Random Thoughts: Curtain Calls

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 7/14/17 at 10:01pm

I love curtain calls, particularly for musicals. I'm also interested to see the staging, which actors come on in groups, couples, singly, etc. I assume there are Equity rules for the order of actors, ensemble in groups, stars by themselves. Depending on the show, interesting to see which actor gets the final spot, particularly if a larger name/veteran is in a supporting role but the "star" is a newcomer or unknown.

I always like the music that's played, usually reorchestrations of a prominent theme or themes. I WISH more recordings would include the curtain call and exit music. To me that is the full listening experience. Similarly at the movies, I always stay seated until the very last credit, as the "any similarly to living or dead" text and copyright line crawl up the screen. At live theater, depending on where I'm seated and if it is not too disruptive I'll stand by the pit and applaud the orchestra after the exit music.

Sometimes curtain calls are overindulgent and a bit much. I'd put the recent Sunset Boulevard CC in that category. Clocked in at about 3 minutes with multiple entrances. Yeah, I get it, it's Glenn f'ing Close reprising one of her most well known roles. But a little much for me. Nice to see Kristen Blodgett get acknowledged. Any CC's you thought were too much, tried too hard, or didn't give actors appropriate due?  

Pet Peeves: Yes, yes, the now-obligatory standing O. Not on Broadway, but at a regional performance of Spamalot, a few audience members wildly leapt to their feet as the lights went out on the finale and before the CC had even started! Quickest SO I'd ever seen. 

Actors clapping for other actors or for the audience. I know, it's one big love fest, and I'm certainly not a curmudgeon, but let us, the audience, applaud YOU, the actors. You don't need to applaud for us (in my opinion). 

And one last peeve ... something that seems to be written into nearly every CC today ... one last verse or chorus of a number from the show. It's not necessary. Isn't the adage in show business, "Leave 'em wanting more."? 

[Tag]

Posted: 7/14/17 at 10:12pm

There are no Equity rules regarding the order.  It's usually at the director's discretion, maybe in consultation with the producer.  It's possible that a star or leading performer could negotiate in their contract when they appear in that order.

Updated On: 7/15/17 at 10:12 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/14/17 at 10:29pm

I LOVE the curtain call and exit music too, it gives the orchestra and orchestrations a chance to shine especially in shows where there's no overture/entr'acte.

As for order, I know my one actor friend has felt slighted more than once due to questionable order.

[zainmax]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 12:09am

I would also like for the curtain call and exit music to be recorded. In the event that there is no business reason for their exclusion (i.e., higher costs or limited disc space), I think that it might be about customs.

[hork]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 12:16am

I like curtain calls for shows I loved, hate them for shows I disliked. With the latter, I just want to get out of there, but I feel trapped. The worst is when it's a bad show and then after the curtain call they sing another number. I saw a regional production of Mary Poppins last week, and after this already excruciating, interminable show (clocking in at nearly three hours, and they were rushing), they did the curtain call and I thought, Finally, I can leave, but then they broke out into "Supercalifvckinshyt..." again! And it was unbearable the first time! And I was in the middle of a row, so I couldn't just leave. Why were they doing this to me? Why?! Please, let me go home, PLEASE!

Updated On: 7/15/17 at 12:16 AM

[BroadwayMan5]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 12:53am

I totally agree with you. Love curtain calls & exit music but can't stand more singing after the curtain call or clapping for each other. Also, I get why they do it, but I feel a bit cheated when the entire cast bows at once like in Hamilton and Fun Home. I like the individual bows for the leads.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 1:18am

Personally, as an actor, I like the quick company bow and goodbye. Most curtain calls for a bit indulgent. I'm in a production of "Shrek the Musical" and the curtain isn't super long, but then we break out into "I'm a Believer" and you can tell most of the audience isn't into it or wants to go or whatever. It just doesn't feel needed. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 7:19am

I also agree that the post CC encore SUCKS. Especially when I've been forced to standing O. If you're gonna sing for 2 more minutes I'm inclined to dig back down, which is dumb but I don't wanna stand for so long...

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 7:33am

How is one forced into a standing o?  If I don't want to stand up, I don't.   Don't care if I can or can't see what's happening. 

