All time great theater moments?

[knows_too_much]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 6:50pm

Those moments in shows that are more than just your favorite, but are unforgettable. Whether created musically, visually, or emotionally, they have an affect that can only be accomplished through live theater.

My List:

Gypsy - after Rose's turn as the audience wildly applauds, and Rose's expression changes and you(the audience) realize that your applause ARE Rose's fantasy.

Ragtime - He Wanted to Say, specifically when it goes into "Two men passing...

West Side Story - Maria's final speech to the end

The King and I - After Tuptim has been captured and the King can't bring himself to whip her

Carousel - When Billy sings How I Loved You rather than If I loved you

Sunday in the park With George - Move On, when George and Dot sing in unison for the first time.

Cabaret - The Sam Mendes revival from start to finish. The show has great moments in it that exist in every production, (Tomorrow Belongs to Me, "She wouldn't look Jewish at all," etc...) but the imagery and the atmosphere Sam Mendes created in the revival elevated that show to a different level.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 7:08pm

Add to the opening of 'The Lion King'.

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 7:12pm

Statues and Stories from the Light in the Piazza-- when her hat flies in the air, and the leaves, oh I felt like I was in Italy.

[Horton]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 7:32pm

The Impossible Dream sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell, sitting front row

[peggyandvelma]

Posted: 4/1/06 at 10:36pm

Seeing 42nd Street with my eyes glued to the man playing Julian Marsh as he sang the reprise of the title song. Then, on those last two words...he whips out Peggy's scarf. I wanted to cry. Great, now I want to go listen to my OBCR!

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 12:08am

Whenever the day comes, 30 or so years down the road, when Wicked has closed on Broadway, finished all of its tours and sit-down productions, made the inevitable movie version and finally decides to release the amateur rights, I guarantee you local theater companies will be renting black-clad cherry-pickers to recreate the Defying Gravity sequence rather than finding their own ways to stage the number. That moment has become too indelibly linked to the song. The "Defying Gravity Machine" will be right up there with the plant from Little Shop in terms of theatrical rentals.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 12:18am

I doubt any community theater'll be spending 5,000 a night on a cherry picker. She'll probably whip off backstage and then reappear on a catwalk holding a broom :P

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 12:24am

By 2036, I'm sure we'll finally have those jetpacks they've been promising us since the '50s. If not, I hope they at least rent a lift from a local construction company... preferably operated by some guy in a hard hat and sweaty T-shirt.

It's the magic of theater, people!!!

[lvpblues]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 3:26am

The very beginning of Piazza as the harp glisses start in the overture and the lighting evokes a sunrise both visually and musically. And everything that happens afterwards...hehe.

There are really too many from too many different sources to consider here.

~K

[broadwayboy430]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 4:04am

The Overture to POTO... it is so powerful in the Majestic when those LOUD chords play, and that HUGE chandelier just FLIES!
chills, chills, chills

[Sant]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 7:22am

THE KING AND I (revival) - seeing the London revival and hearing "Something Wonderful" for the first time. The arrangement was a bit different from the B'way production.

THE KING AND I (revival) - the finale. So beautiful. And so sad.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - the Overture. Seeing & hearing it for the first time was an amazing experience.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - the title scene. The whole scene was (and still is!) just so amazingly executed. It had me gasping for breath.

SHOW BOAT (Hal Prince's revival) - in London, the actress playing Julie got standing ovation in the middle of the show after she sung "Bill". It was such an emotional and powerful performance of that song.

RAGTIME - "Till We Reach That Day", the power and beauty of that song just blew me away.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 10:41am

SWEENEY TODD: The cast walks onstage and Manoel begins singing "Attend the tale..."

RENT: The start of Act II when everyone starts singing Seasons of Love to the audience, and there is nothing between them and us but the music.

[brad3]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 1:52pm

Seeing Draculas final performance.
London Mamma Mia! The sound went out.
NYC Mamma Mia! Watching people mess up their lines [Only cuz ive seen it so many times i would know]
Everytime i see mamma Mia the cast stares at me the entire show becuase i know them.
Seeing Eden in Wicked.
Going Backstage at Mamma Mia!, Spamalot, Fiddler, Wicked, Mamma Mia! Las Vegas, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Chicago, Aida, The Woman in White, Many More...

