GROUNDHOG DAY APPRECIATION THREAD- Page 5

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 6:21pm

I' m late to the party for, although having bought tickets months ago, I only arrived in NYC this week. And so, I saw GHD for the first time on Thursday -- and just got back from seeing it a second time at today's matinee. I simply could not accept not seeing this wonderful, funny, quirky, moving work again before it left. (My thanks to whatever kind soul put up almost all of Center Orch, Row C on StubHub for $88 per ticket. Best. Deal. Ever.)

I'm completely verklempt at the moment, however. This 2nd viewing hit me like a ton of bricks. It started with "Playing Nancy". Suddenly, on the eve of its closing,  the lyrics took on a whole 'nother dimension. And so it went throughout the 2nd act, as one song after another took on greater resonance. By the time we got to the final "Tomorrow, there will be sun / And if not tomorrow / Perhaps the day after", I was on the verge of completely losing it.

How in the world are the cast going to hold it together tomorrow? 

 

[BOM]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 7:13pm

I'll be at the show tomorrow. It will be my 5th time seeing the show. Got free tickets to the first preview and then free tickets for the following weekend. This show deserved such a better run. Truly sad that it's closing tomorrow.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 7:27pm

Will anyone be at the final show tomorrow? I will be there and would love to meet some BWW'ers although I know it's a busy day with Bandstand also closing.

[lm121362]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 10:46pm

The "day" where Phil acts like he just doesn't care and there are no consequences is HILARIOUS. Andy Karl slays this show. He had me laughing tears both times I saw it. This show deserved a much longer run. I loved it.

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 10:53pm

I'll be there tomorrow with bells on. I think this will be one of the most beautiful closing performances.

[Kitsune]

Posted: 9/16/17 at 11:53pm

I am tragically thousands of miles away in California right now.  (Adulting: Sometimes it's great, and sometimes it means you can't skip work or spend money you don't have to do these kind of things )

 

I'm sad this show is closing, but incredibly grateful that I was able to see it.

For those of you who are going tomorrow, I am waiting on your final show reports with bated breath!!!!

[Crazy NooNooHead]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 12:15am

I will also be at the final performance and would love to meet some fellow BWW-ers if possible. I'll be wearing my "That's right, woodchuck chuckers" shirt, holding my groundhog, and most likely crying. Feel free to say hi...or to avoid my emotions at all costs.

[NYfanfromCA]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 12:43am

I flew out from California this weekend to see this show before it closed.  Saw it Friday night and loved it so much.  Saw it again at today's matinee and loved it even more.  I was thinking about seeing it a third time tonight, but already had a ticket to another show.  Andy Karl is perfect and the whole cast is great.  I did stage door for the first time ever and waited an hour for everyone to come out.  They were all generous with their time and Andy was so gracious and talked with us and we took photos.  Can't believe I won't be able to see this again.  Really wish it wasn't closing.

[Margo319]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 3:52pm

This show.  How strongly I will miss it.  What a wonderful message, and the acting?  My God, everyone on that stage acted their asses off in those cute winter clothes.  Andy posted a beautiful message on Instagram and I totally agree with him when he said "I'm wondering if it's almost too complex for a typical musical theater audience to digest".  Too many don't want to root for the leading man if he's an asshole.  People just didn't get it I guess.  This show was awesome and I'm so happy I got to see if again and again and again.  I hope Andy doesn't give up on musical theater, he is one of the best leading men the Broadway community has.  I hope everyone who went today had the BEST TIME!!!!  <3

Updated On: 9/17/17 at 03:52 PM

[MinervaMoon]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 4:36pm

For anyone who cares about such things, John Cleese is at this performance. Intermission now. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 6:02pm

Leaving now and can post more later if necessary. A gorgeous performance with an enthusiastic audience (there were three standing ovations during the show: after “Nobody Cares,” “Hope,” and I’m forgetting the third). Andy was very emotional during “Seeing You" (as was I).

No speeches at curtain call, just lots of tears on stage, with Andy being a trooper and rallying the whole crew out onto the stage before picking up the snow on the ground and throwing it at everybody and into the audience. I caught Tim Minchin crying very hard in the orchestra as people started walking out.

I will miss this show very, very, very much.

Updated On: 9/17/17 at 06:02 PM

[greenifyme2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 6:06pm

So sad I couldn't be there. Bummed to hear no speeches=no videos. What a shame this closed. Would love to hear more from anyone who went today.

[marcor]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 6:43pm

I think the third big standing ovation was during if I had my time again. Then you could hear a lot of sobbing from the audience once 'seeing you' started. And indeed andy had a long pause and got very emotional before 'i'm here.' Such a great show that deserved much longer run. Wishing all the best to the cast and crew!

[mgldan]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 7:12pm

Anyone else who went to the finale? Would love to hear more about it. I saw the show once in May and again in August, before they announced the closing.

I wanted to be there, but couldn't make it work financially this week. I would have been loud and enthusiastic.

[BOM]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 7:32pm

What an incredible final performance. The audience went nuts after almost ever number. Really wish they made a speech, but the curtain call was sweet. Andy Karl started throwing fake snow at fellow actors and the audience. GHD is one of my favorite shows from this season and I'm so sad to see it go. The entire cast worked their asses off. This show deserved so much better. Was gonna stage door, but that line was insane. Glad to hear that fellow posters were in attendance tonight. 

