11 O'Clock number question- Page 3

[morosco]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 6:52pm

"If He Walked Into My Life" from MAME
"Fifty Percent" from BALLROOM

[tim10086]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 7:04pm

BlueWizard said: I don't think LES MIZ has an 11 o'clock number.

I know its not a song of great length, but I think Beggars at the Feast could be considered Les Mis' 11 o clock number...?

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 9:47pm

I agree He Lives in You Reprise could be seen as the 11:00 number of Lion King. I don't think it is Endless Night, even though that number is Simba's last solo (it's not a song that wakes you up and grabs your attention like an 11:00 number)

I would say if Rent had one, it would be What You Own, an upbeat catchy song after a long stint of heavy drama, and it's a turning point for both Roger and Mark.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 10:01pm

Yeah, either "What You Own" or the song Roger sings to Mimi. I hate that song.

"If He Walked Into My Life" is one of the best 11 O'Clocks EVER!

"How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins. I've been trying to think of definitive ones from pre Gypsy musicals and I'm kind of failing.

I don't see how Beggars at the Feast fits any of the right criteria.

[Zimmy]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 10:28pm

To quote Robert Viagas (a worthy Broadway mind) in his book BACKSTAGE Guide to Broadway:

"an 11 O'Clock number is a big climatic song, generally done by the star, which comes near the end of a musical. Famous 11 o' clock numbers include 'Sit Down You're Rockin', the Boat' 'Hello Dolly', 'Betrayed' and 'Rose's Turn'."

[Kgshrauder]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 10:53pm

Is Dirty Rotten Number an 11 o'clock song, because that would be my favorite, I love that song.

[Scottie310]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 11:27pm

Like someone said earlier-not every show has an 11 o'clock number. Actually, probably more shows don't have them. My favorites are

Roses Turn (Of course)
Lot's Wife
How Glory Goes
Gimmie Gimmie
Fable
and its sort of iffy but "All the Wasted Time" from Parade

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 11:43pm

"Epiphany" from Altar Boyz!

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 11:47pm

I'M A BRASS BAND - Sweet Charity

[suddenlyseymour]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 11:50pm

My faves are "Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop and "Gimme Gimme" from Millie

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/11/06 at 11:51pm

I really always understood it as the number that came around 11 o'clock, but when musical comedies were structured that way, it usually fell around that time.

But, of course, times of them now vary, and I identify it nowadays as the number that could be the show's conclusion, and what comes after would be a sort of epilogue (or grand finale!)

Therefore, this eleven o'clock numbers are usually the second to last song, and back then, often a strong solo number.
I identify songs as "Marry the Man Today" from Guys and Dolls to be the 11 o'clock number as opposed to "Sit Down..", or "The American Dream" from Miss Saigon, and not necessarily what comes after... other good modern examples are "What you Own" from RENT, "For Good" from Wicked,etc... a powerful resolution of characters that gives way to its conclusion.

My opinion and understanding, of course.

[Mythus]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 12:01am

"Sudddenly Seymour" is definitely not an 11 o'clock number. It comes early in the second act.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 12:59am

MY TOP 10 (in no particular order):

I Know Where I've Been - HAIRSPRAY
You Can Always Count on Me - CITY OF ANGELS
Back to Before - RAGTIME
Cabaret - CABARET
Ain't It Good? - CHILDREN OF EDEN
Sit Down Your Rockin' the Boat - GUYS AND DOLLS
Run Freedom Run - URINETOWN
Swing - WONDERFUL TOWN
A Boy Like That - WEST SIDE STORY
Always True to You - KISS ME, KATE Updated On: 2/12/06 at 12:59 AM

[Mythus]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:12am

Thesbijean, you've got "Cabaret" on there twice. And I don't really know if "Run Freedom Run" counts...it comes mid-way through the second act. If anything, I'd say it's "We're Not Sorry".

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:12am

I would like to again ask, does anyone know what the GYPSY reference in betrayed that Arthur Laurents had removed was?!?!? And why was a GYPSY reference not okay in that but it's fine for a big drag queen to make a GYSPSY reference in HAIRSPRAY? Just wondering.

