Theatre Traditions
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Category: Producing Theater
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URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1486
Printed Date: 4/29/24 at 11:16am
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Topic: Theatre Traditions
Posted By: srobison7
Subject: Theatre Traditions
Date Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:06pm
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I am attending an opening night theatre production next week. A good friend of mine has the lead male role. Is there a traditional "gift" that is given on opening night by friends to the actor? I know the lead actress receives flowers. What about the lead male?
Thanks!! |
Replies:
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:40pm
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I've never turned down a bouquet of flowers!
Guys like flowers, too, you know! 
|
Posted By: dougb
Date Posted: 7/19/05 at 11:39am
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I never turned down a bottle of wine either. They usually have a nice bow on them. |
Posted By: ronophonic
Date Posted: 7/20/05 at 10:35pm
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Occasionally it is fun to give a gift that has some relation to the show or the role.................perhaps there is a particular "prop" that would have meaning to the actor...........or, start a tradition, if this person if frequently doing shows...............custom-made pin-back buttons are a nice bit of memorabilia...............or a framed copy of the script or program or photo from the show (these might be difficult for Opening Night, though).............why be "traditional"? if you use your imagination the sky is the limit..............and since this person is a good friend you probably know what kinds of things he would appreciate................. ------------- ronophonic |
Posted By: pauliebonn
Date Posted: 7/22/05 at 1:10am
| I got flowers once! It was cool. My parents have never missed an opening night in the 11 years I have been doing community theater. they used to WANT to give me flolwers, but now they give me 20 bucks! |
Posted By: glinda90
Date Posted: 11/04/05 at 5:22pm
| I love flowers!!! My parents have always given me flowers. I don't know, they make me so happy. I can understand if some guys like wine or vodka, but I think flowers speak a better language than alchohol. . . . . . of course, money and a nice Klondike bar works for me too. |
Posted By: Fairy
Date Posted: 4/15/06 at 4:08pm
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Sorry to reply to this thread so late, but I've got a related question.. What's the tradition on gifts for female ensemble members for opening nights? Flowers again? |
Posted By: Playwright
Date Posted: 4/15/06 at 4:53pm
| I went to see a friend (he's playing the lead in my next play) in a play last weekend. The play was awesome and he was wonderful in the role. I sent flowers backstage for him. He loved them. I chose a bouquet that had carnations and lilies and some other type of nice greenery. |
Posted By: Fairy
Date Posted: 4/15/06 at 5:04pm
| Is a bouquet of roses suitable or are they expected more for the leading ladies? |
Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 4/17/06 at 7:55am
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It always seemes wonderful to hold the flowers until closing night and then run up and give them to the actor while he/she is making their bow. It's more exciting and somehow romantic.....like a great opera star showered with flowers and cries of "Bravo!" ------------- "behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede" |
Posted By: Kathy S
Date Posted: 4/18/06 at 1:29am
| How do you manage something like that with the curtain call? Doesn't it drive the stage manager nuts to have people running up and distracting the cast during curtain call? |
Posted By: Joan54
Date Posted: 4/18/06 at 8:13am
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Well, when I have given flowers I usually have timed it for when the actor friend is just finished the bow, caught their eye and tossed the flowers. For a friend with a smaller part, shorter "bow time", I laid them on the edge of the stage and let him sweep them up when his turn came. On the other side of the curtain we try to make our curtain calls a little less formal than the "march, march, bow quick and get the hell out of the way" routines you see so often. Particularly on closing night when all of the hugging and crying and so forth is about to take place anyways. ------------- "behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede" |