 

That being said. I don't mind an encore song...IF I've enjoyed the show.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 8:06am

I very much admired the extremely understated curtain call for Next to Normal. It fit the size and style of the show - particularly the fact that it was a true ensemble piece.

On the other hand, one of my favorite shows of the millennium has one of my least favorite curtain call sequences. That would be American Idiot, which featured a treacly full-cast rendition of "Good Riddance" that clashed with the show that preceded it in a big way. The song wasn't there when I saw it in previews, and it really annoyed me when they added it.

[10086Sundays]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 11:29am

I love fun curtain calls that are more than just bows, but it does depend on the show, not every show needs it.  Add me as another that would like it if the curtain call/exit music were included on cast recordings.

That being said I agree with, hork, if I liked the show, I'll enjoy the curtain call, no matter how long, but if I didn't enjoy it, just let me get out of there.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 12:47pm

Obviously, a curtain call is the audience's instant feedback on the performance they have just attended.  There are two things I hate about the evolution of curtain calls:

1.  The SO.  People start to stand for Joe Blow who had a decent number in Act 1.  Give me a break.  50 years ago Robert Preston and Mary Martin did not get a SO on opening night of I Do! I Do!  I was there, and a little surprised...the entire cast of 2 was theatre royalty, the audience had loved the show, opening night.  Still no.  That is because they (SOs) were very rare.  A month ago, I saw 9 shows in 6 days.  Every single show got an SO.  The audience was fully standing long before Bette Midler took her bow or Ben Platt took his or Laura Linney took hers.  You get the idea.  This stand for anything has cheapened the whole experience.  If I want to see the stage, I am forced to stand.  This is not about laziness, this is about cheapening the experience.  I have never been a performer, so I don't know what they think.  Maybe they love them.  I'll bet they'd love them more if they were rarer and really deserved.

2.  This single bow for the entire cast is silly.  It deprives the audience of acknowledging individual performances and the performers of being individually recognized for their hard work.  The stupidest was for Hamilton.  Eliza takes a bow and then Alexander.  No one else in the then heavily awarded cast gets an individual or even partnered bow.  Not (then) Tony Award winner Renee, not Tony Award winner Daveed, not Tony Award winner `Leslie.  Even for Hamilton, as loud as the applause were, they were still muted because the audience was not given the opportunity to acknowledge individuals.  (And why was Eliza singled out, because her best moment was at the very end of the show? because she was representing the females of the case? some other reason?  It never made sense to me.  Same thing with Oslo, Doll's House (Didn't Laurie Metcalfe deserve to take her own bow?  She was on stage every minute (and won a Tony), whereas Chris Cooper and Condola Rashad may have been on-stage for 15 minutes (I could be remembering wrong, but I also timed the actual playlet, and it lasted 78 minutes at the performance I attended).  Come From Away I can at least understand, but everyone in the Chicago cast gets his / her own bow...why not CFA.  The casts are probably pretty similarly sized.

Updated On: 7/15/17 at 12:47 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 1:00pm

Well, not every show IS the same, and I'm glad that CCs aren't cookies cutter.   The director & producers have their reasons and I'm sure the cast knows/understands exactly why they are the way they are.  With few exceptions, I'm sure they don't care all that much.  After all, they do it 8 times a week, hopefully for many weeks running.

 

I do agree with a lot of what you say about standing ovations, they are TOTALLY overdone on bway.  They mean very little.  In fact, the opposite is true: if musicals DON'T get one, it seems a smack in the face.  I do see play goers show much more restraint giving them then do musicals.

 

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 1:02pm

I love a good curtain call.   Any favorites with video clips?

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 1:15pm

kdogg36 said: "The song wasn't there when I saw it in previews, and it really annoyed me when they added it."

There was always a song. Originally it was When It's Time. 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 1:18pm

dramamama611 said: "Well, not every show IS the same, and I'm glad that CCs aren't cookies cutter.   The director & producers have their reasons and I'm sure the cast knows/understands exactly why they are the way they are.  With few exceptions, I'm sure they don't care all that much.  After all, they do it 8 times a week, hopefully for many weeks running.

