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Help: Great Opening Numbers

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#1

Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:15am

Hi, guys. I am putting together a concert with no real central theme. I'm looking for a great opening number (was original thinking THE NEW WORLD from "Songs for a New World" but decided against it) that a few people can sing to rouse the audience.

Any suggestions?

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#2

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:23am

"Another Openin' of Another Show" from Kiss Me Kate, maybe?

"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont

My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#3

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:31am

"One Night Only" from DREAMGIRLS

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#4

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:45am

Hmmm. Maybe I should give a few more details. The evening is mostly a mixture of classical music and lounge-like showtunes by Bill Finn, Sondheim and Schwartz with just a pianist/singer and two other singers...

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#5

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:51am

Anything Goes

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#6

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 12:52am

A Comedy Tonight- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention...I'm the good cop, he's the bad cop.

#7

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:40am

If it's not already being sung in the show, Finn's "Make Me A Song" might work. It opened the recent revue by the same name, and was the first song at his night at Joe's Pub that's recorded on the "Infinite Joy" CD.

"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont

My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#8

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:43am

The opening of a chorus line, omigod you guys (Legally Blonde), Opening Night (the producers), I'm Alive (Xanadu)

<-- Gwen Stewart, SOLoist at the last show of RENT
Cages or wings? Which do you prefer? Ask the birds. Fear or love, baby? Don't say the answer Actions speak louder than words. (Tick, Tick... BOOM!)

#9

Posted: 5/19/08 at 1:48am

Updated On: 5/5/09 at 01:48 AM

#10

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 2:08am

my first suggestion would be "I Sing (Opening Number)" from the musical I SING!

can do the original 7 minute opening or condense into a really nice 3 minute opening piece. it's the best choice.

#11

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:04am

What about 'Magic To Do'?

"You mean what was the best picture of the year or what did they pick as the best picture of the year?" - California Suite

#12

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:22am

What about "There's No Business Like Show Business"?

#13

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:28am

Rent from Rent
In The Heights from In The Heights

#14

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 9:17am

Here I Am, from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#15

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 10:21am

The first thing that pops into my head is Omigod You Guys from Legally Blonde.

#16

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 10:26am

Another Openin', Another Show is good
Comedy Tonight is one of my faves
I personally love I'm Alive (that would be my pick overall but there are other songs that in the context of what you're doing might be better)
Here I Am is good-I heard someone do that as an opener and it works really well

"A birdcage I plan to hang. I'll get to that someday. A birdcage for a bird who flew away...Around the world." "Life is a cabaret old chum, only a cabaret old chum, and I love a cabaret!"-RIP Natasha Richardson-I was honored to have witnessed her performance as Sally Bowles.

#17

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 10:36am

in the heights
mamma who bore me- spring awakening

"Those You've Known And Lost Still Walk Behind You"-Spring Awakening

#18

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 10:39am

Here's reaching way back in the annals of theatre history for your young pups:

"Walk Him Up The Stairs" - PURLIE. Very VERY exciting opening number...only thing was -- it's the most exciting thing in the show, and it happens in the first 15 minutes!

#19

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:04am

Little Shop of Horrors from Little Shop of Horrors

#20

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:24am

My first thought was "The New World," but since you had already decided against it, I'll say "I'm Alive".

http://www.beintheheights.com/katnicole1 (Please click and help me win!) I chose, and my world was shaken- So what?
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda "And when Idina Menzel is singing, I'm always slightly worried that her teeth are going to jump out of her mouth and chase me." - Schmerg_the_Impaler

#21

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:31am

Some of these suggestions are completely off the wall.

The best opening number is Invocations and Instructions to the Audience from The Frogs, and just manipulate the lyrics to the Putting it Together version (which I'm sure you can find on that site)

It was originally supposed to be the opening for Forum, but it got scrapped last minute, and replaced by Comedy Tonight.

Not many people do it. It's hilarious. How can you not laugh at the two lines "Please, don't fart, there's very little air and this is art" and "Please, refrain, from eating sweets in cellophane"

And it's definitely not cliche. (How many times do you see a review opened up with "Comedy Tonight" or "Another Openin'" ugh..if there's anything that turns me off to a revue it's an extremely run of the mill opening number)

And...Little Shop of Horrors is only a good opening number for...um...Little Shop of Horrors?

Agreed?

"Walk Him Up.." is fun. I got to play Charlie Cotchipee nothing like being the only White guy singing gospel with a bunch of black folks. I loved it.

Wow... I'm being a bia today.

#22

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:35am

if you have the talent, "Company" from "Company".

A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.

#23

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:36am

If it's just a piano with two singers, then do "There's No Business Like Show Business" because it's upbeat and can be done with two singers, and sets the tone for the show.

http://theaterfag.blogspot.com/ Reviews and the like

#24

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/19/08 at 11:43am

We Dance from Once on this Island always seems to be a fun one.

-There's the muddle in the middle. There's the puddle where the poodle did the piddle."

#25

re: Help: Great Opening Numbers

Posted: 5/20/08 at 4:07pm

Tradition-Fiddler on the Roof

and I know your looking for opening numbers but my favorite CLOSING is you cant stop the beat from hairspray!

He's so nurturing! - Penny Pingleton, Hairspray

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