History ThrowItIn / Theatre

* During a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsz1raj_FJw performance]] of the live-action Disney/{{Aladdin}} show at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disney's California Adventure]], the actors' mics weren't functioning properly during the scene where Jafar gets the magic lamp from the Genie and asks for his three wishes. When he wishes to become Sultan, the actor playing Genie epically pulled damage control on the awkward moment by replying "You're the sultan. Don't know why your first wish couldn't have been for [[BreakingTheFourthWall everybody's mics to work,]] but no, [[ItsAllAboutMe it's]] 'me me me me me me me!' " and pretty much [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome brought the]] [[CrowningMomentOfFunny house down.]]

* During one performance of ''Theatre/{{Tosca}}'' the famous soprano Maria Jeritza tripped and fell just before Tosca's great aria ''Vissi d'arte''. Rather than climb awkwardly back up again to sing, she chose to remain on the floor for the duration of the aria. This worked so well that it became more or less traditional for sopranos to sing ''Vissi d'arte'' while lying on the floor.

* In the Act II opening number of ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' ''What'd I Miss'', an exchange between Jefferson and Madison goes as follows:
--->'''Madison''': "Where have you been?"
--->'''Jefferson''': "[[CaptainObvious Uh, France?]]"
** This line was improvised by Daveed Diggs early in the show's run off-Broadway, but director Creator/LinManuelMiranda loved it so much he requested that Diggs include the line every night and wrote it into the script when the show made the move to Broadway.

* In one of the performances of the 2004 revival of StephenSondheim's ''Theatre/{{Assassins}}'', the actor who played UsefulNotes/GeraldFord tripped while entering the stage and fell flat on his face. However, since Ford had a history of accidentally tripping and falling (most notoriously down the stairs of Air Force One), the cast ran with it and it became a fixture of the scene in question for most subsequent adaptations.

* During a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsz1raj_FJw performance]] of the live-action Disney/Aladdin show at [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disney's California Adventure]], the actors' mics weren't functioning properly during the scene where Jafar gets the magic lamp from the Genie and asks for his three wishes. When he wishes to become Sultan, the actor playing Genie epically pulled damage control on the awkward moment by replying "You're the sultan. Don't know why your first wish couldn't have been for [[BreakingTheFourthWall everybody's mics to work,]] but no, [[ItsAllAboutMe it's]] 'me me me me me me me!' " and pretty much [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome brought the]] [[CrowningMomentOfFunny house down.]]

** Tony Danza played Max Bialystock on Broadway for a stint, despite the fact that it is referenced in the script that Max is fat and Tony Danza is certainly not. When they got to the iconic line where Bloom screams "FAAAAT!", Danza would look confused and say "...what?" and Bloom replied "You were fat... once...." and proceeded to call him "You once-fat fatty fat walrus!!"

* The ''ReducedShakespeareCompany'' often changes lines in their script on the spot, and there are even a few parts in the script that are deliberately changed every performance. As an example, towards the end of ''Theatre/TheCompleteWorksOfWilliamShakespeareAbridged'', they perform ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' backwards, advising the audience to [[SubliminalSeduction "listen out for the Satanic messages!"]]. The second line in this scene is different every time - the official script book has it as "''Music/JudasPriest'' is God!", and many variations such as "[[UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush George Bush]] is a genius!" and "''Music/FrankSinatra'' is God!" have been heard.

* ''AVeryPotterMusical'': Harry's line about what he'd do with an invisibility cloak ("I'd kick wiener dogs") was an ad-lib when Darren Criss forgot his line. Also, Lauren/Malfoy's line "And-you-have-to-be-my-slave-for-a-whole-day-starting-now!!" was an ad-lib, judging by Joe Moses and Joe Walker's reactions to the line, given that Moses usually kept relatively straight-faced (well, sort of), and he was laughing in the background.

** "Diva's Lament" originally had the line "They're trying to replace me with [[Music/SpiceGirls Posh Spice]]", which following Music/BritneySpears' CreatorBreakdown in 2008 was changed to "I'm constantly replaced by Britney Spears", then in 2014 was replaced again with a reference to MileyCyrus' VMA twerking performance.

** "Diva's Lament" originally had the line "They're trying to replace me with [[SpiceGirls Posh Spice]]", which following Music/BritneySpears' CreatorBreakdown in 2008 was changed to "I'm constantly replaced by Britney Spears", then in 2014 was replaced again with a reference to MileyCyrus' VMA twerking performance.

