TribLIVE: French fries and soft drinks aren't the only things that come super-sized.
If recent national touring shows are any indication, curtain calls are bigger and more lavish than ever.
Curtain calls have long been a familiar ending to live stage performances.
8 comments:
I love the last mention of curtain calls as "just another way of saying I love you." For me, I felt it would be unusual and unexpected to see a continuation of special performance rather than a regular curtain call. Although for some part, I would like the call to be stayed as it was, for other part, I thought it would be very intriguing and memorable experience for the audience as well as performers. When I went to Korea and watched a romance play, one of the casts delivered a flower with a gift to one of the audience and acted as if it was a part of the play. However, it turned out to be that instead of curtain call, they decided to have an event for audience who wants to propose, so that audience can fully interact together. This article reminded me that and I thought it would be great for audience to have another chance to relisten to music or to see some other spectacle event that the production prepared as a curtain call. Since all of plays that I went to watch ended with normal curtain calls, I want to see this kind of different, creative curtain call someday.
All of my experiences with seeing shows on Broadway in the past few years have involved these curtain calls that seem to never end- in a bad way. I have to disagree with some of the viewpoints taken in this article describing the curtain calls as something the audience greatly enjoys and sees as another final treat. I don't enjoy it, and usually the people around me get sick of it too. To have a long curtain call is inconsiderate of the audience. Yes, people are paying for the entertainment, and they are there to sit and be entertained, but let's say the show receives a standing ovation (which happens often on Broadway). If the curtain call is a full length Broadway musical number (let's say between 10 and 15 minutes) it's inconsiderate to expect an audience to clap almost straight through, or keep the standing ovation. Also, there is nothing wrong with having a 5 minute long curtain call for a large show, and then letting people leave. For the most part, it seems as though these long endings are a way to make people feel guilty about leaving after the show is "over" (though it seems to be a flexible definition currently), and make them stay through for an announcement about Broadway Cares in the hopes they'll donate money. I enjoy seeing shows on Broadway, but I hate when shows drag out the end, it puts an awkward twinge on the end of a (usually) good evening of theatre.
I must admit, I am definitely a big fan of lavish curtain calls. I love that second finale, that final goodbye that caps off a wonderful performances so nicely. It leaves me in such a good mood as I make my way out to my car, and makes me more likely to want to talk about the show I just saw and recommend it to everyone I know. Curtain calls truly are "just another way of saying I love you," and I agree that it seems as though they will never be outdated. They are a time-honored way of showing mutual appreciation that can happen only with live performances, and they are something we should cherish. However, it is also true that these lavish last number can be overdone and out of place, so the director must figure out what goes well with each different show so he doesn't ruin it by being too greedy with his ending.
I agree with what Kelly said in her post. One of my most vivid memories as a kid was the curtain call (and what followed) after seeing The Wedding Singer on Broadway with my mom and grandma. Not only did the cast have a brief post-show number, but there was another spectacle added to the performance. A man from the audience ran onto the stage, and was given a microphone. In front of the entire audience, the man called his girlfriend onstage and proposed to her. As a nine year old, I was in awe. The performance ended on such a sweet note, and indeed, made me feel almost guilty for leaving the theater. While having lavish curtain calls may prevent the audience from rushing out and leaving the actors still onstage, I do not think this is necessarily what directors are thinking when they incorporate these curtain calls into their productions.
Over time, the curtain call has turned from being a chance for the actors to thank the audience to a chance for the actors to bask in the praise of the audience. Bowing historically is known as a sign of respect, and as we are providing a service for a paying customer, it is more important for the audience to feel appreciated than the actors. I feel often times directors use drawn out curtain calls as a way to artificially demand praise. This often leads to disgruntled audience members who must sit through yet another reprise of a tired song. I hope directors think about what the original intention was behind the curtain call, and keep it to what it is really meant for: thanking the audience.
I agree with the anonymous poster. A curtain call is a way to thank your audience for coming to the show. If that thanks happens to include a short number to make them leave the theater on an upbeat and happy note, so be it. There's nothing wrong with a curtain call number as long as it is concise and within the realm of the play. Nothing bothers me more than a curtain call number that seems to have nothing to do with what the audience just saw on stage. It's great to bring the curtain call back into the world of the play and make it a continuation of the production. However, it should never become a production in and of itself.
I'm really torn about this issue, and I think the only answer I can come up with is that it depends entirely on the show. I think the point that Jess and Anonymous made is incredibly important. Yes, curtain call is the opportunity for the audience to applaud the performers but that is not its sole purpose. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a curtain call goes on for way too long, and the audience starts to become annoyed that they have to keep clapping. Granted, that is usually for less-than-stellar productions, but I think what's important is for the director and the company to know what would be appropriate for their specific show. Maybe that is an extra musical number, but maybe it's one simple bow and than an exit. I think that both of those are equally valid and equally as important curtain calls, but I sometimes feel like shows are moving too much in the direction of the big musical number when really, one bow would suffice.
As someone who has sung in many a choir concert and had to stand while the conductor comes back and take five, no...six, no...SEVEN bows, I can say that these lavish curtain calls would probably piss me off more than make me want to stay in my seat! I'd rather you end with a big finale and then let me applaud and scream and leap to my feat and let that carry you offstage than do that and then cut off my clapping to do more and then leave. Maybe I'll feel different when it's me as the soloist (hopefully) but right now, no thanks, dat ain't me.
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