The Most Powerful Stage Gesture

[esparza 333]

Posted: 5/8/09 at 6:29pm

Sometimes during a performance an actor makes a powerful gesture that provides a huge impact on the scene and is one of the most memorable things about their performance. These somehow are not full discussed in reviews, so this is the time to share what you think are the most powerful stage gestures.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 5/8/09 at 9:58pm

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 5/8/09 at 10:33pm

Ha, I love that graphic.

I was going to say this:

[kchenofan]

Posted: 5/8/09 at 10:51pm

Haha. How about this?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 5/8/09 at 11:49pm

wonderwaiter, you forgot:



and



and





but my answer was going to be Boyd Gaines pounding the dressing room table when [spoiler? do people not know the end of Gypsy?] Herbie was leaving Rose. the silence in the theatre was unbelievable.

and it's not really a specific gesture, but the way Christine Ebersole looked and acted at the end of Another Winter in a Summer Town, especially when Mary Louise Wilson started calling for her. ugh, heartbreaking.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 12:04am

I love when Patti (or any Rose for that matter) would reach up at the Rose sign at the end.

I couldn't find a picture of it but I came across this one, haha...

[IMG]

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 12:40am

When a pose is struck to resemble this at the end of Aiutami in Piazza.

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 12:54am

I couldn't find a picture from the broadway show, but the ending to And I Am Telling You is pretty powerful.

[Amaranth9]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 1:06am

I guess it's not so much a gesture as an expression, but the moment of realization when Helen Keller finally understands language with the word "water." That's powerful stuff.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 2:20am

strut your stuff Patti!

[gypsy4]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 2:27am

http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/04/large_peters1.jpg

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 4:02am

gypsy, that's the first one that went through my head! And I got to finally see her do it live last fall when she was here in Denver!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 7:40am

David Cromer slamming down the shoes on the metal table in his production of OUR TOWN.

[gypsy4]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 11:03am

bernadette always has the right emotions.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 3:08pm

My personal favorite is Sally reaching out toward the audience in a "help me" gesture at the end of the title song in Cabaret. That's the point where you realize how utterly gone she is, and it's too late for anyone to help her.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 3:18pm

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 3:20pm

That is terrifying.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 3:26pm

I know. Isn't it wonderful?

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/9/09 at 3:31pm

Here's another good one (also from cabaret)

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 11:26am

Bump

[morosco]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 11:45am

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 12:04pm

^ MORSCO!!! That white question mark in the blue box is SO powerful.

[MrSweetNAwful]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:07pm

I couldn't see it at first but I clicked properties and got the url and saw it, now I can see it on the thread.
OMFG That is hilarious morosco!!! LMAO

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:16pm

HAHAHAHA Patti LuPone needs a cookbook!

[jejr]

Posted: 5/10/09 at 4:24pm

Evita giving the "slap the arm" gesture at the end of "Don't Cry For Me" - no pictures of that.