what do bway actors do whent hey need to go to the bathroom? — Page 2

A friend of mine that worked in the 30th anniversary tour of Hello Dolly with Carol Channing. they said that Carol one night had a bad case of diarrhea. since she is well known for never missing a performance she refused to let the stand by go on for her. So she had them wrap her up with some sort of saran wrap so she could make it threw the whole show without having to go to the bathroom. sounds crazy i know! but they claim to this day that the story is true.

Updated On: 11/25/07 at 10:18 PM

Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now!

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Broadway actors don't go to the bathroom; they are inhuman.

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Yes, Taz, but they're working on it. We should hear any minute now.

Miss Pennywise, I believe the League's solution has something to do with empty mayonnaise jars. They so far have refused to issue another mop up call for such "accidents".

This of course can also be covered by understudies but that too might require additional fees to be charged so they are still holding out for the "jars".

They had a joke about that in The Drowsy Chaperone remember? It has no intermission. One time a prop was malfunctioning so Jonathan Crombie had to leave the stage stating he needed to go back off stage because he was afraid, he forgot to flush the toilet! Yikes! As sinful as leaving up the toilet seat! I was so happy to read how thoughtful and creative he was in a pinch.

I'm a teacher and for some of the teachers in the lower grades, they have to hold it for over 3 hours if they have an early prep period and an early lunch. But in an emergency, they can call someone. Of course, broadway actors can't do that. Although it would be really funny if just once they stopped the show so they could use the bathroom. But I imagine they just hold it. Once you are in performing mode, you just don't think about it.

On the MTV airing of Legally Blonde, Laura Bell Bundy discussed her endeavors with toilets during the course of the show.

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When I did Grand Hotel in Seattle, most of us were onstage for the 2 hours straight (no intermission).

I always felt fine until the charleston number. lol

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I don't recall it ever being a problem when I was on stage. There was usually time off stage where a bathroom break could be worked in, if needed. Not always though, but as others have said, "Your mind is on other things."

I do remember the the one that freaked me out the most was when I played the Tinman in The Wizard of Oz. Once I was wired into that costume, there was no going back. I usually waited until the Munchkinland scene was well under way, before I was helped into it. The barrel part around the chest didn't allow for my legs to bend beyond a certain point (just like in the movie), so there was NO sitting down. So, not only couldn't I "go" but I couldn't even sit during intermission (which was my only time off stage, once I made my entrance).

I don't remember ever having to "go," though. I would get out on the stage and roast in my costume, under those hot lights. I usually lost around 8 pounds every performance. Just water weight, but I would have to drink gallons of water AFTER every show to make up for it. It was like a 2 hour sauna. But I don't think there was any water left inside me to "relieve" while the show was on, anyway.

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Wasn't there one night that Shoshana ran off early during Popular so she could get sick, and had her u/s or s/b come on afterwards?

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I'm not yet a Broadway star . . . but have been in tons of shows. Basically, for me, I ALWAYS have to pee right before I go on, because that's how my nerves show up [even if I just peed]. Anywho, once I am on stage, that goes away for the time.

Then, sometimes, yeah, we sneak it in (if we have to go badly) during intermission, a scene change or anytime we are off-stage long enough (or we hurry).

On Broadway, if you're in elaborate costumes, I will assume -- that is what "dressers" are for . . .getting you in and out and back into costumes for any and every type of reasons. Thus, if an actor has a huge need to go -- I am sure the dresser is nearby to help one out of the costume and to re-dress the actor when the deed is done.

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Okay,

So I played Tom Daley in "That Championship Season"

For those not familiar with the show or character, a 37-year-old alcoholic racist.

Tom's drink of choice was Scotch and Water with no ice.

Because we performed the show in a Studio Theatre, they filled my bottle of Dewars with watered down Iced Tea, and my director wanted me to pour a drink and actually drink it.

I never poured a full glass, but by the end of act one, I made the bold acting choice of going through the entire fifth of watered down Iced Tea.

The only time Tom was off stage was for 3 minutes during the first act (1st pee break) and intermission (2nd pee break).

Mind you, during intermission, I would pee about 3 times. I made sure that stage management understood the amount of liquid I was drinking and the affect it had on me.

Second Act, Final Dress, I couldn't hold it any longer. I started sitting weird. Maybe if I started walking around. Nope.

I started to think of the lines, when I could make my exit and not sabotage the story. I said my line (some blow off to a fight) and made a creative cross to the Stage Left exit, completely in character. Left, did my business, came back on without missing a beat.

I seriously thought my director was going to shoot me. My note that night was "I started to write down WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING...but then I realized...you had to go. Don't even let that happen again."

My pre-show ritual from that night on, was to eat 6 pieces of wheat bread before each show, to soak up all of the liquid that would be in my stomach, and I never had the same problem again.

Best of all.

Final dress was the night we recorded for our library.

My creative cross to relieve myself is forever immortalized.

" The barrel part around the chest didn't allow for my legs to bend beyond a certain point (just like in the movie), so there was NO sitting down."

Am I missing something?
Aren't you a male?
Do you usually urinate sitting?

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Um, gloves, saber belt, sash, nine buttons on a frock coat, nine buttons on a vest, four wooden trouser buttons and suspenders... no such thing as a quick trip to the bathroom... thank God for Immodium.

Someone once pointed out that some of the Pope's robes have 50 tiny buttons and suggested a chamberlain just slipped a pail under the hem...

Echo: Best. Thread. Ever.