Showstoppers - Witnessed Accounts of Show-Stopping Moments — Page 2

Oh come on! Everyone records things...

Besides, I thought that the company producing the show was able to record a copy of their show for their records...

There have beeen quite a few over the years. I'll stick with the standing ovations. The most that I can recall were 3 numbers in "My Fair Lady" that each got standing ovations "The Rain In Spain", "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "Get Me To The Church On Time" (now, if you've only seen the film, you might wonder why; but believe me, the excitement of these numbers on stage has been unsurpassed).

There was a standing ovation after "I'm Flying", in "Peter Pan" with Sandy Duncan that was pretty exciting.

"Chapter 54, Number 1909" stopped the show, all 5 times I saw "Seesaw". Two of the times that I saw the show, "It's Not Where You Start" also got standing ovations.

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I also agree with Dreamgirls. Holliday's take is just so forceful, so hurtful, so everything. She IS Effie. White on the concert recording made me cry. And not the good crying.

Margo - I witnessed almost the identical reaction when I saw Dreamgirls, but with Fuschia Walker on tour in Houston. At the top of the show, they announced Jennifer would not be performing (her mother had just died) and about 25 people walked out of the orchestra section to get a refund. They don't know what they missed. When Fuschia sang And I'm Not Telling You, she received seven ovations throughout the song and a standing ovation at the end. Several people rushed down the ailes with arms outstretched. I had never seen anything like it. I honestly don't see how Jennifer could have been any better.

The first time I saw The Lion King, Circle of Life received a standing ovation. It was the first time I have ever seen an opening number receive a standing ovation. It's probably the most memorable opening of any show I've seen.

The other show-stopping moment I witnessed was the final performance of The Beautiful Game in London. At the end of an amazing performance of Our Kind of Love, the audience erupted into cheers that literally stopped the show and refused to subside until the actress acknowledged the reponse and took a rightly deserved bow.

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I witnessed standing o's for Glenn Close's Norma Desmond after With One Look in Sunset Boulevard. But it was more deserved for the vocal prowess of Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige...

my favorite "show stopping" moment was not at a broadway show, but it was at idinas concert at the zipper. it was right after she told us a story about her sister and then idina started crying and proceeded to sing a song she wrote for her sister. she sang that song with so much power and emotion, it was such an awesome song. i mean obviously she didnt stop the show because it was only like a half hour into the gig, but thats one of the highlights of the night that i loved.

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I witness a few of these. There were a few during Harvey's last performance in Hairspray. Also, Raul received a Standing O after Petrified when I saw Taboo last December. Also, for me the first time I saw defying gravity back in July.

This experience was from the ballet, but nonetheless a showstopper. Year 1995, American Ballet Theatre's production of Don Quixote. The male lead was danced by then soloist, Angel Corella. I had never seen him dance before since he had just joined ABT that season. From the moment he set foot on the stage the evening was absolutely electric!! His dancing at that time wasn't as refined as it is now, but his energy and stage presence were magnificent. At the conclusion of his final dance in the third act, the cheers from the audience resembled those only heard at raucous sporting events. It seemed so out of place for the Metropolitan Opera House, but at that performance it was appropriate. I went with a friend of mine, so I was happy that I wasn't there to experience this by myself. I was so wound up that I could not sleep that night. The experience was unbelieveable. To this day I have never experienced anything quite like that. As a dancer, Angel has matured so much since then, but he continues to dazzle and amaze those who watch him dance.

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the last performance of SEUSSICAL with Cathy Rigby. Ad-libs about the Weisslers, applause for Maizie that wouldn't let her continue...really amazing, particularly for a show that not many "groupies" seemed to like.

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Faith Prince singing "Holding To The Ground" in Falsettoland at the Lortel. Perfect combination of actress and song. Ms. Prince has gone on to be more of a comedic actress, but she definitely has the ability to sell a dramatic song.

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Jennifer Holiday: "And I Am Telling You"
Elaine Stritch: "The Ladies Who Lunch"
Mary McCarty and OC of Follies: "Who's That Woman?"
Dorothy Loudon: "Fifty Percent"
Angela Lansbury: "Rose's Turn"

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"In His Eyes" Eder and the other chick at Jekyll and Hyde. Knocked my socks off.

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Jennifer Holliday in DREAMGIRLS (And Am I Telling You...)
Tyne Daly & Bernadette Peters in GYPSY (Rose's Turn)
Hugh Jackman in THE BOY FROM OZ (I am not the boy next door)
Glenn Close & Betty Buckley in SUNSET BLVD (As if we never said goodybe)
Patti LuPone & cast EVITA (A New Argentina)
Bebe Neuwirth in CHICAGO (All That Jazz)
Stephen Spinella & Ellen MacLaughlin in ANGELS IN AMERICA (Greetings Prophet)
Len Cariou in SWEENEY TODD (Ephiphany)
Len Cariou & Angela Lansbury in SWEENEY TODD (A Little Priest)
The Original Broadway Cast in PACIFIC OVERTURES (Someone in a Tree)
Kate Nelligan & Edward Herrman in PLENTY (the confrontation scene in Act II)
The Original Cast of LES MIZ (One Day More)
Tonya Pinkins in CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (Lot's Wife)
Irene Ryan, John Rubinstein & cast of PIPPIN (Just No Time at All)
Michael Crawford in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (The Music of the Night)
Linda Lavin in BROADWAY BOUND (The George Raft monologue)
and
The entire of the cast of THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY in practically every other scene of the play