Favorite Act 1 Finale(s)??- Page 2

[jam_man]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 12:43am

Actually, Taryn, 1776 is a one act musical, so there is no 1st act closer, in the sense that we're talking about. Maybe a production you did or saw placed an intermission, though that'd be a strage place to put it.

If you cheat and let the last 3 songs from the 1st act of Sweeney, no show can compare - no show has a last 15-20 minutes of act 1 like Sweeney Todd ("Pretty Women," "Epiphiny(sp)," and "A Little Priest"). "One Day More" is a great ender, as well, though a little by-the-numbers (then again, what isn't these days?). Others:

"'Till We Reach That Day" from Ragtime
"Light of the World" from Godspell
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" from Gypsy
"La Vie Boheme" from Rent
"Weekend in the Country" from A Little Night Music


I won't list "Defying Gravity" with the rest of them, but it is pretty good, though it's more a great moment than a great song.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 12:49am

For spine-tingling theatricality "Sunday" from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE is a top favourite of mine.

Certainly the whole "Pretty Women/Epiphany/A Little priest" section of SWEENEY is a most amazing 15 min stretch of musical theatre.

I know some people hated it but I thougt the first act finale of TITANIC was brilliant. Admittedly when a friend first told me about it I thought it sounded lame but when I saw the show I felt it was very effective.

Not great butI always loved Julian Marshe's "The rest of the performance is cancelled. Houselights!" at the end of Act One of the original 42ND STREET was a great Act One closer.

Another that poops into my mind if Pseudolus's cry of "Intermission" at the end of Act One of FORUM.

And a sentimental favourite: "I'm Flyin'" and the flying ballet that ends Act One of of PETER PAN always brings a lump to my throat.

[LostLeander]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:19am

Cabaret's Tomorrow Belongs To Me reprise.
That left me visibly stirred at intermission.

A Little Night Music's A Weekend in the Country... simply gorgeous. That last note in which everyone holds.. I love hearing that really high third of the chord pop in.

Sweeney, the last section.. Pretty Women through Epiphany to A Little Priest... sinister, brilliant, rousing. Isn't it wonderfully sad how you actually feel hope after that song?
Sondheim can take these two grungy people who plan to kill people and put them in pies, and make the audience like them. Pure Brilliance.

Parade. Breaks my heart.
It's hard to speak my heart is so simple, clear, and cutting. The finale / the whole show induces so much anger! I always get angry when I listen to it!

[Wormlett]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:21am

ONe day more and Defying Gravity.

[bluesuadeshoes8]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:30am

Urinetown- Act 1 Finale lol
All Shook Up- Cant Help Falling in Love

[jwsel]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:37am

This may seem like a stupid question but did Til We Reach that Day end Act 1 of Ragtime?

I saw Ragtime in its pre-broadway run in LA and it's been a long time since I saw it, but I'm pretty sure that in our production, Til We Reach that Day was the very somber, emotional opening of Act 2. In fact, I was going to suggest Sarah's death was an incredibly shocking ending for Act 1, because that was how I remember it ending. (I seem to recall discussing during intermission how disappointing it was that one of the best singers in the production (Lachanze) would be absent during the second act, even thought that didn't turn out to be entirely true.)

I'll also jump on the bandwagon for both One Day More and And I'm Telling You. Let me add Where Do I Go which ended Act 1 of Hair with the actors removing their clothes. It might not be my favorite finale, but it certainly was memorable the first time I saw Hair.

[jam_man]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:41am

Yes, at least in it's current version, "'Till We Reach That Day" is the end of act 1 for Ragtime. I can't say if it was when you saw it in LA, but it at least is now.

[thejcm]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 1:53am

I am putting up a new one, Little Shop of Horrors. The curtain coming down with that plant with that evil, evil laugh. That gave me some chills when I saw it last week. I've seen both movies, listened to the recordings, I knew perfectly well what was going to happen, but when that Act 1 curtain went down I couldn't wait for act 2 to start so that I could see how things played out.

To restate others:
"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" - Dreamgirls
"La Vie Boheme" - RENT
"One Day More" - Les Miz

[jacco]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 3:49am

One Day More. Sorry. Nothing beats that. The Act1 finale of the West End Whistle down the Wind comes close though....

[StarbuckQAF]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 4:21am

Light in the Piazza, with "Say It Somehow"--

Best I've ever seen.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 4:24am

Ragtime and Les Miserables. Getting chills just thinking about it!

[My Name in Lights]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 4:32am

One Day More, LES MIZ
Defying Gravity, WICKED
Can't Help Falling in Love, All SHOOK UP
Say a Prayer, DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES
Be Our Guest, BEAUTY & the BEAST (I think that was the title; it's been awhile since I've seen it.)
Updated On: 8/8/05 at 04:32 AM

[One Song Glory]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 6:05am

Wicked's act 1 finale is pretty cool.

[mrcacou]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 6:55am

You do not always need great effects and loud music for a great act one finale. My all tipe favorite was in "the Butiful Game". A short eprise of "let us Love in Peace" with a bare stage, a coffin ad rain falling down for about two minutes. No one on stage and just some drum playing while the curtain is going down. The best ever. Every body was speechless during intermission with red eyes.

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 7:43am

Sunday in the Park with George
Gypsy
Sweeney Todd
Ragtime

[ashley0139]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 7:56am

My first thought when I saw the title of this thread was definetly One Day More from Les Miz. And I stand by that. I don't think anything can beat that, for me. I also love La Vie Boheme from RENT. In a different sense, I really liked the Act One Finale of Little Women, which was Astonishing. Jo's basically just made the decision that she's going to completely change her life for herself, not for anyone else. I think it's a very powerful song. Maybe not great in the big, chorus number sense, but I think it's powerful in a different way.

[AndiV]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 8:12am

Defying Gravity!

[leon1489]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 9:24am

As much as I love One Day More, 'Til We Reach that Day is also incredible. I was in Ragtime a few years ago and every time we were onstage singing that song, we literally had tears streaming down our faces, and they were genuine. It's such a powerful ending for the first act, but on a somber note. Seriously, the entire theater was crying.

And to answer a question someone above had, yes, they moved it to the end of Act One for the Broadway run. I personally like it this way, because while it works to have the curtain close on Sarah's death, the transition between the funeral and Coalhouse Demands is kind of weird. There needs to be physical time between the two so that the audience can kind of take everything in.

[nolatheatre]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 9:28am

Wicked And Along Came Bialy from The Producers

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:00am

La Vie Boheme - Rent
Defying Gravity - Wicked

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:00am

I will second Defying Gravity, Til We Reach That Day and La Vie Boheme, but I'm also putting If I Can't Love Her from Beauty and the Beast out there. What an amazing song to end with!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:02am

"A Weekend in the Country"~A Little Night Music

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:05am

I think Jerry Herman writes great first act finales:
'Before the Parade Passes By' from 'Hello, Dolly!'
'I Am What I Am', from 'La Cage' and the title number from 'Mame' are all terrific. Of course 'Everything's Coming up Roses' from 'Gypsy' is still the gold standard.

[ozdustgirl2]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:13am

Les Mis- One Day More absolutely fantastic

WICKED- Defying Gravity, my personal favorite

DRS- The Miracle

RENT- La Vie Boheme is so powerful and energetic

Updated On: 8/8/05 at 10:13 AM

[grizzabella]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 10:15am

"Til We Reach That Day" - Ragtime (Definitely!)
I'd also like to second - "I Am What I Am" - La Cage Aux Folles. What a powerful affirmation of self and a worthy end to Act 1.