217 posts
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Post by zsazsa on Jan 5, 2017 11:42:09 GMT
What were your theatrical firsts?
First theatrical experience: Aladdin, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, 1989 (Age 6)
First musical (Amateur): Calamity Jane, Lochaber Showstoppers, Nevis Centre, Fort William, 1995 (Age 11)
First musical (Professional): The Phantom Of The Opera, Edinburgh Playhouse, 1998, (Age 13)
First onstage appearance: A mouse in Puss In Boots, Lochaber Showstoppers, Nevis Centre, Fort William, 1995 (Age 12)
First Role: Enoch Snow Jnr. in Carousel, Lochaber Showstoppers, Nevis Centre, 1999 (Age 14)
First West End Show: Starlight Express, Apollo Victoria, 2000 (Age 17)
First Broadway Show: The King And I, Lincoln Center, 2015 (Age 32)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 11:54:03 GMT
Ooh fun!
First Theatrical Experience: I remember seeing Robinson Crusoe at the New Theatre Cardiff as a kid...probably early 90s?
First 'grown up' theatre/First West End Show: What the Night is For, Comedy Theatre, London, 2002
First Musical/First Broadway show: The Boy From Oz, Imperial theatre, NY, 2003 (2004?)
First onstage appearance: I'm guessing some kind of dance performance, I remember being a mouse when I was about 5.
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2,702 posts
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Post by viserys on Jan 5, 2017 12:06:52 GMT
Fun indeed! First theatrical experience: Some child-friendly christmas play at the local theatre, can't remember what it was though. I wanna say Aladdin or Sinbad or something similarly 1001 Night-themed... First musical (Amateur): I live in an AmDram wasteland. My first/only decent amateur production I saw in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was "The Music Man" First musical (Professional): Oklahoma! at Discoveryland Tulsa. First onstage appearance: Does the nativity play at the local church count? First Role: An Angel First West End Show: Starlight Express, Apollo Victoria (I wanna say... 1990?) First Broadway Show: The very first was Carousel at the Vivian Beaumont (1993)
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Post by Jan on Jan 5, 2017 12:38:44 GMT
Alastair Sim playing Hook/Darling in Peter Pan. Circa 1965.
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170 posts
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Post by jess173 on Jan 5, 2017 13:11:54 GMT
First musical: Starlight Express in Bochum ca 1998 First Broadway musical: The Lion King in 2002 First West End musical: Wicked in 2008 I didn't really perform in anything yet. But I was dragged on stage at Priscilla once...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 14:48:31 GMT
First West End play: Noises Off (Savoy, 1986)
First West End musical: 42nd Street (Drury Lane, 1986)
First foreign-language musical: A Little Night Music (in Flemish) (Theater 't Eilandje, Antwerp, 2001) (foreign to me, not to them)
First performance on stage: A ten-second spot in a deservedly-forgotten school play. Doubles as my last performance.
First injury on stage (as crew): Running into the end of a flat in the dark and falling over on the edge of a wooden step. Still have the scar.
