Best staging of a duet?

[aces25]

Posted: 10/26/19 at 10:13pm

Whats your favorite or most creative staging of a musical duet?

[AADA81]

Posted: 10/26/19 at 10:33pm

This is actually a triad done with three groups of people.  The title song in the musical Ragtime, which culminates in three groups of different communities - immigrants, Negroes (authors' word, not mine), affluent white people - facing off and circling one another in suspicion before singing the final refrain, is one of the most startling visual moments I've ever seen in the theater.

[benfox2]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 12:16am

I've always liked the staging of 'Color and Light' in the OBC Sunday in the Park. George and Dot focusing on their own passions(George with his painting, Dot doing makeup trying to make him happy). And then the final note at the end of the song as they stare intensely at each other.

Maybe not the most creative but I still I love it so.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 8:06am

I adore the instrumental dance "break" in All I've Ever Known from Hadestown.  The lighting, the choreography, the violin - it gets me choked up even now.

I also think the staging for That Would Be Enough from Hamilton is pretty darn cool.  After a rather non-stop show (pun intended), Eliza gets some time to just sit down with her husband and talk, and it's really beautiful.

Also, they never said this had to be a love song, so I'm going to put in when the wall closes on Elder Cunningham during You and Me (But Mostly Me) in The Book of Mormon.  A hilarious way to literally "close" him out of the situation and put him in the background (which was actually an accident in rehearsals, I believe, but a very happy accident indeed).

[scampsweep]

Posted: 10/27/19 at 3:31pm

‘I Still Believe’ from Miss Saigon where the two women are in different parts of the world. Simple, but effective.

I also liked the similar arrangements for ‘I Know Him So Well’ in the London ENO production of Chess. Florence sang her part in a hotel whilst Svetlana’s part was sung as part of a tabloid-style TV interview. It made Svetlana appear calculating and slightly desperate. It made sense to me.

[David10086]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 12:00am

Gregg Edelman, James Naughton singing "You're Nothing Without Me" and later - "I'm Nothing Without You" - from "City of Angels". An overlooked gem by Cy Coleman.and David Zippel.

[denali.fire]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 8:17am

David10086 said: "Gregg Edelman, James Naughton singing "You're Nothing Without Me" and later - "I'm Nothing Without You" - from "City of Angels". An overlooked gem by Cy Coleman.and David Zippel."

 

Agreed! 

 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 8:52am

Was going to say You and Me (But Mostly Me), as well. Comedic genius right there.

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 9:46am

Not sure if this counts as a duet..."Shall We Dance?" from The King and I? The beautiful backdrop of the palace, the costumes, the MUSIC, how they can have sexual tension without being so physical. Would you count that? 

[Erik S Lillie]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 10:45am

Hard to be more creative than Curly and Jud's duet in Poor Jud is Dead in the current Oklahoma revival.

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 11:16am

Erik S Lillie said: "Hard to be more creative than Curly and Jud's duet in Poor Jud is Dead inthe current Oklahoma revival."

Whoa. You're so right. Wow.  Out of the shows this season that definitely takes it. 

[Lot666]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 1:12pm

In the original London production of Love Never Dies, the "Devil Take the Hindmost [Quartet]" scene was staged with Christine in the center of a revolve. A faux proscenium curved up and over the revolve, and the Phantom was positioned behind it on one side of the arch, with Raoul in the same position on the other side of the arch. The two male characters sang their alternating verses of the song as they slowly revolved around Christine in the center. It was a perfect visual depiction of her inner struggle.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 3:50pm

Agree with previous post re Poor Jud is Dead.  It was a very risky approach and worked beautifully for me.

I always thought that Bosom Buddies was perfectly staged, right down to the way it ends with Gooch coming down the stairway to jazzy music. I see that as a perfect segue rather than a trio.

 

 

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 10/28/19 at 9:45pm

magictodo123 said: "Not sure if this counts as a duet..."Shall We Dance?" from The King and I? The beautiful backdrop of the palace, the costumes, the MUSIC, how they can have sexual tension without being so physical. Would you count that?"

I don't just count it, I used to show the same scene from the film when I lectured on the history of musical theater. It is the most "Hammersteinian" of all Hammerstein scenes! Even the bench scene in CAROUSEL doesn't burst into dance.

Meanwhile, the K&I scene goes from dialogue, to rhymed speaking in verse, to singing, to dancing as the the drama heightens. PRECISELY what the librettist wanted to do with the form.

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 10/29/19 at 9:40am

Definitely a tip of the hat to "I'm Nothing Without You" - from City of Angels 

My two favorites: "You Can Do Better Than Him" from Bonnie & Clyde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkK9dwSYlmI

Lily's Eyes - The Secret Garden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-RYHcyhLqk

I know the question is about staging.  But, these are the only videos I could find of a performance.

Updated On: 10/29/19 at 09:40 AM

[magictodo123]

Posted: 10/30/19 at 8:44am

I can't believe it took me so long to think of this, but I also love "All I Ask of You" from Phantom. Absolutely beautiful.