Bette Midler "Parade Passes By"

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 12:08am

I watched on Youtube, Donna Murphy performing "Before the Parade Passes By", and have one question. I don't remember a baton being thrown up at the end of the song. During this revival, has there ever been an incident where the toss to the actress was misjudged and wound up either hitting them or falling back into the pit...

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 12:10am

I saw Bette, Bernadette, and Donna... all did the baton thing.

[EthelMae]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 12:02pm

Chgo: As noted here already, all 3 Dollys, Midler, Peters and Murphy were thrown a baton at the end of Act 1 by I believe the conductor in the pit. Very early in Murphy's run, I saw a performance where the baton was thrown short and Murphy missed it and it landed on the stage floor. She picked it up laughing and it made the moment even better in a sense as if she was saying "well, I know it'll be tough but I'm going to get back into the race".

Updated On: 8/21/18 at 12:02 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 12:21pm

At the first preview performance, Bette dropped the cane/baton during “So Long, Dearie.” She picked it up and continued while giving the audience her trademark Midler squinty-eyed smile.

[Valentina3]

Posted: 8/21/18 at 3:13pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "At the first preview performance, Bette dropped the cane/baton during “So Long, Dearie.”She picked it up and continued while giving the audience her trademark Midler squinty-eyed smile."

Differen't baton - canes :) End of Act 1 has a large parade-esque baton thrown to her by someone in the pit (presumably the conductor) right before the song ends and curtain comes down. So Long Dearie has her take Horace's walking cane to poke him (this cane is much slender, used in the choreography) and dance around with it in front of the curtain.