First theatrical crush: Barbara King (1986)
First performer I met: My mother (age -0.73) (my age, not hers) (obviously)
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617 posts
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Post by loureviews on Jan 5, 2017 15:20:14 GMT
First theatrical experience: Must have been the local church panto; if we are talking professional, something at Oldham Coliseum in around 1977 First musical (Amateur): Mack and Mabel, Grand Theatre, Leeds, 2000 First musical (Professional): Charlie Girl, Manchester Opera House, 1987 First onstage appearance: performer in Multiversity, Sheffield Showroom Cinema, 2005 First West End Show: Miss Saigon, original cast, Drury Lane, 1989
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 15:21:21 GMT
First West End Musical: Wicked (2011) First West End Play: Curious Incident (2013) - Night before Apollo Collapse - First Professional Role: Pantomime: Happy in Snow White (2004) First Musical Theatre Role: Babyface in Bugsy Malone (2005) First On-Stage Mishap: Snow White: Fell over during the Curtain Call, the mascot head I was wearing fell off into the lap of a mother in the front row: cue children screaming. (2004) First Emergency Casting: Peter Pan: Cast as one of the Lost Boys, day of the first performance, they remembered they had forgotten to tell myself and my friend George we would be playing the brothers of Wendy too. So we had an hour to learn the lines. Luckily this production only had Wendy go to Neverland, so we only had to do the first two scenes as the brothers, then we went back into Lost Boys, then for the final scene, we changed back into the brothers again. It meant an additional two costumes and an additional three costume changes, one of which had to be done in under a minute. We pulled it off though, and we had our own bit in the programme as the Brothers/Lost Boys already printed and we even got to have a seperate bow because of it. That was a special experience. Almost sounds very amateur, but this was actually a hugely successful pantomime company who shall remain nameless. (2005)
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2,041 posts
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 5, 2017 15:36:32 GMT
First theatrical experience: Snow White, some children's theatre in the early '80s
First musical (Amateur): Annie, Diablo Light Opera Company, Walnut Creek, California (a real company; it has a different name now), early '80s
First musical (Professional): Miss Saigon 1st national US tour, Los Angeles 1995
First onstage appearance: never
First Role: I had one line in a classroom production of The Emperor's New Clothes in second grade, but I was sick the day of the show!
First West End Show: Jersey Boys, 2009
First Broadway Show: Les Miz, 2007
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1,320 posts
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Post by londonmzfitz on Jan 5, 2017 15:41:23 GMT
First theatrical introduction would be Aladdin with Cilla Black at The London Palladium. There's a poster on the wall at the Palladium of it ..
First Play - Shakespeare O Level (exams, for you young'uns); The Taming of the Shrew, with Susan Hampshire as Katherine and Nicky Henson at Petruchio. 5 November 1974. I may still have the ticket.
First Musical - can't remember if it was Yakety Yak at the Astoria (Darts and the McGann brothers) - with chicken and chips in a plastic basket at your table, as I recall). But more likely Pirates of Penzance with Tim Curry, Michael Praed, George Cole and gawd help us Pamela Stephenson. Edited out the youtube clip, sorry mods, but go and see it! Now! Pirates of Penzance Royal Performance 1982. Sheer heaven.
First Broadway musical - Spamalot in the first preview week. Tim Curry again. Love that man.
I've danced on the stage at the London Palladium and the Palace Theatre. Well, I paid for a tour of the Palladium, this was during the Wizard of Oz production, me and my pal did jazz hands and twirly hips. The Palace Theatre I won a backstage tour and me and same pal did same thing.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 16:25:57 GMT
First theatrical experience: The Wizard of Oz, Grand Opera House, Belfast 1997 Age 5
First musical (Amateur): The Wizard of Oz (again), Ulster Theatre Company at Waterfront Hall, Belfast 2000 (Fun Fact, Zoe Rainey was Dorothy) Age 8
First musical (Professional): Joseph, Grand Opera House, Belfast 2003 Age 11
First West End (Musical): Mary Poppins, Prince Edward Theatre, 7th December 2004 (2nd Preview) Age 12
First and Last Role: Narrator in Joseph, High School 2008, Age 15 (I didn't even tell my parents I had got a part, they thought I had to be there every night because the prefects had to be, and then the surprise was when they got tickets to see it on the last night without telling me, because my cousin was in it as well, last thing I remember is looking at my phone before going on and seeing a text from my mum saying "where are you", about 1 minute before starting I replied "SURPRISE!", and there I was on stage singing the prologue, with my phone still in my hand, managed to casually throw it off stage for someone to catch in the middle of Jacob and Sons, which got a laugh from some people who noticed I was standing on stage for the first 3 songs holding my phone)
First West End (Play): Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Vaudeville Theatre, December 2009, Age 17
First foreign-language musical: Hinterm Horizont (in German with English Subtitles), Berlin 2015, Age 22
First Broadway: Kinky Boots, Al Hirschfeld Theatre, March 2016, Age 23
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on Jan 5, 2017 16:38:47 GMT
First theatrical experience: see First musical (Professional)
First musical (Amateur): none
First musical (Professional): Starlight Express, Bochum, don't remember the exact date but it was in the early 1990s
First onstage appearance: none
First Role: none
First West End Show: either Cats or Phantom of the Opera, I don't remember which I saw first, but I did see both with my parents during my first trip to London, Summer 1995
First Broadway Show: Forbidden Broadway (technically Off-Broadway, so maybe Kinky Boots counts as first actual Broadway show), February 2014
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 5, 2017 17:06:19 GMT
First theatrical experience: The Wizard of Oz (Royal Theatre, Northampton) Aged 3 - ran out before the overture!
