What is a memory from a show that will stay with you forever?- Page 3

[matty159]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 8:01pm

I am SO happy that two other people have mentioned Grand Hotel. That entire show was one big rush for me from start to finish. But, the moment at the end of the first number when the whole cast comes downstage in and finishes the number together and freezing in a single line...I was in sheer heaven. I had chills and wanted to jump out of my seat with glee every single time I saw it.

A VERY close second is the first act finale/Cakewalk from Parade. So very incredibly staged and Jason Robert Brown's score providing a haunting hook for what was to come.

An honorable mention to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake the first time the entire company of male swans made their entrance. I was on cloud 9.

[NGeorgiaBwayFan]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 8:49pm

After Eight, you have left me speechless with chills. What wonderful memories.


My most memorable, which will certainly in comparison:

1. Meeting Carol Channing and Mary Martin when I was 17. I was invited backstage at "Legends" and got to spend a little while with each of them.

2. Patti LuPone in GYPSY. The "Sing out, Louise!" entrance and the night we sat in the 2nd row and could see the tears rolling down her face that began during the dressing room scene with Herbie and continued through the curtain call. Boyd Gaines broke my heart every time I saw the show -- when he came back into the dressing room without the marriage license and boutonniere was gone from his lapel. He was so heartbreaking.

3. Also, like SweeneyPhanatic, we were lucky enough to sit next to someone who had seen Ethel Merman in GYPSY. The little lady, who was at least 80 years old, had seen EVERY actress who had played Rose on Broadway. It was her first time seeing Patti in the role and she said that no one had ever been able to match Merman until then.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 8:53pm

Watching Patti Lupone lose her voice midway through the first act of EVITA. By the end of the first act she wasn't even able to scream out the words to "A New Argentina" much less sing them. Terri Klausner replaced her for the second act. I've never before or since seen a star become incapacitated like that. Watching her destruct on stage was terribly uncomfortable for everyone. She just got worse and worse as the night progressed.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 9:35pm

Demitri, was that during Evita's stop in LA?

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:02pm

The entire final performance of Grey Gardens was one of the best (and most traumatic) theater experiences of my life...I was sobbing so hard during Another Winter In A Summer Town that I couldn't even see Christine Ebersole onstage. Such a wonderful show.

Oh, same here...I'm pretty sure I was crying about 85% of the time...I still get chills when I think about it.

Another performance I will never forget is seeing Tina Landau and GrooveLily's adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey, with Lea DeLaria as Bottom. I saw it with my 9th grade English class, and while most of the could have cared less about it (and were freaked out by all the gay undertones), it completely changed the way I looked at Shakespeare and launched Midsummer into one of my favorite pieces of literature ever. I constantly listen to the CD and I'm pretty sure it's the reason I watch Were The World Mine all the time, as it's the closest I'll get to seeing it again.

[bwaybri2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:09pm

The whole cast playing 76 trombones in the '99 revival of Music Man with Craig Balko

[matty159]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:12pm

^ Craig Bierko. Who has evidently become relegated to doing commentary on the Housewives of DC/The View on The Joy Behar Show!

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:18pm

I saw Avenue Q from the second row. It was so amazing to be that close and it is something that will always stay in my memory. When I saw Billy Elliot I was absolutely blown away by Solidarity and Electricity. These two numbers are my favorite numbers in any Broadway show.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:21pm

Every moment of Loretta Swit's performance in EDWIN DROOD!

[fetzles1490]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 10:52pm

Mine seem to all be firsts and lasts.

-The first time I saw A CHORUS LINE. It was what I can only imagine in hindsight was a pretty terrible community theatre production. I was about 12 or 13 years old, and I was blown away. Then later, seeing the 2006 revival was a dream come true. There are so many iconic moments in that staging that will always be ingrained in me.
-Closing night of the 2006 revival of A CHORUS LINE. The energy was electric, all the way to the last row of the balcony on the far right, where I was sitting. Then the fact that Baayork Lee and Bob Avian came up on stage after curtain call just put the cap on that night.

-The first time I saw RENT, and specifically when Take Me Or Leave Me ended. I had never heard anything like that, and I was completely blown away.
-Closing night of RENT.

-The RAGTIME revival. I believe people who don't think it was as good as the original production, but this was my first exposure to the show beyond a few songs. The opening number alone brought me to tears, and then Bobby Steggert opened his mouth and I was gone.

-BLITHE SPIRIT last season. I was totally awed by Angela Lansbury - it was the first time I saw her perform live. I'll never forget that, and seeing her in Night Music. I count myself so lucky to have been able to see her on stage even twice.

[suttonfoster]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 11:02pm

The entire show of Alice, Brian and Jens last in n2n

[I'mNOTthatGIRL72]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 11:05pm

seeing shrek in the front row and watching john tartaglia walk across the stage, and i realized that there he is, the actual guy, one of my broadway faves. wow i was completely taken aback. i will never forget seeing him for the first time in person. and meeting him after the show.
also in avenue q when during the money song when people put money in the hat as the actors/puppets run down the aisles, someone put a metro card into the hat. rob mcclure (rod/princeton) stopped singing for a sec when they got back onstage and he said "hey, im going to use this" in his actual voice, out of character. then he went right back into it. so funny. wow anytime spent on broadway is memorable for me.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 11:25pm

Sitting front row for Gypsy (Patti) was a religious experience.