* Creator/MontyPython performed during ''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' variety concert, putting on (of course) the Dead Parrot sketch. Halfway through, though, Michael Palin began to break up, unable to control himself. Although the audience had cottoned onto the problem and was already chuckling, John Cleese covered magnificently and sent the audience into hysterics with one, ad-libbed, shouted line: "THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER!"

** "Diva's Lament" originally had the line "They're trying to replace me with [[SpiceGirls Posh Spice]]", which following BritneySpears' CreatorBreakdown in 2008 was changed to "I'm constantly replaced by Britney Spears", then in 2014 was replaced again with a reference to MileyCyrus' VMA twerking performance.

*** At another performance during TimCurry's run as King Arthur, the new name for the Knights Who Formerly Said Ni finished off with [[TheRockyHorrorPictureShow "Come on up to the lab and see what's on the slab."]] Curry apparently had a VERY hard time keeping his composure.

** Early drafts of Gama's IAmSong from ''Theatre/PrincessIda'' didn't include the final line, "And I can't think why!" This was likely added because it happened to fit the rhythm of the musical tag Sullivan composed.

** The exclaimed "Enjolras!" at the start of the ABC Cafe Scene was originally an ad-lib that is now fairly common. (Notably this [[WhoIsThisGuyAgain the only time Enjolras is directly called by his name throughout the entire musical]].)

* On the opening night of the musical version of ''Film/TheProducers'', Nathan Lane improvised the line "Who do you have to fuck to get a break in this town?" in the middle of the song "The King of Broadway." It's been that way ever since, including in the movie.
** Another from ''The Producers'': Tony Danza played Max Bialystock on Broadway for a stint, despite the fact that it is referenced in the script that Max is fat and Tony Danza is certainly not. When they got to the iconic line where Bloom screams "FAAAAT!", Danza would look confused and say "...what?" and Bloom replied "You were fat... once...." and proceeded to call him "You once-fat fatty fat walrus!!"
** Another example from ''Film/TheProducers'' involving Nathan Lane, during the London production of the show, directly after the scene where Max and Leo have just taken Siegfried Oath and are trying to leave Franz's rooftop. Lane, playing Max, tried to open the door leading offstage, but a stagehand had mistakenly locked it before the scene began. When the door didn't open at first, Lane shouted "We're trapped! Trapped like rats with a crazy Nazi!" When another one of the stagehands rushed to unlock it, Lane calmed down and said, "Got it." You can still see part of this in the 2005 film version.

* The ''ReducedShakespeareCompany'' often changes lines in their script on the spot, and there are even a few parts in the script that are deliberately changed every performance. As an example, towards the end of ''Theatre/TheCompleteWorksOfWilliamShakespeareAbridged'', they perform ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' backwards, advising the audience to [[SubliminalSeduction "listen out for the Satanic messages!"]]. The second line in this scene is different every time - the official script book has it as "''Music/JudasPriest'' is God!", and many variations such as "[[GeorgeWBush George Bush]] is a genius!" and "''Music/FrankSinatra'' is God!" have been heard.

* This is the very nature of Improv acting. During a performance, all of the actors do this, taking whatever the others do and running with it, no matter what it is.

* In any show that has a flub (be it dropped line, missed cue, or even an issue with the set) the actors must find a way to continue the show without giving away to the audience that all hell has broken loose.

** The exclaimed "Enjolras!" at the start of the ABC Cafe Scene was originally an ad-lib that is now fairly common. (Notably this the only time Enjolras is directly called by his name throughout the entire musical.)

* When a prop from ''{{USLES}}'' 's production of ''Literature/{{Aladdin}}'' was missing from the final performance (the ring which housed the evil genie) a replacement had to be found at short notice. The villain ended up being the Genie of the Shoe, and Abanazer threatening characters with cries of "Shooooooooeeeee!" ended up being the show's funniest running gag. Children in the audience were even asking to smell the evil shoe.

** Since A Very Potter Senior Year was only done once, with little to no preparation time, a few things went wrong. This being ''Creator/TeamStarkid'', you bet they threw some lines in. Most notably, when ''Creator/DarrenCriss'' turned [[CantTieHisTie his tie in an aboslute mess]], he threw "F*ck the tie!" into the reprise of 'Going Back To Hogwarts', and turned the already awesome song into a hilarious moment.

** Since A Very Potter Senior Year was only done once, with little to no preparation time, a few things went wrong. This being ''TeamStarkid'', you bet they threw some lines in. Most notably, when ''DarrenCriss'' turned [[CantTieHisTie his tie in an aboslute mess]], he threw "F*ck the tie!" into the reprise of 'Going Back To Hogwarts', and turned the already awesome song into a hilarious moment.