Seeing a final performance

[proportionalquotient]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 2:05am

I'm curious about people's opinions and experiences of seeing the final performance of a show...

I was thinking of attending the last performance of Blithe Spirit, yet if I go earlier in the week I could probably get better seats.

What do you guys think? Is there something special about seeing a final show? Or is it not much different than regular performance...

[onedaymore]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 2:12am

I think there is definitely a different vibe going on with the performers' acting on the final show. Especially if you KNOW it's their final show. In Wicked Chicago's closing performance, the duet "For Good" was much more emotional. Elphie and Glinda could barely sing they were crying so much.

IDK about Broadway, because I've never been there (unfortunately) but the closing performance of Wicked Chicago had a big speech from the producer thanking people and stuff.

Is it worth it to go a few days earlier and get a better seat? Probably. To me, at least.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 3:45am

I've been to the closing performance of Gypsy (Lupone) and it was an amazing experience. The energy beamed from the audience and filled up the entire theater. In fact, one of my favorite things about a last performance is the energy and enthusiasm (as long as it's not annoying, inappropriate or out of hand). The cast definitely feeds off of it too and of course it's special to them. The cast really appreciated our responses. The cast was giving us love, and we were giving love to the cast.

So many memorable moments. Certainly much more emotion than any other time I saw the show. It was a lot of laughter and a lot of tears. Funny lines were even funnier.. and emotional, dramatic parts were more emotional.

Audience members threw roses up on stage as Patti took her bow. Also, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim were present and came onstage during curtain call. Patti gave a touching speech.

It was a really special night. It was my favorite show and meant a lot to me, so I was thrilled to attend the final performance and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.


I'm not sure if Blithe Spirit?s last performance will be much different than any other performance. It depends on the show. If it had a big fan base, was open for long time, or something like that things would be different. The audience might be more responsive and the actors will feed off of that, but I'm not too sure what else. Still, no matter what performance you see, I definitely recommend the show!

Updated On: 7/6/09 at 03:45 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 3:49am

I have only been to four closing nights in my life. Three Broadway and one Off Broadway.

I have been to the closing nights of The Drowsy Chaperone, A Tail Of Two Cities, revival of Les Miserables, and off Broadway's Saved.

The only show that did any sort of speech at the end was Drowsy. They brought out Bob Martin (post show when he was done playing the electrician) and both he and a couple of other people from creators and producers said a few words.

Onedaymore is right, you know that there is this vibe that comes with seeing the final performance of a show. When I saw Tale Of Two Cities, the crowd was going nuts because the show did have a decent fanbase and it was the closing performance and they came to enjoy themselves and what (at least I think) was a great show one last time.

For Les Miserables there was an extended curtain call with the crowd cheering and clapping for them. And, for Saved, there was nothing really that happened.

[Rudy2]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 3:50am

^ Every word about that last "Gypsy" show is right on the money, and I will be at the final "Blithe Spirit" as well. :)

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 3:57am

The final performance of A Tale of Two Cities was amazing. The crowd went nuts when the title was projected up on the scrim, I couldn't even hear the "overture"

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 4:10am

How about a final performance with a twist? I am thinking about attending the last July performance of GOD OF CAGNAGE before they go on hiatus. That's sort of a final performance but not really. I dont know if I wanna go on that day specifically or if the performance will be just as interesting to see if I go on any regular performance.

[heo1128]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 4:29am

I'd say that if you've seen the show before, the final performance is definitely worth it. But if it's your first time seeing the show, go for the better seats hands down.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 4:48am

There definitely tends to be something different for musicals. The two non-musical plays I attended closings of (The Vertical Hour and The Year of Magical Thinking) really weren't all that different than the other times I'd seen them. I notice that everyone has mentioned musical closings and NOT non-musical plays. Honestly I'm not sure with a non-musical play how different it WILL be.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 5:31am

I'd say that if you've seen the show before, the final performance is definitely worth it. But if it's your first time seeing the show, go for the better seats hands down.

I agree, but since this is a play, I don't think it'll be crazy enough to hinder a first-timer's enjoyment. If it was Rent or Spring Awakening or something like that than that's a different story, lol.

I mentioned being at the last performance of Gypsy and there were two different women near me who had never seen it before (one was familiar with Gypsy and just never saw the production and one was completely new to it), but they both loved it. They probably didn't know what was going on at first and one of the women was confused why everyone was standing up in the beginning, but they still enjoyed the show.

For Blithe Spirit there'll probably just be more, louder laughter at the funny parts and bigger applause for the actors' entrances. I can't imagine anything much more than that for this play. Darn... now I'm in the mood to see this again, I want to go to the final performance too!

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 8:05am

Final Broadway performance of FOSSE (I almost smashed my fist into the girl 'whooping' and 'screaming' in front of me thru most of the show).

Final Broadway performance of TABOO (you literally couldn't even hear the show with all those 'rock concert' screams throughout the performance).

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 10:02am

I will be at the last performance of BLITHE SPIRIT, and I'm really looking forward to it.

[zamedy]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 12:56pm

Went to the final performance of HAIRSPRAY. It will literally be a day I will never forget. You could tell it was going to be special as soon as you arrived at the theatre and saw the huge crowd, media, members of the creative team and so many past cast members there.

