Cats, when I was still young enough to be in diapers. But the first show I have strong memories of was Beauty and the Beast (OBC, summer 1994).
A Chorus Line at the Shubert. Donna McKechnie had returned to the role of Cassie, and I got to see her.
Swing Joined: 5/12/03
Aspects of Love in summer of 1990. I had memorized the cast recording ahead of time. Michael Ball's voice was glorious. I had an understudy for Rose. As another poster mentioned, the show itself is creepy and lacking in many areas, but I too love the score.
First ever Broadway show as in on Broadway was Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman final performance together in Phantom, we had booked tickets from Australia months in advance.
Was already in love with show music from the original London cast recording of Les Mis, but first Broadway show was Phantom of the Opera on 1/4/90. (Saw Les Mis on the same trip a couple of days later.)
The era of the mega-musical was in full swing!
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/17/07
The Phantom of the Opera on Wednesday, December 16, 1998 at 8pm. I was SO excited because I bought the tickets over the phone and the operator said they were front row, so I expected front row center. They turned out to be all the way at the far end of the row, but it was still incredible. and I saw it 89 more times after that.
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/26/19
My first Broadway show was The Lion King in the early 2000s. Bought tickets for myself and my partner with the first stable corporate job salary.
Stand-by Joined: 10/25/12
I saw Frank Langella as Dracula, at the Martin Beck Theatre (as it was then called), in October 1977. Loved those Edward Gorey sets, but every actor in the cast was great. I was fortunate enough to see the show at the end of preview week, a night or two before it opened, and it was an amazing experience!
Featured Actor Joined: 4/4/17
cmorrow said: "I saw Frank Langella as Dracula, at the Martin Beck Theatre (as it was then called), in October 1977. Loved those Edward Gorey sets, but every actor in the cast was great. I was fortunate enough to see the show at the end of preview week, a night or two before it opened, and it was anamazing experience!"
A bit off topic, but my best friend from college lived next door to Frank Langella during his run in Dracula. As a surprise for my 21st birthday he got tickets to the show for us, afterwards he was insistent that we go to “Ted Hook’s Backstage Bar.” A few minutes after we sat down at a table for 3, Langella walked in and joined us. He said, “I heard it was your birthday” and gave me a show card and a Dracula pendent that was bat shaped with the logo in the middle (I sadly lost this) after a drink he left with a classic, “Good Evening” and laughed. I have the show card framed and in my office. His signature is on the back.
Avenue Q when I was 16, also my first ever trip to New York. The armrest came off my seat.
On that trip, I also saw the Doyle Sweeney Todd revival, The Wedding Singer, and The Drowsy Chaperone.
I had seen a number of national tours when I was younger because my dad worked at a performing arts center. The first I can remember is Show Boat, but Phantom was what really made me love theatre.
Phantom was my first show I saw ON Broadway - I was a high school kid. I had seen countless shows on tour prior to then. On my first trip here I saw Phantom, Hair, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, and Shrek. Not a bad haul for a first trip!
My first professional live show was the national tour of The Wizard of Oz back in the late 1990s. Eartha Kitt played the Wicked Witch of the West!
My first professional/Broadway show was Grease in the last year or so of its original run. However, I had been performing in shows for almost 10 years (starting in 2nd grade) by then - so was already "sold".
First show was 1971, Promises, Promises with Lorna Luft. It was during a NYC trip with my family ( my parents were really cool). I’ve loved Broadway ever since!
Broadway Star Joined: 5/8/19
My first show was Oliver! in Miami when I was in 4th grade. On my first trip to NYC December 1976, my first show on Broadway was a matinee of The Night of the Iguana with Richard Chamberlain, Dorothy McGuire, and Sylvia Miles. That evening I saw the Raul Julia and Ellen Greene in Joe Papp's Threepenny Opera at Lincoln Center. I have no memory of how or where I bought the tickets. I also squeezed in my first Met opera that weekend -- Tosca ($2.50 standing room).
Swing Joined: 2/10/18
Cabaret at studio 54 starring Melina Kanakaredes, Jon Secada (as the Emcee) and Tom Bosley (as Herr Schultz).
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
Also on that trip I saw Sweeney Todd, Evita, and Sugar Babies.
All shows OBC.
Who wouldn't become a lifelong musical theatre fan after that?
Featured Actor Joined: 11/17/11
My first was Hello Dolly! at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, spring 1978 on a high school trip. Carol Channing did the show with her arm in a sling, from a recent fall. She was magnificent!
Got hooked on the theater thing with the mega-musical tours in the early ‘90s when I was in high school - CATS, LES MIZ, and PHANTOM. I also remember just loving the tour of CRAZY FOR YOU and HELLO DOLLY with Carol Channing.
My first shows in NYC were in summer 1995 - graduation gift. The shows we saw were SUNSET BLVD (with Glenn Close), BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, MISS SAIGON, the Harold Prince SHOWBOAT (from the last row of the mezz in the Gershwin), and LES MIZ. I was obsessed with coming to see shows in NYC ever since.
The Me Nobody Knows, on a school trip. I think it was at the old Helen Hayes Theater.
Supposedly APPLAUSE, but I have no recollection of it since I was a child. The first one I remember must be SHENANDOAH - and I only remember that one because they fired a shotgun from the wings and it scared me senseless. I must've been 8 or 9 for SHENANDOAH.
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