[acekatherineplumber2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 7:58pm

I was there this afternoon. My first time seeing the show and I thought it was lovely. And I've seen Andy in a number of shows and this was his most commanding performance yet. Broadway is really losing two gems in Bandstand and GHD today.

[Malka2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 10:05pm

Today was my 5th time seeing the show, and wow, what a performance. Every single cast member left everything on the stage. The energy and emotion was absolutely beyond. Three standing ovations - each VERY well deserved - it felt like we were applauding not just today's number, but for every time they did that song over the past months. 

During "Nobody Cares" when Phil mopes in the car, "Get a job! Get a better job!" Andy replaced it with "Get a job! Cuz we're all gonna need a job!" which brought the house down. 

There was also massive applause after a few iconic lines - "Suck my balls, I'm out!" - and "Not willingly". Another way that tonight felt like a tribute to the entire run, as opposed to a single, happens-to-be-the-last-show performance. I mean, after "Nobody Cares", that standing ovation just went ON and ON and ON and ON while Andy, Andrew & Ralph were laughing over something I missed. 

Orfeh was in the audience, next to Samantha Barks (who I completely fangirled over), and Jordan Roth was in center orchestra too. 

Andy audibly choked up during the opening lines of "Seeing You". I had tears streaming down my face throughout that song. 

Can't really put into words how it felt to be there... it was a real "The Room Where It Happened" feeling.

Almost every single cast member came down the autograph line, I told each one how much the ensemble makes this show, that this show is not about leads, each cast member is so incredibly talented and wonderful.

I was over the moon to get to meet Tim Minchin and tell him how much this show impacted me and changed my perspective on life, and challenges, and tomorrows, and today - that even though the show wasn't a financial success, in terms of touching people's lives it's an incredibly powerful success. Really glad I got the chance to tell him that, and to tell Andy that his work in GHD and Rocky "lives on" in the impact on people's lives, box office be damned.

I had a lengthy discussion with my line-mates about what to ask Andy to write in my Playbill - I went with "Champions Adjust" the first time I stage doored which was a no-brainer, this being the closing I was tempted to go with "Suck my balls, I'm out!" or the more cruelly witty "Chance of departure: 100%". I ended up choosing my favorite lyric - "But I'm here, and I'm fine" which I felt suited the occasion as well.

Can't believe GHD has closed... and Bandstand, and the insanely brilliant British cast/creators of the Play That Goes Wrong concluded their run, all on the same day. Pass the bourbon, Ralph!

[BOM]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 10:18pm

^ Was Tim there today? I'm a huge fan and will be extremely disappointed if I missed my opportunity to meet him. 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 10:26pm

BOM said: "^ Was Tim there today? I'm a huge fan and will be extremely disappointed if I missed my opportunity to meet him."

He was indeed. After curtain call, I saw him exiting the orchestra looking rather distraught and crying.

[Timothy Davis]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 10:32pm

Yes Tim was there in the Center Orchestra and came out of the stage door to sign. He happened to be one row behind me in orchestra. Barrett's mom was two seats from me and we had a wonderful conversation. Orfeh was also two rows in front of me, and I'm pissed I didn't realize that was Samantha Barks, I knew I recognized her from somewhere. 

[BOM]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 10:35pm

Im kicking myself now for not doing the stage door. That's so cool that you sat that close to him. 

[Malka2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 11:17pm

BroadwayConcierge said: "BOM said: "^ Was Tim there today? I'm a huge fan and will be extremely disappointed if I missed my opportunity to meet him."

He was indeed. After curtain call, I saw him exiting the orchestralooking ratherdistraught and crying."

Oy this breaks my heart. Can't imagine how stressful and distressing this whole run has been for him. Glad I got to give him a hug <3

[Malka2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 11:18pm

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZKtu95lv1D/?taken-by=malka_bklyn

A few of my pics from today. Loved the impromptu snowball fight :)

Updated On: 9/17/17 at 11:18 PM

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 11:42pm

I was there and I did take a video of the curtain call which I will upload later. I had a later show to catch (Anastasia - awful; will write more about that later) but what an incredible send-off. There were three standing ovations -- one after "Nobody Cares," another after "Hope," and I think a final one after "Philanthropy." Andy ad-libbed a line in "Nobody Cares" about how they're all going to need a job tomorrow which brought down the house. The curtain calls had no speeches, but a lot of crying cast members. A few stayed and took a picture with their smartphones of the audience. 

Stage door was fun. The whole cast was great; Andrew Call said he's going to Chicago. Tim Minchin came out and said he was done with Broadway. Andy and Barrett came out and were so sweet. So sad to see this show go. 

[Kitsune]

Posted: 9/17/17 at 11:49pm

poisonivy2 said: "I was there and I did take a video of the curtain call which I will upload later. I had a later show to catch (Anastasia - awful; will write more about that later) but what an incredible send-off. There were three standing ovations -- one after "Nobody Cares," another after "Hope," and I think a final one after "Philanthropy." Andy ad-libbed a line in "Nobody Cares" about how they're all going to need a job tomorrow which brought down the house. The curtain calls had no speeches, but a lot of crying cast members. A few stayed and took a picture with their smartphones of the audience.

Stage door was fun. The whole cast was great; Andrew Call said he's going to Chicago. Tim Minchin came out and said he was done with Broadway. Andy and Barrett came out and were so sweet. So sad to see this show go."

When Andrew Call said he's going to Chicago, do you mean the show or the city? (If he already has another job booked, then that's wonderful!  And if he's just moving cities, then best of luck to him <3)