Single Favorite Moment Ever Witnessed on Stage

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Single Favorite Moment Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:28am

On a stage of any professionalism, for a play or musical, what is your favorite moment you have ever witnessed? Perhaps a flub, an entrance, a scene from a show, a curtain call, etc.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 09:28 AM

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:39am

Ummm there are so many

The act one finale of Dance of the Vampires gave me chills

The opening of Wicked made my heart jump lol, as did the Act one finale

You Cant Stop the Beat from Hairspray

The finale of Little Shop of Horrors

The opening of 42nd Street

The Way You Look Tonight from Never Gonna Dance was so beautiful

Deborah Cox singing Easy As Life

Back to Wicked, when the lights around the theatre turn on in Dancing Through Life

All That Jazz from Chicago with Bebe Neauwirth

The first notes of Les Miz, and when the Barricade "arrives"

The Wonderful Town overture

There are just sooooo many!!!!!!!!!!!

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:41am

Let's change this to your single favorite moment...

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:48am

At the concert Adam Pascal and Daphne Rubin-Vega did together in NJ last October...

.... Adam had just finished Glory, and the audience was going crazy. I had tears in my eyes. Daphne came out, and did her "knocking in the door" by BANGING on the top of the piano, and at first no one even noticed her. She kept doing it, louder and louder, and the cheering coincided. The music started again, and Adam looked over at her, grinning. "What'd you forget?" "Got a light?" "I know you... you're... you're shivering..."

I think that's my single favourite moment. One of my favourite moments in one of my most beloved shows done by the original cast members, who just happen to be people that I absolutely adore, almost ten years after it first began, and something I never ever thought I'd witness.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 09:48 AM

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:48am

I'm sorry, but I have to tell you two:
I went to the final performance of the Boston stop of the tour of Fame, the musical a few years ago. I knew something was up when all several of the actors came out on stage for the final number with cameras, and cell phones. Anyway the song ended, and after the actors had quieted us all down, one of them (the guy who plays the trumpet in one of the music scenes) stepped forward and said "Now is the time when we usually ask you all for money, but I have something different for tonight" The guy's girlfriend was fetched from the audience by a couple of his castmates, and he proceeded to sing a song to her that he had written (witht he orchestra backing him) and ended the song by proposing to her. There was not a dry eye.

The second happenned in Montreal. I saw the final prodcution of a tour of Les Mis there. It was back at the time a few years ago when there was all this controversy over whether Quebec was gonna split from Canada; french vs english. Anyway the star Robert Marion was very upset that whole run of the show was gonna be in English, so in the performance I was at, he sang the first verse of "Bring him Home" in English, and then switched to french. It was simply magical, and got a 5 minute ovation. Oh did I mention the production was in the hockey arena cause the opera house workers were on strike? It was so surreal and amazing.

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:48am

when jennifer holliday hit that last MEEEEEEEEEEE!!! of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" in "DREAMGIRLS"...she's pulled back (dressing room table and all) the curtain slowly drops...THE DREAMS (with new member) strut on stage and start singing "LOVE, LOVE YOU BABY..." End of Act I.

THE AUDIENCE WENT BANANAS!!! Trying to take it all in.
My first show, witnessed live and one moment that has not been topped since.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 09:48 AM

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:53am

Stephen Spinella in A Question Of Mercy, having sat quietly listening to how they are going to help his lover committ suicide instead of deteriorating from AIDS. He got uo to take the a tray back into the kitchen, ans he was about to leave he turned around and said "I can't do this." A single tear streamed down his face and he began explaining his feelings about the situation. It was the most riveting moment in theatre I have ever witnessed.

She's tall enough to be your mother

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:58am

Than I guess I have to narrow it down to Wicked, when Idina hit the last note of Defying Gravity and the audience stood up and gave her a standing ovation

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 9:59am

This past October at the Larry Kramer tribute, when John Cameron Mitchell and Raul Esparza read from The Destiny of Me together as the old and young Ned. I get breathless just thinking about it.

#10

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:09am

Defying Gravity was one. Another was seeing Brooklyn and Eden and Cleavant getting a standing ovation in the middle of Streetsinger. Oh, and there was the time I saw Movin Out and John Selya, who I think is gorgeous, kissed my hand from the stage. :)

Megan Mullally as Karen Walker on Will and Grace: "Tell me more. Tell me more. Like does he have a car?"

#11

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:12am

I gotta tell ya, I thought I'd had some wonderful moments in theatre, but my first off-Broadway experience with Lypsinka brought me straight back the following night.

#12

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:19am

Probably the extended standing ovation at the last performance of the BP revival of Gypsy, upon Ms. Peters' entrance. She stood, poised and in character for at least five minutes, just taking it all in, as the cheering just wouldn't stop. And that's before she sang a single note.

