Curtain Call
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Topic: Curtain Call
Posted By: cjeszeck
Subject: Curtain Call
Date 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! |
Replies:
Posted By: Linda S
Date Posted: 9/17/05 at 9:53pm
|
What's the show? Linda |
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 9/18/05 at 9:49am
|
I agree with Linda - the play - or, at the least, the genre - is
important to consider. |
Posted By: cjeszeck
Date 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? |
Posted By: casey05
Date 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. |
Posted By: jtonner
Date 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 |
Posted By: Shatcher
Date 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. |
Posted By: Dustmac
Date Posted: 9/20/05 at 5:25pm
| I agree with Jtonner. |
Posted By: dougb
Date 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? |
Posted By: MartyW
Date 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. |
Posted By: 75director
Date Posted: 9/22/05 at 5:20pm
|
Cute curtains calls can be effective with the right show. However I'd say most shows do not lend themselves very easily to a gimmick curtain call. When I stage curtain call I always tell the actors that the show is over, I never have actors bow in character. They are themselves coming out to acknowledge the applause of the audience. "You are happy actors, smile, bow and get off stage" My thought has always been faster is better as well. You can tell when a curtain call is taking too long because by the end the audience is literally in pain from clapping so long and the final bows, which should be reserved for the whole company and leading players become anti-climactic. The audience just wants to stop clapping and go home, on overly drawn out curtain calls. I also rarely give anyone a solo bow, I always try to either pair them up or put them into related groups. Exceptions are made of course for stand out performances or for characters who were onstage the whole show or something like that. To echo other comments, ensemble bows, especially in smaller ensemble driven shows are often the most effective solution, satisfying to actors and audience. My two cents |
Posted By: Colin
Date Posted: 10/03/05 at 5:45pm
|
Have you ever seen "Lend Me a Tenor"? They stage the curtain call for
this delightful farce as a movie run in reverse on fast-speed. It's hilarious and at various moments a certain actor stops for a second longer and acknowledges the audience so they can acknowledge him back. Then they resume the chase. In a lot of Moliere comedies the curtain call is a staged period dance that allows the audience to applaud the entire cast or individual actors. In my current production of "Schoolhouse Rock, Live!" the curtain call is built into a reprise of "Interjections". I have staged it as a Red Rover playground game, in keeping with the school theme of the show. It also helps that we're on a 3/4 round stage. Colin ------------- Colin Douglas |