Your greatest theater experience....- Page 4

[My Fair Lady]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 9:29pm

When I saw the Snoopy rehearsal. The whole cast was really nice to my family, especially Sutton. I still have the poster in my room!

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 9:47pm

The "Into the Woods" revival. Words cannot express how much I love that show and to see it performed anew with a different spin and the great Vanessa Williams at the helm was amazing. I loved everything about it. The sets, the lighting, the costumes, the actors. Sadly, I only got to see it twice. But, it still remains my number one, favorite show.

[Elphaba984]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 9:53pm

Seeing The Boy From Oz the second time (and meeting some of the cast.) Seeing Wicked 2nd row orchestra and being in awe of the costumes and being i'd say 10 feet from Kristin Chenoweth.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:01pm

I was 18 years old....I saw a Wednesday matinee of Sweeney Todd...I was so blown away by the end of the performance that I couldn't move. I was the only one left in the theatre, in my seat, when an usher had to come over and ask me to leave so that they could prepare for the evening performance. I must have sat there for 10 minutes, alone in the theatre just staring at the stage!

[PJ]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:24pm

Seeing Bernadette in "Gypsy" was my greatest theatre experience. There was just something about seeing that particular show performed in front of me left me breathless. I actually cried during "Rose's Turn."

[jayem1968]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:51pm

Assassins - off Broadway.
Assassins - Broadway.

Blown away twice by the same show - haha, no pun intended.

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 11:01pm

When I saw my first show, Miss Saigon, at the tender age of 6. It was all downhill from that point on---I knew that's what I wanted to do!

[Twilight]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:36am

I would have to say when I saw RENT. It was my first Broadway show, and I just sat there in awe the whole time, taking it all in. It made me laugh, it made me cry (I am an emotional sponge; I take loads of emotions in, but I don;t show them, because it makes me feel vulnerable. So it takes a lot to get me to cry.) and it was just so inspiring!

[Matt_G]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:42am

The first show I ever saw on Broadway was BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 1994. I can remember sitting in the Palace theatre staring at the stage and I don't think I blinked my eyes once because I didn't want to miss a second of it. It was a great night. One of the best of my entire life, actually.

[shlamdiddly]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 1:02am

I saw B&TB when I was in 5th grade Ithink...I was so happy I got to stay up past my bedtime.I felt so cool. Thats not my best expreience though...that would go to when I saw wicked 'cause I didn't know I was seeing till about ten minutes before the show when my mom went "surprise, We have tickets".

[gustof777]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 1:35am

for sure when i saw caroline or change wow nothing and i mean nothing every affected me the way tonya pinkins did and I love Idina soo much and have seen wicked numerous times but the Tony was robbed of tonya. her perfomance of lots wife had me and everyone around me bawling and at the end of the show you are sooo emotional drained. Also I never saw the broadway show but 'night mother affects you alot.

[Emutional]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 1:38am

hmm...during for good in wicked i cried like a baby. that song means a lot to me.

when i met the cast of avenue q...they were so nice! it was incredible. even my mom had to blurt out "they're human!" with rick standing 2 feet away. he just laughed and said "no more, no less." awesome :)

[kidbroadway]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:25am

Well I have been lucky enough to experience a few great moments in the theatre as an audience member....
1) Sitting next to Carol Burnett at 'Chicago' while she scooped out Ruthie Henshall before rehearsals for 'Putting It Together' began. She was so great , epecially since I sneaked in Act II and took the open seat next to her. She met me at the stage door afterward and was great!
2)Seeing Sutton Foster perform the number 'Gimme Gimme' at the first New York public performance and saying to myself and others around me that she was going to win the Tony. And then watching her on TV win the Tony in June.
3)Watching Raul Esparza smash the half gallon carton of milk during Act II of 'The Normal Heart' and realizing it went all over the 1st row of the audience and then realizing that they were all so deep into the play, like myself, that nobody moved (not even to wipe off the milk). Only the second time while at a show that I have bust into tears. That show was Raul's TONY award.