[Mythus]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:17am

Broadway Bob, I don't know for sure, but it wasn't just a reference, it was a whole...section of song, I think.

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:18am

An '11 o'clock number' is not just a term for a song's placement in a show. It also sums up the show in some regard and has a GALVANIZING effect on an audience. Which eliminates many of the titles listed above.
Three of the most notable, however, are:
WHAT DID I HAVE THAT I DON'T HAVE? from ON A CLEAR DAY
WHAT I DID FOR LOVE from A CHORUS LINE
and
Helen Gallagher singing THE WHERE-HAS-MY-HUBBY-GONE BLUES from NO, NO NANETTE.


Melinda Tentrees
Brighton, England

Updated On: 2/12/06 at 01:18 AM

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:45am

I was taught in college that an 11 O'Clock number was at first literally at 11 O'Clock and that the purpose it served was to rejuvinate the audience and basically wake them up right before all of the resolution of the show. Usually 2nd or 3rd to last number. Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat was the poster child for it (was what I was told) and the epitome of it - which cracks me up because so many people are saying a factor is that it's the star, but the number that's supposedly the perfect example of an 11 o'clock number was NOT sung by the star (ps. hahaha, so funny that someone said marry the man today was more-so than this one when it's the song most commonly referenced as a great example of what an 11 o'clock number is).

We had to do some listenings for this class as well and other ones I found that the prof. agreed were in that genre included We Beseech Thee from Godspell and Ain't It Good from Children of Eden. (if you think about those, they're a little random, but upbeat and just before we see how everything turns out; also both second or third to last songs)

Basically pulls audience out of all of the conflicts and things htat have been going on in act two, gets them to tap their toes a bit, get their blood pumpin again so that they're revitalized just before the resolution of all the conflicts/finale etc.

I was also told this was generally an upbeat - I didn't really hear of any that were ballads because we were told that would be part of the conflict, or falling action - not in every instance but like I said, the closest thing to a 'ballad' that was given as an example was Rose's Turn...and I'd hardly call that a ballad.

As someone else just mentioned, not every song that falls in that slot in every musical qualifies as an 11 o'clock number. It's a genre (I was taught) not something every musical has necessarily.

Updated On: 2/12/06 at 01:45 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:48am

"Not While I'm Around"?

Huh?

How?

[C is for Company]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:51am

Thank God somebody said What I Did For Love, too bad it took too long into the thread though. I'd say "I'm Here" is one as well

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:52am

Sorry, fixed...

I dunno, Run Freedom Run IMO is the showstopper that revitalizes the audience...

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 1:54am

Hah. About "I Know Where I've Been"... that's the one song that makes me fall asleep. :P It's "Without Love" that sort of gets me going for Act 2.

[rKrispyt]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 2:02am

argh - volleyballer, you beat me to it!

Yes, Without Love is MUCH MORE the 11 o'clock number than Where I've Been in my mind.

I'm surprised to hear the writers dubbed the latter the 11 O'clock. Interesting.

Updated On: 2/12/06 at 02:02 AM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 2:03am

"I'm Here?" as in "I'm Still Here" from FOLLIES? That number is barely halfway through the show. It's more like a 9:30 number rather than 11:00. If FOLLIES has an 11:00 number -- and I don't think it really has just one (the whole Loveland sequence altogether functions as the climax of the show) -- then it would be "Live Laugh Love" I suppose.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 2/12/06 at 2:04am

IMO Sweeney doesnt really have one. Not While I'm Around is the song that sets up the finale. Its not an 11 o clock number but without it there is no way to show Tobias knows whats going on and gives no emotion to Todd's death.

My Favorite 11 O'clock numbers:
Back to Before - Ragtime
No One is Alone - Into the Woods
If He Walked Into My Life - Mame
Rose's Turn - Gypsy
Gimme Gimme - TMM
No Good Deed - Wicked
Kiss of the Spider Woman - Kiss of the Spider Woman
Dirty Rotten Number - DRS
In LA - Fame

Isn't Ladies Who Lunch considered the 11 o'clock number for Company no Being Alive.