Thoughts On The Final Performance Of HAIRSPRAY — Page 2

It's unfortunate. Because there are a lot of good posts in this thread about the final performance.

---

I wish I could have been there but I didn't win the lottery. I would have gotten an advance ticket if I hadn't just witnessed (for the first time) how great the show was this past Friday.

Lottery was pretty crazy and it killed me that some people who won the lottery didn't even really want to be there. A**holes.

well, curtain call and You Can't Stop the Beat!

---

The show sounded AMAZING!!!

Updated On: 1/5/09 at 12:50 AM

I was at the lottery, and felt that everyone who won seemed excited.

---

DID CORINE GET IN???????

---

I'll apologize in advance if I ramble a little. I just got home from the 6 and a half hour drive back from NYC and I am absolutely exhausted. Yes... more than 12 hours spent in my car today all to see the final performance of one of the best musicals... EVER. And let me just say, it was absolutely worth every gallon of gas, every lost hour of sleep and every single-finger salute I got from good 'ol Tri-State drivers.

First off... it was great to see and meet so many fellow Broadwayworld.com'ers. Everyone is so nice and sweet and was so excited to be a part of a day none of us will ever forget. From the moment the pit started playing "Good Morning, Baltimore" you knew the audience was going to make this day even more magical. A lot of people have already said this so I'll try to be brief.
-Entrance applause and cheering for every cast member. It was nuts. I got chills when everyone cheered for all the Council Kids when their silhouettes appeared in GMB, and then when we saw them for the first time.
-Harvey's entrance - also HUGE applause. Wow. Totally different show with him.
-Lots of standing o's... all well deserved. Were a lot of cast members crying during "I Know Where I've Been"? It was hard to tell from my seat. It looked like Charlotte was tearing up. Was Constantine a wreck? Loved how the orchestra let us stretch out the standing O after that song. Charlotte seemed to be mouthing "thank you" and "Hallelujiah" to the audience.
-Speaking of Constantine.. my new favorite Link. I love this guy. And wow...those legs. Everything about him. Saw him at the stage door after. He was SOOO nice to the HUGE crowd of fans. So awesome.
-I noticed Marissa choking up a few times during the show. Her "GMB Reprise" was especially touching. She acts the role better than ANYONE. ANYONE. LOVED her "White House" line (which also got a standing O).
-And finally, YCSTB was just...wow. That song is just the best finale in the history of Broadway is... and Sunday.. wow. I'm at a loss for words. The whole cast was just feeding off all that energy. The audience was dancing in their seats. And yes, even the ushers were doing the choreography in the aisles (I heard them at intermission saying how much they're going to miss this show). So many people were videotaping YCSTB...including the ushers!! Haha. Good.

And the final curtain call.. WOW. So incredible to see that stage FILLED with so many past cast members (Shoshona, Kerry, Laura Bell, Jackie Hoffman, Linda Hart, Paul Vogt, George Wendt, Shannon During, Kathy Brier, the past Links).. and the entire creative team. It speaks volumes about this show and this company and what it means and has meant to so many people. What a way to send it off. And Harvey's goodbye speech was spot on.

Thank you, HAIRSPRAY for one helluva sendoff. I just start thinking of what happened in that theatre today and I grin from ear to ear. Quite simply, I will always remember this day as one of the happiest in my life.

How strange, there are a whole string of posts that can only be read when you go to post a new comment.

Yes, it was wonderful meeting a couple of BWWers as well (Mistress Spouzic and Zamedy).

JP2 I looked for you, but with all the madness I, I didn't see you.

---

Okay... the above thread worked so let me try to repost my original from last night.
-----------------------------------------
I'll apologize in advance if I ramble a little. I just got home from the 6 and a half hour drive back from NYC and I am absolutely exhausted. Yes... more than 12 hours spent in my car today all to see the final performance of one of the best musicals... EVER. And let me just say, it was absolutely worth every gallon of gas, every lost hour of sleep and every single-finger salute I got from good 'ol Tri-State drivers.

