Standing ovations during a show

[Younger Brother]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:16am

I know standing ovations after a show have become the norm now but I was curious to know, has anyone witnessed a standing ovation during a show? I've read about people standing after "No Time At All" in the current Pippin revival as well as during Grey Gardens when Little Edie entered at the start of Act 2.

The only time I've ever witnessed one in person was during the UK tour of Hairspray after Sandra Marvin sang I Know Where I've Been.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:20am

I don't think I've ever seen it except in Pippin -- and I've been going to the theater for a LOOOOONNNG time. Even if it happens reguarly in specific show, it is truly a rarity.

[iflip4musicals]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:43am

Both times I saw the 08 Gypsy there was a standing ovation after Rose's Turn.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:55am

There were standing O's after Hugh Jackman did "Soliloquy" in his one-person show.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 9:50am

When HELLO DOLLY! was last revived on Broadway, the Immortal Carol received a standing ovation the moment she stepped off the trolley for "I Put My Hand In", another one at the end of the parade, another one when she appeared at the top of the stairs at the Harmonia Gardens, another one at the end of the "Hello, Dolly!" number and a last one at curtain calls. She deserved every one of them.

[Nickhutson]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 10:16am

The Color Purple, here in London, is getting standing ovations mid show.

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 10:59am

2011; Jesus Christ Superstar in Vienna. There was a standing ovation in the middle of the piece after Drew Sarich's Gethsemane.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 11:05am

NO! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! The shows are NOT THAT GOOD! Tell everyone to sit down!

[Kbradstein]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 11:11am

There was A standing ovation after brotherhood of man on the last night of the recent how to succeed revival

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 3:00pm

There was a standing ovation after Goodbye at the final performance of Catch me if you can.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:06pm

All through the last performance on Broadway of Memphis and after "Seize The Day" of the first performance of Newsies. Other than that, never. I saw Pippin in July and no one stood up for Ms. Martin. I personally think it's kind of strange.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:11pm

No one gave Martin a standing ovation when I saw the show. There have been some situations where the audience claps longer than usual. I think the longest midshow applause was the Jesus Christ Superstar tour after Natalie Toro knocked I Don't Know How To Love Him out of the park.

[JBroadway2]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:34pm

This is a little bit of a different situation, but when I went to a reading of 8 (the play about Prop 8 ), the original plaintiffs, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, were there. When they were introduced in a speech before the show, there was a standing ovation for them.

Updated On: 8/31/13 at 04:34 PM

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:41pm

The closest thing to a standing ovation with me was right before the bows for Matilda, the last 1-3 rows in the Right Orchestra did a standing ovation. When I saw Anything Goes in 2011 with Sutton, Joel, and Laura, there was almost a standing O after Blow, Gabriel, Blow. The clamping lasted for like 15 seconds and Sutton stood there, waiting for it to stop. Bless her! xD

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:44pm

The most awkward standing ovation is for an Act I Finale, I think. I saw the OBC of WICKED and Defying Gravity got a standing ovation. In the row in front of me, a woman was trying to exit her row to use the bathroom. She was blocked in until the ovation subsided. She kept yelling "Excuse me. EXCUSE ME!" to the teen next to her who was too enraptured in the moment to notice.

AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY also got standing ovations after EACH of its three acts.

[JayG 2]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 4:46pm

They are meaningless at the end or in the middle. I have an idea stand up and stomp, scream, and applaud before the show begins!

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 5:34pm

The three times I saw August:Osage County on Broadway, I never saw a standing ovation at the end of Acts I or II. I did see an elderly man in front of me passing out and his family gently slapping his face and putting water bottles on the back of his neck to get him to stop moaning.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 6:34pm

"...The clamping lasted for like 15 seconds and Sutton stood there..."

Of course she "stood there"! She was 'clamped' into place.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 7:31pm

When I saw Willemijn on Broadway in WICKED, "Defying Gravity" got a standing ovation from a majority of the house.
Actually, most of the times I've seen the show that happens. Mostly on the road though.

[bdn223]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 7:41pm

Early in its run I witnessed standing ovations after Seize the Day during two performances of Newsies.

I also witnessed the post No Time at All ovation for Andrea Martin in Pippin.

I also have a friend who was at a performance of the Lincoln Cemter revival of South Pacific where the Orchestra recieved a standing ovation after the overture.

[aaronb]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:18pm

I've seen it at operas, but never during musicals or plays, except possibly before intermission.

[Wickedmonkey332]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:27pm

Closing Night of In The Heights after Carnaval de Barrio, and a few other times.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 8:40pm

Not to be a troll, but when I saw Pippin on a Saturday night after it had opened, "No Time At All" was not given a standing O.

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 9:00pm

I was lucky enough to be in the audience at the closing performance of the most recent revival of "Follies" and after "Who's that Woman" there was a mid show standing o, and the ladies seemed stunned, Terri White rallied them for a quick bow, and the show picked up after a few beats! Totally deserved, that energy in that theatre is something I'll never forget! For the record, add me to the list of people who saw"Pippin" when Ms. Martin didn't get a standing o. I 'm seeing it again for what has since been announced to be her last performance, so I'm sure it will happen that day!

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 8/31/13 at 9:07pm

"I also have a friend who was at a performance of the Lincoln Cemter revival of South Pacific where the Orchestra received a standing ovation after the overture."

I would have LOVED to be there for that one.

I know Billy Porter got a standing ovation after the song "Hold Me in Your Heart" at Kinky Boots the week after he won the Tony Award. I am thinking it was the first show on Tues night after the Tony's but I am not 100% positive of the date.

I FINALLY saw Book of Mormon the other night for the first time. It was a weird audience and though they were loud, they were sort of cheap on the applause. There is Matt Doyle singing his little heart out for "I Believe" and the audience bursts into really enthusiastic and loud applause that lasted about 2 seconds..and then stopped. And at the end of the show, no one stood up at all - until the very end when finally some brave soul in the second row stood up and the rest of the audience eventually followed suit but the actors were practically off the stage already. Go figure.. I was kinda shocked. People stand up for just about anything..