are opening nights usually reserved for industry folks and friends & fam?I often notice that tickets for those nights arent listed on the websites"

You're correct. However there have been very rare moments in which I've seen opening night listed for purchase by the public, and Pretty Woman is the one I can think of offhand that did it. But honestly, that didn't shock me...

[JustAnotherNewYorker]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 11:04am

I've been to 4 or 5 openings (including "What the Constitution..." last night) and even more closings. Sometimes openings are available through TDF briefly to fill out the theater (last night) or through the box office (e.g., Groundhog Day). Always a different experience than just a regular performance, usually with sustained applause and a bit more emotion.

 

Closings are often filled with fans of the show. I was lucky enough to have on-stage seating for Comet's closing and it was a big love-letter to the show from some of the most dedicated fans.

Updated On: 4/1/19 at 11:04 AM

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 11:07am

Count me among those who prefer a regular old Thursday night on Broadway over any "special" performance. The energy in the room is very different when there's a lot of friends/family/fans, and the performances can be messy –– jitters, heightened emotions, slip-ups, etc.

[bekk99]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 11:20am

For Broadway openings, Heidi Chronicles comes to mind (I think they still had rush tickets). A few celebrities in attendance.

For closings, The 2008 revival of SITPWG. The cast was incredibly emotional, especially during "Move On." I wanted to stage door, but it was pouring rain.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 11:35am

I accidentally went to opening night of Wicked, which was a blast. Definitely a formal affair with lots of celebs and the "green carpet" rolled out. 

For closings, I went to the [title of show] Broadway closing, where the audience went absolutely ballistic, and the closing of Oh Hello, which was slightly less ballistic but still an exciting energy. I feel like I'm forgetting something...

More often I've done actors' final performances, which tend to have a similar energy - James Monroe Iglehart's last Aladdin and Sara Bareilles in Waitress (her first "final" performance) were two favorites; in both cases the energy was through the roof.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 12:04pm

JennH said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "Are opening nights usually reserved for industry folks and friends & fam?I often notice that tickets for those nights arent listed on the websites"

You're correct. However there have been very rare moments in which I've seen opening night listed for purchase by the public, and Pretty Woman is the one I can think of offhand that did it.But honestly, that didn't shock me..."

It's not that exceedingly rare. I've known several shows to do this over the years. The ability to do so is dependent on how many people are involved in making the show + how many seats are in the theatre. If it's a small cast, it's more likely because there are fewer people to invite friends + family. Similarly, if there are 30 co-producers or 10 co-producers. Ditto again for musicians and crew and ad/publicity/marketing agencies.

It's just usual that they don't go up for sale until the day of the performance once all comps have been allotted and unclaimed tickets accounted for.

So if you have a big cast in a small house, it's unlikely (for example, something like The Boys in the Band [I don't know if it did or did not have tickets on sale to the public]).

If you have a small cast in a big house (of which I can't actually think of one), it's more likely.

Either option as a first-time viewing of a show might not be considered ideal because the energy can be so wildly different, but in my experience, I've found closing performances to be the more different of the two celebratory nights. If you love a show, closing night is amazing to be a part of, but probably not the best for a first-time experience. :)

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 1:15pm

I agree with others not to see a closing performance if it's your first time seeing the show. 

However, if you're a fan of the show and have seen it before, it really is an amazing experience to go closing night.

I remember for Hello Dolly's final performance on Broadway Gavin Creel lost character for 2-3 seconds in act 2! Such a treat to see. 

[treblemakerz]

Posted: 4/1/19 at 1:28pm

I attended Anastasia's closing performance yesterday. The emotion in that room was overwhelming. You could tell the show meant a great deal to everyone in that audience and it was sent off with the most love one can imagine.

There's a moment in the show, during "Learn To Do It," when Vlad is wildly circling things on a chalkboard as he teaches Anya her family history. Yesterday, John wrote a giant "808" on the board. For their 808 performances. I got very teary at that.

Christy did indeed stage door from 6:00 to about 11:00.

Updated On: 4/1/19 at 01:28 PM

[magictodo123]

Posted: 4/3/19 at 8:59am

Someone at the theater near the final stage door was saying that it was their first time seeing show. I agree--the final show is usually a way for the fans to show their love and appreciation for the cast, and that usually comes in the form of extended applause, a bit over the top reactions to moments in the show. Definitely not the first show for an out of towner to go to, since they won't have the normal audience reactions. I understand you want to show support, but for the love of all that is good please let the actors hit their button (right? the end of the song?) before you cheer and applaud!!! We WANTED to hear Christys final note at the end of Journey To The Past and everything else. Applause comes AFTER. Standing ovation, sure, you can stand, but applause AFTER. 

Speaking of closing performances...is anyone going to Kinky Boots on the 7th? I'm  not but I'm curious if anyone is. I know someone here is seeing The Bands Visit on Sunday. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 4/3/19 at 9:22am

I thought about getting tickets to the final performance of Kinky Boots but the way they handled selling tickets for the final performance (not selling any to the public at first; then having a special code for rear mezz at $150; etc.) just made it seem exclusive and that's not really my thing. I saw it a few weeks ago and am content with that experience as my last time watching the show.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 4/3/19 at 5:00pm

I was lucky enough to attend the final performance of She Loves Me in the summer of 2016 and it was just delightful. Very respectful audience and so much gratitude. It was my first time seeing it, and for that case specifically, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. Everyone got entrance applause for “Good Morning, Good Day”, and in the final scene Zachary Levi started tearing up. It was also really cool when Sheldon Harnick, Joe Masteroff, and Scott Ellis came onstage to give speeches. I ended up getting a decent stage door spot, and a handful of actors signed but most (including Laura and Gavin) thanked the crowd for coming and got in their cars.

However, I just recently attended the closing performance of Head Over Heels and it was ENTIRELY different. I hadn’t seen the show prior, but I lucked into a $25 orchestra seat and wanted to go. I feel like I enjoyed the show enough, but the hightened emotion of the audience and cast made it very much like a rock concert version more than the actual show. A lot of tears onstage and off. All of which was fine and I still had a perfectly good time, but I do wonder if I would’ve liked it more or less in a different atmosphere.

[Doug Giffin]

Posted: 4/4/19 at 10:21am

I saw Taboo on closing night and it was great. The place was packed and I sat right by Rosie.

(I'd already seen it once on Broadway and twice in London before that.)