First off... it was great to see and meet so many fellow Broadwayworld.com'ers. Everyone is so nice and sweet and was so excited to be a part of a day none of us will ever forget. From the moment the pit started playing "Good Morning, Baltimore" you knew the audience was going to make this day even more magical. A lot of people have already said this so I'll try to be brief.
-Entrance applause and cheering for every cast member. It was nuts. I got chills when everyone cheered for all the Council Kids when their silhouettes appeared in GMB, and then when we saw them for the first time.
-Harvey's entrance - also HUGE applause. Wow. Totally different show with him.
-Lots of standing o's... all well deserved. Were a lot of cast members crying during "I Know Where I've Been"? It was hard to tell from my seat. It looked like Charlotte was tearing up. Was Constantine a wreck? Loved how the orchestra let us stretch out the standing O after that song. Charlotte seemed to be mouthing "thank you" and "Hallelujiah" to the audience.
-Speaking of Constantine.. my new favorite Link. I love this guy. And wow...those legs. Everything about him. Saw him at the stage door after. He was SOOO nice to the HUGE crowd of fans. So awesome.
-I noticed Marissa choking up a few times during the show. Her "GMB Reprise" was especially touching. She acts the role better than ANYONE. ANYONE. LOVED her "White House" line (which also got a standing O).
-And finally, YCSTB was just...wow. That song is just the best finale in the history of Broadway is... and Sunday.. wow. I'm at a loss for words. The whole cast was just feeding off all that energy. The audience was dancing in their seats. And yes, even the ushers were doing the choreography in the aisles (I heard them at intermission saying how much they're going to miss this show). So many people were videotaping YCSTB...including the ushers!! Haha. Good.

And the final curtain call.. WOW. So incredible to see that stage FILLED with so many past cast members (Shoshona, Kerry, Laura Bell, Jackie Hoffman, Linda Hart, Paul Vogt, George Wendt, Shannon During, Kathy Brier, the past Links).. and the entire creative team. It speaks volumes about this show and this company and what it means and has meant to so many people. What a way to send it off. And Harvey's goodbye speech was spot on.

Thank you, HAIRSPRAY for one helluva sendoff. I just start thinking of what happened in that theatre today and I grin from ear to ear. Quite simply, I will always remember this day as one of the happiest in my life.

Photo Coverage: 'HAIRSPRAY' Goodbye To Baltimore!

---

Here is my coverage! Finally up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji00pDwhkCk

I was so lucky to see Harvey Fierstein in HAIRSPRAY again a week ago. Harvey, if you're out there and come across this, I just want you to know that this world is a lot more fabulous because you're in it! I can't wait to see what you do next. All the best to you!

---

I can't even describe yesterday. It was so surreal. I got there at about 12:00 to try the lotto and I don't think I've ever seen it so busy. After the lotto and after everyone started clearing out, I was just kind of standing around. I got interviewed for some internet Broadway thing... I forget what it was called.

I gave a letter to Marissa JW on Saturday night and Ryan O'Connor came out the stage door after I was interviewed and gave me a poster signed by Marissa. And then he gave me a poster for my friend and... you might want to ask HIM how that went. Then the cast (past and present) started showing up. It was really crowded and a lot of people were getting autographs and pictures.

I was sitting next to Mark O'Donnell and I was speechless. I just patted his arm... hahaha. Across from me were David Rockwell, Shoshana Bean, Kerry Butler, Laura Bell, Jackie Hoffman, Jenn Gambatese, and a few more others. They were rocking out the whole time; singing and dancing along. It was truly a sight to see.

Once "Good Morning Baltimore" started, the audience went insane and leapt to their feet. It was unbelievable and I started getting teary-eyed.

There were too many standing ovations to count and the whole performance was nothing like I've ever seen before. The Dynamites in"Welcome to the 60s" (Reprise) were SO incredible, especially Judine. They deservedly got a huge standing ovation. The cast was having so much fun and many were crying throughout many of the numbers. I loved when Tevin sang, "This is my last time singing this... You better Run and tell... THATTTTTTTTT."

It was so incredible to see everyone embracing during intermission. Marc Shaiman was crying, which was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. Mathew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker were there, but everyone was more happy to see past cast members and the creative team.

"I Know Where I've Been" has never been better and it was hard to watch the cast. Charlotte started to shake in the end because she was trying not to cry while giving an incredible performance.

"You Can't Stop The Beat" was like nothing I've ever seen. Seeing the cast in the aisle next to me was so great and Zev was so adorable with his little tux with "It Takes 3" written on the back. From the last chorus on I have never cried and smiled so much at the same time.

Sorry that was so long... I will never forget that afternoon. It was the most splendiferous experience of my life.

---

Updated On: 1/5/09 at 11:51 PM