[HotTicket]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 10:55am

Hugh Jackman in the Boy From Oz is my greatest theater experience. I've never been so excited by any performance.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 11:14am

If I had to pick ONE, single moment....
The finale of Cabaret, the first time I saw it. I went with my mom, really having very little prior knowledge going in. When the show ended, everyone stood up immediately, as did I, but the expression on my face must've been quite a strange one. I looked at my mom. "Oh my God. That's how it ends?" And I just stared into space for a good part of the bows. It took me a really long time to process what I had just seen. My dad met us outside the theatre, and when he saw my face he was just like "Are you okay?" I kept staring, and just shook my head. My eyes were huge, and my jaw probably still hanging open. There is no other single moment of theatre that has hit me as hard as that one did.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:08pm

BFO is my #1 most thrilling and knock your socks off theatre experience (as I have previously mentioned) but I'd also like to give a shout out to Jefferson Mays for I Am My Own Wife. Updated On: 8/27/04 at 12:08 PM

[Britt0913]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 3:28pm

I have a few, but the one that I will always think of first was seeing Raul Esparza in THE NORMAL HEART. I had read the play beforehand, but I was still emotionally drained at the end...that scream! My God! Anyway, after the show I waited outside the Public and met Joanna Gleason, then waited another half an hour for Raul to come out. I got an autograph and picture and he spoke with me for a while. That was possibly the greatest moment....EVER!

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 3:45pm

I have three:

Into The Woods - I saw a local profesional production here at Theatre Calgary that was SO well done. The actors and sets were amazing and it really started me on my path to directing and set-designing. It also showed me what an amazingly written show is like, inspiring me to write some of my first musicals.

Hairspray (Toronto) - This show showed me what pure joy theatre can bring to people. The sets were brilliant and fun and taught me a lot about design theory. It also made me more confident in my acting because I saw Michael Torontow as Link Larkin and all my friends told me I could do a better job. And for once I actually think I could have.

RENT - This show showed me how inspirational and well-directed a show can be. I learned so much about good staging and blocking from this show. Also I left the theatre writing and singing far better than when I came into the theatre.

Akiva

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 4:38pm

Oh man, I really love these stories. They're awesome. I just find is so interesting to see what has really affected people. I really think seeing an amazing production you love is a feeling that few things can compare too. It's just magic, for lack of a better word.

Another incredible experience for me was Idina in "Defying Gravity". The song itself means so much to me, but watching her belt it so beautifully. No contest. The last verse: "So if you care to find me...." I was in awe. And as she lifted up and the music swelled, I was just in a daze, starring at the stage, tears welling up in my eyes. My mother nudged me because she knew it was the moment we'd been waiting for, but I couldn't even acknowledge her. Special effects aside, it was just... amazing.

If I lived closer to NYC I am sure I'd have even more theater moments, and I look forward to aquiring them in the future.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 5:01pm

Add me to the list of people who shared the experience of Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls. I saw it twice, and each time the performance and audience reaction gave me thrills!

It's hard to come up with the 'greatest' - but some moments that stand out -

Godspell - because it was my very first Broadway show. And because the 'Long Live God' performance took my breath away.

Zoe Caldwell in Master Class. I held my breath during the scene in which she recalled 'her' performance at La Scala.

Richard Burton's performance in the revival of Camelot in 1979 or 80.

Actually - any performance by a legend of the stage. Both musical and dramatic. From Yul Brenner to Julie Andrews - I have been fortunate to witness many.

And, add me to the list of people who were thrilled with Defying Gravity in Wicked.

I'm sure I'll think of more as soon as I hit send...

[tark53]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 5:25pm

1) My first Broadway show-"Music Man" with Robert Preston--made me start to understand the magic of theater;

2) My most recent Broadway musical-"Gypsy" with Bernadette Peters--reminded me of the magic, took me into that world with her, made me forget everything and anything else, and showed me what a true star is. That's entertainment!

