| A Chorus Line's dazzling night - and others | |
| Posted by: TheBroadwayMaven (DavidBenkof@gmail.com) 03:29 pm EST 12/29/22 | |
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| From this week's Broadway Maven Weekly Blast: A Chorus Line’s was one for the ages. On September 29, 1983, when the show broke Grease’s record to become the longest-running show on Broadway, the producers “cast” 332 dancers from Broadway companies past and present around the world. The performance included original cast members like Donna McKechnie and Priscilla Lopez as well as dancers from productions around the world. But the unforgettable part came with the final reprise of “One,” in which gold-clad dancers sang and danced down the aisles of every level of the theater, eventually ending up onstage together. It is said to have been a magical night. Here are some ways other shows observed their landmarks: • When Fiddler on the Roof played its 3,225th performance in June of 1972, 3,225 balloons were released over the audience, and the show’s creators were greeted with hearty applause. Tevyes from four productions around the world joined together to sing “Tradition.” • On December 8, 1979, Grease took the mantle from Fiddler, with its 3,243rd perfomance. Many past performers appeared, including John Travolta (who was Doody onstage and Danny in the movie); Olivia Newton-John (the film’s Sandy); Barry Bostwick (Danny onstage) and Adrienne Barbeau (Rizzo onstage). • CATS took the lead on June 19, 1997 with what The New York Times called “6,138 Lives.” When playgoers exited the theater, they were greeted with Klieg lights, bursts of confetti, pyrotechnic displays, and flowing champagne. Original cast members like Betty Buckley and Ken Page were present, and choreographer Gillian Lynne was chosen to come up on stage to dance with Rum Tum Tugger. During the final song, more than 100 CATS alumni rose at their seats to sing along. The evening ended with a surprise from Andrew Lloyd Webber: “Morgan, the Cat of the Door“ — a song he had written for the show that had been cut. • On January 9, 2006, it was The Phantom of the Opera’s turn. It celebrated its 7,486th chandelier crash with a symbolic passing of a baton from a woman dressed as a cat to the Phantom himself. The patrons enjoyed a silver cloud of confetti and balloons falling from the ceiling, followed by what else? A masked ball. |
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