Felicia's closing night experience. https://besprayed.runboard.com/t275 Runboard| Felicia's closing night experience. en-us Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:34:01 +0000 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:34:01 +0000 https://www.runboard.com/ rssfeeds_managingeditor@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds managing editor) rssfeeds_webmaster@runboard.com (Runboard.com RSS feeds webmaster) akBBS 60 Re: Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2653,from=rss#post2653https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2653,from=rss#post2653That was a great review, thanks!! I'm a huge Matthew Broderick fan but even I wouldn't have cared he was there! nondisclosed_email@example.com (missteenagehairspray62)Fri, 09 Jan 2009 03:41:49 +0000 Re: Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2649,from=rss#post2649https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2649,from=rss#post2649Great review! I am so upset I couldn't make the final performance, but it's great to hear about everyone else's experiences. I think it's great that so many alumni returned.nondisclosed_email@example.com (hairspraydude1962)Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:07:25 +0000 Re: Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2648,from=rss#post2648https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2648,from=rss#post2648Thank you so much! Amazing review! There were so many former members there!nondisclosed_email@example.com (With0utL0V3)Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:06:18 +0000 Re: Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2645,from=rss#post2645https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2645,from=rss#post2645I know I commented on WoO, but awesome review! nondisclosed_email@example.com (Dmrockon09)Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:39:08 +0000 Re: Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2643,from=rss#post2643https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2643,from=rss#post2643wow that was a great review! on one of Ryan's videos it shows Tucker (im assuming its the same Tucker mentioned in your review) standing outside with a poster signed by MJW! i was jealousss! anyway.. were there a lot of people trying to get pics with LBB and Kerry Bulter during intermission. if there were that many of my favorite broadway people in one room, i might pee in my pants! nondisclosed_email@example.com (MissBaltimoreCrabs)Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:23:49 +0000 Felicia's closing night experience.https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2639,from=rss#post2639https://besprayed.runboard.com/p2639,from=rss#post2639DRUMROLE PLEASE...... FELICIA'S LAST HAIRSPRAY REVIEW: Firstly, I would just like to mention ALL of the people I saw at the show, during intermission, before the show, after the show and ON stage with the current cast... Aaron Tveit (Link), Hayley Podschun (Tammy), Jacqui Polk (swing) , Chester Gregory (Seaweed), Caissie Levy (Penny), Andrew Rannels (Fender?), Michael Cunio (Corny/Sketch?), Shoshana Bean (OBC Shelley), Laura Bell Bundy (OBC Amber), Kerry Butler (OBC Penny), Leslie Goddard (Brenda), Shannon Durig (Tracy), Carly Jibson (Tracy), Katrina Diderson (Vegas TRacy), Hollis Scarborough (Vegas Brenda), Ashley Spencer (Amber), Van Hughes (Sketch), Katie Leonard (OBC LouAnn), Jackie Hoffman (OBC FAF), Leslie Kritzer (Shelley), Linda Hart (OBC Velma?) Michelle Kittrell (Brenda), Rusty Mowery (swing?), Jenn Gamby (OBC Brenda), Candice Woods (dynamite), Paul Vogt (Edna), George Wednt (Edna), Aubrey O'Day (Amber, snicker snicker sneer sneer). Those were all of the cast members I could IDENTIFY, but there were many more there as well. Some very important people that had to do with Hairspray: Margo Lion (producer), Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (lyrics&music), Jerry Mitchell (choreographer), Bernie Telsey (casting), Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell (book), Jack O'Brein (director), and William Ivey Long (costumes). and then randomly, I saw Matthew Broderick, who was apparently there with Sarah Jessica Parker...and movie director/choreographer Adam Shankman! Secondly, I had the pleasure of meeting and as I said, seeing many past cast members. Before the show I met Margo Lion and she asked how many times I have seen the show, I