Favorite Finales?- Page 2

[Ajpuppypal]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 1:06pm

Favorite Finales
Cabaret

Favorite Scene
Phantom(The image with meg holding up the phantom mask is simply haunting)

[suttonequalslove]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 1:40pm

Beauty and the Beast.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 2:05pm

Sunset Blvd.
Sweeney Todd
Miss Saigon
Into The Woods
Les Mis
Mary Poppins
Next to Normal

[Rabekriegerin]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 2:07pm

Tanz der Vampire boasts my single favorite finale. Makes for a good flashmob dance, too.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 2:10pm

A Chorus Line
Hairspray
Le Mis
The Wiz (Stephanie Mills in that spotlight at center stage gave me goosebumps all 3 times I saw her)
CATS (Because it was over)

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 2:23pm

Wicked
Hairspray
Mary Poppins
Beauty and the Beast
Peter Pan
Phantom of the Opera
My Fair Lady
Damn Yankees

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 3:22pm

Apart some already mentioned, one of mine is OLIVER!

The image of Fagin walking away is haunting.

[shrekster224]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 3:44pm

In the Heights
Hair
Book of Mormon
Next to Normal
A Little Night Music
Rent
Wicked
And with extra riffs from Derrick Baskin, Memphis.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 5:52pm

Two finales that embarrass me to no end:

SHENANDOAH: the family, minus those who have (SPOILER ALERT) died, are late to church as always. But just as they begin to sing the opening hymn, the youngest son (who was lost during the war and presumed dead) enters from the back and limps down the aisle with his hand extended toward his father: "Pa... Pa...".

THE SOUND OF MUSIC: the damn kids start up that stupid mountain while the Mother Abbess sings "Climb Ev'ry Mountain."

I bawl like a baby at each of these endings, every time, every production, no matter how mediocre. The fact is I'm not particularly fond of either show, but the endings kill me.

And the thing is, I've worked both shows--in the case of SOM I did an entire summer season of more than 100 performances--and know the endings all too well. Doesn't affect the waterworks one bit.

[minicko88]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 6:10pm

Who gave everything for Georgia and... The old red Hills... of HOME!

[gfaustswa]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 6:25pm

I'm voting for A Chorus Line!

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 10/10/11 at 11:27pm

In the Heights. I remember seeing it and just thinking my heart would explode because it was so joyful.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 12:11am

I am more than willing to put my head on the chopping block and add this to the list:

Wonderland. Yeah, I know the show was a mess but I loved the image of Alice and the silhouettes of the characters she met along the way appearing upstage of her.

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 1:39am

It's not particularly deep or stunning, but I LOVE the finale of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS when Sherie reprises 'Dirty Rotten Number'.

Posted: 10/11/11 at 1:56am

Sunday in the Park with George, while not (quite) my favorite Sondheim show, has probably my fave Sondheim finale (the song is striking at the end of Act I and when done well raises chills--but it becomes full on profound at the close of the show). While musically I'm not sure I prefer the revised Merrily We Roll Along (I do think dramatically it works better), but I do find ending with Our Time pretty heartbreaking. (I could be wrong here as it's been over ten years since I've seen it, but I *think* it ends with the song--though I suppose some would argue the original ending with the Hills of Tomorrow reprise worked well too).

A Chorus Line is hard to top--a song that out of context sounds like a toe tapping, thrillingly arranged, but totally banal number, is really amazing on so many levels when in context.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 2:31am

I had seen Blood Brothers twice before in its U.S. national tour back in '95 and loved the ending then.

But when I saw the London production a year ago, the ending literally had my heart pounding and I had that awful feeling where you want to burst into sobs so much, the sheer emotion makes it hard to breathe and you involuntarily let out a whimper, or two, lol.

I knew what was coming but it absolutely took me by surprise nonetheless. I later realized what actually surprised me was my own very strong emotional reaction to the situation playing out before me. I am a twin, also fraternal, but my twinnie is a she, hehe. I'm sure that played a part in my reaction but lots of credit goes to the devastating manner in which it was staged and the brilliant, nuanced performances by the cast. Definitely one of my favorite endings.

As you might've guessed, Les Miserables' ending is beautiful. They could have ended it all right after the "love another person" lyric and it would have been wonderful.

But if we weren't already choked up enough from Valjean finally being freed from those chains and burdens in death, Fantine's appearance, and Cosette learning of the past she so wanted to get to know, Nunn and Caird, after feeling for themselves the power of the culmination of the show, do something that turns a "beautiful" finale to a soaring, inspiring, and extraordinary one.

