A Broadway Time Machine...
A Broadway Time Machine...
#0A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:28pmIf you had the power to go back in time to sit in the audience of one specific performance on Broadway... what would you choose and why?
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#1re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:31pm
Who can choose one? Just off the top of my head, I have three: Julie Harris in MEMBER OF THE WEDDING, Laurette Taylor in GLASS MENAGERIE, and Gwen Verdon in SWEET CHARITY.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
#2re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:32pmMary Martin in Peter Pan
Sunchips: Best Kept Secret in the chip aisle!!
#3re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:33pm
The OBC of Chicago.
Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera and Jerry Orbach all on one stage. Theatrical perfection.
#4re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:34pmWest side story. to see the original opening night performance becuase it was something completly unheard of on broadway at the time. it was the dawning of something new and exciting, and to see the original actors and under the direction of Jerome robbins would have been breathtaking. and of course to see Ms. Rivera back in the day, whoa what a trip.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
Kringas
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/27/05
#5re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:36pmThe original production of Dreamgirls. It's my favorite show of all time and I would kill to have had the chance to see those three amazing original dreams, Jennifer Holliday, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Loretta Devine.
"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey
#6re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:36pm
https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=bway&thread=229308#229336
more entries
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#7re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:36pm
Just let me go back to 1967-1983 with unlimited cash flow.
And Rath I second Ms. Taylor in Glass..... God that must have been amazing.
I got rid of my teeth at a young age because... I'm straight. Teeth are for gay people. That's why fairies come and get them
#8re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:39pmCraig---I didn't limit this post to "opening nights."
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#9re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:40pm
Julie Andrews in Camelot
"That Sondheim kid has a big future."-Nathan Lane
#10re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:40pmman this is hard. probablly mary martin in peter pan or the first time the car broke down at chitty. I would love to relive that night!
"At the opening night party, they had clowns on stilts, jugglers, a chocolate fountain, popcorn, hot dogs. [My son] looked at me like I had been holding back. Like, 'This is what you do?' I had to tell him, 'No, no, darling. Opening nights don't usually look like this.' It's usually a dark bar with a bottle of vodka." ?Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's Jan Maxwell
plus i proudly share the title of the shortest member over the age of 10 with wickedrentq!
#11re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:45pmI have a few but my top two are probably opening night performances of West Side Story and A Chorus Line. Those are two of my favorites and I would kill to see those original casts.
Whatever happened to class?
#12re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:57pm
I'll give you a couple of non-opening night shows to choose from...
The night "A Chorus Line" broke the record as the longest running musical, and they gathered ALL the previous cast members available to do the show that night. It was a specially staged performance by Bennett himself. They started with the current cast for the opening number, then when they all stepped forward on the line holding their headshots, they switched to the original Broadway cast. Music and the Mirror had five Cassie actresses all dancing it at once, etc. That had to be incredible evening!
Also, Elaine Stritch talks about a performance of Call Me Madam when Ethel Merman was heckled by a drunk from the audience... She stopped the show and threw him out on the street herself. Aside from seeing Merman in her Tony-winning role, that had to be a show to remember.
I know it's tough to choose only one. But those are two performances I'd wish I could have attended. You guys have listed some beauties, though!
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
Updated On: 10/24/05 at 01:57 PM
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#13re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 1:58pm
best12bars
And I didn't say you did :) Just wanted you to see what some others have said since you posed the question...
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" - Willy Wonka
#14re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:05pm
I know, Craig. It was a knee-jerk reaction. My apology if my post sounded blunt to you. I must admit it's a pet peeve of mine, though...
People are so quick to jump on anyone who posts a topic that might remotely have been mentioned previously in any shape or form. They cry "Search" all the time (which is difficult and sometimes next to impossible on this site. I doubt many of them have tried it.). ...Or some sort of been-there-done-that rant.
Should we all just stop asking questions that may have been asked before?
I'd like to hear some new answers once in a while to freshly-posed questions.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
#15re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:29pmThis is so easy for me to answer. The first preview of Bring Back Birdie on Monday January 26, 1981.
#16re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:32pmI would love to see the original production of "Hello, Dolly" and Katherine Hepburn in "Coco".
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
#17re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:33pm
OK... I can't decide...
1. Opening night of "Dreamgirls" - that's a big DUH in my book
2. The first night Liza Minnelli stepped in for Gwen in "Chicago"
If only I had even been alive for either...
BwayLeadman
Broadway Star Joined: 9/29/04
#19re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:39pmI would have loved to see Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl.
Lome2
Stand-by Joined: 1/23/05
#20re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:47pmPorgy and Bess (Original Broadway Cast)
Color and Light
Broadway Star Joined: 10/23/05
#21re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:52pm
Porgy and Bess (Original Broadway Cast)
Oh, seconded.
Stop looking at my charisma.
Albin
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#22re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:52pm
I'd love to go back and see some of the legendary flops:
Carrie
Shogun the Musical
The Red Shoes
Legs Diamond
Nick & Nora
Updated On: 10/25/05 at 02:52 PM
#23re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 2:55pmI saw three of those shows, Albin.
Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson
cbreining2
Swing Joined: 9/18/04
#24re: A Broadway Time Machine...
Posted: 10/24/05 at 3:18pmI called my Mom & asked for her answer to this, since she can go back a lot further than I can...she said she would want to see something she already saw -- South Pacific with Ezio Pinza.
Videos