You Are There--THE OPENING NIGHT OF...?- Page 3

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 12:53pm

Gypsy starring Ms. Merman.

[Oscar Jaffee]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 3:33pm

"On the Twentieth Century," because it's my favorite musical. I saw the show in the summer of 1978 when Judy Kaye had taken over the role of Lily Garland from Madeline Kahn. I would have died to see Kahn in the role, especially on opening night, when Kahn "finally" delivered the performance that director Harold Prince had wanted. I say "finally" because Prince and Kahn had had differences during rehearsals and the pre-Broadway tryout in Boston. Prince thought Kahn wasn't giving the role her very best. On opening night, which was Feb. 19, 1978, Kahn finally delivered the goods, according to Prince, but when the director went backstage after the show to congratulate her, Kahn told him something like, "I hope you don't expect me to do that every night." The rest is history, with Kahn leaving the show a few months later and Kaye playing the role for the rest of the run, which was a year and a month.

I would have loved to be in the audience that night, not only to see Kahn, John Cullum and the rest of the cast open the show, but also to see the audience's response to Robin Wagner's now-classic set designs. I bet the whole night was pure magic.

Posted: 7/11/04 at 3:46pm

Thank you Margo for that "You are THERE" moment

[jezzebelle]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 4:14pm

Babs in "Funny Girl", so I could see the star being born. "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" was the start, but FG is the performance she's most lauded for, so I would have loved to have been there to see her in action.

-Jess

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 5:03pm

Ahh.. thank you Margo... I was incredibly embaressed when I said that, but you made it alright! How is it that you know just about everything there is to know about Broadway? We all seem to go running to you when we have a question!

Posted: 7/11/04 at 6:22pm

A Chorus Line...But downtown at The PAPP...when it was bold and new and undiscovered and knocked everyone on their ass.

[Broadwaygirl4life]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 6:33pm

Les Mis

[SMiller]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 6:40pm

The Fantasticks!!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 7:55pm

Les Miz for me too. That must have been an exciting evening!

[Sally]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 8:01pm

Phantom

[Wicked_Elphie]

Posted: 7/11/04 at 8:08pm

Although it's not a Broadway show i would have loved to be at the Opening Night of The Normal Heart 20 years ago. It was so groundbreaking and even more relevent and heartbreaking at that time so I think it would be an unbelieveble experience.

I would also like to have been there for Millie's opening night as well as the off Broadway opening night of Rent

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 1:27pm

THE BLACK CROOK -- the one and only and forefather, goddess, priest, rabbi and tarot reader of all Broadway musicals.

[robbiej]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 1:42pm

I was originally going to say DREAMGIRLS, but I was lucky enough to see the revival w/ an altered version of Bennett's brilliant staging.

I might have gone w/ FUNNY GIRL, but her indelible performance in the film is enough for me.

Though I would have loved to have seen Merman's GYPSY, I've been blessed to see several terrific productions that have sustained me.

I think I'd have to pick the one truly great show of which no representative record exists that captures the original in any way shape or form:

FOLLIES.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 2:11pm

I was at the opening night of Wicked. What an experience!

[Plum]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 2:27pm

Just to pick something that no one else has...Oklahoma!

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 2:44pm

Wow, so many to choose from. Hard choice. Er...

Like my boy Robbie, I'd have to say FOLLIES. Most definitely.

But I'm gonna add another to my list. Not a book show, but on B'way nonetheless.

Garland's opening night at The Palace in 1951.

[You may validate my gay card now.]

[crp2000]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 4:11pm

The icon says it all.

[wickedfan2]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 4:22pm

WICKED - of course!

Can't wait to go again on August 12. Hopefully Idina is there.

I plan to go to see Brooklyn first week it opens though.

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 4:23pm

I guess it does at that, crp.

Bitch.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 5:29pm

Easy: CATS. I wish I could have seen Timothy Scott, still in the prime of health, sing and dance like a madman, Stephen Hanan preform the Gus and Growltiger I've come to love from the OBC, and of course be witness to Betty Buckley's chilling, roof-raising rendition of "Memory."

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 8:48pm

Wicked

[dry2olives]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:02pm

Can I stretch the rules a bit and make it a London opening?

I'd like to be at the premiere of Pygmalian seated next to GB Shaw so I could see his reaction when Mrs. Campbell changed the ending.

[broadwaysweetheart]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:19pm

Show Boat or Marilyn Miller's Sally or West Side Story or anything Merman or the night Ann Miller started doning Mame

[Roddick19]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:35pm

I was at opening night of Wicked..and to tell you the truth, it was just like all the other three times I've been fortunate enough to see the show. There was a green carpet outside that celebrities walked down and were photographed on but that was the only special thing. There weren't any speeches and neither Joe Mantello or Stephen Schwartz did/said anything. It was just like watching a normal performance. Neve Campbell bumped into me in the lobby at intermission, though -- and she did not say excuse me!!! Hahahaha

[MusicMan]

Posted: 7/12/04 at 11:51pm

Jose, you trumped me with STREETCAR which would have also been my first choice (were we separated at birth?). Eliminating that (and avoiding poster repitition), I guess it would be a tie between THE KING AND I (imagine seeing SHALL WE DANCE for the first time!) and COMPANY (all those 'bobby-bubis coming at you!--the national tour video with Jane Russell archived at Lincoln Center just doesn't cut the mustard!)