Shining City Ending Question - Who Played...

...the ghost at the end in the recent Broadway staging?

No. Martha Plimpton played the ghost at the end. It was not her understudy.

---

The ghost at the end was the only genuine moment in the entire play.

---

Are there any pictures of this part? The woman sounds terrifying.

Are there any pictures of this part? The woman sounds terrifying.

I doubt there are photos of this part, as it literally lasts a half a second, plus a photo of it would ruin the show for anyone who hadn't seen it.

Foster can you confirm that? I've seen fast costume changes but that was a split second for both a costume and makeup change between the final scene and the curtain call.

I can't confirm it. But Martha Plimpton is a very unique looking woman, and for the split second that I saw the ghost, I immediately thought that was Martha Plimpton's face, no question about it. Of course I can be wrong. As for a costume/make-up change, correct me if I'm wrong, there were 4 scenes in the entire show. Martha Plimpton's scene was the second scene, followed by Peter Scanavino's scene, then the final scene with Brian F. O'Byrne and Oliver Platt. Ms. Plimpton would have had plenty of time (about 50 minutes or so) to change makeup and costume.

Now that I think of it, I saw VOYAGE and SHIPWRECK this past week -- I would have liked to have asked Brian or Martha at the stage door. Maybe one of you guys can do so. I don't see SALVAGE until February.

---

Foster the costume/makeup change I was referring to was between the ghost and the curtain call, which was literally seconds. The ghost as I remember it was very pale and had very distinctive facial features. Of coarse I could be wrong since the scene lasts for a split second. But following the ghost the lights went dark and when they came back on literally a second later, the entire cast was on stage in their regular costumes/makeup for the curtain call. Yes she would of had 2 scenes to change into the ghost costume/makeup but only 1-2 seconds to change out of it.

On another note, has anyone ever seen any other production of this show? I'd be interested to know if the ghost was a Bob Falls thing or if it was part of Conor McPherson’s writing.

---

Foster- That is correct, and I knew that. I guess my question was poorly phrased. Was the ghost written into the play or was it a decision made by Bob Falls. Who directed the Dublin production? And did anyone on this board happen to see it?

---

I've seen the published text of the play, just to see if it was McPherson's choice. It says something to the effect of "The door closes and there's the ghost, just as they described her. Blackout."

Thanks Smaxie, I never question your information. And as my post earlier stated, had Martha Plimpton been absent and Fiana Toibin gone on, Chris Genebach the male understudy would have played the ghost. But that never happened.

---