re: LaChanze's Last - Matinee or Evening?

Not to threadjack -- but I just got back from seeing THE COLOR PURPLE tonight. I'm so glad I got to see LaChanze one last time. She was *unbelievable*. Totally on fire tonight. Kingsley Leggs was out (he leaves the cast on Sunday too) -- his understudy, JC Montgomery was fantastic. I was really impressed. Elisabeth Withers-Mendes was also out, which I must admit was a disappointment -- she's my favorite. Her understudy, Angela Robinson was just fine, but she wasn't 25% as electric as Elisabeth's Shug. Felicia and especially Brandon Victor Dixon were fantastic as always (Brandon is so HOT!). The couple sitting behind me came in from Omaha just to see this show. It was their first time in NY, and this was a birthday present from this young man for his wife. Oprah is really bringing people in, which is wonderful. This is an AMAZING show with *the* most talented cast on Broadway (in my humble opinion). A special shout-out to Carol Dennis, the Church Soloist, who sings the opening number and several numbers throughout. Her voice is so VERY powerful and just gorgeous. Oh, and this was my first time seeing Darlesia Cearcy as Nettie (the previous 2 times I saw Renee Elise Goldsberry). Darlesia totally makes the role her own. She has a gorgeous voice and is just as fantastic as Renee was. As for which performance on Sunday is LaChanze's last, I have no idea. But try to see the show tomorrow or Sunday afternoon if you want one last chance to see the Best Actress of 2006.

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Updated On: 11/4/06 at 12:27 AM

Ugh, this is so frustraing. I'm trying for the rush seats on Sunday (which is going to be insane, I can feel it) and I just don't want to make the wrong choice. If I get the matinee, she may decide to do the evening, since it's her last. If I get the evening, I don't want to hear, "Oh, she was done with the matinee." ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! Okay, thank you.

-Vincent

slightly threadjacking too- I was walking past the theatre just after the start of the matinee today, and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes was out again for the Sat matinee. Anyone know if these are scheduled outs?

I saw TCP on Thursday night because I wanted to see LaChanze one last time and wasn't sure if I wanted to deal with rushing Sunday, and LaChanze and Elisabeth just had such *incredible* chemistry together, it was so great. Just- wow. And it might sound weird, but if I did get up tomorrow am and decide to rush for LaChanze's last, I kinda don't want to go if Elisabeth's scehduled to be out all this weekend or something, I'd want to see the both of them.

I read in the Broadway.com video that tomorrow is also Kenita Miller's last day. Perhaps they are putting her on as Celie for the evening performance?

On a seperate note, I am quite sad to hear that LaChanze is leaving The Color Purple. I consider myself fortunate to have seen her as Celie this summer, and she delievered possibly the most incredible performance I have ever seen on stage. She will surely be missed!

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It wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to have her last show be the matinee if there's a night performance. Think about it--most shows, when somebody leaves, they have the new cast member(s) come in when the show starts back up the next week. I bet it's the night performance. That's just my guess though .

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Thank you!! Im getting up in 4 hours to wait in line! Wooo hooo!

Kingsley's out again? He was out Tuesday & Saturday night too.

Kingsley was out on Thurs night too.

The woman at the box office said the evening show today would be LaChanze's last, so that's the one I got tix for- hope she was right.

Yay!! I'm so excited! Anakela, where were you in line? There were some very interesting characters this morning, epecially the guy that wanted to cut the entire line after it had wrapped around the building.

I soo wished I had seen Lachanze! I saw this show in May, took my mom (btw she loved it.. i think we both were crying all the way through! lol) And Lachanze was out sick so we saw Kenita. She was absolutley terrific. Her demeanor and acting were spot on. I hope that she will join the tour so I can see her again in LA in the Fall. BTW we met felicia backstage (I have a friend in ensemble as well as in the wig dept) and she was hilarious and so great my mom had to hug her. I'm going to be in chicago in January cant wait to see her again! Can't wait to see what Lachanze will do next.

I would love for Lachanze to the tour of the show. I have to at least see her in this role once. Thats all I need. and of course my mother would kill me for not inviting her but whatever! lol

(possible TCP spoilers below)


LaChanze's last- so incredible!

From the start of the show there was just this great energy in the theatre- I know that sounds cheesy, but you could totally feel it in the crowd, the crowd was so into it.

"Mysterious Ways" church soloist got applause and audience clapping along. LaChanze entrance got applause. "Hell No" I can't even remember- like five different times of applause. Same with "African Homeland"- actually the first shot of Celie/Shug at the top of Act II got applause, and then during "Homeland" there were like five different times of applause. "I'm Here" LaChanze got applause three different times, and then a standing ovation at the end. "Color Purple (reprise)" LaChanze was totally crying, Elisabeth was crying (Mister handed her tissue), the little girl who plays Henrietta was crying, I was crying.

The only complaint I have is, during "What About Love"- I remember a thread on here about how sometimes people yell out inappropriate stuff when Celie/Shug kiss. I've never noticed it any other time I've seen TCP (I've only ever seen it from the rush rows), but tonight I was in the orch and, while there was nothing said during the kiss that I could hear, *something* obviously happened (something was said?) in the audience right section during this song, as there was a total burst of inappropriate laughter. But it wasn't during/right after the kiss, it was like after the first verse of the song. Totally strange, and completely rude and inappropriate.

But the funniest (? funniest is not the word I am looking for here, but I can't think of what is) thing was that it felt like the audience over-applauded at the end of "What About Love," as if to make up for/respond to whatever was happening earlier in the song. [eta: But not over-applauded as if I'm saying they didn't deserve applause, they totally did- *love* their chemistry during that number. Sorry, I don't think I'm doing a good enough job of explaining what happened- maybe someone else who was there can.]

No long speeches or anything. Most everyone was on their feet from before the curtain call, stading ovation for everyone. LaChanze got extra applause at the curtain call, took a longer bow, received her flowers and they announced that Kenita, Lou, and LaChanze are leaving tonight. And then they went right into the BC/EFA speech.

I think there's more that I want to add, but that's everything right now- I totally blew my rush/lotto budget for the month buying a full price tix, and I'm not allowed to buy any more tix until 2007, but it was so worth it!!

Updated On: 11/5/06 at 11:26 PM