"The way some people post about Steph on this board you would think they were related to her!"
:rolling: That? Was funny.
The final performance was wonderful. The cast really threw everything into the show both Saturday night and Sunday afternoon; as gifted and enthusiastic as they were when I'd seen the show before, they really "left it all on the field" both times (this also according to people who have seen it more often than I). There were a lot of emotions, but, as someone else has already said of Steph's not coming out the stage door, that was not due to worry about their careers or even, I think, primarily about even missing the show itself (though they really will). It's about the fact that these people who have become like family won't be seeing each other all the time anymore. We had a long conversation with Nick Adams on Saturday night about this. They'll all go on and do other things--and some of this ensemble is destined for *great* things--but most of them won't perform together again. It's the way of Broadway, I know, but it's still sad.
In some ways, I felt, this final performance was for the cast every bit as it was for the audience. At one point (at the end of the wedding scene, when the cast was stretched across the edge of the stage after finishing the dance), the techs brought the house lights up so that the actors could see us applauding and cheering.
Linda Balgord's black velvet gown got its own applause--a nod to Martin Paklidinez, who probably should have gotten a Tony nomination for his costumes. And the applause was audience-wide; it was not limited to specific fans--and it was also not intrusive on the scenes.
Mrs. B (and, yes, it is she), I'd have been proud to sit with you and cheer your girl on, had you been able to make the performance. As it was, I'm grateful I was there.