It becomes a question. It intensifies into a challenge. By that point, the cast has broken character and are one of us, and we, one of them. That wall is broken by a simple stepping forward and emotions surge as the challenge reverberates throughout the auditorium accompanied by a soaring orchestration not at all concerned with misery, but with exultation.

It all ends with Hugo's bittersweet, hopeful inquiry "Will the future ever arrive?" captured in spirit in a collective "sigh" by the cast before reiterating once again, but intuitively now with different meaning, "...tomorrow comes........"

And the lights dim in a slow fade that blends the remaining sillouttes into the surrounding darkness, leaving only the subtle glow of two candlesticks behind. I *die* each and every time and feel so uplifted, the high lasts for at least a whole week after seeing it, and has a way of coming back to me spontaneously every now and then. That show is pure magic to me. <3

Other fave endings are Show Boat (original 1927 and Harold Prince versions) and A Chorus Line, not the "gold" dance ending, but the scene just prior where they slowly slink back into a unit on place on that line as a single piano plays "One." An image I will never forget is when I saw it for the first time, and there was a space where Paul had been after they settled into position. It produced indescribable emotions in me, as I felt he was still there by the sheer will of his desire to dance.

The lights come up and Zach's imposing voice is jarring amidst the ear shattering quiet that lingers despite the solo piano. before we know it, we come to the awful realization that "this is it," and without hesitation, he calls out names.

Like deer caught in headlights, we look on helplessly as we witness Zach unmercifully play with the dancers' emotions, which are so fragile at this point, it comes off as cruel and unusual punishment as he signals the front line dancers a painfully clear message they wish not to hear. I was devastated for them when I first saw it, I was trembling.

Zach then informs the remaining dancers in an animated voice that rehearsals begin in early September. As the hopefuls react accordingly, the lights fade. Seconds before the fade achieves total darkness, the eye is pulled toward an ecstatic Judy standing center stage, and we barely catch a glimpse of her as she slow motions with her arms, a gesture of triumph.

I dig Prince's ending for Evita, too.

Updated On: 10/11/11 at 02:31 AM

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 2:55am

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.
"Don't Feed the Plants" is so campy yet so perfect and upbeat and the fact they end it like a public service announcement that Audrey 2 will take over the world and in the revival comes after the audience is thrilling.

PACIFIC OVERTURES
"Next" great ensemble song. Chilling ending bringing historic Japan into stark modern times.

COMPANY
"Being Alive" then Bobby blows out the candles alone. Beautiful.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
"Goodbye Until Tomorrow/ I Could Never Rescue You"

ASSASSINS
"Everybody Has the Right" Bang.

[LFazin]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 2:32pm

Final scene, without question, Phantom of the Opera. There's nothing more poignant or haunting than that final image of Meg holding the Phantom's mask up to the spotlight.

Finales: RENT, Hair, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Hairspray, and Sister Act (never left a theatre so happy in my life. Sequined nuns and a disco ball statue of Mary? Doesn't get any better...)

[dreaming]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 4:28pm

Passion is probably my favorite. It's a gorgeous blend of everything that's occurred and ties the story together very well.

Les Miserables would be up there as well as Sunday in the Park With George and The Secret Garden (both of which bring me to tears still).

For absolutely happy endings I'll say Xanadu and Sister Act. (Nothing like getting the audience into it!)

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 5:36pm

Les Miserables finale brings me to tears every single time I see it.

Until I read this thread, I'd forgotten how hard the finale for Blood Brothers had struck me, but now that I've remembered, I have to add it.

For sheer fun, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life at the very end of Spamalot with the confetti raining down always made me leave the theatre with a goofy grin on my face.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 6:46pm

Glinda, I had the same feeling at the end of "In the Heights". I was actually teary eyed at the end.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 6:58pm

The finale of Parade, like others have said is just simply stunning. I get chills every time I hear it.

[beth2027]

Posted: 10/11/11 at 7:44pm

It's funny, because I wrote a blog post about this last month. I love Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, In the Heights and American Idiot. There are many others, though. I loved Chicago's finale, along with My Fair Lady. There are basically too many to name.
Hopeful endings

[nycsonya]

Posted: 10/12/11 at 12:07pm

Sweeney Todd
Assassins
I don't know if this counts, but I love the Finale to Act 1 of How to Succeed, for some reason.
Wicked (Because I knew you/No one mourns the wicked *tear*)
Sunday in the Park with George
Book of Mormon
Company (I know, I'm a Sondheim freak)
West Side Story

[Panerofan]

Posted: 10/13/11 at 12:01pm

I can't believe I'm listing this considering I only saw this show once when it first opened, but I loved the end of The Boy From Oz. Very sweet and moving and happy after such a sad turn-of-events!