First musical (Amateur): HMS Pinafore (Royal Theatre, Northampton) Aged 11
First musical (Professional): Barnum (Michael Crawford - can't remember the theatre) Aged 12/3 (I think(
First onstage appearance: (excluding school shows) - urchin in Oliver! (ABC Cinema, Northampton) Aged 11
First Role: Professor Willard/Simon Stanford in Our Town at school
First West End Show: Barnum (see above)
First Broadway Show: Victor/Victoria - just before Julie Andrews left the production!
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Jan 5, 2017 17:25:12 GMT
First musical (Professional): Barnum (Michael Crawford - can't remember the theatre) Aged 12/3 (I think( I have just dug out the Michael Crawford Barnum programme from my spidery cupboard (you're welcome!) and it was at the Palladium.
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98 posts
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Post by haz23 on Jan 5, 2017 17:35:37 GMT
First theatrical experience: Dick Whittington, Ipswich Regent (aged 4)
First musical (Amateur): Chicago, Arts Theatre Orkney
First musical (Professional): Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Ipswich Regent
First onstage appearance: Baby Jesus...aged 8 months!
First Role: Narrator in Joseph
First West End Show: Wicked, 2009
First Broadway Show: Newsies, 2013
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143 posts
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Post by Mr Crummles on Jan 5, 2017 17:42:56 GMT
Loads of unforgettable firsts:
First theatrical experience: it was in my native Rio, a play by Valentin Kataiev called Comrade Miussov.
First musical in the West End: Jesus Christ Superstar (the original production)
First play in the West End: The Constant Wife (the John Gielgud production with Ingrid Bergman)
First musical on Broadway: Evita (the original production)
First play on Broadway: The Weir
First Shakespeare and National Theatre visit: Anthony and Cleopatra (Judi Dench and Anthony Hopkins)
First Donmar show: Nine
First Royal Court show: Cloud Nine
First RSC show in Stradford: Richard III
First Almeida show: Rosmersholm
First Chekhov: The Seagull
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223 posts
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Post by Kim_Bahorel on Jan 5, 2017 18:25:25 GMT
First Play : Birdland (Royal Court) *First Theatre trip
First Musical : Urinetown (Apollo)
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Jan 5, 2017 20:49:37 GMT
First play - Once a Catholic
First musical - Billy Liar, (I think the musical version may have been called simply "Billy," can't remember!) Drury Lane (Michael Crawford.....stage doored, got autograph.)
First Shakespeare - Antony and Cleopatra - Stratford, Glenda Jackson, Alan Howard, Ben Kingsley (Roger Allam?)
First panto performance - very unconvincing witch in Babes in the Wood (I'm now much better - no acting required!)
First self-penned panto script - Dick Whittington - famously (?!) performed in a School That Shall Not Be Named, somewhere near West Drayton
First play in foreign language I could understand - Whose Life is it Anyway, Barcelona (Spanish)
First play in foreign language I couldn't understand - Pels Pels, Barcelona (Catalán)
First play as chaperone - Wizard of Oz - somewhere in Bucks
First play I walked out of - Somethingorother by a Russian (yawn) at The Young Vic
First audience participation - Not me but Mini Tibidabo picked by Clive Anderson to be a fish on Palladium stage (Whose Line is it Anyway) - she was later recognised by a member of the public on the tube who leaned over and said "Nice fish!" just before he got off!