3) Honorable mention to Richard Burton's "Hamlet", Dame Judi Dench in Amy, and Bea Lillie in "High Spirits"--performers who are so talented and so far beyond everyone else.

[NBRISBY]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 6:59pm

If I was old enough to have seen Jennifer HOlliday in Dreamgirls, that would be it, I bet.

But, the best performance I have EVER seen (film, stage, tv...whatever) was when I saw Heather Headley in AIDA. It was fierce. No one can act like Heather. she's bah-rilliant!

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 7:24pm

Les Mis - I was about 13. I knew the music, but wow. I'm quite overemotional, I creid at the Bishop scene! Just such beautiful lyrics and music...wow. And I got to meet the Valjean of the moment. Just an incredible show, most MOVING experience ever.

Then, just because of the actor, seeing Lane in the Frogs. He played the God of Drama, how fitting!!! He's such an icon of theatre.

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 7:25pm

Les Mis - I was about 13. I knew the music, but wow. I'm quite overemotional, I creid at the Bishop scene! Just such beautiful lyrics and music...wow. And I got to meet the Valjean of the moment. Just an incredible show, most MOVING experience ever.

Then, just because of the actor, seeing Lane in the Frogs. He played the God of Drama, how fitting!!! He's such an icon of theatre. No coincidence his roles have been teh god of drama and the king of broadway!!!

[Lucifer]

Posted: 8/26/04 at 11:03pm

I know this sounds like the most cliche experience since it's already been said, but I'm going to share my greatest experience in theater.
My best friend Maureen and I drove up to NYC early saturday morning to try our luck at the lottery tickets for Wicked. We got there at 11 o'clock and tried for the matinee. Neither of us had ANY idea how many people actually do this lottery. We thought we had a pretty good shot except there was AT LEAST 400 people there because stupid me I didn't know it was Kristin Chenoweth's last weekend performing!
So we didn't win for the matinee and we went and bought tickets @ TKTS for half price for Little Shop of Horrors, which was actually a really great show.
Then we went back to our hotel room and changed clothes for our second shot at the lottery tickets for the Saturday evening performance. Both Maureen and I were kinda depressed, realizing what little chance we had and that if we didn't win this, we'd probably never get a chance to see Wicked in NYC.
We arrived at the Gershwin both in green shirts and jean skirts(as some kind of good luck charm). Neither of us spoke much for the whole half hour we stood in line to drop our name. We both admitted later to each other that we actually prayed to god, asking for these tickets.
After about 6 or 7 names were called, we lost faith. Then they called the next name: JO ELLA SAMP
Except I didn't recognize my mother's name right away since they pronounced it weird. But my friend did. She proceeded to grab my arm and screamed in my ear. Then I screamed and everyone just stared at us like we were crazy.
We ended up getting front row seats center and the whole experience from there was magical. LITERALLY
Maureen squeezed my arm through the entire overture and together we drooled over the conductor, Stephen Oremus, who is really hott! Every moment I kept removing myself for a second wondering how this happened and how lucky I was to be there!
From the amazing set to costumes, everything was perfect! I became a HUGE Cheno fan instantly and was so relieved I saw her before she left! She actually cried at the end! Idina is still and will always be my idol!
Every song moved me to the point of tears, every witty line made me laugh so hard and I was just in awe of the whole cast and their performance. I cheered and clapped as loud and as hard as I could for every member of cast, including the ensemble, who I thought was probably one of the best I've ever seen.

But the main reason this experience was so great is some factor that can't really be explained. There was this energy every actor and actress gave out to the audience that was so fabulous and then the audience sent it right back in huge loud applauses. Even though it was my 6th broadway show and I'd seen at least 3 times as many professional shows in general, this magic of theater only became really apparent to me after seeing this show and it made me realize how much I wanted to do musical theater for the rest of my life.

pretty cliche sounding, don't ya think? but it's all true