 

I do agree with a lot of what you say about standing ovations, they are TOTALLY overdone on bway.  They mean very little.  In fact, the opposite is true: if musicals DON'T get one, it seems a smack in the face.  I do see play goers show much more restraint giving them then do musicals.

 

 

Do you think the Hamilton curtain call makes any sense of ADHP2.

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:12pm

As an actor, I hated them. I mean, you know whether the audience is enjoying your work throughout the evening. The curtain calls seemed to be asking them to give even more of their time and approval.

Then there were those turkeys I was in where I wanted to crawl out the back door rather than face the audience one more time during curtain calls!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:17pm

Thinking of the high school production of WEST SIDE STORY I directed many years ago: the cast voted not to take bows at the end. The production ended with Tony's body being carried through the audience and out into the parking lot. The cast didn't want to ruin the mood. There was rapt silence as the audience departed. Gives me goosebumps to this day.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:33pm

I agree that there are a few shows where it feels wrong to have a curtain call (or where the absence might be used to good dramatic effect) but it is also important to understand that the curtain call is not for the actors; it's for the audience. So for actors to say they don't want a curtain call is like Hamlet saying I don't want to kill Polonius tonight. 

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:37pm

Jarethan said:"Do you think the Hamilton curtain call makes any sense of ADHP2.

"

I'm sorry, I truly don't understand your question.

 

 

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:39pm

Bette's Turban said: "I love a good curtain call.   Any favorites with video clips?"

I love the Great Comet one a bunch. They do a medley of all the main characters' solo songs when they take their bows, and different lighting cues for each character (my favorite is Sonya's, where they play Sonya Alone and turn off every light except a single lightbulb when she bows). They posted a recording of the music on their YT page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW3VrwBUDOk. It also ends with the "Goodbye my gypsy lovers" melody, which I think is funny. 

There's also a video of it from Josh Groban's last show, but it cuts off some of the ensemble members' bows, which is a shame because they each do something special as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXu5B-o3veA

Updated On: 7/15/17 at 02:39 PM

[hork]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:40pm

HogansHero said:  it is also important to understand that the curtain call is not for the actors; it's for the audience.

Oh, well, in that case, thanks, but I don't need it or want it.

[PatrickDC]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 2:42pm

I like the revival CHICAGO CC, mainly because the music is so up tempo and it fits the mood after the girl's triumphant pairing and final number. Fun the way the conductor names the actors and the actors do a quick individual pose center stage. And Roxie and Velma descending on the lift is a unique touch. The CC sends the audience out in a good upbeat mood. 

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 3:39pm

I LOATH it when the audience claps along with the CC music. A performers' applause is lost amongst the noise except if they are the lead. Bow without music then cue music for final bow, curtain falls, then music continues for audience exit.

Doesn't spoilt my enjoyment of the show-just pisses me off.

and yes--I want everything MY way.....thanks.

[mc1227]

Posted: 7/15/17 at 3:41pm

PatrickDC said: "I love curtain calls, particularly for musicals. I'm also interested to see the staging, which actors come on in groups, couples, singly, etc. I assume there are Equity rules for the order of actors, ensemble in groups, stars by themselves. Depending on the show, interesting to see which actor gets the final spot, particularly if a larger name/veteran is in a supporting role but the "star" is 

Sometimes curtain calls are overindulgent and a bit much. I'd put the recent Sunset Boulevard CC in that category. Clocked in at about 3 minutes with multiple entrances. Yeah, I get it, it's Glenn f'ing Close reprising one of her most well known roles. But a little much for me. Nice to see Kristen Blodgett get acknowledged. Any CC's you thought were too much, tried too hard, or didn't give actors appropriate due?  

The standing ovations at Sunset Boulevard were very thrilling to me.  I had never seen a production where there was a 3 minute standing O after a song during the show and then 3 curtain calls at the end, each one louder than the first.  It was certainly the most iconic performance I had ever seen on stage and for me, it was well deserved.  That being said, in comparison, the standing ovations at a show like Groundhog Day seems trivial, even though I was entertained, I did not stand since it wasn't that type of show or performance to me.  I'm sure many others feel differently but I feel standing ovations should occur when the show and performers are above exceptional.  However above exceptional is certainly subjective, so that's why we see as many SO nowadays.  

 

"