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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2016 12:30:24 GMT
After reading Talk Stagey to me's blog about how she became a reviewer, it inspired to me discover what was the definitive show, or experience that developed into your current love of theatre.
For me, I had only seen the odd pantomime and a couple of plays, prior to 2011 when I met my other half. As a drama teacher, he always had a strong interest in the arts, and so took us to see eight musicals and plays over the year. From then, my love for theatre was born, and now we tend to go once every other week, if not more. It's also predominantly me booking them too.
Incindentally, those shows were WWRY (though I didn't enjoy it), Les Mis, Chicago, War Horse, Phantom, Sister Act, One Man, Two Guvnors and Blood Brothers.
So what was that moment for you? Your coming in (to theatre) story?
Not to be confused with the "How was your first time" thread, what was the turning point in which you discovered your current passion for the stage?
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Post by Carly on Apr 10, 2016 14:06:43 GMT
When I was about 16 I travelled down to London for the first time and saw Hairspray starring Michael Ball and I was totally amazed by it, as it was the first time I'd seen a big production, only having gone to the Panto and a couple of musicals at my local theatre before then. I went back to see it again when Brian Conley took over and then during other trips to London I saw a few more musicals in the following years... I'm now hooked. I've only got to London once in the past few years but I always have something booked at my more local theatres. I'll probably see somewhere between 3-8 shows a year, depending on what's touring.
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Post by steve10086 on Apr 10, 2016 14:18:07 GMT
Joseph at the London Palladium, starring Phillip Schofield and Linzi Hateley. Had never been to a musical before. First thing I said as we left the theatre was "when are we going back?".
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Post by Mark on Apr 10, 2016 14:31:31 GMT
My 15th birthday when I saw Phanom and We Will Rock You in London.
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Apr 10, 2016 15:10:39 GMT
Mine is less of a show I went to see which converted me, but being in one which built my love.
A local theatre group was putting on Godspell and needed a childrens chorus and the director came to my primary school to ask us. I got involved (and became the fatted calf) and from then on I loved theatre. I was 9 at the time.
The director of the theatre group used to run theatre schools for children where we'd rehearse a show for a week and then perform it at the weekend for parents/friends/community people etc during the school holidays. I did a load of these and my love grew.
It was as I was getting involved in the acting side of things that I started asking my mum to take me to the nearest touring theatre to see all those productions. I didn't care which, just anything on stage.
Outside of pantos the first proper show I saw was a tour of Joseph I believe.
If our school hadn't have been visited regarding Godspell I'm not sure how much theatre I'd be watching these days. So, thanks Trev, you're a hero.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2016 16:19:10 GMT
Company at Her Majesty's in 1972 with most of the American cast including Elaine Stritch, Larry Kert and Donna McKechnie. Kert took over from Dean Jones on Broadway. I saw it 9 times during its run thanks to the 50p balcony seats and got to see the wonderful Julia McKenzie for the first of many times. She replaced the original April early in the run and then continued with the British cast.
Before that my theatre going was very much am dram trips, end of the pier summer seasons (I worked as a stage hand for a few years in Great Yarmouth) and the odd visit to the RSC in Stratford upon Avon.
I moved to London in '71 but didn't really get caught up in the excitement of London theatre until Company which of course opened up the curtains for a whole wealth of theatre going.
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Post by Oleanna on Apr 10, 2016 16:35:54 GMT
Company at Her Majesty's in 1972 with most of the American cast including Elaine Stritch, Larry Kert and Donna McKechnie. Kert took over from Dean Jones on Broadway. I saw it 9 times during its run thanks to the 50p balcony seats and got to see the wonderful Julia McKenzie for the first of many times. She replaced the original April early in the run and then continued with the British cast. Before that my theatre going was very much am dram trips, end of the pier summer seasons (I worked as a stage hand for a few years in Great Yarmouth) and the odd visit to the RSC in Stratford upon Avon. I moved to London in '71 but didn't really get caught up in the excitement of London theatre until Company which of course opened up the curtains for a whole wealth of theatre going. I think buddyvlc just won the thread! |
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Post by talkstageytome on Apr 10, 2016 17:48:24 GMT
Firstly, thanks for reading my stuff, Tom89. I literally cannot imagine a time where theatre/performing didn't interest me. My mom's favourite film is The Sound of Music (I was so close to being named Maria because of it!), I lived in Birmingham as a child so there were always lots of artsy things going on, plus I lived on a narrowboat so the contrasting glitziness of 'show business' always attracted me (so cheesy it hurts, but if I really think about it then I know it's true  ). Single performance wise, the very first thing I saw was either Peter Pan or The Snowman (both at the Rep) which featured flying. As a child, seeing someone fly across stage is the best thing ever, so that was probably it. More recently though, in 2011 (ish) I saw Frantic Assembly's Beautiful Burnout which reignited my love of theatregoing (during GCSE/A levels I almost never went to the theatre). Everyone's responses are making me wonder though, in 20/30/40 years what show are we going to be looking back on and wishing we'd seen the original cast of/thinking ourselves lucky that we saw? Hmmm... |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2016 18:51:20 GMT
Firstly, thanks for reading my stuff, Tom89. I literally cannot imagine a time where theatre/performing didn't interest me. My mom's favourite film is The Sound of Music (I was so close to being named Maria because of it!), I lived in Birmingham as a child so there were always lots of artsy things going on, plus I lived on a narrowboat so the contrasting glitziness of 'show business' always attracted me (so cheesy it hurts, but if I really think about it then I know it's true ). Single performance wise, the very first thing I saw was either Peter Pan or The Snowman (both at the Rep) which featured flying. As a child, seeing someone fly across stage is the best thing ever, so that was probably it. More recently though, in 2011 (ish) I saw Frantic Assembly's Beautiful Burnout which reignited my love of theatregoing (during GCSE/A levels I almost never went to the theatre). Everyone's responses are making me wonder though, in 20/30/40 years what show are we going to be looking back on and wishing we'd seen the original cast of/thinking ourselves lucky that we saw? Hmmm... It's a joy, I love reading other passionate theatre lovers' experiences. As for memorable performances that are defining of our current time, I think Imelda's Gypsy will be up there. Plus I'm predicting Amber Riley's originating Effie in the West End. |
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Post by Dawnstar on Apr 10, 2016 20:28:56 GMT
For musicals it was hearing Edward Seckerson's Stage & Screen programme on Radio 3 (which sdly got axed a few years ago) doing a feature on Wicked around the time it opened over here in September 2006. I promptly bought the cast recording, booked to see it in December 2006 when I was back from uni & that was the start of my regular West End theatregoing.
For opera it was earlier (yes, I kind of did them the wrong way round!), April 2004 when a friend of my mother's who was a regular operagoer took us both to see Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera House. My mother had seen it in Vienna 30 years ago but for me, just getting into opera at the time, it was both my first Rosenkavalier and my first visit to the ROH. I was totally bowled over by Rosenkavalier, which 12 years and many operas later is still my favourite, and that was the start of my regular operagoing.
For the third medium, plays, I don't have any such Damascene conversion.
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). Single performance wise, the very first thing I saw was either Peter Pan or The Snowman (both at the Rep) which featured flying. As a child, seeing someone fly across stage is the best thing ever, so that was probably it. 