First, and most definitely last, opera - Carmen, RAH
First ballet - Matthew Bourne's Nutcracker
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2017 23:44:55 GMT
First theatrical experience: Snow White in the early 1990s
First musical (Professional): Mamma Mia (international tour, Dublin, 2004)
First musical (Amateur): My Fair Lady (2008)
First West End show: Wicked (2007)
First Broadway show: Chicago (2007)
First West End play: Henry V at the Noel Coward a couple of years ago
First ballet: The Nutcracker at the Coliseum
First opera: The Pearl Fishers at the Coliseum
First (and last) appearance onstage: My Fair Lady
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19,788 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 5, 2017 23:53:40 GMT
I played Goliath at infant school. I was a big lad even then. David was a right little wimp, I remember that VERY clearly, and feeling something wasn't right that I had to fall down when he did the the slingshot bit . I HAD SO MUCH MORE TO GIVE.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Jan 6, 2017 0:12:15 GMT
I played Goliath at infant school. I was a big lad even then. David was a right little wimp, I remember that VERY clearly, and feeling something wasn't right that I had to fall down when he did the the slingshot bit . I HAD SO MUCH MORE TO GIVE. Stoned already at such a young age!
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227 posts
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Jan 6, 2017 1:45:13 GMT
First theatrical experience: Probably a live stage show of Button Moon at Queens Theatre, Hornchurch
First musical in the West End: Chess at The Prince Edward Theatre aged 9 (April 1987) - followed by Cats and Phantom in the space of a few weeks!
First play in the West End: Romeo and Juliet at The Barbican (1992?)
First musical on Broadway: Rent OBC (August 1996) - an Idina fan from wayback 😉
First National Theatre visit: Sweeney Todd (Cottesloe 1993) Went back at least 10 times. Barry James and Julia McKenzie giving my fave MT performances EVER.
First Donmar show/First Sondheim Show: Assasins (1992)
First RSC show in Stratford: The Secret Garden (2000)
First Royal Opera House show: Sweeney Todd (2003) - an amazing contrast to the tiny Cottesloe production
First Almeida show: American Psycho (Dec 2013)
First Stage Appearance (amateur): Jack in a kids summer school production of Into The Woods at Wimbledon Theatre (August 1995)
First Stage Appearance (professional): Getting to take a bow as one of the (puppet) crew on the NT's Olivier Stage during 2 show days of His Dark Materials (2005)
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423 posts
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Post by schuttep on Jan 6, 2017 10:05:48 GMT
First show ever: 1974 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Sheffield Crucible. The "chariot of gold" in the final scene was a gold Aston Martin. Lene Lovich was in the orchestra.
First RSC: 1977 A Comedy of Errors with Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Roger Rees, Francesca Annis.
First non RSC play: 1977 On Approval at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. I seem to remember that Dame Patricia Routledge was in it, but not sure if this is a false memory.
First West End musical: 1977 A Chorus Line with Diane Langton and Michael Staniforth.
First West End play: 1979 The Crucifer of Blood at the Haymarket Theatre Royal. A Sherlock Holmes story.
First National Theatre play: 1980 Death of a Salesman with Warren Mitchell and Doreen Mantle.
First Broadway musical: 1987 Starlight Express at the Gershwin.
First Donmar Warehouse show: 1996 Nine.
First Almeida: 1997 Ivanov.
Only stage appearances at Grammar School - not very successfully!
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654 posts
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Post by ptwest on Jan 6, 2017 18:18:52 GMT
First theatre visit: the Wombles at Swindons Wyvern Theatre. I would have been about four.
First musical: Annie at the Bristol Hippodrome and although I hate the show now, I credit it with igniting the love in theatre that I still have to this day.
First west end show: Adrian Mole at the Wyndhams
First West end show which wasn't a school trip: Phantom in 1988
First Solo theatre trip: Miss Saigon in early 1990.
First returns Queue: Joseph at the palladium soon after opening night.
First Role: the giant in Jack and The Beanstalk. I was the only one taller than Jack.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2017 20:16:41 GMT
First theatre experience - Peter Pan starring Bonnie Langford
First musical - Barnum uk tour starring Paul Nicholas (which I hated, luckily I was convinced to see Cats uk tour and thats when I fell in love with theatre)
First West End show - Grease starring Shane Ritchie and Samantha Janus
First Broadway show - Curtains
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