Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
I was randomly reading about Wicked and came across an article about Defying Gravity and how it was received. But it made me wonder...what are your favorite 11 o'clock numbers? Those big songs that tend to be sung by leads?
She Used To Be Mine. Defying Gravity or No Good Deed. A Musical (Something Rotten! It may not be the 11 o'clock number but it certainly stops the show).
Wow. I'm embarrassed that these are the only ones I can think of at the moment...forgive me, it's early and the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
Stand-by Joined: 3/17/15
The Lady’s Improving and As We Stumble Along obvi
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
A true 11:00 o'clock number - sung as the penultimate song, where there is a summary of what has gone before and looking the way forward. Listen to the applause after the song performance - this earned rare standing ovations during the run of THE BOY FROM OZ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaU8pXPWBqE
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
jo said: "A true 11:00 o'clock number - sung as the penultimate song, where there is a summary of what has gone before and looking the way forward. Listen to the applause after the song performance - this earned rare standing ovations during the run of THE BOY FROM OZ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaU8pXPWBqE
"
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
That was part of the press reels released to the media around the time the show was in previews. Many reels were released covering the musical score, presumably as promo material. Definitely not a bootleg.
Updated On: 10/11/19 at 07:05 AMBroadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
jo said: "That was part of the press reels released to the media around the time the show was in previews. Many reels were released covering the musical score, presumably as promo material. Definitely not a bootleg."
I'll watch later--thank you for including this! I don't know much about Boy From Oz but I'll check it out :)
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
You can still catch most of the press reels on YouTube ( I don't recall that they were ever taken down by the internet police because they were officially released to the media). In the clip I have posted, the uploader noted that it is a MEDIA REEL (same description for the other clips belonging to the same set). For the 2004 TONYs, a revised number incorporating 2 separate musical numbers in the show was shown. Btw, Hugh Jackman won the Best Actor TONY for a musical for this role.
Updated On: 10/11/19 at 07:30 AMBroadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
jo said: "You can still catch most of the press reels on YouTube ( I don't recall that they were ever taken down by the internet police because they were officially released to the media). In the post I have posted, the uploader noted that it is a MEDIA REEL (same description for the other clips belonging to the same set). For the 2004 TONYs, a revised number incorporating 2 separate musical numbers in the show was shown. Btw, Hugh Jackman won the Best Actor TONY for a musical for this role."
That much I knew (about Hugh Jackman). But I don't know anything about the plot or anything. I'll look into it!
I think these are some classic 11 o'clock numbers:
She Used to Be Mine - Waitress
Hold Me in Your Heart - Kinky Boots
Rose's Turn - Gypsy
Memory - Cats
Shall We Dance - The King and I
Our Time - Merrily We Roll Along
Being Alive - Company
Move On - SITPWG
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/18/19
poisonivy2 said: "I think these are some classic 11 o'clock numbers:
She Used to Be Mine - Waitress
Hold Me in Your Heart - Kinky Boots
Rose's Turn - Gypsy
Memory - Cats
Shall We Dance - The King and I
Our Time - Merrily We Roll Along
Being Alive - Company
Move On - SITPWG"
I'm praying I get to see Being Alive performed live on stage this coming spring!! So excited for the Company revival!
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
Please add "I'm Here" from The Color Purple to that list.
I would say "Hello Dolly" fits the bill as a showstopper. I would also add "King Of NY" from "Newsies" and "Totally F***** from "Spring Awakening".
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
Rose’s Turn —Gypsy
I’m Going Back — Bells Are Ringing
Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag — Chicago
So Long Dearie — Hello, Adolph
If He Walked Into My Life — Mame
Is Anybody There — 1776
I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face — MFL
Welcome Home — Bandstand
Words Fail / So Big, So Small — DEH
Move On — SITPWG
Make Them Hear You — Ragtime
(Probably Not Valid). Entire Loveland Sequence in Follies (essentially Buddy’s, Sally’s, Phyllis’s and Ben’s 11:00 numbers
Betrayed — The Producers
I don’t consider the great closing numbers of Kinky Boots or Hairspray to be 11:90 numbers...I see them as great closing numbers. 11:00 numbers to me are pivotal ‘star turns’.
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
Chorus Member Joined: 5/15/16
I thought an 11 o clock number was a showstopper towards the end of the show that wakes everyone up and brings the house down?
If my understanding is correct, the classic example that comes to mind is “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” from Guys and Dolls.
And the most recent example that I’ve seen: “Balaga/The Abduction” from The Great Comet.
I think there were two 11 o'clock numbers in the original Funny Girl.
Who are you now? and
The music that makes me dance.
Fifty Percent. From Ballroom by Dorothy Louder.
Dorothy could belt them out with such emotion. RIP.
Broadway Star Joined: 10/6/18
Not your typical 11 o’clock number but I think “So Big/So Small” from Dear Evan Hansen is one of the best.
Agreed. Fifty Percent from Ballroom is an outstanding 11 o'clock number, but what a dreadfully written show.
As if We've Never Said Goodbye from Sunset Boulevard is up there with me too, but truly unsure if you could consider it an 11 o'clock number.
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/18
MyLife said: "Please add "I'm Here" from The Color Purple to that list."
Ditto. After Erivo's superhuman performance this tops it for me.
Broadway Star Joined: 12/2/06
yankeefan7 said: "I would say "Hello Dolly" fits the bill as a showstopper. I would also add "King Of NY" from "Newsies" and "Totally F***** from "Spring Awakening"."
King of New York is the Act 2 opener... more like a 9:30 number
Broadway Star Joined: 11/10/14
From Wikipedia:
11 o'clock number is a theatre term for a big, show-stopping song that occurs late in the second act of a two-act musical, in which a major character, often the protagonist, comes to an important realization. Examples include "So Long Dearie" from Hello, Dolly!, "Rose's Turn" from Gypsy, and "Work the Wound" from Passing Strange. It was so named because in the days when musical performances would start at 8:30 pm, this song would occur around 11:00 pm.
Among the theatre community, there is some debate as to the characteristics of an 11 o'clock number. It often signifies a moment of revelation or change in heart of a lead character, although there are exceptions to this. The 11 o'clock number is also differentiated from the finale in that it is not the final number in the show, but even this is not considered a requirement by some commenters. Broadway producer Jack Viertel defines an 11 o'clock number as "a final star turn".
Other notable 11 o'clock numbers include "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" from Guys and Dolls, "Memory" from Cats, "Brotherhood of Man" from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, "Gimme Gimme" from Thoroughly Modern Millie, "Another National Anthem" from Assassins, "The American Dream" from Miss Saigon, "I'm Here" from The Color Purple, and "Always Starting Over" from If/Then.
Understudy Joined: 8/17/15
I think The Ladies Who Lunch from Company is a great one.
"King of New York is the Act 2 opener... more like a 9:30 number"
I understand your point but when I saw "Newsies", this song literally stopped the show. The actors had to wait for about 15-30 seconds for the standing ovation to stop before they could go to the next part of the show.
Leading Actor Joined: 5/8/19
MyLife said: "yankeefan7 said: "I would say "Hello Dolly" fits the bill as a showstopper. I would also add "King Of NY" from "Newsies" and "Totally F***** from "Spring Awakening"."
King of New York is the Act 2 opener... more like a 9:30 number"
Keeping with Newsies, I'd say Once and For All is a pretty great 11:00 number
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