said today, the final, will be my 13th. She said "13 is my lucky number"..and that's how she signed my CD booklet! I met Kerry Butler (who I saw in Xanadu) pre show, she signed my CD booklet and we took a picture. I met Laura Bell Bundy (who I saw in Legally Blonde), she signed and took a picture with me as well. Both extreme sweethearts! I also met Judie Somersville (who was an OBC dynamite and stuck with the show for i think all of the 6.5 years...she may have had a few breaks inbetween?) and she was kind enough to sign my CD booklet as well. ACT 1: Good Morning Baltimore got a HUGE applause. HUGE. Thundering. Marissa got one, the ensemble got one as they were shown on their towers...or as i like to call them, shadow towers..since all you see is their shadows! Then when they made their actual entrance, even bigger applause. You could see on all of their faces they were taking the moment in. It was certainly different sitting up in center mezz (row F) than sitting in the front row! Out of the 13 times I have seen the show, this being my 13th, I have sat front row 10 times! The last time I sat any where but front row was on June 27, 2007. I have never sat in the mezz before either, so it was a fun experience! The seats were amazing. I was DEAD center. Huge applause for The Nicest Kids in Town entry. Niki came onstage and her line is "IM HURRING TRACY, BUT MY MOTHER SAYS IM NOT ALLOWED TO PERSPIRE"...she came onstage and got a ginormous applause and she choked up a little, hesitated a few seconds to say her line (due to the applause) and she looked like she was going to cry, but she held strong and got through it. No visible tears from anyone really until....Good Morning Baltimore reprise (in act 2), from Marissa Jaret Winokur. Harvey got a standing Ovation and stood there with his iron for a a good 3 minutes waiting for everyone to stop, he's such a goof ball..he was playing around with the iron and Susie was standing there with a 'alrighty' smile..but a funny 'alrighty' smile. After everyone was done with their entrances, the thunderous applauses sort of stopped until "Welcome To the Sixties". The Dynamites got a standing ovation, and I expected them to. I stood up because personally, they are my favorite part of that song. "Run and Tell that" also got many applauses. I was really happy because Niki delivered her line "imagine, being invited places by COLLOOOO-RRRRDDD PEOPLEEEEEEEE" exactly how I like it, lmao. Lately, she hasn't done it as funny as she use to, but she did it for closing..which made me happy. She basically carried out a funny tune while saying that line. Tevin was on FIRE. He has always been one of my favorite actors in that show. At the end of "Run and Tell That", he said something along the lines of "this is the last time im singing this, so you KNOW you better run and tell that. tell everyone you know, your mom, dad, sisters, brothers, EVERYONE to run and tell that". i was dying laughing, and so was everyone else, including the cast. Then a huge round of applause for Charlo's entrance as Motormouth. Nothnig else really to say about act 1. Everyone was on top of their game and I just had an absolute blast. INTERMISSION: I ran downstairs to meet up with my friend Tucker, who was stagedooring with me pre-show as well. We hung out all over the place, but mainly between right orchestra and center orchestra. WHY?..because ALL previous cast members were sitting in that area. During intermision I saw LBB, Kerry Butler, Matthew Broderick, Chester Gregory (got a picture with him), Caissie Levy, Shoshana Bean, Jacqui Polk, Shannon Durig (got a picture with her), Candice Woods, Jackie Hoffman, Jenn Gambetese, Marc Shaiman (got a picture with him), Michelle Kittrell, William Ivey Long, Marc O'Donnell, Rusty Mowery and a few others. Honestly, no one cared that SJP and Matthew Broderick were there, EVERYONE was interested in seeing the cast members, (Well, everyone that recognized them, that is). It was so much fun seeing everyone because they were excited to see eachother too! Hugs and kisses left and right..it was one big Hairspray family reunion and it was cool seeing it happen around you. Intermission was ending so I darted back up to my seat to begin act two! ACT 2: Curtain rises, an applause, of course! The cast was a hoot. Nothing major went on..I was still overwhelmed with intermission, yes, I'm a nerd and seriously had THEEE best time during