Best Act I Finales - Page 5

[Here I Am]

Posted: 11/1/10 at 10:59pm

I don't know if anybody wrote this yet, but I was extremely affected by the Act One finale of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA. Absolutely gorgeous and moving!

[dragonlp86]

Posted: 11/1/10 at 11:03pm

I'm going to have to agree to "Blackout" from 'In the Heights' as well as the 'Light in the Piazza' finale. And from a strictly emotional standpoint, "A Light in the Dark" from 'Next to Normal'.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/1/10 at 11:29pm

A Light In The Dark is great, but I'll admit, I preferred the original Act 1 Finale, "Feeling Electric," to the song that took its place opening Act 2.

[dragonlp86]

Posted: 11/1/10 at 11:36pm

I enjoyed "Feeling Electric", don't get me wrong. But I kind of love how the first act doesn't try to go out with a 'bang', in a way. It just sort of quietly goes to intermission, leaving you hanging, in a way.

[THDavis]

Posted: 11/2/10 at 9:14am

Being absolutely obsessed with Carrie, I think "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance" is breathtaking. I think the fire bit is confusing and irrelevant, but Buckley's climactic and intense performance coupled with Linzi's somehow innocent and yet still intense ending was so deliciously contrasty.

[mallardo]

Posted: 11/2/10 at 9:21am

For an old fashioned raise-the-roof type Act One finale Sister Act's "Take Me To Heaven" is pretty damn powerful.

[musicalperson17]

Posted: 11/2/10 at 9:27am

message from a nightingale has probably got to be the funniest thing i have ever seen in theatre if you can call it an act 1 fianle cause chaperone is a one act

[Gothampc]

Posted: 11/2/10 at 9:28am

How did I miss this thread back when it was first started?

There is no better Act 1 finale than Evita. The entire cast is onstage, torches and banners, singing A New Argentina.

How could you get any better than Patti LuPone singing "He supports you for he loves you, stop taking pictures, understands you, is one of you..."

Gypsy and Dreamgirls are very close seconds, but nothing beats that final crowd scene in Evita demanding a new Argentina.

Updated On: 11/2/10 at 09:28 AM

[fiesta1]

Posted: 11/2/10 at 11:59am

I guess I am pretty 'old school', but I'd rate Dreamgirls, Sunday in the Park, and La Cage as my top three.

[Amalia Balash]

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

Sunday from Sunday in the Park With George
A New Argentina from Evita
I Am What I Am from La Cage Aux Folles

I wanted to put Do You Hear the People Sing from Les Miz, but then realized it wasn't the Act 1 finale. But it resonated with me much more than the actual Act 1 finale, One Day More, did. One Day More didn't have me wanting to go off and join a revolution somewhere the way Do You Hear the People Sing did.

[jwsel]

Posted: 11/3/10 at 4:33am

"message from a nightingale has probably got to be the funniest thing i have ever seen in theatre if you can call it an act 1 fianle cause chaperone is a one act"

I loved Message from a Nightengale and nearly fell out of my seat when I saw Drowsy Chaperone, but I don't consider it a first act finale. My vote goes for four that have already been mentioned:

I Am What I Am from La Cage (I still can see George Hearn letting loose his raw anger as the song goes on. It was absolutely mesmerizing and I remember half the audience in total silence for a long moment before they began to applaud.)

And I'm Telling You from Dreamgirls (I've only seen Jennifer Holiday's version on YouTube, but it was still very powerful in the recent tour version I saw).

Til We Reach That Day from Ragtime (though when I saw it during its pre-Broadwas run, the song actually opened the second act)

Everything's Coming Up Roses from Gypsy (didn't that song define the showstopper?)

[secondarycharacter2]

Posted: 11/3/10 at 10:48am

the best act 1 finale is obviously Act 1 Finale from Urinetown.....

[JRybka]

Posted: 11/3/10 at 11:24am

Ragtime was amazing
and I loved Dreamgirls...

[heathurr2]

Posted: 11/3/10 at 12:16pm

If we're talking current Broadway, I'd have to say I was blown away by the Act 1 finale of In the Heights.
All time Broadway? Gypsy.

[charlesjguiteau]

Posted: 10/13/11 at 8:42pm

I would have bumped this sooner, rather than starting a new thread, but I was so bugged by the OP's misplaced apostrophe.

