Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical — Page 2

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#26

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 2:41pm

"Requiem for Evita" - Evita

"How do you like THAT 'misanthropic panache,' Mr. Goldstone?" - PalJoey

#27

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 2:46pm

Also, " Heaven on their Minds" from JCS

Keep your morals, I don't have time. Keep your lovers, I'm changing mine! -The Likes of Us

#28

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 2:52pm

Agree with Pottstown Teacher. The opening of "Titanic" is one of the most amazing I've ever seen. Honerable mentions: "Wilkomen", "Tradition" from Fiddler and "Life Is" from Zorba.

#29

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 2:52pm

Also love the opening of "Company"

Updated On: 12/22/05 at 02:52 PM

#30

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:24pm

I watched Ragtime's opening number on the Broadway Lost Treasures, and it gave me chills, and I actually cried.

Beautifully staged, awesomely sung, powerfully written.

Absolutely glorious.

Company, too.. it's a great introduction into the world of the show too.. which is what an opening number should do.

I do like All That Jazz too..

Personally, I think I have too much bloom.

#31

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:25pm

Titanic - so amazing
Nine
Grand Hotel
Aida, mediocre show, great opening
Falsettoland
Pacific Overtures

"Mutate or perish."

#32

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:32pm

I've got a soft spot for the opening number "Will a Mania" in Will Rogers Follies.

"My dreams, watching me said, one to the other...this life has let us down."

#33

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:32pm

I might have said Ragtime, myself, except that I can't get past the Boy...perhaps the single most annoying child actor/voice to ever grace a Broadway stage....

"Cor! me bones is weary!" -Mrs. Lovett

#34

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:33pm

I don't think there's many opening numbers that can compare w/ "Prologue" in West Side Story. All of the background information you need to know is told to the audience w/o one word spoken--you just get lost in the music and movement and it's really a sight to see. Aside from the fact that it gives so much info, the music and movement are amazing to hear/see.

But I do agree I would put Ragtime up there.

Also love Wilkommen in Cabaret and Prologue of Into the Woods.

"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli

#35

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:35pm

"The Old Red Hills of Home" --PARADE
"Prologue" --RAGTIME
"Willkomen" --CABARET
"Prologue" --INTO THE WOODS
"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" --SWEENEY TODD...it's that damn whistle, I tell ya!

"You're the worst thing to happen to musical theatre since Andrew Lloyd Webber!" --Family Guy

"Shut up! It's been 29 years!!!" --the incomparable Patti LuPone in her MUCH DESERVED Tony acceptance speech for Gypsy.

Kitzy's Avatar du Jour: Kitzy as Little Red Ridinghood in her college's production of "Into the Woods"

#36

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 3:39pm

I am a fan of "Good Morning Baltimore" from Hairspray ...

"Less Of A Marilyn, More Of A Jackie" www.richardhblake.com

#37

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 4:01pm

TOP CHOICE: "Queenie was a Blonde" from Lippa's The Wild Party. Looked great. Sounds great.

Also: "Facade" from Jekyll and Hyde. I can't stand the show, but the opening was pretty engaging.

"Art is always in crisis: you must work fast to write in the breath on the window." -Edward Bond

#38

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 4:24pm

-All That Jazz
-Ragtime
-Every Story Is A Love Story
-Willkomenn

If Lincoln were alive today, do you think he'd be pleased with his tunnel?

#39

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 4:25pm

"The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" ~Sweeny Todd
"I hope I get it"~A chorus line
"Every Story Is A Love Story"~Aida

#40

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 5:07pm

so many!!

Tradition, Fiddler
No One Mourns the Wicked, Wicked
Look Down, Les Miz
Prologue of Into the Woods
Circle of Life, Lion King

Not mentioned yet:

The Heat is on in Saigon, Miss Saigon
Scrap, Full Monty
Thoroughly Modern Millie, TMM

#41

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 5:33pm

GOOD MORNING BALTIMORE ranks up there.

"I'm learning to dig deep down inside and find the truth within myself and put that out. I think what we identify with in popular music more than anything else is when someone just shares a truth that we can relate to. That's what I'm searching for in my music." - Ron Bohmer

"I broke the boundaries. It wasn't cool to be in plays- especially if you were in sports & I was in both." - Ashton Kutcher

#42

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:00pm

LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING - this song is the "overture" itself, as it embodies ASPECTS OF LOVE'S theme of love with its many twists and turns. There is no overture in the musical so the songs works very powerfully in introducing the story that is to follow. And Michael Ball did full justice to the song when the show opened in London and on Broadway!

ALL THE LIVES OF ME -- this song embodies Peter Allen's biographical essence and while not written particularly for THE BOY FROM OZ ( as other songs were not written for the show either), it works very well to get us involved in this very entertaining show. The flash of white ( towel) when he moves very fast to the piano in a darkened stage, followed by the piano playing, and this song by Hugh Jackman is such a great opener that I can still remember exactly those memorable moments!

Updated On: 12/22/05 at 06:00 PM

#43

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:09pm

24 Hours A Day - Golden Rainbow
Movies Were Movies - Mack & Mabel
Will A Mania - Will Rogers Follies
Let The Devil Take Us - Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public

Poster Emeritus

#44

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:14pm

I forgot about the female overture to Nine, and Little Shop of Horrors, LOOOOOOOOOVE that song! Tottal mirror and hairbrush for me(hehe)!

Stop worrying if your vision is new. Let others make that decision- They usually do. You keep moving on. Anything you do, Let it come from you. Then it will be new. Give us more to see... ~Sunday In the Park with George

#45

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:15pm

"The New World (Opening)" from Songs for a New World.

#46

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:17pm

Chicago, Beauty and the Beast, and if done well enough, Footloose

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small compared to what lies within us..

#47

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:19pm

That's funny
I always thought of "No one Mourns the Wicked" to be one of the most uninspired opening numbers, and one of the weakest in the whole score.

Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#48

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:19pm

That's funny
I always thought of "No one Mourns the Wicked" to be one of the most uninspired opening numbers, and one of the weakest in the whole score.

Listen, I don't take my clothes off for anyone, even if it is "artistic". - JANICE

#49

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:27pm

I can't believe this hasn't been mention yet.

Too Much Exposition/Urinetown - Urinetown.

With the whole cast belting out the song and when they start to wake up, gave me chills the whole time. And when the opening is repeated at the end. I get chills every time I listen to it.

Honourable mentions -
Sweeney Todd, Rent is absolutely electric live, it's not quite as amazing on CD or movie.

I too think that the openings of Wicked and Les Mis are weak in comparison to the rest of the show. But to each its own.

#50

re: Best Opening (Not Overture) Number in a Musical

Posted: 12/22/05 at 6:32pm

The Ballad of Sweeney Todd - Sweeney Todd
The entire Opening Sequence - Grand Hotel
Too Much Exposition/Urinetown - Urinetown
All That Jazz- Chicago
Everybody's Got the Right- Assassins
These are just mine, but there are so many.

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