[After Eight]

Posted: 8/9/10 at 11:33pm

NGeorgia Broadway Fan:

It must have been a thrill to meet Mary Martin and Carol Channing backstage. I didn't get to, but I did see them in "Legends," and all I can say is, they deserved a lot better!

I too saw Ethel Merman in "Gypsy," as well as all subsequent Broadway productions. I must say, though, in my opinion, as good as the other actresses were, no one approached Merman.

[Citygirl.grace]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 12:01am

My 1st time I saw "Phantom" and the 1st time I heard Raoul and Christine sing "All I Ask of You" I was 8, and I will never forget it!

and when Paulo Szot sang "Some Enchanted Evening". So amazing!!


lastly, when I was 7 the 1st time I saw Les Miserables and at the end of Act I when they sang One Day More.... so unreal. I'll never forget it!!

[noradesmond]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 1:05am

I have a few.

First show I ever saw was a high school production of SOUTH PACIFIC when I was about 11 years old. I had no clue what I was going to see and from the first strains of the Overture, I was gone, gone gone, baby. Theater Queen genes burst loose in my body and I've never looked back.

Carol Channing in the first National Tour of HELLO, DOLLY.

Angela Lansbury in GYPSY.

Seeing INTO THE WOODS on Broadway with the original cast.

Too many more to single out. . . . . .

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 1:13am

my 1st experience was in high school also. It was the opening song to "Stop! Your're Killing Me", "It's Such A Great Night For a Murder". I still can't track that show down! That song has been in my head since about 1978.

The one that ties with it is the final moments of the original Broadway Production of "Sweeney Todd". I was jawdropped. I just sat there and about 15 minutes after the curtain and in an empty theater, an usher had to ask me to leave. I was just sitting there staring at the stage. In awe.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 1:55am

Yes givesmevoice it was the very final performance of EVITA in Los Angeles after a lengthy summer run at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. I'd gone to see the show on student ID so many times that the box office person knew me by sight. His first words to me when buying my ticket were, "Patti's in trouble." He said she had strained her voice that week recording the double album during the day and performing the show evenings but did not want to disappoint her fans and friends. Well bless her for giving it her all but the score was just too much on her voice that night and she was unable to continue.

[Elphaba43]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 2:29am

I'd have to say the finale of Memphis, "Steal Your Rock and Roll" got me all choked up.

Watching Douglas Hodge make his graceful leave from the stage at the end of Act 1, singing "I Am What I Am".

Hearing Frank Sinatra singing "My Way" and "New York, New York" at the end of Come Fly Away.......I got chills.

Closing night of Company when Raul Esparza screams "STOOOOOOOOOOP! What do you get....?" my friend and I were almost in hysterics!

The letter scene in Billy Elliot, I looked over at my guy friend and even he was crying!

Elphaba and Glinda singing "For Good" in Wicked....always has a place in my heart.

The entire show of Next to Normal

The finale of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" where Lucy says "You're a good man, Charlie Brown".

[Elke]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 11:20am

Too many to name, so these are some of the most recent ones...

New Music in the recent Ragtime revival. It's one of my favorite Broadway songs and it was such bliss to see it performed live

Recent A View From The Bridge revival: from the first to the last second

Paulo Szot singing This Nearly Was Mine. Resulting in: me => puddle

When the 'throwing up' trick in God Of Carnage didn't work. Cast had to break the 4th wall, they were laughing their heads off and Jeff Daniels yelled "you know, when it works, it's really f***ing funny!". Audience went crazy, it was one of those real theatre moments

Also got major goose bumps during the Steal Your Rock 'n' Roll finale at Memphis' first post-Tonys show. So much love and energy in the audience 

[philitalia]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 11:26am

Sunset Blvd starting late because members of the orchestra got stuck in traffic.
More positively : LuPone as Norma in London. What a performance !


Updated On: 8/10/10 at 11:26 AM

[wiggy2687]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 1:29pm

Mine are all from London as ive not been lucky enough yet to see anything on Broadway.

*Defying Gravity.....first time i saw it was when Idina was over in London and my god i burst into tears...so magical.

*Jersey Boys.....The Whole thing...the songs. the performances..WOW!!!

*Private backstage tour....seeing everything and even walking across the bridge on the stage...yes i did go fan girl!!!!

*Being second row at Priscilla Queen of the Desert and during the applause Tony Sheldon looking directly at me and smiling and winking at me....SSSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!

*Sitting in the Dress Circle box at Priscilla..wearing a rather low cut top... and when Oliver Thornton comes out on the top of Priscilla into the crowd he looked towards me and makes out that he is pushing his boobs together while laughing and pointing at me

*Shall We Dance at Sadlers Wells.....WOW is all i can say.

*HAIR....Everything about this show is AMAZING!!!!!

