Seeing a Show Twice- Does It Ruin the Magic?- Page 2

[freeadmission]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:11am

I never like to see the same production more than once. After immensely enjoying "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the local Shakepeare Festival, I decided to see an evening performance a few days later with a friend. It was wholly disappointing. I found that one of the things I love most about theatre is it's immediacy: once it's done, it's done, never to be exactly duplicated.

Now, I'm one of those people who would read her favorite book and, once finished, pick it up and read it again, if only I had the time. But books and theatre are inherently different mediums. Upon another reading, nothing in the book has changed a BIT, it's the reader who comes to it with new perceptions and new ideas and such. But theatre, even the same production with the same cast, changes ever so slightly each time you see it, so I end up paying attention more to the differences than the story itself.

If, on the other hand, I see a new production of the same show (take Sweeney, for instance), I know from the get go that it's going to be way different, and I can pay attention and enjoy it in a different way, taking from it what this particular director/cast holds as most important to the story.

I don't know if any of that made sense, but, there you have it.

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:33am

For me, a show never loses its magic. Every time I step into a theatre, I get that feeling that sends shivers down my spine. Every show, no matter how bad, has some magic in it.

Also, when I'm seeing a show for the second+ time, I focus on one individual character for each scene. It's really interesting to see the actors so involved and absorbed in their characters, and you pick up little things that you ordinarily would have missed.

[mrslovett7]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:34am

I've seen Phantom 3 or 4 times and my heart still races with suspense even when I know what is going to happen.

I know this doesn't count as seeing something live but I watch Sweeney Todd concert dvd, the '82 dvd and I listen to the concert CD almost everyday and I still laugh my ass off at some of the lyrics.

[broadwayman]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:39am

definitley not!

Ive seen Thoroughly Modern Millie 11 times on broadway, once on national tour, twice at North Shore Music Theater... and it never got old

Every performace I found something new that I loved. I could see that show a thousand times and never get bored!

[CJR]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:44am

No, but seeing a show more than 50 times can.....

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 12:31pm

For, me if I go with the same people to see a show more than once it isn't as exciting. But if you're going with a person who's never seen it yet, it's just as exciting. I enjoyed spelling bee even more the second time I saw it, because I noticed alot more things going on with the people who weren't spelling.

[MusicAndPassion]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 1:09pm

It totally depends on the show. I saw The Lion King twice and loved it the first time, but it dragged the first time and the second time was more fun & flew by.

I saw Wicked twice, and it was nice to take it all in the second time and find the goods and bads. You can really analyze the show the second time.

I couldn't do Spelling Bee twice, but it's one of those shows where the first time is a shockingly funny, but the second time it's nothing new.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 1:29pm

I agree that comedies don't necessarily lose their magic the second time...it depends on the show. Like Avenue Q I definitely felt lost something on the second viewing when I knew all the jokes were coming. But DRS never gets tiring because the cast always does something different and makes each performance special. Jonathan and Norbert particularly on certain songs like Ruprecht and Shiffhausen just do something different every performance. I love it.

Posted: 6/17/06 at 1:43pm

I see most shows I like multiple times.

With a show like Hairspray which Ive seen god knows how many times (70-something I think) I can go in and have a great time watching a part of the stage thats a little away from the action. And the chemistry changes all the time, be it an incredibly excited audience or a new cast member and the same joke can be completely different.

Ive seen Tarzan three times in the past three weeks, and im going back again. Every time ive gone ive found more things to look at & laughed harder cuz I noticed Jenn crossing her eyes & Josh mocking Chester... stuff you probably miss the first time around esp. if your sitting on a certain side.

I think whether or not you would enjoy a show multiple times relys more on the person than the show honestly. You have to like the nuances, chemistry and love the fact that its live and sometimes it will be amazingly perfect and sometimes things go wrong and someone forgets 4 lines and the show runs 5 minutes shorter and thats interesting too.

[Hank]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 2:06pm

That "majic" has struck me again with The Drowsy Chaperone, I saw the first preview, and then again just after opening night. The man in chair is me, except for the cardigan, and my place isn't so shaby. I'm also obsessed with a musical based in the 1920's, Thoroughly Modern Millie, which I've seen 9 times now, and like the man in chair, I've listened to the cd (not the record) hundreds of times, usually in the car on my commute home when I'm stuck in traffic.
I think it's just a wonderful coincidence that Sutton Foster stars in both shows.
Updated On: 6/18/06 at 02:06 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 2:17pm

Josh mocking Chester was hilarious! Heh, it was amusing that we were laughing so loud and were like the only ones laughing.

[rentlover123]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 10:27pm

Sometimes like Wicked was alittle less boring the second time though, i then knew the words and people were probaly looking at me thinking shes a weird person cause my mouth was moving at all times just wanting to run up there and sing it loud and clear!

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:06pm

Not for me - I've seen several shows more than once, and I do it deliberately because I don't think (at least for me) that I can catch all the action seeing a show only once. It's not like TiVo or recording it where you can rewind it over and over again if you miss something. You only get one chance with live theater. Plus, I sometimes get to see shows with different cast members, so I can see if something is done differently or better/worse than last time.

And I try to see a matinee and an evening performance. There's something different I can't really say between the two. The atmosphere of the audience? Day vs night shows? I can't really explain it, but it feels differently.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:24pm

I don't think I'd have seen Spelling Bee as many times as I have (now six, including one adult show) if it weren't for the improv element of it. Still, I always enjoy the half of the show after the volunteers have all left. Yes, many of the jokes rely on surprise, but it's also fun listening to the reaction from the people completely new to the show.

[waddledee524]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:32pm

I think seeing a show the second time really allows you to focus on the minute details you might have missed before: subtle effects in lighting, staging, etc. I know I'd like to see Sweeney a second time, to figure out what the hell they were singing at the beginning. I was half-drowsy the first time I saw it (forgive me!!).

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:33pm

No. I've seen WICKED- 3 times, and I loved it all 3 times as much as the 1st. I saw ALL SHOOK UP two times, and adored it the 2nd time, cause I was front row, and got noticed by the cast. So no. I don't think so.

[aspiringactress]

Posted: 6/17/06 at 11:41pm

I think the comedies that could possibly lose their magic upon second viewings are along the lines of 'The Lieutenant of Insishmore'. That's not to say it can't be enjoyable teh second time around, but it's just not possible to have that same reaction at the end again unless you somehow had your memory erased. That moment is so full of shock, and that can't happen again once you know the outcome.

[Hank]

Posted: 6/18/06 at 12:27am

btw, I wish I could get to see The Pajama Game again. I just can't get over it!

[bythesword84]

Posted: 6/18/06 at 12:55am

I've seen Les Mis 32 times and its never disappointed, I can't wait to see it more when it comes back to Broadway.

I've seen Avenue Q 26 times and I still enjoy it though I've not been back recently.


Today I saw The History Boys for the 9th time and it still is wonderful.


As long as I like the show I pretty much always like it. I may not enjoy a particular performer who steps into a role but that can't (usually) ruin an entire show for me forever. I thrill on seeing the show more than once because it isn't ever the same, and each time its differences are what make it special.