Your Strongest Memories of Your First Broadway Show

There recently was a thread along the lines of "who did you see in a show before they were stars?" Got me to thinking...what did I really remember about the first B'way show I ever saw...what stood out to me, all these years later?

My first Broadway show was THE WIZ circa 1976. I was in town with my parents -- my first trip -- as my Dad was attending a convention at the Americana (long since turned into something else, I think). One afternoon, my Mom and I got tix at the TKTS booth for THE WIZ.

I remember the cyclorama lighting for the Kansas scenes -- kind of rainbow-y effect. I remember that Toto was a white scottish terrier. I remember Tasha Thomas singing "The Feeling We Once Had". I remember that Stephanie Mills had a knee brace on.

I remember the Tornado sequence: dancers holding umbrellas blown inside out, while the lead dancer had a piece of material attached to her headdress that got wrapped and woven around the house -- and when it was unwrapped at the end of the number, Dorothy was in Munchkinland.

I remember all the munchkins sat on rolling stools with hoop skirts on. I remember Clarisse Taylor as "Addaperle" bringing down the house looking at the Wicked Witch of the East's legs sticking out from under the house: "Giiiiirl, I'da known her anywhere by those tacky pantyhose!"...or something like that.

I remember the Yellow Brick Road was 4 male dancers with sticks...and as Dorothy sang "As Soon As I Get Home", she wove in and out of them...a never-moving number.

Tiger Haynes tap-dancing as Tinman. Gregg Burge as Scarecrow. Mabel King as Evillene...and her large breasteses with eyeballs on them. The flying monkeys climbing on some galvanized set piece...not too much unlike the monkeys in WICKED (although WIZ monkeys weren't wired). Andre DeShields...in the "Ya'll Got It" number, the kicks on the offbeats after the first phrase of the verse, accentuated by the high-hat cymbal.

Stephanie Mills leaving the stage during "If You Believe", apparently because of a problem with her knee. She came back for the goodbye scene, and proceed to tear it down with "Home"...and the button to the whole show was the white scottish terrier Toto running out and jumping in her arms. BLACKOUT.

[My second B'way show was PIPPIN, the next night...and those memories are very different, thanks to Christopher Chadman and the male chorus of the show. Hoooah.]

Updated On: 8/23/06 at 02:11 PM

My first broadway show was the Revival of AGYG with Cyrstal Bernard. It was my first NY trip and my Uncle and I thought we had tickets to The Music Man that night, but they were for the next night so we went to TKTS and got the AGYG tickets. I remember thinking how small the theatre was because I am used to 3000 seat touring houses, and that people brought their shopping bags with them into the theatre.

The better story in The Music Man. The fly system broke after 76 trombones, and it stopped the show for 20 minutes.

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I remember thinking how small the theatre was because I am used to 3000 seat touring houses

Same here!

My first Broadway show was Cats. We originally had tickets for the revival of The Sound of Music but it closed before we got there. I remember getting candy at a candy store beforehand and bringing it in. I remember sitting in the front row of the mezzanine and all the cats coming and dancing in front of us. Also, I remember during intermission going on to the stage and trying to get the cat to laugh.

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my first show was AIDA
my family couldnt get tickets to THE LION KING or BEAUTY AND THE BEAST so back in December of '03, my family, my aunt, grandma, cousin, and I saw AIDA since it was a Disney show and sounded good. we drove in from CT, and I just remember (it was my first time in NYC) what a big and mysterious place the city seemed like. it's funny to look back now and think how surreal it was for me.
but anyway, we went into the theatre, and looked at the merchandise, and bought a CD and program. then i remember going into the theatre, and we had seats towards the back of the orchestra. i dont remember too much of the performance, i loved it amazingly though, but i do remember these people in front of us who kept eating and it was very annoying. i loved the show very much, and remember clapping so hard at the end my hands were sore for days.
since then, the AIDA cd is still in our car, and is played frequently. this was a great show- it wasnt the show i got obsessed over Broadway by, but it was an amazing first experience, and will always hold a special spot in my heart.
:)

My first show was Les Miz. I remember sitting in the stage right box seats and watching my aunt cry during "On My Own." What a great show.

Getting sprayed with blood during the original production of Sweeney Todd.

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My first Broadway show was Wicked. The strongest memories I have of that day were not of the show, but the fact that we were late to the show. I remember being in a panicabout being late and missing the show. I was literally parying. And we were still late.


But for the show, my strongest memory is coming inot the actual theatre, seeing the stage, and just being awed.

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Updated On: 8/23/06 at 03:00 PM

Annie - January 15, 1978.

I was mesmerized from the moment the overture began. I was also fascinated by how the set moved. Prior to any Broadway show I saw, all set pieces were moved by people, so to see them move automatically truly amazed me.

I loved, loved, loved that entire experience!!

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My first on-Broadway show was APPLAUSE, starring Anne Baxter, who had replaced Lauren Bacall as Margo. We had amazing seats just a few rows from the stage, and even though I was foggy on who Anne Baxter was (I was 12) there was no question but that she was a STAR.

I completely remember the scene in the gay bar, as well as the flash of naked butts in the title number. (What can I say?)

Two weeks later I went back to Broadway to see COMPANY ... Larry Kert's understudy was on, and Jane Russell had replaced Stritch.

I am very very proud to say my first show was RENT in 1996 with the majority of the original broadway cast being in it. I never thought I would be listening to the soundtrack for the next 10 years like I have. Even thought it is not the best show I have ever seen (comes close), I hold it near and dear to the heart.

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my first show was "cats" when i was 10. it was a school field trip and all i remember is being floored. my mom came on the trip with my class and said that at intermission i looked at her and said "i want to be one of them!"...

and that want has continued for the past 14 years!

I was three years old and was unknowingly developing Scarlett Fever. All I knew was that there were people dressed as Cats in my face, and I didn't like it. Scared the crap out of me. It could be why I hate Cats today.

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My first was Guys and Dolls in the early 90s. All I would do was sing that music over and over agian.