All time great theater moments? — Page 2

Lorelai--it's called "Finale"

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I never saw Dreamgirls, but I'm sure "And I Am Telling You..." must have been amazing!

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After 30+ years and 1000+ shows, nothing I've ever seen compares to the "It's All Over/And I Am Telling You" Act I finale of DREAMGIRLS where the standing ovation started halfway through the song. Nothing else is even close.

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Updated On: 4/2/06 at 10:27 PM

As already said: "Circle of Life" from TLK...what a thrilling and visually stunning moment in theatre!

"I'll Cover You" (reprise)-I saw RENT for the first time last March in NYC and this is where I simply lost it...the music, the lyrics, the raw emotion of the situation combined make for one of the most moving songs I've ever experienced personally in the theatre.

"What About Love" from TCP...props to having a situation which could be staged as tacky and tasteless and creating a beautiful moment for both Celie and Shug where everything seems to be laid out on the table...I got teary eyed here.

There are others but those are my top three.

Oh and honorable mention: Ana Gastyer as Elphaba, "No Good Deed"...there aren't words to describe how powerful this song was.

Cheers,

Christopher

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The finale of Les Miserables is just beautiful.

I also second the bottle dance in Fiddler on the Roof...the intensity of the music and the dance just keeps building, it's great. Plus, it's one of those great moments in theater where the boys get to shine.

The finale of Les Miserables gets to me, especially live.

I haven't seen Wicked yet (I'm going to in May!), but "For Good" brings tears to my eyes and "Defying Gravity" has an amazing affect on me.

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I'll expand on "Defying Gravity", just to stir the WICKED loathers.

I do agree that the visual and melody are extremely powerful but I think the context is truly chilling. If done by a convincing Elphaba *cough*Idina*cough*, the transformation from insecure girl to icon should be seamless and chilling. That lyric that sends it off "No Wizard that there is or was is ever gonna bring me down!" cues a blasting minor chord followed by the mob and Glinda's melancholy/bitter "I hope your happy". It's a chilling reminder of the choice she has made and foreshadowing of the events we, as the audience, know are to come. Still, Mr. Schwartz manages to resolve it to a triumphunt finale as Elphaba bravely flies on, in pursuit of what she believes. I think that is pretty heavy crap.

Ditto on Dolly's entrance.

I'll have to add "Cool" from WEST SIDE STORY. Jerome Robbins worked his dancers' asses off in this imfamously difficult and strainuous dance number. Even watching it on film, you're speechless. It's a terrific authorship.

Kevinoes, I totally agree about Cool

And the music is fantastic too!

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I'll have to add "Cool" from WEST SIDE STORY.

Of course! I'd also like to add to that all of the dance numbers- the Prologue, the Dance at the Gym, America the Rumble and Somewhere. The dances from West Side Story are some of the most breathtaking I've ever seen.

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There's a lot I am not certain of...