Scariest Moment in a Musical or Play

[Emcee4ever]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 6:59pm

What do you think is the scariest moment from a musical or play?

I think it's when the winged monkeys are released in Wicked and the finale of the '98 revival of Cabaret.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:00pm

The only thing scary about WICKED are it's fans.

As far as flat out frightening?

Some part in SWEENEY TODD, I suppose.
Agreed, the finale of CABARET.

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:01pm

Sudden shooting in plays/musicals is a scary thing for me. I almost always jump back in my seat when guns go off. So, naturally, the gun shots in Les Miz and Assassins scared me. Also, I saw a production of The Three Musketeers with a huge gun fight. That was probably the scariest time I've ever had at a play!

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:29pm

The 'murder' scene in DEATHTRAP. I've never heard 1000 people in a theater scream so loud.





Allison MacKenzie
Peyton Place, New Hampshire

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:44pm

The last sequence in Wait Until Dark where they are actually IN the dark can be VERY frightening if staged well.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:47pm

I saw a production of the Tempest where at the beginning, the strange chandelier thing that was sitting wrecked on stage lit up and flew above the audience, then the lights went completely down and there was lightinng flashing and thunder and it was really loud and really scary and then the fairy, who just looked CRAZY scary popped up for a minute in the lightining and everyone went NUTS. Then the actros came out of trapdoors, as if they were coming from below deck of prospero's ship.

It was very scary and pretty brilliant.

[AshleyBrownFan123]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 7:56pm

The lion king costume for rafiki

[ihearttheatre]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 8:06pm

The Pillowman...but there are so many terrifying moments that I can't choose one as the scariest.
Updated On: 6/3/06 at 08:06 PM

[Fabrizio2]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 8:08pm

I totally agree with Cabaret. Jesus. Not really was it scary, just extremely disturbing.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 8:14pm

so what happens at the end of Cabret?

[wildcat]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 8:43pm

I'll second "Wait Until Dark". Truly heart stopping.

[TheMecca]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 8:47pm

The whole ending of Sweeney Todd. I haven't seen the revival but I've seen the DVD of the tour and George Hearn scares the hell out of me.

[singingshowgirl]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 9:21pm

i did not see the revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, but i have seen the movie with Marlon Brando several times....he is incredibly scary in many moments in that movie and i heard that when he did it on broadway, the actors were scared of him because he was so brilliantly into it

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 9:49pm

For me, it's in Wicked. Yes, everyone. I love that show. But I digress.

After Chistery, the Wizard's pet monkey, is given wings by Elphaba, that's kind of creepy. But then, the Wizard pulls the lever and the walls part to reveal an entire cage full of flying monkies. Complete with the red lights and the percussive music, that moment scares the crap out of me.

Little Shop of Horrors is pretty scary.

I don't know if it's that scary, but you sort of get a feeling of claustrophobia when Radames and Aida are placed in the tomb in Aida.

When the Baker's Wife gets killed by the Giant (or rather by trees crushed by the Giant) in Into the Woods, that's scary.

When I first saw Evita, seeing the body lying in state freaked me out.

I cannot handle guns going off in shows. Heck, I jumped out of my seat during "Oklahoma?" in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels when Jolene is firing the gun and making Lawrence "dance."

I haven't seen the revival of Sweeney Todd but the new recording gives me the willies (we can thank the pared down orchestrations for that.)

The Hysteria sequence in The Light in the Piazza is pretty darn scary.

Ah, yes, and so is the scene in Big River where they dig up the corpse.

When the Von Trapps are hiding from the Nazis in The Sound of Music, yeah.

The Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is scary.

What can I say? I scare easily. I even jumped when the butler popped up in the movie, The Haunted Mansion.

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 9:52pm

Pillowman- the tortured kid sitting up in bed. holy ****.
Sweeney Todd-The final note, with Sweeney Todd storming out and that door slamming...chilling

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 9:54pm

Seeing "Bklyn" was the scariest thing I have ever endured !

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 9:56pm

Oh, god. That damn bed scene!!!!! Holy crap I never screamed so loud!

[vjRichie]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 10:24pm

Wicked - when Elpheba is raised 1000 ft into the air during Defying Gravity!




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note: that was sarcasm!

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 10:26pm

I've never seen anything r4eally frighting, but there were moments when I nearly jumped out of my seat b/c I was starteled.
Phantom of the Opera's Act 1 overture gets me everytime from the second the chandeleir pops and starts going up. I let out a shriek the first time I saw it.
Everytime a gun fired during The Perfect Crime
and when the overture's for Mamma Mia started.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 10:47pm

The ending of the Cabaret revival was frightening. I don't think I've ever sat in stunned silence like that, much less an entire audience.

I also agree about Wait Until Dark. That final scene in the dark is frightening.

[Esparzafan]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 11:38pm

I'll second The Pillowman. I've never jumped so many times during a play.

Parts of The Lieutenant of Inishmore as well....

[SimpleJoysHaveSimpleVoice]

Posted: 6/3/06 at 11:42pm

Autograph seekers at the stage door...

[Jilani]

Posted: 6/4/06 at 1:01am

Yet another vote for the Pillowman. I was one of many people who yelled out involuntarily at that "jump" moment . . . I was very embarrassed! I never thought a play could be so scary, and I don't get scared at horror movies, but my heart was pounding for the remainder of Act 1.

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 6/4/06 at 1:16am

Depending on how it's done and if you know what to expect- the end of Angels in America - Part 1. If done well, it's spectacular and scary at the same time.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/4/06 at 6:59am

Well I gotta go w "Wait Until Dark" except w the movie everyone kinda knows about the "jump" moment which if u are anticipating it makes it less scary.