Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Curtain Call

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   Any innovative ideas for curtain call?  My play has 7 characters, 2 major, 3 medium sized and 2 small roles.  I would like to stay away from the customary.  I know it needs to be short and sweet.  Thanks!

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cjeszeck Walk-On Joined: 9/17/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Topic: Curtain Call Posted: 9/17/05 at 8:09pm
	Any innovative ideas for curtain call? My play has 7 characters, 2 major, 3 medium sized and 2 small roles. I would like to stay away from the customary. I know it needs to be short and sweet. Thanks!

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Linda S Celebrity Joined: 4/16/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 312	Posted: 9/17/05 at 9:53pm
	What's the show? Linda
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tristanrobin Celebrity Joined: 4/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 704	Posted: 9/18/05 at 9:49am
	I agree with Linda - the play - or, at the least, the genre - is important to consider.
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cjeszeck Walk-On Joined: 9/17/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Posted: 9/18/05 at 10:41am
	It's a light comedy called In the Spirit by Matthew Carlin. My thinking is that I would like to reward those actors in the larger parts with more time on stage for the curtain call, rather than the traditional small parts out first, etc. I'm thinking the two main characters out first, take their bow, remain while the next three come out and bow, the final two out and bow, then the two and three quickly leave, the two main actors take a second bow, then curtain. I think I've come up with my own innovation! What do you think?
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casey05 Lead Joined: 6/17/05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 42	Posted: 9/18/05 at 11:57pm
	If you want an innovative curtain call, look at any connections to the show you could possibly work in. In one amateur production of Bye Bye Birdie I saw, Conrad drove a 50's Convertible on stage, with all the main characters in it. The funniest part was when they opened the boot and pulled out Mrs Peterson (Albert's mother). Sure, a convertible might not work for you, but think of other things you could work in.
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jtonner Star Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 56	Posted: 9/19/05 at 4:17pm
	I like an ensemble curtain call for smaller shows. I would blackout and go back up with the cast on stage, in a position (sitting, standing at a bookcase, or door, etc.) have the smallest part go to center and bow first, then return to where they started. Basically a standard curtain call from then until the leads, who could go to center, bow, then lead the group bow with the rest of the cast in place. I stole a great bow from a professional production of 1776 also (I know it has nothing to do with a light comedy, but I loved the way it worked.) I began with the entire cast on stage and had them stay in character. Each then stood went center and bowed. Then they exited through the auditorium still in character Every cast memeber left on stage tapped on the table or tapped his cane until they bowed. Finally only Adams and Franklin were left, they then bowed to each other, the audience, acknowledged the orchestra, the audience again, and left the stage on opposite sides, still in character. It looks great from the audience. John
	John
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Shatcher Celebrity Joined: 2/21/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 251	Posted: 9/19/05 at 5:14pm
	the tableau works well also. go to black and have cast set in funny stage picture lights up give it 3 or 4 beats then lights out. no bows just the picture. we did this once for a farce as well as for 1776. we staged the call to look like the painting of the signing of the decleration. looked very cool.
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Dustmac Lead Joined: 5/25/05 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 42	Posted: 9/20/05 at 5:25pm
	I agree with Jtonner.
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dougb Celebrity Joined: 3/30/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 148	Posted: 9/21/05 at 11:51am
	For the last couple of years I have used a group curtain call. Trying to figure out what order to put people in is tough - I tried to use a combined size of the role and acting quality. I was never really happy with that process. Then one night I was attending a show at another theater and the audience was expressing their appreciation in a different order than the director had established. Two people pretty far down in the curtain call got the most applause and by the time the principals came up the applause was luke warm. It wasn't fair and hurt those who got noticably less applause. With the entire cast taking a bow at once, we eliminate that. After all, we stress that there are no small roles, why reinforce it with individual curtain calls?
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MartyW Celebrity Joined: 2/02/04 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 555	Posted: 9/21/05 at 2:59pm
	I agree with ensemble bows for ensemble shows. They usually work well. I do enjoy watching the "Cute" ones when done well... I also really enjoy, and employ a finale ultimo when ever there is one, or I can contrive one... They really seem to bring our crowds back into the most enjoyable part of the show and they reward the actors appropriately.
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