All time great theater moments?

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.

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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.

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!

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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

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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

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.

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...

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

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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

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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.

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

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.

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

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

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