Favorite line/part of a musical that isn't the lyrics of a song?

[beilis32]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:01pm

I'm going to see a production of Assasins on Saturday, and I was thinking how much I love the last scene with Oswald and Booth, and how I can't wait to see it live. Then I realized that that part isn't even a song, and some of the best parts of musicals are not songs.  Other examples I love include: The "may she rot forever with scalding mascara and lipstick afire" speech by Charlotte from A Little Night Music, especially as delivered by Maureen Moore, and the Translattion of "scar" as "Bella!" from  Light in the Piazza. What favorite lines or parts like this do you have?

[ClumsyDude15]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:09pm

One moment I kind of love is during "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" in Jersey Boys when Frankie hears and sees the horns and looks up at Bob and they have that sort of "We did it" moment since early on in the show they'd discussed a horn section. 

[Sertzo19]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:13pm

Effie and Deena (rightfully) get all the props in Dreamgirls, but I LOVE Lorelle and her scene with Jimmy right before No Party where she kisses him for every year they've been together and confronts him for not keeping his promise to leave his wife. I also lover her "I'm a woman now, Deena" scene in the first act, so funny! 

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:24pm

I love Paul's monologue in A Chorus Line, as well as the parts of Matilda where she is telling the story to the librarian. I didn't love the show as a whole, but those scenes were excellent. 

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:25pm

There are lots of them in "A Chorus Line," but Paul's monologue? Perfection.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:27pm

In Fiddler, the scene where Tevye insists on seeing Motl's sewing machine.

[Sertzo19]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 1:29pm

Another of my favorite spoken moments in a musical is Roxie's monologue about fame right before her big Roxie solo. 

[The Other One]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 2:02pm

"I never asked the time of day from a clock."

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 2:36pm

I've always thought the quiet and subtle dancing between Elphaba and Galinda at the end of "Dancing Through Life" that slowly grows into the entire ensemble joining in is beautiful. Definitely an underrated, subdued part of such a monster mega-musical.

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 5/16/16 at 3:25pm

The Bobby/Kathy scene in "Company."

The dressing room scene at the end of "Gypsy"

"Let's us just be friends" from "The Color Purple"

The barn scene through the end of "Fiddler on the Roof"

So many others!

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 8:06am

I love the scene in Fiddler where the rabbi is asked if there is a proper blessing for the tsar, and he replies with "God bless and keep the tsar...far away from us". 

Also love the subway scene in If/Then where the worker walks through the train and is asked a question, and we find that his speaking voice sounds the same as it does over the intercom.

 

 

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 8:59am

"Carousel": “You’re right about there being no wind. The blossoms are just coming down by theirselves. Just their time, too. I reckon.” has always strongly resonated with me, for whatever reason. Actually, the whole If I Loved You sequence is perhaps my favorite scene of all time. It's so innocently playful while also telling the story so beautifully. It's the equivalent of hesitation and blissful and innocent rebellion.

"Ragtime": "Oh, you love the girl on the swing. Well, now you can say she kissed you! But she could never love a man as poor, or as thin, or as....nice as you. I'll blow you a kiss from the stage tomorrow night! If I haven't forgotten all about you." Now, I don't know how it was played in the original production, but the way Savannah Wise played this line, she was playing a facade for the press. But underneath that, I think the purpose of the line was to self-sabotage what could be the first productive and healthy relationship she's ever had. But she doesn't think she's worthy of someone nice, because she's never been with someone nice. I don't know, that's just my interpretation. I adore the way Savannah found the nuance of Evelyn Nesbit. She did so much with her very little time on stage.

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 9:13am

For me it's James Wilson's speech at the end of 1776 (and the dialogue leading up to it).

 

Wilson: I’m different from you, John. I’m different from most of the men here. I don’t want to be remembered. I just don’t want the responsibility!

 

Dickinson: Yes, well, whether you want it or not, James, there’s no way of avoiding it.

 

Wilson: Not necessarily. If I go with them, I’ll only be one among dozens; no one will ever remember the name of James Wilson. But if I vote with you, I’ll be the man who prevented American independence. I’m sorry, John—I just didn’t bargain for that.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 9:16am

I remember being struck by the simplicity of "Everything's fine. I'm making sandwiches. On the floor."

[humbugfoto]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 10:43am

"I was raised to be charming, not sincere" from Into The Woods.

[ukmusicalfanatic]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 10:51am

"Don't tell me ponchos are back in"

[rjm516]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 11:18am

"Oh and then there's " I've seen salads dressed better than this." That one always makes me crackup as well."

 

Bahaha what is this from! 

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 1:40pm

"You're all looking at my tits now, aren't you?"

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 2:19pm

Anita: Bernardo was right. If one of you were lying on the street bleeding I would walk by and SPIT ON YOU!  Don't you touch me! I've got a message for your American buddy! You tell that murderer that Maria is never going to meet him. You tell him Chino found out about them and SHOT HER! SHE'S DEAD! 

:: drops mic ::

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 2:22pm

All of the chaos that leads into "Loveland" in Follies. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 2:23pm

Debra Monk in Steel Pier saying she's in the mood for something pink and sticky. :)

[5377brian]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 4:52pm

For the two people in the world who haven't seen "Wicked", but know the show because of the cast album, they miss out on a beautiful part with Nessarose, because it wasn't on the cast album due to 

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

Stephen Schwartz not wanting to reveal that she was the Wicked Witch of the East and is killed. 

Not all spoken but still beautiful I think...

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 5:02pm

Speaking of Wicked, I've always loved G(a)linda's line about Fiyero: "I don't even think he's perfect any more and I still want him." When done correctly by an actress, it's an important and funny/touching step in the character's maturation.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 7:06pm

In DOLLY, just before the parade number Dolly emphatically states, "I will, Irene, I will!" It leads to the big parade and the whole 2nd act hinges on it.

[South Florida]

Posted: 5/18/16 at 7:17pm

Great topic.