From the very first notes of "Good Morning, Baltimore," the audience went NUTS. Every character, and just about every song, was welcomed by HUGE applause. Several standing ovations throughout the show. Cast members were crying during certain songs/points (such as the moving "I Know Where I've Been). You could just tell they were totally feeding off all that energy from the audience. It was truly amazing... and anyone else that was there that afternoon can atest to that.

At the curtain, all swings joined the current cast members... then all past cast members were called to the stage to join in "You Can't Stop The Beat." Harvey gave a very moving speech, choreographer Jerry Mitchell led everyone in "YCSTB" one final time, and everyone went out on a huge high. There were also several celebs in the audience such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Christine Ebersole.

To answer your question... I think a lot depends on how long the show's been running, too. If it is a show that had a long, healthy run (such as HAIRSPRAY...19th longest running in Bway history), there's likely to be more spectacle surrounding the final performance. But if I had the chance to go to closing night, I would definitely go. How often can you say you were at the closing night of a Broadway show?! If I had the money, time and resources, I'd be there for closing night of AVENUE Q, too.

Everyone loves a "last" or "final."

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 1:06pm

I would actually like to see the final performance of Blithe Spirit because it could possibly be Angela's last Broadway performance. It would really be a special night.


I've seen many last shows and they have all been amazing.

I've been to:
Gypsy
[title of show]
The Drowsy Chaperone
Rent

And I have also been to many last performances for the actors. Updated On: 7/6/09 at 01:06 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 1:10pm

I used to really enjoy attending final performances. That is until people decided to turn them into a reason to lose their voices. I've talked here before about how much I detest screaming in the theater for any reason but if you attend a final performance where anyone in the cast is under the age of 30 or if there is anything resembling a plot that might even in some roundabout way appeal to anyone still in high school than I say bring your earplugs and a script to follow along with because you're not going to hear anything onstage.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 1:24pm

I actually don't really like closings. They're never accurate representations of the show you're saying goodbye to, which strikes me as counterintuitive. Everything is heightened and feels sort of stilted. I've been to a few simply by happenstance (like the last performance of All My Sons), but as a general rule, I'll only go if I really feel like I'll regret not being there. Of course, in those cases (AIDA, Sweeney, Company), they're for shows I'm really in love with, and so I can never really enjoy the performance because I'm too emotional. There's something to be said for feeling like you're at this... event, but for me, if it's something I really care about, I tend to disengage completely. The only one I've been to that I can say I enjoyed was Speed-the-Plow, probably because the play was so funny, and at the end of the day, they had been a success against the odds. It was the end of a limited run, and very much a celebratory -- albeit relatively fanfare-free -- goodbye.

Updated On: 7/6/09 at 01:24 PM

[ken8631]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 1:39pm

Been to two. Boy From Oz, and Taboo. Both were great and definitely worth seeing/being there....

Ken

[broadwaycat3113]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 1:42pm

i went to the closing performance of tarzan. it was definitely one of the most amazing performances i've ever experienced and a lot different than the regular performances of that show i had been too.

[nealb1]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 2:07pm

Saw the final performance of "42nd Street" a few years back in NYC, and it was like a rock concert. Almost every number stopped the show and the audience went bonkers! It was a wonderful experience.

[thespian geek]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 3:52pm

Only one I've been to was the closing performance of The Wedding Singer. Again, lots and lots of love coming from the audience and the cast was feeding off of that energy like crazy.

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 7:15pm

I would absolutely go to the closing performance of Blithe Spirit. I have a feeling the energy is going to be wonderful and make it a performance to remember. And it's another chance to see Angela Lansbury in the role of a lifetime! Go! I will definitely be there.

Love your icon, WAT. :)

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 7:39pm

Thanks for the compliment on my icon, flaemmchen. LA STRADA has been my latest obsession the past week or so. Bernadette Peters' "Starfish, Seagull, Pebble" and "Belonging" are just stunning. She needs to do a studio recording with the final Broadway score plus all of Lionel Bart's songs that were cut pre-Broadway...wishful thinking, but hey, a guy can dream!

[TIGGOSAURUS]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 7:43pm

I flew over especially to attend the closing performance of Curtains (having seen it on Opening Night and several times inbetween). The audience response was fantastic throughout and the emotional reactions of the cast were very touching. Plus I got to chat to Rupert Holmes and kiss the hand of the legendary John Kander!

I'd definitely recommend it for a musical, particularly if it's one you're a fan of (I'd HAVE LOVED to see Hairspray on 4th Jan this year). And as flaemchen said, it might be Angela Lansbury's swansong on Broadway. Obviously I hope that's not the case though....!

[flaemmchen]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 7:58pm

And as flaemchen said, it might be Angela Lansbury's swansong on Broadway.

You actually said what I wouldn't say, Tiggo. I don't think anyone wants it to be Angela's last Broadway appearance, but she might want to retire.

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 7/6/09 at 8:07pm

For reasons luvtheEmcee mentioned, I wouldn't necessarily want to see a closing night performance as the only time seeing a show, I feel like it would be amazing to see a closing night of a production you really love.

I had tickets to Gypsy's closing when it was in March. Literally hours after I bought the tickets, they moved closing up to January, when I was out of town. I was really, really upset.