intermission. How could I not with meeting so many of my favorite Broadway performers? During "Good Morning Baltimore" reprise Marissa Jaret Winokur started crying, which was very upsetting to see. Timeless to Me was of course hysterical. Harvey and Ken are probably the funniest pair I have ever seen. But, being at the show the previous Friday, and the previous Saturday, nothing was new to me. They did not do any thing over the top that I haven't seen done by them before. It was my 4th? time seeing Harvey. They were unforgettable though! I love how energetic Harvey is, seriously. He is brilliant. Without Love was nothnig over the top either. I mean, it seemed like any other show. Susie actually didn't get a big exit applause, which REALLY surprised me...maybe only a few people clapped..she deserved more. "It's Hairspray", nothing special with that either. Cooties was a hoot. Kate Loprest is by far one of my favorite Amber's ever. The BEST moment with her was with her and Clarke right before "It Takes Two", she laughs at something and clarke mimicks her "ha ha ha ha ha". It really is funny, but I guess you have to be there. They have done it before and it's just great. Connie got such a big entrance pplause for It Takes Two, that when Kate exits and screams "MOTHERRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" you could tell she tried screaming over the crowd, it was sort of funny...but anyway....Her Cooties was great, but basically, everyone was waiting for the BIG finale. You Can't Stop The Beat was one of the most powerful numbers that day. [side note: the orchestra blew the roof off. they were FANTASTIC. the loudest I have ever heard them. They were one of the best parts of the show. Seriously, I'm not a big fan of blonde..but..MAD PROPS to them. hah.] It was seriously one of the best numbers they have ever performed as a cast. When Marissa says "Television is now and forever more, officially integrated" she changed her line to "television, AND THE WHITE HOUSE...." ROARING APPLAUSE and a standing ovation!......"are now and forever more, OFFICIALLY INTEGRATED". Harvey got a juge applause on his final entrance and Charlo blew eveyrone away with her Solo. It's my favorite part of YCSTB. The applause at the end was REDICULOUS. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. You could tell, from the start of the show that EVERYONE there was there to see their favorite show go. Marissa invited the entire Hairspray family up to dance "You Can't Stop The Beat" and thats when I realized just how many people have been a part of this wonderful show. It was by far the greatest part of the night. Harvey's speech brought tears to many, but not to me. I think I was just overwhelmed with everything, just..flat out, excited to be a part of this historical closing. I was Honored to be a "Hair Hopper". During curtain call, the swing members who did not get to go on for the final show came onstage and took their final bows with the cast. Summer Broyhill, Nicole Powell, Lauren Kling, Annie Funke and Marissa Perry took their bows with the ensemble girls, and Ryan Chotto, Robbie Roby, Blake Hammond and Matt Morgan took their final bows with the ensemble boys. Marissa Jaret Winokur brought her son Zev onstage and OH MY GOD is he the cutest! I have seen him on Ryan's blog before but holy crap is he cute! haha. I'm sure you have all seen the pictures by now of his adorable white tux and pink bowtie. ack, so cute! lol. That's about all I have to say about the show itself. Well done, and I am SOOOO VERY GRATEFUL I was able to be at closing. It was great closure for me, as a fan to have been there. Hairspray is, and will always be, my favorite BRoadway show. I won't Stop The Beat! STAGEDOOR MADNESS: not nearly as bad as Laura Bell Bundy's last (dont get me started about that, hah) but considering it was the LAST show, it was insane. The crowd was out to the street. Mostly EVERYONE came out and signed. I FINALLY got to meet Shoshana Bean. Kerry Butler tried to escape, btu was obviously recognized, hah. Everyone looked very handsome and gorgeous because they were all done up for the party! It was certainly a night I will never forget. Thank you Hairspray for..everything. I hope you all enjoyed my review, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!nondisclosed_email@example.com (HaylieDuffFan)Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:01:51 +0000