What performers have received entrance applauses at the beginning of Bway shows?
From my experiences, Idina Menzel got a 30s entrance applause when I saw her in If/Then in January, so much so that she cut the audience off and start the show!
Another one that's pretty common is the actress playing Elphaba usually gets one. I saw Wicked in March and Christine Dwyer got one.
So what shows and performers have you seen where this happened?
I see a lot of Elphaba's that get entrance applause. The music that accompanies her entrance does sort of encourage it though. Occasionally the Wizard and G(a)linda too.
Idina got quite a long entrance applause when I was at If/Then too.
One of the young girls who plays Matilda did at a performance I went to. I've heard of Miss Trunchbull getting applause too.
Alan Cumming and Emma Stone both did when I saw Cabaret. That is unsurprising though.
- Kelli O'Hara (Bridges of Madison County and The King and I)
- Nathan Lane (It's Only a Play)
- Matthew Broderick (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
- Jane Lynch (Annie)
- Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury (A Little Night Music)
Some others often happens after the performers win Tony's for their respective roles (not that they are not more deserving), for example, off the top of my head:
Patina Miller got entrance applause at both of the performances I saw that occurred before the Tony's. So did Andrea Martin, Terry Mann, and to a lesser extent, Charolette D'Amboise.
Interesting exchange from a recent Hollywood Reporter roundtable interview with Tony-nominated actresses:
Entrance applause: Yes or no? Do you like it?
Carey Mulligan: No. Hate it. Hate it. Terrible thing.
Helen Mirren: No! It's terrible.
Kristin Chenoweth: Now, Chita and I— [laughs]
Kelli O'Hara: I like it in a musical — if it's choreographed in. Because if you don't get it? Really awkward! [laughs] But in a play like last year? [Bridges was a dramatic musical.] No!
Nobody should ever get entrance applause. It's crass and breaks the illusion that the actors are trying to build.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Entrance applause seems to be a Broadway thing. One seldom experiences it in Toronto. Although I do recall Kim Cattrall getting entrance applause when she starred in Private Lives at the Royal Alex opposite Paul Gross.
I thought this interesting because I associate Broadway entrance applause with legendary stars who have made many noteworthy appearances on the Broadway stage (for example, Bernadette Peters or Nathan Lane) and were being recognized for a lifetime of work. But Cattrall seemed to be getting entrance applause for her TV stardom and for the fact that she was making a rare appearance on the Toronto stage.
Coach Bob knew it all along: you've got to get obsessed and stay obsessed. You have to keep passing the open windows. (John Irving, The Hotel New Hampshire)
In CHAPLIN, after Rob McClure hits the first stance as the Tramp, following his discovery of the character, the audience responded rather enthusiastically both times I saw it. That always stuck out in my mind.
I feel like nowadays, with all the celebrities on Broadway, I think there is entrance applause more often than not. To name all of them would be to just name the celebrities I've seen on Broadway (with some exceptions).
I think it can be fun if it's choreographed in, like others have said.