JOHN LITHGOW I just realized, your last name is Butz! Both "Norbert" AND "Butz" are in your name! You must have gotten picked on a lot as a child!

#13

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:19am

I have narrowed it down to two...
The very first time I saw Raul Esparza on stage. I had been dying to see him in something for two years, and then there he was.

In Gypsy when Bernadette Peters had just finished (I think Rose's Turn) and she was bowing to an imaginary audience but the real audience couldn't stop applauding, so she kept on bowing. That went on for several minutes.

"What a mystery this world. One day you love them and the next day you want to kill them a thousand times over." The Masked Bandit in THE FALL

#14

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:34am

Yul Brynner's curtain call for The King and I. He strode out with a very regal look on his face. The audience all stood and applauded. He looked around as though he were looking at his subjects, then smiled and raised his hands in the air. As though it was a signal, everyone in the audience burst into cheers.

#15

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:35am

hmmmmmm....

Jane Krakowski coming down in a long towel and masturbating with a telephone cord

2 puppets having sex

#16

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:44am

Play - at the end of BENT, when Max delivers his final monologue cradling Horst, and then turns around and leaps onto the electric fence.

Musical - Jennifer Holliday singing "And I Am Telling You . . ."

Concert - Bette Midler singing "Stay With Me"

#17

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 10:57am

The one that comes to mind is Minnelli on Minnelli in SF...of all things. The Trolley Song is happening with a video of Judy from the movie in the background. They are singing together and towards the end Liza yells to the screen..."Sing it Mamma!" and Judy sings..."'till the end of the line!" UGH, tears......

#18

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:02am

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! WENT THE TROLLEY...
DING! DING! DING! WENT THE BELLS...ZING, ZING, ZING WENT MY HEART STRINGS...FROM THE MOMENT I SAW HIM I FELL...CHUG, CHUG, CHUG WENT THE MOTOR...BUMP, BUMP, BUMP WENT THE BRAKE. . .

:: RIDES AWAY ::

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 11:02 AM

#19

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:05am

Nicole Kidman walking off the stage (thank god)

#20

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:13am

OOH....this is a tough one.

I'll have to go with the final scene of The Normal Heart. I had read the play and loved it and I remember leaving the theatre with this indescribable feeling.

Jane Krakowski's "Call from the Vatican"

Bernadette Peters' "Rose's Turn"

and "Come On In From the Outside" from the second to last show of Taboo.

#21

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:20am

The "Dream Ballet" from Lincoln Center's "recent" revival of Carousel. The swell of the music, Kenneth MacMillian's new choreography, the utter passion and abandonment. Shivers...and tears. I was numb.

Also agree with Kec's Yul Brenner moment. I have written about this before. With that single throw of his arms, I saw my mother happier and shouting louder than I had ever witnessed before -- or since.

Some moments are simply heaven on Earth.

"ubiquitous"

#22

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:24am

I'M A BRASS BAND. I'M A HARPSICHORD. I'M A CLARINET. I'M THE PHIL-A-DEL-PHIA ORCHESTRA. I'M A MODERN JAZZ QUARTET. I'M THE BAND AT MACY'S BIG PARADE. A WILD COUNT BASIE BLAST! I'M THE BELLS OF ST. PETER'S IN ROME. I'M TISSUE PAPER ON A COMB AND ALL KINDS OF MUSIC IS POURING OUT OF ME. CUZ, SOMEBODY LOVES ME AT LAST

#23

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 11:59am

Elaborate lives in Adam and Simone's last show in AIDA. She busted out with a new Harmony when they sang together and they audience burst into applause in the middle of the song...and I burst into tears.

Sorry..another one...a straight play this time...The Revival of Long Day's Journey with Denehey, Redgrave, Hoffman and Leonard. The whole thing. I stood for it and it was worth every minute...like watching a master class in acting

#24

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 12:08pm

Well hello everyone! I've been lurking on this board for about four months now, and just haven't posted yet. Anyway, I thought this would be a good thread to finally introduce myself on!

I have to agree with Luvtheemcee about Kean University. Glory and Light My Candle were amazing, but I cannot leave out when Daphne sang Out Tonight (Which is my favorite) and then went right into Another Day with Adam running out on stage and dancing all crazy. Oh how I love that man! I've seen a few great things, but I don't think anything could top seeing that performance by two Rent OBC members.

#25

re: Favorite Moments Ever Witnessed on Stage

Posted: 1/27/05 at 12:21pm

haha, more like bouncing than running! That's close to the top of my list, too... but Glory has a special place in my heart, so that came first.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

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