Show stoppers!

The only true showstopping moment I've been witness to was in the '83 revival of MAME, starring Angela Lansbury. Granted, the show came into town under a cloud -- the out of town business was bad, so they had to rush it in to try to re-coup. They brought it in so fast that they didn't even have time to properly design a Playbill cover -- the cover of the Playbill was big block letters "M A M E". That's it.

Anyway, there were tix on the TKTS board, so some friends and I got some -- figured this was our only chance to see a legendary performer do a role in a legendary show that made her a legendary broadway performer.

The curtain goes up. Jane Connell (yes, also the original Gooch) and some little kid do "St. Bridget". The scrim goes up, and we're in Mame's Beekman Place apartment. The intro to "It's Today" blares forth, and in a swish of spangles and glamor, Angela appears at the top of the staircase, donned in the gold spangled pajama outfit and holding her bugle.

The place went nuts. Clapping, cheering, whistling, and those annoying whoops that I find so offensive. But it went on for a full 5 minutes, I swear. And through it all, she stood there -- not doing a thing, but somehow commanding the whole stage. It was...well, I finally understood what a true broadway "star" was.

I've thought about that moment while reading discussions about the pseudo non-descript performers/"stars" we have today. All talented, all competent -- but they don't have that "little something extra". Angela did, and it was a revelation.

Jennifer Holliday's ...and I am telling you...
When the song was over and they cut into the next one you did not even hear the end of the first act. It was mayhem. The place went crazy.

I have seen a few, well 3 (if they count)

One was during Bernadette's last show of AGYG, and when she came on stage the whole audience just exploded with applause for a few minutes. Another one was during that same show, after her and Tom Wopat sang "Old Fashioned Wedding", the audience loved it so much that they sang it again!

The other one was during GYPSY, when Bernadette just finished "Rose's Turn", and she got a standing o and everyone was just clapping and clapping.

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Updated On: 8/22/03 at 11:42 AM

"I HAVE SEEN GYPSY 4 TIMES NOW"

Grrr........

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PB-- I have to agree...when BJ Crosby did Fools Fall in Love during Smokey Joe's there was insanity in the audience. And then no more then five minutes later Victor Trent Cook (or Victor Cook Trent or whatever his name is...sorry Victor) sings I, Who Have Nothing and does it again! Two amazing monments in a show that just blew me away.

Two stick in my mind:

One old and one fairly new:

Tommy Tune and Charles “honi” Coles stopping the show dead with “My one and Only” from “My one and only”…

The applause would not stop..

Tune walks towards the conductor.....talks a few minutes..then from the bridge of the song..

They go into the number again…

It was great..

Second, the now legendary encore of “Blow, Gabriel,Blow”…from the 2002 one night only concert of "Anything Goes”…

Patti LuPone finishes the number to rousing applause that won’t quit…she talks to the conductor. and repeats the WHOLE number…

By this time Lupone is running on high and sings the thing even better than before…when she finishes, every person was on his feet…

And Lupone stood there, center stage, not moving, hand on hip, with a smirk on her face….

That smirk said about 500 different things!! (lol

Pop Culture Boy....
That had to be BJ Crosby.

But most of the whole cast was amazing.

I also liked the woman who sang "Pearl's A Singer" (cannot remember her name)

I saw the first preview of Hairspray in New York. When the first notes came out of the orchestra, it was like a wave hit the audience. When "Good Morning, Baltimore" was done, there was a standing ovation. Not only that song, but "Welcome to the 60's", "Timeless to Me", and "You Can't Stop the Beat".

When I saw Hairspray, their was a standing ovtion after "Welcome to the Sixties", "Timeless to Me", and after each part of "You can't Stop the Beat". I feel all were well deserved.

Ruby Keeler's I want To Be Happy tap in No, No Nannette stopped the show when I saw it.......also

Gene Nelson doing "The Right Girl" dance in the original production of Follies.....

Pearl Bailey and ensemble in the title song of Hello, Dolly! during a return engagement to Broadway. This was the last performance and announced as Pearl Bailey's "farewell to show business." They did the entire Dolly number twice.

Angela Lansbury's Rose's Turn in Gypsy.

it was practically the end of the first act, but if not it would have stopped it...Jennifer Holiday in Dreamgirls singing And I am Telling You I'm Not Going

Virginia Capers bringing down the house with Measure the Valleys in Raisin.

Ben Vereen stopped Pippin in an odd way. Thrilling applause when he finished, I believe it was, Simple Joys. Then, when he next appeared....the audienced showered him with applause again..it was thrilling.

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I am fortunate to own a friends copy of the video recording of Angela in the '83 revival of Mame at the Gershwin. Her performance is absolutely, utterly, incredible.... jaw dropping. You watch in amazement at her singing, dancing and tremendous acting. She IS Mame.... and the audience ate it all up through the final curtain call where she changes costume and comes out in a new beautiful white gown.... stopped the show cold. She can convey more with the wink of an eye, or a subtle look than any other perfomer that I have ever seen. She is larger than life.... you can not for one minute take your eyes off of her. I watched it many times, and it's an experince. Oh, to have seen her live in Gypsy or Dear World.... Thank you Angela for what you have contributed to the American Musical Theatre. You are golden and forever young.

I'm the same. I only like to stand if its a truly inspiring performance. But I also like to see the curtain calls and when everyone in front of you stands unnecessarily then I have to stand to see that. I get very frustrated with people who, after noticing that you're not standing, look down and sneer at you with a look that can only read "She must not know good theater." I just want to tell them "No, you don't know good theater. If you did, you wouldn't be standing right now."

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