*Gavin Creel tap dancing across the proscenium arch during Mary Poppins

*Mary Poppins flying

*Gavin Creel...in anything...hes totally AMAZING!!!!!!

*Being handed Will Swensons trousers in HAIR

*Going backstage at Cat On a Hot Tin Roof and meeting James Earl Jones in his dressing room and sitting and chatting to him for half an hour...Hes is so nice.

*Anita Dobson giving me a birthday kiss at stage door of Calendar Girls

*Seeing Matt DeAngelis as Berger in HAIR

*Being outside Ronnie Scotts when Gavin Creel was performing and because a lot of the crowd were not going to be allowed in him, Robbie,Steel and Will all came out and sang a couple of songs in the middle of Frith Street at 11:30pm..plus Gavin looked directly at me when he sang one song....I nearly burst into tears.

*The end of Blood Brothers.

[Ftworthguy]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 2:36pm

So many to mention, but usually it has to do with not really knowing DETAILS about a show before I see it.

Act I Finale of the original RAGTIME. STUNNING

"I Will Cover You (Reprise)" in the original RENT -- I lost it, emotionally, physically and spritually.

Seeing the set fly in for SUNSET BLVD. It was wonderful to hear the audience collectively gasp.

The two significant twists in NEXT TO NORMAL. WOW!!!

Seeing the spectacle that is WICKED for the first time and unexpectedly being so moved by 'For Good'

Seeing Brian Dennehy in DEATH OF A SALESMAN -- still the most towering performance I've ever seen on stage. Elizabeth Franz in that same production. BREATHTAKING

Seeing Raul Esparza and Christine Ebersole on consecutive nights in COMPANY and GREY GARDENS

Singing Auld Lang Syne with Hugh Jackman (and the entire audience, cast and crew of THE BOY FROM OZ) on New Years Eve 2003. It was a SPECTACULAR night.

[SkyeBlue]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 3:40pm

#1 is definitely seeing Cate Blanchett in "A Streetcar Named Desire." I was lucky enough to get a single 'cushion' seat long after tickets had gone on sale. (I still cannot believe that I only paid $30 to practically sit at her feet and watch that incredible performance for 3ish hours). I was in tears at the end, and then next day I realized that I'd applauded so fervently that my rather large silver ring had bruised the palm of my other hand. Then the two experiences at the stage door that followed... The first night she was rushed to the car and only stopped to sign a couple autographs - the only thing I was able to do was give a gift that I had brought for her to one of her handlers. I went back a few nights later - it was right before the massive snow storm in December and it was FREEZING. Myself and 3 others waited for about an hour and a half for her to come out. She was a doll - signed, took photos, told us we all must be freezing...and before she left she took a moment to thank me for the gift I gave her.

I grew up watching "Into the Woods," and Bernadette Peters and Joanna Gleason were always my favorites (anyone else familiar with the taping of the show know that shared moment between the two of them during the dance in the finale? I love that). I've also just grown to love Bernadette over the years, so it has been surreal to be able to meet her so many times and see her at Broadway Barks year after year. I also have seen her in concert, but "A Little Night Music" is the first time I've seen her in an actual show - that combined with the fact that "Send in the Clowns" is just such a special song to me, makes it extremely memorable.

Being at the final performance of "9 to 5" was amazing - there was SO much love in that theater. That show means a lot to me. And Allison Janney gave me some words of encouragement at thestage door afterwards.

I also grew up listening to "Phantom" and when I was 8 or 9 (I always thought I was older but I think that's right) my dad took me to see it at The Kennedy Center. We did standing room only and my dad had built a little step-stool that came apart for me to stand on. I don't remember anything extraordinary about the performance (except that I loved it), it was what happened afterwards... My dad took me around exploring and we ended up back in the theater with a small group (must have been members of the center or something) - I was sure we were gonna get in trouble but my dad said we'd blend in! The actor who played Firmin gave a small talk and then signed everyone's programs. Then, as we were driving home from DC I saw a woman walking that looked just like Madame Giry. My dad made a wrong turn or something and we ended up back in that area and she was still walking - so my dad pulled over and parked and we approached her. She couldn't believe anyone recognized her without her makeup and she signed my program too.

I also grew up listening to "Evita" and it has become probably my favorite musical, though I still have yet to see it. I'm sure that will be a memorable experience when I finally get to. But seeing Patti LuPone in "Sweeney Tood" and "Gypsy" was incredible.

Stage door after "Deuce" - my best friend and I have this inside joke about Angela Lansbury (we love her) and he had given me one of those birthday cards that has TV and movie soundbites when you open it. This one was of "Murder She Wrote" and I brought it with me to have Angela sign it. She laughed and as she signed it, said that she had just sent the card to someone the week before.

That's all I can think of right now.

Must say that I am very jealous of the person who said they saw Katharine Hepburn on stage. What I wouldn't give...

[morosco]

Posted: 8/10/10 at 4:00pm

Seeing Loudon and company in NOISES OFF without knowing anything about it beforehand. My sides still ache from laughing. I doubt I'll ever see anything funnier in my lifetime.