What number or a moment from a musical really thrills and excites you?
- A LITTLE PRIEST (Sweeney) especially the last few measures of the song. Incredible.
- ACT 1 FINALE (CHICAGO) Roxie fainting, and Velma brings down the curtain with her AND ALL THAT JAZZ. This really excites me.
- The BIG SPENDER vamp that starts the Overture in SWEET CHARITY. It's so great watching the audience jump in their seats, then they bop their heads and dance to the beat - everyone's face looks so thrilled. The Orch really belts out these notes.
- YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT - Hairspray.
I'll add more later.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/16/05
The last note sung in One Day More, if done right.
In Spelling Bee when...
*SPOLIERS AHEAD!!*
...Barfee wins the bee.
*END SPOILERS*
Don't jump on me, but when Elphaba flies...gah, so thrilling. I was shaking a lot.
BURNING LOVE and C'MON EVERYBODY from ASU-so much fun and thrilling!
YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT from HAIRSPRAY
BIG SHOT from MOVIN' OUT- that was so amazing and excellent!
When Chitty takes flight...
Call the show whatever you want, and let the critics beat it to death, but really, that is pretty magical..I mean, you can fly things from the wings, or from the flies, but really..the technology alone is magical.....and when she spins! AHHHh! FLY CHITTY! FLY!
Honorable mention: 42nd Street stair routine!
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/1/05
the Speedtest/Forget about the boy from Millie.
Jennifer Holliday singing "And I Am Telling You" and receiving a standing ovation in the middle of the song.
I Little Women during "The Fire Within Me" when she sings, "How can that be lost forever?/How when I gave everything with all my heart?!" And the music swells and I saw the sheet covering the attic window and I nearly jumped out of my seat and yelled, "Rip it off!" But she did anyway and I got all these chills.
'Twas a great moment.
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/12/04
- The whole THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA scene. That scene is just so brilliantly designed and pulled off.
- Also ALL THAT JAZZ and CELL BLOCK TANGO from CHICAGO.
- and the moment Elphaba starts to rise up in DEFYING GRAVITY.
Stand-by Joined: 12/7/03
hmmm well YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT from HAIRSPRAY and CELL BLOCK TANGO from Chicago
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
The moment right after the lights go down when any overture starts.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
"You Can't Stop the Beat"
"One Day More" from Les Mis. That is just an amazing scene. And the finale.
I agree with you Sant about The Phantom of the Opera scene, but I prefer when the chandelier raises up at the beginning.
Beauty and the Beast when the Beast turns into the Prince. I KNOW it's extremely soppy but I loved that moment; I'm a kid at heart.
The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels number...the chemistry between John and Norbert in that is amazing.
When Elphaba starts to fly in "Defying Gravity" in Wicked.
When the car starts to fly in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, both times.
Raul singing "Petrified" in Taboo.
Act One Finale Of Billy Elliot, It was breathtaking
"Confrontation" in Jekyll & Hyde
"Be Our Guest" in Beauty and the Beast
The Chandelier in POTO
Wicked in general
Swing Joined: 10/29/05
For me, there's nothing better than the Finale of TPOTO. The entire scene just brings me to tears and gives me chills. I have no idea why it still does since I listen to it so often, but to me it is just incredible.
Understudy Joined: 7/30/05
"The Fall of Saigon" from Miss Saigon...you just can't catch your breath.
These are the most exciting numbers & moments I've witnessed in a musical:
And I Am Telling You (Act I finale from Dreamgirls)
Music and the Mirror (A Chorus Line)
Defying Gravity (Wicked)
Grizabella ascending to the Heaviside Layer (Cats)
Sunday, as the painting comes together at the end of Act I (Sunday in the Park With George)
America (West Side Story)
Rose's Turn (Gypsy)
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (On Your Toes revival)
EDIT: Crap! I forgot one of the best ever! I was lucky enough to see Yul Brynner in a revival of "The King & I." And the moment when he dances with Anna in "Shall We Dance" is electric and legendary. It certainly makes my list.
Featured Actor Joined: 4/10/05
Defying Gravity - Wicked
You Can't Stop The Beat - Hairspray
Featured Actor Joined: 12/31/69
Defying Gravity- Wicked
You Cant Stop The Beat- Hairspray
C'mon Everybody/Burning Love- All Shook Up.
Cell Block Tango- Chicago
Circle of Life- Lion King.
It just occurred to me that my choice (Raul doing Petrified) isn't really exciting as it was moving. I shouldn't have posted here.
"One Day More" from Les Mis
"The Rumble" in WSS
"La Vie Boheme" in Rent
"Wheels of a Dream" in Ragtime
"Little Priest" in Sweeney Todd
"Rose's Turn" in Gypsy
and yes, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked -- say what you will about the show, the first time I saw that scene, not a month after it opened, I was in awe, and couldn't stop smiling through the whole intermission.
Broadway Star Joined: 9/4/05
Defying Gravity. This is embarrassing, but I actually cried.
Videos