Share Your First Time--- (about BROADWAY!)

AFter reading the MOST WONDERFUL post from DGrant re: jaded, I thought, maybe it's time for some of us to relive our first Broadway show experiences.

This will age me, but many years ago, I was watching 20/20 when Hugh and Babs starting talking about the POTO coming to NY. It caught my attention, but when they showed some scenes, I like, stood up, mesmerized, standing there like a hypnotized robot, saying something like, Must...see...that...Need...to...see...that...
Now, living in AR, the Majestic is just a bit away. So the next day, I found myself on the phone with Telecharge, only because Hugh gave the name. I knew NOTHING about Broadway or how to get tickets. NEWAY, I was surprised to find they had some! I got 4, even though I had not talked to anyone else about going with me!

Eventually, I got my girlfriend to go and two other friends. We also got tickets to CATS and Les Miz. CATS was actually the first Broadway show I saw, the LM, then POTO, even though POTO was the one we came to see.
Now, being new to BWAY, we all thought that everyone dresses up for theatre. So, there were 2 guys and 2 girls in our group. We had on suits, they had on sequin dresses and we went out to see......CATS. Well, I'm lol now, because everyone there was in jeans and T shirts, it seemed to us. The next night, LM. We thought maybe CATS was informal, but this won't be. We dressed to the best again, and again, people in shorts, jeans, you name it. It was August, and we were dying in out suits. So, the next night POTO. We thought, forget all that dressing up! We're going in out shorts and jeans......HUGH MISTAKE!!! POTO had opened only about 3 months before, so EVERYONE there was in Tux's and black formals. I told me friends, TELL NO ONE WE'RE FROM ARKANSAS!!!!!!

I saw Les Miserables.
I must have been 6-7 or so. I had NO idea why these people were revolting or why people were being mean to that lady Fantine, WHAT DID SHE DO!?

hahah but I fell in love with the music, and with the story of young Cosette and used to think it was raunchy to say "ass" in Master Of The House. I learned all the music and my sister used to sing "On My Own" at auditions and it was always in my head.
Years later, I learned about the French Revolution and was like "ooohhhhh! So that's what it was about!"

Then I went back and saw it 2 more times. I've always loved the music, the story, everything and it remains sentimental to me.
"A Little Fall of Rain" is still one of my favorite songs! :) Makes me cry!

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1992~Crazy for You
I don't remember the show at all, but I remember afterwards I went to the stage door. There was a really big crowd (I was 6, so it may not have been that big, but it was to me.)and I worked my way to the front of everybody and got to meet all the actors. I still have the Playbill, I think I even got a few crew members to sign it!

Updated On: 7/19/04 at 12:00 AM

hmm i saw Beauty and the Beast when i was in 3rd grade but since I saw Movin' Out I've become addicted to broadway. I always wanted to get into acting since I was 5 but that really kicked it off.

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The first Broadway show I ever saw was SUNSET BOULEVARD starring Betty Buckley, Saturday May 11, 1996, 2:00pm.

It was 1976, the show was "The Wiz" and i've been in love with Broadway ever since.

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God, I feel so old!

First broadway show was "Cats" in 1999. Even though that's pretty recent, I've seen 9 shows from 1999-the present. As you can see it got me hooked on Broadway. All I remember from Cats was I was 9 and scared out of my wits when the cats came down into the audience, and it didn't help that I was on the aisle!
I don't think Cats is what got me hooked on musicals, I was hooked on that much earlier. When I first saw "The Wizard of Oz" when I was 2 or 3, I was immediately hooked. I think I sang every song from that movie, all in Dorothy's range probably lol and surprisingly on pitch. That's where my hook was. I started doing small musicals in church and was cast in my first show in 5th grade, as Prince Charming in "Cinderella." 8 productions later, including regional and school, I'm still in love.

Updated On: 7/19/04 at 07:57 AM

It was A Chorus Line in August of 1985, my first time remembering being in NYC (I lived in NJ until I was 3.5, but don't remember anythihg about NYC). I was 10 and this was my first time traveling alone to visit my grandparents. I remember walking to the Shubert Theater with my grandparents during the day as they warned me about the area... Ahhh....

i don't remember the exact date, but i saw the grease revival. i was like...5 or 6. something like that. the cast and the sets amazed me. the entire experience was just great!

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I feel old...although in this case I guess I should feel 'richer in theatre experience'...

My first Broadway show was actually off-Broadway. I saw "Godspell" at the Cherry Lane Theatre in 1971. I was 12 and it changed my life!

My greatest thrill as an adult has been introducing my niece to the theatre. She went to her first show at 3 (Beauty and the Beast), and is now 12, and has seen 18 different Broadway and off-Broadway productions. It's our 'special' time together, and we both love it!

I'm also fortunate to live and work in NYC, and I work in advertising - so do alot of client entertaining - and go to the theatre at least 4 times a month. Sometimes more! It's a great 'perk' (even if it's work...), and I love it when I can take a client from out-of-town to a show. Sharing the experience with them can be really special!

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Updated On: 7/19/04 at 11:20 AM

J&H at the Plymouth...FANTASTIC! I was in high school and went with a choir group from school...a little Iowa girl going to the Big City...it was GREAT!! Have loved Linda Eder ever since!

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