standing ovations

#1

standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:07pm

it seems that just about every single broadway show i have ever attended has recieved a standing ovation. granted, i dont live in ny (but as i like to constantly re-post, i will next year)


for those of you who get to see shows just about every other day, is it really that common, because it sure seems to be, and if so,at what point did the standing ovation loose its merit?

#2

re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:32pm

That's interesting. I really don't know. When I saw the Natl. tour of THE PRODUCERS they got a standing ovation during intermission. Or after act one, that is. Also a few people in the first few rows stood up after "Springtime for Hitler". And of course a standing ovation at the end.

#3

re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:39pm

Every show I've been to lately has had a S.O. Sometimes people stand up and clap because they want to leave. Sometimes the show doesn't even deserve the S.O., but people give it anyway.

The only time I've seen a S.O. in the middle of a performance was during Man of La Mancha. After Brian Stokes Mitchell did 'Impossible Dream' he got a S.O. He deserved it.

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I have my books and my poetry to protect me...

#4

re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:47pm

all the shows i've been to except cats hav gotten a S.O. little shop most likely got it because of the amazing finale, and i've heard of standing ovations after defying gravity the end of act 1 in wicked

#5

re: re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:49pm

Defying Gravity has gotten a S.O. almost every time I've seen the show.

It's true that every show I go to gets a S.O. from some group. I have been to shows however, where almost the entire audience is standing, but there are small groups that refuse to stand and remain sitting.<

#6

re: re: re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 7:59pm

That's funny, every time I've seen CATS they got a standing ovation after "The Jellicle Ball" and a standing ovation at the end. But that was the tours I never saw it on Broadway. Sadly. But, I'll be around to produce a revival at Studio 54! It'll be awesome.

#7

re: re: re: re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:00pm

last standing ovation i gave was at the closing show of taboo.

#8

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:04pm

It's becoming a lot more common to see standing ovations at almost every show. When I was younger, it wasn't just a matter of course to stand up at curtain call. Now it seems like it is. Often, everyone stands up even before the leads bow, and I've even seen everyone on their feet almost as soon as the curtain closes. Granted, this would make sense had the show been utterly unbelievably amazing, but I feel like it's something that should be saved only for such special performances. With that in mind, I often feel like a stubborn bitch (which I'm not, I promise!) when I do this, but a lot of times I'll wait until the person/people I feel are worthy of a S.O. come out, even if almost everyone around me is standing.

Actually, though... I heard that at Fiddler, Alfred Molina was the only one who didn't get a S.O... and he's the lead. Interesting....

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A work of art is an invitation to love.

#9

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: standing ovations

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:06pm

def i agree w/ luvtheemcee, i gave a SO to kerry butler and hunter foster at LSOH but just raised my hands up for the others, though thye all were amazing, as for lion king people were up as soon as the last number ended, la boheme had people crying out in italien (some crazy lady next to me lol weeping and yelling italien praises)

#10

everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:24pm

don't feel like a stubborn bitch! I know how awkward it is to sit when all of the people around you are standing, but if we don't employ the S.O. sparingly it LOOSES ITS MEANING!

And if the S.O. looses its meaning, how can we properly acknowledge those rare and truely special shows and performances that deserve it?

#11

re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 8:28pm

exactly what I meant!

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A work of art is an invitation to love.

#12

re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 9:55pm

thats pretty much my point.

last year i saw a tour of "west side story" which i thought was particularly bad, and def. not worthy of a S.O., and i had a difficult time sitting as the audience members around me stood up, but i did because i dont want my S.O.'s to be as worthless as everyone else's (or almost everybody else's)

so- luvtheEmcee, does that mean that they all sat down when alfred came out? i dont know if i could do THAT, even if i didnt like the performance.

#13

re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 10:53pm

I find it the opposite here in chicago. When i see touring shows here, i rarely see a standing ovation. But in nyc it seems a lot more common.

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"Chicago is it's own incredible theater town right there smack down in the middle of the heartland. What a great city! I can see why Oprah likes to live there!" - Dee Hoty :-D

#14

re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 11:02pm

The touring shows I've seen in Chicago (and I'll admit I gave up on them a few years ago) haven't deserved standing ovations.

I am going to give them a chance again, I am.....

#15

re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/21/04 at 11:12pm

ive stood up for maybe five performances. but hey, im in a wheelchair, it takes lots of effort.

#16

re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 12:42am

I went to see the wretched The Boy From Oz and sat in the very front row (not by choice). Given that Mr. Jackman has been given nothing to play in act one and only comes to life when he shakes his booty in act two, not to mention that it's an abysmally constructed evening of theatre and poorly directed, my companion and I felt no compunction to stand at evening's end with the other undiscerning patrons. Since we were in the front row and the only ones still seated, Jackman couldn't help but notice us and seemed momentarily quizzical at our less-than-enthusiastic response.
Better luck next time, Hugh.

Updated On: 3/22/04 at 12:42 AM

#17

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 12:46am

I stand for really good performances (read: WICKED), and not for mediocre, unless guilted or peer-pressured into it.

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Deet: Shira, I Love You!

#18

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:23pm

Yes, unfortunately, it seems as though true heart-felt expression of the SO has been greatly minimized. I wonder if it is from tourists who are easliy entertained and/or star struck.

Unfortunately, too, sometimes SO's are accepted as a symbol of a show's true success. Case in point: Rosie proclaiming in the media that TABOO got SO's at every performance. Unfortunately, the more discerning theatre-goers who saw TABOO did not agree with the audience majority---the more discerning being those who actually work in the industry and know their A's from their elbows about producing, directing and constructing a show (DISCLAIMER: I did not see TABOO, so I am not speaking from experience of that show per se--just using it in this example).

#19

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:29pm

There were plenty of SO at TABOO every time I went for the exception of one very sparse Sunday Night crowd. I think the audiences were just thanking the very giving & talented Cast of that show

It is true these days the SO has become the norm, but as Harvey said recently, HE LOVES IT

I wont stand if I dont feel its been a charge, but a lot of people will do so no matter

#20

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:37pm

was anyone here around at a point in time when SO's really were hard to come by?

#21

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:46pm

When I saw MATCH it was only the third perf & there were moments when Jane Adams was fed her lines & a very huge section of the audience gave a SO at the end of the show

I couldn't understand that at all...not picking on Jane, I like her...but imagine a SO for an early preview

#22

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:51pm

i agree, SO's seem to be highly overrated, but i think the best way is to stand just for those who you think deserved it, it no one did, then don't stand...simple as that

#23

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:53pm

seems like nowadays people almost think it is rude not to, which is unfortunate. it must give the actors a false impression sometimes, if they judge by the SO, then read horrible reviews the next day they may be sort of confused.

but i suppose actors are used to it by now.

#24

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 3:58pm

Thats true...stand if they deserve it... otherwise remain seated

I absolutely will not stand if I am not totally charged

I confess totally charged at TABOO

#25

re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: everybody rise

Posted: 3/22/04 at 5:06pm

I've never seen a Standing Ovation after Defying gravity unless you call people standing up to head to the lobby for intermission a Standing Ovation... people do scream and whoop it up, but I've never seen a standing ovation after a particular number, and I've seen the show 5 times. Last night- the audience was on their feet as soon as the curtain began its way down- by the time the first ensemble came out, the entire audience was on their feet.

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Call it a regime change...