I saw the show in DC (all the original cast) and again later in the year in NY, both with no intermission. My Understanding is that when the show played London the concessionaire's union forced the intermission, and when the production team saw it worked, they added it to the Broadway production. The first production I did, the intermission was after the 'He Plays the Violin' reprise, so that Act II opened with the top of scene five (Thomson's listing of the various committees of Cingress). That balanced the playing time of the acts better.
Re: intermission info announcements -- La Mancha's was "Ladies and gentlemen, Man of La Mancha is performed without intermission. If you need to speak to your babysitter, you should do it now. The telephones are located in the lower lobby, next to the restrooms" |