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 1:59pm

There's a moment in Piazza that kills ms just thinking about it. When the family assembles for the wedding at the end, and Clara comes out in her wedding dress and they're playing the glissandos, and suddenly she goes to her mother and says "I can't leave you." and then Margaret says "Yes, you can." and the button hits for Fable.

In any other show it would be such complete cheese, but I feel like the show earns that moment and it works so well on so many levels, saying so much about both characters in only two lines.

Oh, and include the song Fable in that... and then when Signor Naccarelli comes and takes her hand to lead her to the wedding... the whole ending of the show is just a killer. I want to go see it again now.

My other greatest theater moment is when Sweeney Todd discovers that he has just killed his wife and Mrs. Lovett freaks. Sweeney gets up and dances with her, and then throws her into the oven. This is the best part of the whole freakin' show. Sadly pretty much gone from the new production, but that's okay. It'll be back.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 2:05pm

Joe sings "Ol' Man River" (assuming Joe is a great performer) in SHOWBOAT. 'nuf said.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 2:16pm

Well moments in shows in general, despite performers, etc.

All major "dance" songs in West Side Story--Prologue, Dance at the Gym, America, Cool, and The Rumble--the combination of Robbins' choreography and Bernstein's music is brilliant.

Les Miserables-"One Day More"-what is there to say? Amazing.

Evita-"A New Argentina"-the singing combined with the scenery was eye-popping

42nd Street-"Lullaby of Broadway"-when everyone comes together to sing/dance that number, it's great

Wicked-"Defying Gravity"-The combination of Elphaba being flown through the air, the lyrics she's singing, and the power with which she's singing them--briliiant.

La Cage Aux Folles-"I Am What I Am"-when done well, heartwrenching and inspiring.

[knows_too_much]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 2:24pm

Adding a few that havn't been said yet:

Rent - Seasons of Love Reprise when they reform the line with a spotlight on Angels empty spot

A Chorus Line - At the climax of One when they all back up to the back of the stage and pop thier heads

[Sant]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 3:00pm

In addition to what I've already listed above, the Number One for me is definitely:

Getting on stage in SPAMALOT!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 3:05pm

Rather than repeat my old clichéd answers, I'll post some of the new things that have really hit me in that "magic of the theatre" kind of way. Those moments that make you feel, sometimes viscerally so. Both from Doyle's productions, actually --

The final sequence/Judge's Return in Sweeney
Raul singing Being Alive in Company -- his performance paired with the absolute epiphany they've made of the staging of the song is... quite honestly, thrilling.

Updated On: 4/2/06 at 03:05 PM

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 3:05pm

Those that I have witnessed:
Bernadette singing "Rose's Turn"
Prologue and Final of Ragtime
Sweeney Todd first preview performance
Caroline or Change "Lots Wife"

[PerforMeg]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 3:20pm

Oooh I have lots!!!

-Lily's Eyes from Secret Garden
-The opening numbers of Cabaret and Chicago
-Pretty much all of West Side Story
-The bottle dance from Fiddler!!!!!!
-The moment in Sweeney Todd where Sweeney realizes that the beggar woman is his wife.
-The overtures of Funny Girl and Gypsy
-Heart and Music from New Brain
-The opening number of Bat Boy
-Guiteau's sequence in Assassins
-*sigh* Memory from Cats
-The lyric in Assassins: "While Lincoln, who got mixed reviews, because of you John now gets only raves."
-Say It Somehow from Piazza. That scene is staged so beautifully. They hardly even get close to each other and yet the sexual tension is practically suffocating you. Especially when they're standing at opposite ends of the bed.
-Alas, the Defying Gravity moment gets me teary every time. Yeah, yeah, hate me, whatever. I love it. LOOOOVE IT.

[Swango]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 4:35pm

The end of "Pride's Crossing" when Cherry Jones swan dives into the arms of the other actors.

[TheaterAddict7652]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 5:32pm

Sweeney Todd- The last 15 minutes of the first act- from the beginning of "Epiphany" to the end of "A Little Priest"

[LorelaiGilmore]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 5:42pm

"Rose's Turn" sung by Bernadette Peters was already said, but it was pretty incredible.

"One Day More" and the Finale version of "Do you here the people sing"(is there a technical name for this?) are both pretty incredible as well.

[jasonf]

Posted: 4/2/06 at 5:44pm

Theatreaddict - you sure you don't want to add Pretty Women in on that? :)