Best staged number in theatre history?

#1

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 6:42pm

What do you guys think? I'd say Michael Bennett has two of them with Turkey Lurkey Time and Who's That Woman, and Gower Champion has two with Put On Your Sunday Clothes and Hello, Dolly! Any others?

#2

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 6:49pm

When the puppets were doin it in that one show.

But seriously, the opening number of RAGTIME.

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Updated On: 3/25/15 at 06:49 PM

#3

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:04pm

How 'bout 42nd Street? Or the title number from Mame?

By "best staged" do you mean all spectacle and pizazz?

Would Beautiful Girls qualify? Or Rose's Turn?

In short, I don't know.

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Updated On: 3/25/15 at 07:04 PM

#4

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:10pm

You'll Never Walk Alone

#5

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:15pm

"Sunday"

#6

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:15pm

"Model Behavior" from WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

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#7

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:15pm

Bennett was a master, of course. It doesn't get better than The Mirror Number, or The Music and the Mirror (motif, huh?), or the finale of A CHORUS LINE.

But for my money, Jerome Robbins wins the triple crown with "Shall We Dance?" from THE KING AND I, "The Dance at the Gym" from WEST SIDE STORY and especially "All I Need is the Girl" from GYPSY. And then think of the other treasures he gave us as runner-ups: the Charleston in BILLION DOLLAR BABY, the Bottle Dance in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, etc.

So, there you have it. Oh, and "Hot Honey Rag" from CHICAGO.

#8

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:35pm

To many to mention

I cannot pick out one favorite

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#9

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:40pm

Nicholas Hytner's "Carousel Waltz".

#10

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:48pm

One of the numbers from 42nd Street. Maybe "We're In the Money"

"Turkey Lurkey Time" or "Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen" or something from "Dreamgirls"

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#11

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:53pm

Memory from Cats

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#12

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:55pm

Definitely something by Michael Bennett. Not sure offhand which one.

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#13

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 7:58pm

Dance at the Gym -West Side Story
Defying Gravity -Wicked
Angry Dance -Billy Elliot
Willkommen -Cabaret (98'/2014 Revival)
Circle of Life -The Lion King
Magic to Do -Pippin (2013 Revival)
The Phantom of the Opera -The Phantom of the Opera
Be Our Guest -Beauty and the Beast
Buenos Aires -Evita (2012 Revival)
Seize the Day -Newsies
As If We Never Said Goodbye -Sunset Boulevard
Blackout -In the Heights

#14

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:01pm

The Sex is in the Heel-Kinky Boots
Shall We Dance-The King and I
Hot Honey Rag-Chicago
Anything Goes-whichever one (they're all fantastic)

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#15

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:03pm

Are you people daft? No love for Jerry Robbins? I mean, I know he was a prick, but he was still a genius.

#16

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:06pm

Who's That Woman? Follies

Wonderful runner-up

The opening number from the original production of La Cage aux Folles. Sheer bliss.

Updated On: 3/25/15 at 08:06 PM

#17

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:11pm

I don't know what All I Need is the Girl looks like on stage, but I will second you jv92 with Shall We Dance as well as the Dance at the Gym. The title number of Mame is also great. Also love the Hot Honey Rag.

#18

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:18pm

You Cant Stop the Beat-Hairspray
Raise You Up-Kinky Boots
One Finale-A Chorus Line
The American Dream-Miss Saigon
Oklahoma-Oklahoma
Laurey's Dream Ballet-Oklahoma
Springtime For Hitler-The Producers
Mein Herr-Cabaret (movie)
Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats-Cats
Jellicle Ball-Cats

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#19

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:44pm

One Day More --Les Miserables (original staging)

Solidarity--Billy Elliot

I'm Flying --Peter Pan (Sandy Duncan production)

#20

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:47pm

"Hot Honey Rag" is one of those numbers that never fails to move me. It's not from a very emotional musical. There's nothing sentimental or romantic or remotely touching about CHICAGO, really. But it's so joyful, I can't help but get a little tingly during it. At least, when people are doing it well. Joy moves me very much.

#21

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:48pm

I feel the same way. Same goes for Turkey Lurkey time.

#22

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:49pm

Turkey Lurkey is just thrilling. It's just really cool to watch.

Don't pop the head, Cassie!

#23

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 8:50pm

It's literally impossible to beat the moment when Orestes arrives at Agamemnon's tomb in The Libation Bearers. It can't be held against the show that it has been copied directly so many times since because it was groundbreaking.

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#24

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 9:39pm

For my money, it's Anita Morris doing A Call from the Vatican in the original production of Nine. No one should be able to do that.

Edit: Forgot to say Gold Reprise from Once. One of those rare moments when I knew I'd remember it forever.

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Updated On: 3/25/15 at 09:39 PM

#25

Best staged number in theatre history?

Posted: 3/25/15 at 10:09pm

I feel like I can't contribute much to this thread since I haven't been able to see a lot of shows' original productions, but I'll bite with a bit of what I have seen so far.


As mentioned previously, the Phantom title song is pretty iconic with the boat bit. I'm also fond of the "Stärker als wir sind" scene (or "Red Boots Ballet" as we knew it on Broadway) in Tanz der Vampire, probably my favorite scene in the entire show. Also, as much as I disliked Lion King, I have to grudgingly admit that the first five minutes were some of the most exciting I've seen on a stage...Too bad the rest didn't live up to the hype.

EDIT: "Defying Gravity" I guess should also be added to the list.

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Updated On: 3/26/15 at 10:09 PM