I'll add one more yet to be mentioned:

"The Joint is Jumpin'" from Ain't Misbehavin' for a terrific old-fashioned barn-burner of an Act ender, especially when Nell Carter, Armelia McQueen and Charlaine Woodard were doing the burning.

[mpd4165]

Posted: 10/13/11 at 11:17pm

Of late:
Next to Normal - a beautiful and haunting stage picture as Dan comforts...and conspires with the doctor.
In the Heights - My heart just soars as Benny and Nina run toward one another.
Book of Mormon - The utter ridiculousness of it.

In general:
Hair - Where Do I Go? is damn near my favorite song in the score and I was just devastated by the internal conflict for Claude.
Of course others that have been repeated multiple times.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 10/13/11 at 11:23pm

I'm kind of shocked that no one mentioned TWO of my favorites:

GREY GARDENS : "Will You" ---- It is stunning. The swell of the orchestration just as she says "who could ever bear to leave?"

THE KING AND I : It is hard to compete with the intensity of the drama, and the music under it.... The orchestra playing "Something Wonderful" while he promises her the house.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 10/15/11 at 12:03am

I'm a huge fan of Prince's act one ending direction/concept for Evita. Hell, his whole original production can't be beat.

But I'm especially fond of Eva and Peron's state of dress during the whole thing with Eva in fuzzy slippers, no less. Kinda highlights just how powerful the duo were, in the manner in which it seems they whipped up popular support and won an election, along with the country's hearts in the process, all from the comfort of their own bedroom and PJs, LOL.

It's amazing how effective the "less is more" approach is, and I always get goosebumps when the number reaches that final climax with the workers/descamisados and general public standing still, bearing signs; banners; and torches with Eva and Peron doing their little hand waves, as a single worker tugs on a large banner, causing it to fall majestically from a height equaling the height of the proscenium as that timpani rolls to a halt in the pit. That little gesture is almost too simple to have such a dramatic effect, and I love it...cause it totally does.

[MajorPhan]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 4:11pm

Honestly, I think Phantom of the Opera because THE CHANDELIER CRASHES! I think that is pretty sweet...

Other good ones are "Defying Gravity" if sung right (From Wicked)

"A New Argentina" (From Evita)

I'm pretty sure all of these were already said, but they're the best! :)

[DPACSTH]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:11pm

"Defying Gravity" for me hands down. That's probably so cliched by now, but I don't care.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:28pm

"I Am What I Am" has always reminded me of the way wimpy people assert themselves with words to the effect of "Nobody messes with me!" and you just know they are lying. Whenever I hear it, I am embarrassed for Albin, Jerry Herman, the actor playing the part and gay people everywhere (including myself).

African-Americans have the good taste to sing "We Shall Overcome", but we queers play "I Am What I Am"? OMG and WTF!

(I apologize for the rant, but this happens to be Pride Week in my town, so I'll have to suffer through endless repetitions between now and Sunday.)

[DPACSTH]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 6:42pm

Major - Yeah, I've heard less than stellar recording of "Defying Gravity" and it didn't do it justice. I've seen it once and we have tickets for a tour show next Spring. My only live experience of it was sung by Vicki Noon and she was/is fantastic.

[michellek45]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 8:00pm

"Anything Goes" is pretty spectacular is a fun sort of way.
"Where Do I Go?" and "One Day More" are probably my dramatic favorites, but I think "Anthem" is up there as well. It's a gorgeous song.

[adam.peterson44]

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

My favourites:

Wicked - Defying Gravity (best by far of more than 100 i've seen)
Les Miserables - One Day More
Phantom of the Opera - All i ask of you reprise
Chess - Anthem (spectacular)
City of Angels - You're nothing without me
Next to Normal - Light in the Dark
Fiddler on the roof - wedding raid
Gypsy - Everything's coming up roses


After thinking about my favourite act 1 finales, the list also seems to capture many of my favourite shows overall, which i guess is not that surprising. I agree with a previous commenter that Gethsemane from JCS is spectacular, though it was not the act 1 finale when i saw it either.

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 11/1/11 at 10:44pm

A New Argentina (Evita) is at the top of the list, by far.
I Am What I Am--I thought that Hodge totally hit this out of the ball park in the last revival
Everything's Coming Up Roses--at the last revival my friend and I just sat there stunned. I felt like I couldn't move for a few minutes.
Cabaret--Tomorrow Belongs to Me
My new obsession: Ghost--I Had a Life